Why Voting For Hillary Is Issue

I keep hearing the usual meme that starts spinning as the primary season nears the end: We are Democrats who will unify behind our nominee.  The only problem is that this year the meme refuses to address and resolve the big elephant in our faces.  This is not like any other campaign. This is the first time that a Democrat has used race baiting, terrorism innuendo, and sexism against another Democrat in the primary to the degree and manner that Hillary Clinton has used these issues against Barack Obama in her quest to be our nominee. Racism was used against Jesse Jackson, and sexism has been used against all female candidates, including Hillary. But, as Meteor Blades noted, "[n]othing compares to this year... ."

This is not just a matter of tactics. If Clinton's behavior had been a simple matter of typical political tactics during the primary, I would rally to support her as our nominee as I would rally for whoever was chosen by us. I would be disappointed that my candidate, Senator Obama, was not the nominee, but I am resilient.

The nature and extent of Hillary's use of sexism, racism and terrorism is not just unprecedented, but it strikes at the heart and soul of what it means to be a Democrat in two primary ways.  One, Democrats fight against sexism, racism and the terror card, we do not embrace and use against other Democrats. Two, Hillary's overall kitchen sink strategy is simply the good ole Goppie strategy of the ends justify the means. This is not a Democratic strategy precisely because it is so slimy, deceitful, and harmful to all Americans.

When Bushie has done the same, we raised our voices. When he was sexist with the Queen and the German Chancellor, we yelled. When goppies used racism to attack Democrat opponents, we yelled again.  Each time Bush played his terror/anti-Muslim card, we yelled again. So, why should it be a different standard when a member of our party uses these same reprehensible tactics against another Democrat?  Before this primary, McCain and goppies had indicated that they would not dare play the race card. Now, some may say that Hillary has opened the door for them to walk through. No doubt goppies may have played the race card even if Hillary had not, but now they can cite her as "cover" that this is just politics as usual for even the Democrats did it.

This issue is very frustrating for me, and I think others as well. I have never not voted for a Dem in any election. I don't want to do anything that in any way assists McBush's quest for the WH. But I think we need to confront these issues directly if we want to find an answer that allows us to resolve the tension between some Clinton and Obama supporters so that all Democrats truly unify behind our nominee.

So, my questions are: How can we reconcile voting for Hillary (should that happen) when she has turned core democratic beliefs upside down? If we vote for Hillary despite this conduct, are we not saying by our vote that the ends of avoiding a McBush in the WH justify the means of voting for Hillary?  If so, how do you justify using the goppie ends-justify-the-means strategy when we have opposed this strategy when used by Bush and Goppies? Is there any justification for voting for Hillary that actually reconciles these conflicts?  

I think this conflict also lies at the heart of the tension between some Clinton and Obama supporters. I have seen friendships break up over this division in our party where who you support has become a "litmus" test. If a justification can be articulated that reconciles these conflicts, then I think the division in our party would heal and we would unify behind our nominee.  My hope is that some of Hillary's supporters will post a comment that addresses this conflict because they probably don't see a conflict.

I would also love to not see a conflict.