I had the extreme pleasure of my brother and his significant other visit me last weekend. Over Saturday night wine and dinner, the conversation inevitably swung to the election. They, and my husband and I, are on different sides of the political fence, but we are all adults and it was so much fun to engage with my brother about the qualities of our candidates. “Really?” some of you might ask. How did you do that without losing your cool, starting an outright brawl and eventually damaging a family relationship? How? I’ll tell you how in one word. Respect. My brother and I have always respected each other and would never utter harsh words.
I hate everything his candidate stands for and he cannot fathom having my candidate as his president, but we had a great time! Out of all the discussion, one thing he said stood out in my mind. He said he would never post anything on Facebook about his candidate that someone else wrote. He said he does his research and when he writes, it’s in HIS own words, expressing his own view. That I respect. I don’t care who he votes for, I just respect him for not doing all the posting and posting of article after article and never saying what you mean in your own words as so many others do. I love my brother. He’s a good man. Our different political views don’t change that.
After that night, something clicked in my head. I don’t have to endlessly post proof that my candidate would make a good president. I don’t have to engage and defend her to the opposition. All I have to do is look at her, and be like my brother and ask myself what I see after following her career for 25 years.
I see a woman who is made of steel. I see a woman who keeps her composure under pressure. I see a “nasty” woman. Make no mistake that if this woman becomes president, she is not going to play nice. She never has and that is a strength of hers. She may be a grandmother, but it ain’t gonna be no grandmother moving into that White House. If you think this is gonna be Obama all over again, think again. HE was a nice guy and look where it got us? She is going play on the edge of the rules (and maybe have to break them at times.) She is going to wheel and deal with such slickness congress is going to have their hands full. She is already looking past the election and getting her ducks in a row so she will be able to exercise the power of the position and get some of this stuff done to change the status quo. And as her opponent pointed out, she’ll never back down. And I do care that she’s a woman. I wouldn’t vote for her just based on that, but I DO care. I’d love to see a strong, intelligent woman be the last one standing and make history. Oh and did I mention intelligence? She was one of the top ten lawyers in this country and if anyone thought they were going to get up on stage and upstage her in any debate, they were sadly mistaken. Remember when she took days off before the debates to “prepare?” Think about that. One of the top lawyers in the country “preparing.” She must have spent days getting cases ready to argue in court, so “preparing” to her is way different than it is for the average person.
She’s an iron-woman with a passion for serving and helping. Oh, and yes, she does know a lot about raising money and figuring out where and how to get it to pay for the things this country needs. She, herself, has enough money and I bet anything she’ll be the first to tell you she doesn’t need anymore. She works tirelessly 24/7 making lives better for children and families and other than spending time with her own family, she does little else, so why does she need more money?
Underneath her suit of armor she has a softer side that is willing to reason and listen and forgive. That, mixed with her fortitude and intelligence is a winning combination that I want in the White House for my president. I am not only with her, I admire her and I am inspired by her. I am 63 and she is going to be 69 and I don’t know how she does it. I manage a gym and train people and after an 11 hour day I think I’m tired? And she really wants this job? Whoa. She has my vote for stamina alone.
We are now one day closer to getting this whole thing over with, and I thank my brother for making me see that if I truly support a candidate I should be able to voice my support in my own words, after doing my own research, without saying a nasty word or any words at all about the opponent, and all the while respecting my friends who support the opposition. ( I just wish more of them would stop posting ridiculous articles and mash-ups, off of unverified sites, and just tell it like they see it, in their own words.)
And so, as another day goes by, I am SO with her, and, in my own words …I have written. (And I challenge others to do the same and do it without mentioning or bashing the opponent.)
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