The Change We Need

I am so enthusiastic about what the Democrats are doing! President Bill Clinton and John Kerry and Joe Biden were totally terrific last night and I just can't wait to see Barack Obama tonight. I really have so much hope for this election and for the future of this country. I love the picture they've been painting of the middle class and our obligation to the environment. We are such a great party, these days. I just sat last night and watched each speech, one after the other, and I was brought to tears. I was shouting "Amen!" There just isn't an issue in my arsenal that they aren't addressing and I'm so pleased. The veteran who spoke last night, Tammy Duckworth, man alive, she had some wonderful things to say! I feel dramatically differently about these people than I did four years ago. I feel dramatically that they are right! That they will take this country in the direction it needs to go! I am glad to see the debate move away from the very important, but very contentious issues of the last election so that we can focus on things that everyone can get behind and that the government actually has (and should have) some power to control. Let's call moral issues what they are. I loved when Bill Clinton talked about how this nation's values have been degraded by Bush's policies:

I will never forget the parents of children with autism and other severe conditions who told me on the campaign trail that they couldn’t afford health care and couldn’t qualify their kids for Medicaid unless they quit work or got a divorce. Are these the family values the Republicans are so proud of? What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by unprecedented multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well connected? What about Katrina and cronyism?

Oh, man! On the one hand, I'd love to have seen this sooner. On the other, hallelujah that it's finally come! I love it, I love it, I love it!

No way. No how. No McCain.

I just wanted to talk about Hillary's speech and how much I liked it. I watched it on the internet. She did an excellent job with a somewhat difficult situation and I am really feeling better about things. In case you missed them, I'm going to put in some highlights:

And on that path to freedom, Harriett Tubman had one piece of advice.
If you hear the dogs, keep going.
If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
If they're shouting after you, keep going.
Don't ever stop. Keep going.
If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going.

I'm not a big patriot and I've noticed that in the darkest of moments, lots of people have found the faith to keep going but, the presidency is about patriotism so I think it's fine in this context. I also found this quote to be inspirational for me in my own life. Keep going. If this applies to the people who, in this nation's history, had some of the least amount of reason to hope, surely it applies to me. Now, another one. The transcript says:

To restore America's standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq, bring our troops home and honor their service by caring for our veterans.

I think she said "bring our troops home WITH honor and give our veterans the care they have EARNED." Which, I thought was very powerful. In fact, the difference between the transcript quote and what Hillary actually said are the very words that made this quote powerful, because these are the things that we want that the current administration isn't doing. They may bring home the troops but will they do it in a way that makes them honored and will they remember them down the road, when they are disabled veterans?

So, all-in-all, I feel a shaky optimism. I was very disappointed about recent polling results but I'm looking forward to seeing more delicious home runs like this one. Great work, Hillary! Really great.