Clintonitis

Many of Sen. Hillary Clinton's supporters are blaming sexism in the media for her defeat to Sen. Obama for the democratic presidential nomination. And while it is hard to argue that there was not sexism (i.e. Chris Matthews calling her a she-devil), her being a woman isn't why she lost. There were other factors in play.

For starters, I, as a 40 year old man, was insulted when some of her supporters, in explaining why there was sexism, used an example of "here's the woman, staying home with the kids and having the husband come home at 5 and, with all his male power, take over the house by asking what's for dinner." Talk about old fashioned. Both my wife and I, equally educated, both work in our fields. However, my job allows for much more flexible hours then hers. So, while she shuffles the kids off to school and pre-school in the morning, because I'm out the door before 6:30, as I have a long commute, I am home before her most evenings (by just a few minutes) and beginning dinner. Though we do not equally divide our domestic duties, with my wife doing the majority of house work -- I have been banned from laundry, aside from putting the laundry in the washer or drier (or hanging it outside in summer) for "philosophical"differences regarding folding and the proper way to put clothes away -- I do 95% of the cooking, plus the grocery shopping, she brings my car to the mechanic to me (mechanic is walking distance to her office so it just works out easier that way). We kind of split the other chores, 60-40 favoring (so tho phrase it) my wife, though that closes to 50-50 when yard work gets thrown in. Additionally, I work from home several days a week and am the one who meets the school bus several afternoons. I attend way more school functions then her because it is much easier for me to slip away for a few hours. Same for staying home with a sick child (though, granted, my nursing usually means putting on the TV and working in the other room). So, while I'm not Mr. Mom, I'm far from the typical father of Hillary's generation. Somehow, I suspect the message that many of today's youth didn't have the same issues and expectations of Hillary's, was lost among her handlers. But there are other reasons she ended up losing my support.

When Bill Clinton was running for President in 1992 I was 24 and under employed after college, caught up in the Bush I recession (I was temping and working in a deli). I looked at George Bush as yesterday's generation and wanted fresh blood from someone closer to my age, someone who had a better understanding of my life. I had this experience again with Barack Obama, except this time I was pleased that it was someone from my generation, or at least born in the same decade as me. I was not one of those caught up in Obama mania, nor completely swayed by his superior oratory skills. But, I was intrigued enough to do a little research on him. Somewhere along the way, probably when my Clintonitis returned, Obama's relative inexperience, stopped bothering me, which was interesting because I thought George W Bush's inexperience (Governor of a state where the legislature only met every other year and, before that, a reformed druggie who ran businesses into the ground) really harmed his presidency.

When the primary season started, I was pretty sure I'd be voting for Hillary in the fall. While I wasn't in love with her, I felt she'd be a good president. Even when Obama started his campaign up, I still thought Hillary had more substance. But then, when it was just Hillary and him, something happened. During this portion of the campaign I remembered what always bothered me about Bill Clinton's presidency, even though I voted for him twice and generally thought he was an ok president. It was their always following the polls and the diverseness they brought.

When Hillary started going negative, she reminded me how tired I was of the Clintons when their presidency ended. I can't put my finger on any one thing, it was just that I was really tired of their act. I had forgotten about it though, that is until she and Bill went on the attack. Then I remembered, and, when added in with the diverseness that George W Bush has brought over the last years, decided I wanted to get off this 16 year merry go round and go a different route. With John McCain sounding more like W everyday, my route has put me squarely in Obama's camp.

I don't care that he is a black man just I didn't care that Hillary was a woman. I don't think it's generational, I think it's something else. The country is tired, or at least I am, of the rehashing of the 60s culture wars over and over. Though not a child of the 60s, McCain is squarely in this demographic from his service in Vietnam. Enough. It was 40 years ago. Can't we move on already?

Still I am a little sad that Hillary won't be president (at least this year). Hopefully she can find something in the senate or Obama's administration (assuming he wins). When explaining this to my wife's 22 year old cousin, I explained it as Clinton was our Obama and it's a little hard to let them go. Yet, I'm ready to do so.