I've been debating whether or not to write about some of my feelings regarding the campaign since my gal Hilary (as I like to call her) dropped out of the presidential race. See, I was, and still am, one of those pesky, middle class, educated white women who just isn't sure whether or not she should vote for Obama. I used to be ashamed to admit that, but after a couple of different conversations I had last week I realize I'm really not alone in my feelings, I'm willing to "out" myself as a fence sitter.

Had you told me back in January that I would feel torn between voting for Obama, voting for McCain, or not voting at all I would have laughed heartily. But honestly, after some of the things that were said last month regarding Hillary and her candidacy by my fellow Obama supporting Democratic comrades, I'm having a hard time throwing my support fully behind Mr. Obama. The sad thing is, only 50% of the reason why I'm not fully behind the Democratic nominee is for policy reasons--the other 50% is because I strongly dislike a small but very vocal group of his supporters.

Here's a great quote from a Salon article that pretty much sums up how I feel about the campaign, and especially how I feel about the aforementioned group of Obama's supporters.

"Clinton behaved with the kind of naked drive and aggression and mercilessness we revere in, for example, football greats, wrestling stars and military heroes. Her political ambition and ruthlessness are qualities native to anyone putting themselves up for the job of running the country. That includes Barack Obama, who is an inspiring leader I fervently hope will be our next president, but who is not, despite what some of his supporters seem to believe, built entirely of altruism and hope and, I don't know, puppies. One of the great things about our history of ambivalence and resentment toward Clinton was the almost sweet relief we could take in knowing from the start that her raw will to power was going to grate on and enrage us."



I know that once November comes I will, truth be told, vote for Obama. I have serious problems with the whole Obama-as-Messiah picture that the New York Times, MSNBC, and a small faction of his followers have created, but I can't not vote for him on the obnoxiousness of his media image alone. I reservations about his readiness to take on his position, as well as his evasiveness regarding a whole host of issues (health care and the war specifically), but I am too much in disagreement with McCain on issues like health care and abortion to vote for him.