Last night, Democratic presidential candidates
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had a cozy little debate on
CNN. We watched it this morning on YouTube. The mood of the
debate was calm, almost peaceful. At one point Hillary said she was
honored to be beside Barack and they shook hands. They were both all
smiles. The cameras rolled. Very much unlike the CNN Republican debates, the audience was allowed to stand,
clap, cheer, interact. The debate closed with Hillary's story of
wounded soldiers that made her feel like her crises were
nothing.
"Whatever happens, we're going to be fine," she
said. "You know, we have strong support from our families and our
friends. I just hope that we'll be able to say the same thing about
the American people, and that's what this election should be
about."
How touching.
Except - the visit in which Hillary
detailed a trip to a San Antonio, Texas medical facility where soldiers
were, as she mentioned, "disfigured" and "some were on gurneys" - this was
a trip in which Republican competitor Sen. John McCain was in
attendance.
And, see, Clinton and McCain have something in
common. While it's commendable that they at least listened to what
these soldiers had to say, both of the candidates had a hand in putting
them into that predicament. John McCain is, obviously, in support of
the Iraq War; and Hillary Clinton voted to invade Iraq, and voted
continuously to fund the Middle East conflict.
Hillary has a good
national health care plan. She comes across as a soft woman who's
rough around the edges - in a respectable way - from experience.
What she's learned. What she's put up with. What she's been
able to forgive.
And while I'd love to sit down for coffee or
martinis with the woman and pick her brain, I could never support a
candidate who put us in Iraq. And so, for this writer, her closing
words that left the audience on their feet, fell empty around
me.
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