I was dismayed to read Jon Dude’s post on Facebook that he will not vote at all or vote for the green candidate, in his anger that Bernie is not the candidate. Well, much as I have come to dislike Bernie Sanders, I had no doubt that I would vote for him if he had succeeded in getting the nomination. My reason: My wish list doesn't matter -- holding my breath till I turn blue solves nothing. I didn’t start out with dislike. I listened to Bernie's message. But I did not ever believe he had the ability to fix the problems he identified because his promises depended on many factors that were not solely in the power of the presidency and depended in large part on cooperation from the Congress. This congress, chiefly Republicans but also Democrats who have endured Bernie’s disdain for most of his political life, was a congress he, as president, would have to persuade. He has earned my distrust because he is now withholding his full endorsement, saying he will vote for Hillary because it is important to defeat Trump. This cup half full crap does not help her. His behavior muddies the waters and ignores the reality.

Those of you who are his strong supporters should consider how you would feel if the situation was reversed and Hillary was grandstanding her way to the convention with a list of demands or else (I’ll tell my followers not to support you). I sense you’d want her to suck it up, get with the program, do her best, Well, she’s been there, done that, sublimated her needs, worked hard to elect President Obama, and gets no points for it. That was truly grace under pressure, it was an unbelievable commitment in the face of crushing disappointment, and she was a major factor in swaying her supporters to vote for Obama. It was, in sum, a supreme example of a class act. Would that Bernie had it in him to do the same.

The bottom line is Hillary didn’t swindle her way to the nomination with super delegates, as Bernie suggested was happening. She won with three millions more votes and non super delegates. In the final count, she did not need the super delegates. She won the race fair and square. She also won without getting hysterical (Bernie’s response to a remark reported to him by his staff that she did not make and didn’t check it and ran off at the mouth on camera and didn’t fire the staffers who lied to him).

There is a latent fear of women in power that is, I firmly believe, at work in the electorate against any woman this close to a powerful job, the most powerful in the world. She is being held to a standard no male candidate has ever had to endure. The fact that she will not be charged with wrong-doing for her e mail indiscretions is now being seen as “the fix was in”. But Director Comey of the FBI was following the rule of law. Hillary should not have to be saddled with the negatives of her husband. No one would suggest that a male candidate was being puppeteered by his wife (except of course, what Nancy Reagan doing when Ronnie was losing his abilities).

Hillary is a fiercely independent thinker and was a force as a young college woman before she met Bill. Read her Wiki bio. Many of the e mails she is accused of handling badly were classified retroactively. She is now being demonized for not having ESP. In any case, she has proven time and again that she learns from her mistakes. That is a quality that is invaluable.

Also,why are people so ready to believe all the negatives manufactured by the extreme right when they believe nothing else from this source? Kevin McCarthy, Republican leader of the House, told Sean Hannity that the Benghazi investigation was meant to discredit her. He crowed about her poll numbers dropping. Google this: McCarthy on Sean Hannity. Or log on to this link:
Benghazi By The Numbers – Benghazi Research Center benghazicommittee.com/benghazi-by-the-numbers/
The newest committee has already cost taxpayers more than $6.8 million to date, at a rate of 8,000 per day, while the committee chairman presents false information to the press. BENGHAZI INVESTIGATIONS BY THE NUMBERS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE TO DESTROY HILLARY CLINTON.

I maintain it is a latent inner fear of a woman as a leader. Believing these negatives justifies the bias many feel and do not recognize in themselves.
And for women who are on the “I don’t trust her” bandwagon, you are shooting yourselves in the foot.

Also, please do read my previous post – “Everyone should read this” which contains an incredibly revealing article that appeared in Time Magazine about how differently we perceive competence and ability based on gender.

Sincerely, Teal