Hope lives!!! Bill, get the *%#@! out of the way!

God bless South Carolina! Barack Obama's big win there was so incredibly gratifying. The Clintons' antics leading up to the vote were so divisive and cynical. It was so disheartening for me as a Democrat--so destructive to the party. But, Barack took it by such an enormous margin--more than Clinton and Edwards combined, that it was a clear signal that the Democrats are not having it this time around. We want to believe. And now Caroline Kennedy has come out and endorsed him as being the first candidate to inspire so much hope for the future of this country, especially in the younger generations, since her own father! Hope lives!

It seems that the Clinton campaign strategy was to wheel Bill out and let him play the heavy, sow the seeds of negativity and distrust, while letting Hillary rise above the fray. Why, she has looked positively giddy through this last week--smiling more broadly the uglier things got around her. They tried to make Barack into the "black" candidate instead of a candidate who was black. It was as though he wanted to scare whites and discourage the new voters coming into this thing full of optimism to stay home. Looking forward to Super Tuesday and big states like California, there were cynical under currents to exploit black-hispanic tensions, too. (My hope is he will emphasize his father's immigrant history to quell any fears there that may have unfairly been raised.) Hillary pulled out the "slumlord" charge at the debate. And Barack got mad--rightfully so. It won't stick to Barack, because no one thinks he has the kind of character to enter into something so unethical, much less criminal --in contrast to the Clintons. Anyone who has been in politics in any level for any length of time is going to rub shoulders with unsavory people who are out for themselves. But no one is buying that Obama is "pro-slumlord". The only thing that the Clintons managed to do was to strengthen his backbone for the general. For that, and that only--I say thanks. For the sake of the Democratic Party, I hope Hillary can keep Bill on a shorter leash. One Clinton is enough.

Back in 1991, when Bill Clinton was way down in the democratic polls, I read a full-page table in the Washington Post that outlined the positions of all the Democratic hopefuls. I remember thinking. I agree most with this guy Bill Clinton, but who the hell is he? Governor of Arkansas? Eventually, in 1992, I voted for him in both the primary and by absentee ballot from Sao Paulo, Brazil in the general election. I have a picture of myself in a Clinton-Gore t-shirt on the balcony of my apartment, with the enormity of South America's largest city spread out behind me. I was so proud.

Fast forward through White Water, Trave lgate, File gate.... File gate was the one that did me in. If the Republicans put up someone not too horrible, I would hold my nose and vote their way. Dole. Not the most conservative ever. Old as dirt--likely to last in that office for only one term, I thought. I held my nose and pulled the lever for a Republican. I almost vomited, but I did it. I know there were people in the Gingrich gang who were digging like crazy. I didn't know what was what, but something smelled real bad in the White House. As a Democrat, I thought...something is going to blow up if there is a second term. Give Dole four years and then let's work like hell to capture the flag again.

Did I think "blow up" meant a blow job. Uh--no. I didn't see that coming. I mean--was this a bad political satire? When Bill Clinton wagged his finger in my face after the Super Bowl and said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman", I believed him. And I was ready to defend him. I was pissed. I couldn't believe I had voted for a Republican.

When the truth came out, though, I wanted him to resign. Some of my Democratic friends could not believe it. Some of my Republican friends could not believe it. But my reasoning was this-- 1. It was a horrible distraction for this country. 2. What kind of judgment or self control did this guy have? He knew the Republicans were looking for anything on him, so how could he have been so reckless? 3. Gore was perfectly capable of finishing out the term and would be in better place to be elected under the shadow of his own leadership then from under the shadow of Monica's blue dress.

Then the idiot Republicans over-reached and went through the whole impeachment exercise and I had to say they were back to being the more destructive force in Washington. No one would take the higher road. No one.

I was not defending Clinton. He had been a selfish, egotistical, dishonest shit bag. His marital fidelity (or lack there of) was between he and his wife, but when he wagged his finger at me and the rest of American and asked us to believe in him-- he crossed a line with me that he can never recross. The only thing that brought me back to a cautious, tepid support was that the Republicans became even more repugnant than Clinton. It was a race to the bottom and in my mind the Republicans won--or lost--however you see it. And they've pretty much stayed down and dirty ever since.

Enter stage left the hopeful, charismatic new comer--Barack Obama. If you are worried if he's got any substance to back up the glow, read The Audacity of Hope. The man has got a mind and a heart to lead this nation. Plus he is humble enough to ask for quality help and open-minded enough to surround himself with differing opinions. He is the real deal. So, Bill, get the *%#@! out of the way.