While she makes some excellent points about the history of feminism, women in power, and how many in the mainstream media and the public have treated Senator Clinton in a despicable, sexist and patently misogynistic manner, I also find her arguments at points illogical and in some cases offensive. And so—

Good-bye, good-bye to….

….the feminist who presumes to speak for all women on the one hand, and then trash those of us who don’t share her reverence for HRC’s candidacy on the other, accusing us of projecting our fears, failures, fantasies on to HRC. Give me a break.

….to an angry woman who tries to tell me that I’m enslaved because I don’t agree with her on HRC vs BHO. Do I live in a patriarchal sexist society? Yes. But HRC as president isn’t the be-all end-all solution to that. Oh how I wish she could be. I think a black US president would be more revolutionary than a woman US president; I hope I’ll see both in my lifetime, but women have been world leaders for ages.

….to a person who claims I feel unworthy (I don’t) or I’m sulking (I’m not) because I’m concerned that HRC isn’t electable. I am concerned; she might not be. It’s a valid concern for women, for Democrats. Tragically the Clintons can galvanize the Religious Right against Democrats like no others. Yes, the Clintons, as a pair. Two for the price of one. Bill used to say it. Hillary won’t.

….liberals, feminists, and union leaders who aren’t bothered by HRC serving from 1986 to 1992 on the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart, a union-busting company with a pathetic track record of women in management positions, sickeningly low pay for workers, and which is, by the way, the single largest importer of goods from China. Buy American! Put your mouth where your money is, my sister. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0021,harkavy,15052,5.html

….ageists who equate age with experience, knowledge and preparedness. Senator Clinton has held office and served as an elected official for fewer years than Senator Obama has. Does Clinton have more years of experience in politics? Yes, but better politician doesn’t equal better leader.

….pacificists who give her a pass for voting for the war, taking a page out of the Carl Rove playbook on the campaign trail by trying to scare voters about national security, and did I mention voting for the war? Whereas Senator Obama was speaking out publicly against the war since before it started. Like Wellstone. Remember Wellstone?

….anyone who tries to tell me that Obama doesn’t understand vast global complexities of power on a nuclear wounded planet because he happens to be kinda good looking. What a load of crap. She has “big ankles?” He has big ears. Whatever.

….a person who calls a candidate cocky (something of a man-hating term, by the way) because he inspires young people, because he speaks eloquently, because he actually brings hope to the younger generation?

….ignorant racists who say that Obama has to “pass as white” when, well, Stew, an ex-patriate African-American artist says it better than I ever could in today’s NY Times “it was so sad for me to hear these little sound-bite-y people wondering if he was black enough, because he’s like a family member. My cousins are like him, my uncles are like him. I think every black man in America who feels he does not correspond to the [threatening] stereotypes can now look at Barack and think, See, I’m not as weird as you thought I was.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/magazine/17wwln-Q4-t.html ex=1360904400&en=99f7f0078e647034&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

….writers who say Grow the Hell Up on the one hand and accuse others of toxic viciousness on the other. If this piece isn’t vicious, I don’t know the meaning of the word. What does Chappaquiddick have to do with Obama? Nothing.

I have a friend slightly older than me — both of us on the tail end of the baby boom — who laments that our age group will never enjoy the influence of those 10-15 years older; we’re always going to be the kids in the room. Even now, in our 40’s. By the time the boomers retire, we’ll be to old to take over. He says, “I can’t wait til all the baby boomers are dead.” While I know he’s joking though it’s a bit harsh, when I read pieces like Morgan’s, I get it.

All this said, if Senator Clinton gets the nomination — and my furious energy is dedicated until then to Senator Obama, in the parlance of Ms. Morgan, D’uh — I’ll work for her election, I’ll raise & contribute money, I’ll throw parties, I’ll make phone calls, I’ll knock on doors, I’ll write letters, all things I did with gusto and great hope (later crushed) in 2004. And I’ll pray that Clinton can beat whichever hideous war mongering Republican gets the nomination. Though right now I’m not convinced she can win, and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.

Furthermore, I’m disgusted by Clinton’s flip flop on agreeing to follow the DNC rules, by the amount of money the Democrats spend beating each other up, by the amount of money Senator Clinton accepts from the healthcare industry lobby, that Senator Clinton’s impressive fighting spirit may well tear our idiotic party into shreds, because I think she might never concede until the Convention itself that Senator Obama is a more popular candidate. It’s not a junior high congeniality contest. Popular as in populace as in the people, who vote.

Me, I’m voting for Barack, not because he’s a man, but because I am a woman who is not famished for a woman president, just a good one.

-Emily S, a 40-something mother, producer, activist, voter, and award-winning writer of nothing, not enslaved by my husband and son in St. Paul, Minnesota, where 80% voter turn-out is predicted for November 2008. I again live in hope.

HRC will be a wonderful leader.

Thank you Ms. Morgan for having the courage to state your feelings!

I think that speaks to the reason why I support Obama – he seems to have been able to transcend race and gender to a greater degree, which bodes very well for the general election, which is what this is all about!

“Me, I still recall Marilyn Monroe’s suicide, and a dead girl named Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick.”