One Week Later: Examining the Latest Failure of Democratic Leadership

You know, I was really hoping that I'd experience this shift everyone's been talking about for the past few months. General wisdom dictated that whichever candidate won the Democratic nomination, supporters of the other candidate would instantly line up in support of the nominee.

I still can't understand why the Democratic super-delegates gave the nomination to Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton. She is, after all, inarguably more electable vs. John McCain. But I've given up trying to understand these things. Since November of 2000, it's become crystal clear that US politics--as well as the US judicial system--is almost completely nonsensical. With the country in such rotten shape, the November election is one the Democrats would have to try to lose. And they're well on their way.

My problem is that I haven't felt this shift everyone's talking about. It's been a week now and it's just not happening. I was fired up for Hillary. My excitement was based on what I know about her; memories which stretch all the way back to the glorious, progressive 1990s when the country was being run by Bill (and Hillary) Clinton. When it comes to Barack Obama, there's no excitement.

I have the same reservations I've had all along. Although he's a great speaker with lots of sparkly-sounding thoughts and ideas, he's awfully young and obviously wet behind the ears. Plus, he's black! Now anyone who knows me can tell you I'm not a racist. But mine isn't the only vote that counts. Anyone who mentioned race during the campaign was instantly thrown under a wheels of the Straight Talk Express. But let's face facts: A black man has an uphill battle trying to get votes in this country. Sadly, racism is alive and well in this country. It's a "non-change you can depend on."

Nothing could have stopped me from voting for Hillary Clinton. If the polls in my state showed her with a 99-point advantage over John McCain, I would still get in line and cast my vote. And I am sure I'll...you know, probably vote for Barack Obama. Of course, if the polls show he's going to win in my state anyway (not a guarantee as it would have been with Hillary), I may just stay home and hope the polls are right. I'm just not excited enough to care.

Therein lies the danger: I am surely not the only Democrat who feels that way. How many people will be staying home instead of voting for the Democrat? It's almost as damaging as going out and voting for the Republican (which I'd never do because protest votes are stupid and I am not stupid). Anyway, am I a Democrat? I only registered as one so I could vote in the primary...and look where that got me.