Declawing the PUMAs

"No way, No how, No McCain."

It's 12:30 at night, and I am still sitting here, smiling over an incredible speech by Senator Hillary Clinton. I would still be enthusiastically pumping my fist in the air if it weren't for the comments I've been reading on CNN - not just from the general public, but also from the commentators. As someone with a degree in journalism, who, for a time, planned on going into the press and interned for different outlets, I am absolutely sickened by the talking heads who try to spin themselves as unbiased. I am not even talking about Faux News, I am talking about CNN and their vaunted "Best Political Team." What a load of crap. For months, they zeroed in on the negative of Hillary, treating her as a second-class candidate, while treating the male candidates with more dignity. And the minute she stepped out the race, suddenly (in a move that makes me recall my psychological training), they started projecting all of their bias onto the Democratic Party, implying that it was the Dems who were being unfair. Granted, the Obama campaign could have done a better job trying to soothe the wounds of the primary, but the media's attempts to make itself look blameless and unbiased were (and still are) the height of hypocrisy.

But tonight, Senator Clinton, in a masterful speech, made it clear that this isn't about grudges or chauvinism. This isn't about who disrespected who. This is about how America can not bear 4 more years of the same failed Republican policies. This is about our children and the future we want to give to them. This is about supporting someone because you believe in the causes that she believes in and will continue to support those causes and that fight, regardless of which person is leading that charge.

Some of the CNN viewer comments suggest that supporters of Clinton should vote for McCain so that Clinton can run and be the nominee in 2012. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. This isn't a game of chess - these are real issues, real decisions, and real impacts. A lot can happen in 4 years: we can begin the process of rebuilding our economy and begin looking to renewable energy, or we can do nothing because (as McCain believes) the fundamentals of the economy are sound and all we need to do is drill offshore in order to support our energy needs. Another 4 years of Republican "leadership" in the White House will lead to a decidedly conservative Supreme Court - a consequence that will have long-term effects that no Democrat would have the power to undo as president in 2012. Not even Hillary Clinton.

Senator Clinton made it clear that any follower of hers should now become a follower of Obama's, because a vote for McCain is a vote for 4 more years of the last 8 years. The causes, the issues that are at stake are larger than just one person, whether it be Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. And any true supported of Hillary Clinton could never be a supporter of John McCain. Hillary told all of the PUMAs, loud and clear: It's not ok. Really.