CHOOSING THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE

Right now the only thing more unpredictable than the arrival of spring is the Democratic Presidential Primary. Although we’ve already voted, thanks to the DEMOCRATS ABROAD WEBSITE, now we wait and watch like everyone else to see if the rest of the county’s Democrats agree with our choice!

I won’t tell you who we voted for in the primary, but I will tell you that Art and I discuss out choices almost every day. We go back and forth wondering, debating, worrying. Clinton or Obama? Obama or Clinton? One day we’re convinced that Clinton is the best choice, the next day we’re swayed by something Obama has said, and on the day after that we’re completely undecided.

Although we think Clinton has more political experience AND more life experience (and she has Bill to turn to for advice), we’re both afraid that no one will unite the opposition more than Hillary. We’re also afraid that Obama could be too easily swayed, that he doesn’t yet have enough political experience to navigate the shark-infested waters of American politics.

There are some days when Clinton strikes me as too hard core, too uncompromising, too polarizing. Other days I think that we need a president who’ll be tough when she needs to be, who can make those difficult decisions and stay strong. And then there are the days when I think that the bright-eyed optimism that Obama brings is just what this country needs, especially after the past eight years.

The bottom line though, is that the Democratic Party comes through this primary process and UNITES! I’m so afraid that after so many years, so many lukewarm candidates, now that we finally have not one but TWO real contenders, the Democratic Party may well implode! Please, please don’t let that happen! I hope that when all is said and done the party leaders can put aside their egos and do not only what’s best for the party, but what’s best for the country! We need strong leadership, wise leadership, caring leadership. We need to regain the respect of the world and to resume our place among the world’s leaders as the voice of freedom, democracy and compassion. Although I’m still upset that I can’t vote for Jed Bartlet (from ”WEST WING”), I’m hoping that whoever the Democratic nominee is, he or she will lead this country back to greatness