Those that supported Hillary in the primary are going to have an easier time of it in the GE

[ruggerson]

Or I should say, I will have an easier time of it, as I don't want to speak for anyone else.

I never fell in love with Hillary the way I have with other candidates in years past, but I was seriously in like with her.

And, as you know, when you like a candidate a lot, you often viscerally respond, almost involuntarily, to those that attack him/her.

Criticisms of her by both the media and opposing candidates, and here on DU, made me jump to defend her from what I perceived to be unrelenting and undeserved animosity.

Now that Barack is going to be our nominee, I find myself watching the whole thing much more dispassionately.

I support him as fully as I did Hillary. I want him to be elected. But I'm not smitten by him, and I don't expect that anything will change that. His speeches are interesting to watch, but when I watch him speak, I see a fine politician technically crafting a good speech designed to inspire people. I don't FEEL anything watching him. I agree with a lot of what he has to say, but he doesn't really evoke passion in me. He's our nominee, and I'm glad to support him fully, but I don't swoon over pictures of his family. (ok, I've never swooned over ANY politician's family.)

Because of that, when he's attacked, it doesn't really raise my hackles. I can see it dispassionately, and watch with interest and usually approval, to see how he responds. I like watching the chess game, and I'm impressed by how he plays it. He's both a good strategist, with good political instincts - a strong nuts and bolts politician.

But, that's what he is to me: politician. OUR politician, on our side, which is a good thing, because he's good at what he does.

I don't see in him a saviour or a noble cause or a movement. I expect him to run a thoroughly competent left of center administration. And I will be really happy if he can pull it off.

But I'm never going to get outraged over defending him from stupid smears, because I'm not emotionally involved in his run. I'm logically and calmly involved in his run. My heart doesn't react to him, my brain does.

Maybe that will change over time, and I will find myself responding to him in a more visceral way.

But for now, I like supporting a good candidate for President without getting crazed about every little up or down in his campaign.

It's a nice, calm way to support a Presidential run. Much less stress. An unexpected dividend for those whose candidate didn't make it through the primary season.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. What an interesting thread!

I think I understand where you're coming from...

Perhaps your heart was broken when Hillary lost, and this feeling of dispassion is your way to protect yourself from any further loss?

Anyway, it's all good!

:hi:

[ruggerson]

6. Not really

bruised, Peggy, but not broken. Broken was when I was a pre-teen and had picked McGovern early on before anyone knew who he was. I memorized his speeches, worked for him, read his every word, idolized him, and watched him lose almost every state to Richard Nixon, the most repulsive man to ever become President. That was a broken heart. This is more like minor tachycardia. :)

[Adelante]

2. Well said, ruggerson

You might be surprised how many of Obama's supporters see him as you do here.

He's both a good strategist, with good political instincts - a strong nuts and bolts politician. But, that's what he is to me: politician. OUR politician, on our side, which is a good thing, because he's good at what he does. I don't see in him a saviour or a noble cause or a movement. I expect him to run a thoroughly competent left of center administration.

I've had to laugh sometimes when people would post, like, OMG just you wait! You will be soooooo disappointed. You'll see. He's not the Messiah, he's a politician!

Well, yeah.

He does have tremendous leadership qualities and has built an amazing ground organization. That's too often been interpreted in a limited sense, as a movement or cause, although it's that, too. But many Obama supporters enjoy the pragmatic Obama, the political Obama, the quick punch Obama. I admire him for those things. And while I have affection for him as a candidate, it's the brain thing that really keeps me.

[JerseygirlCT]

3. Yeah, me too.

I'm happy to have someone with sharp elbows and the willingness to use them. And someone who has studied the recent political climate and knows how to succeed in it. For once, I think our nominee isn't going to take any guff from the GOp machine, and that in itself is a wonderful thought.

I think he'll be competent, intelligent and empathetic as a president. I think he'll surround himself with a good many good people. And I think he'll feel driven enough by his promises of change to actually deliver on some of them!

[cbayer]

4. I think you are right.

The idealization of Obama is going to be very difficult for some to give up. As a supporter of both Obama and Clinton, it isn't hard for me to see him for what he is and what he isn't.

[madfloridian]

5. I disagree.

I think many like me did not even have a special choice at first. We felt no real loyalty to any candidate.

We supported Edwards, then Obama...but mainly after Hillary went after the FL delegates and made things difficult here.

I would say I admire Obama's intelligence very much, his smooth oratory is impressive, and I think Michelle Obama is equally impressive.

But there is no real adoration on the part of most of us.

I think this time it is very important we stand up and speak out when our Democratic leadership decides to play CYA with their own asses while staunchly protecting Little Boot's ass even more.

It is wrong...it is wrong for all of them to do this and to vote for this.

It is frankly inexcusable....they did not have to do it at all. It shows they fear the right wing more than they respect us.

[lamp_shade]

7. Thank you

I've been struggling with how to best describe my feelings to others. You nailed it. As a Clinton supporter, I'm now 100% behind Obama, but I find myself not getting upset or defensive when he's criticized.

[Life Long Dem]

8. You do support one candidate don't you?

As long as your only supporting one candidate because you can't support two - because your assistance is needed to win.

And if anyone says they support Hillary and always will, then you should not be allowed to post here because your support for Hillary is giving her the assistance and not the assistance Obama needs.

[NatBurner]

9. freakydeaky

[democrattotheend]

10. Sadly, I don't think it works that way

I was a Deaniac in 2004, and I wouldn't say that I had to hold my nose to vote for Kerry, but I wasn't swept away by him either. So you'd think I wouldn't have gotten my heart broken when he lost, but frankly, his loss was still heartbreaking. I was still depressed for most of November despite the fact that I was not as emotionally invested in Kerry as I had been in Dean.

[Beacool]

11. I fully understand what you're saying!!

I too am not emotionally invested in this race. He's the nominee and I accept it, but that about the extent of it. He didn't inspire me then and he doesn't inspire me now. Then again, the last candidate who inspired me before Hillary was Bill. The other ones were just the party nominee: Mondale, Kerry, Gore, Dukakis, etc. I was upset that they lost, and in Gore's case I was furious, but I wasn't heartbroken like I am right now.

:(