The election, mostly

Hi, friends, hither and yon,

Stuff keeps percolating, so I'll just set down some things, in no particular order.

I'm healthy again, finally. I broke down and asked my "house" (read: GP) doctor for antibiotics, got some, and was free of the plague in about 10 days, after being under siege since 22nd December.

The U.S. campaign is huge here: I'm asked daily by my Dutch office colleagues what I make of it all. I've explained my sudden shift to deciding to vote for Obama. Until recently, I've thought the 'electable' aspect most important and had resigned myself to a Clinton vote, with no enthusiasm and real concern, since I never believed that she would bring good things (au contraire: she's for sale and quite scary; I remember her former law firm scandals from early in Bill's first term), but would be preferable to more of the same (i.e., more Republicans). Then, I read Obama's c.v. and was blown away. To be editor of the Harvard Law Review and to graduate magna from Harvard Law is so impressive. Then, to work in the community in Chicago, is not usual for people who have had his academic background. Yes, Hillary is also very well educated. So, I'm organizing my absentee ballot and hope that there are many thousands like me, who will do the same. The U.S. (and by extension, the world) is in a very precarious situation, in all ways, and desperately needs completely new leadership, intelligence being #1 on the list. The BBC World Service is on about the need for more experience, but someone as bright as Obama would bring in teams of bright people. I want a smart president who's not for sale.

http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama/cv.html

And in terms of legislative experience, Obama has a lot more:

United States Senator, Illinois, 2004-present
Illinois State Senator - 13th Legislative District, Chicago, 1996 - 2004

Clinton bought and shoved her way to the New York Senate seat in 2000, so has considerably less experience as an elected candidate than Obama. However many years she watched her husband as governor of Arkansas and as President, she herself has very limited experience in her office. People in the U.S. were outraged when she bought a home in upscale Westchester County, declared herself a New Yorker and pushed and shoved her way to the Senate seat vacated by Patrick Moynihan when he retired. She's been a "New Yorker" only since 2000. And I remember this (from Wikipedia):

She became the only First Lady to be subpoenaed, testifying before a
federal grand jury as a consequence of the Whitewater scandal in
1996. She was never charged with any wrongdoing in this or several other
investigations during her husband's administration.

I guess, in short, that Obama represents an opportunity (the first in a very long time) for the presidency to have high intellect, high moral ground, and a fresh slate. I am deeply impressed with him. The facts of Clinton being a female candidate and Obama an African-American have fallen away (other than the fact that I hate pants suits on women). He's simply a far superior candidate, and would enormously help America's stature in the world. I had no idea of how influential the U.S. is in the world (on a real level; I'd read as much as most people, but didn't witness it for myself) until I left the U.S. People globally look to the U.S. for models in every aspect of life. The U.S. needs to do FAR better in nearly all categories, and I do not believe that Clinton would make a difference. Last, but by no means least, the thought of seeing Bill Clinton in the White House again is abhorrent. I lived in Washington, D.C. and worked across the street from Ms. Lewinsky's attorney's office, and one could not avoid the photographers who hung out, waiting for a glimpse of her. Not that the White House has ever been immune from scandal, but that had to be a VERY low point in its history. I voted for him the first time, but not the second. It would be so refreshing (and, at this point, a novelty) to have a moral person in the White House!

There's a lot else, but it's time to iron my tea towels! (I love crisp tea towels.).

Until soon,
Pamela