more on democracy

there is much to say.

But something on my mind--Senator HRC, I swear, throughout this long battle which would shrivel a normal mortal's soul, throughout it all, she has just been getting better looking.

Some preliminaries: many of her staunch boomer generation feminist supporters i find absolutely horrific. Geraldine Ferraro is a crazy bitch. I should be required to substantiate that statement with careful reasoning and thoughtful grounds, which i believe exist. But in deference to the careless and low expectations of one's personal soapbox blog, i won't. Maybe later.

But far more horrific are the earlier responses to HRC's running and being a woman (the "iron my shirt"s and particularly limbaugh's remarks on watching a woman grow old). You aren't supposed to take those remarks seriously, their speakers are gross and yucky and idiots and out to get a rise. But it still hurts and infuriates and pollutes the public sphere. (although ferraro's remarks on race may hurt even more, because (1) she has more authority by her shear status, no matter how crazy the things she says are and (2) what she says probably resonates with a lot of people, and that is what hurts and frightens, this acknowledgment of how much misunderstanding and distrust there is around these issues)

All that aside--politicians are still performers. Obama is a smart man, a talented man, a savvy man. But damn, he is a fiiiiine man. That had its role to play.

As a fellow once said, after traveling with his lady throughout the deep south and noting the exponential increase in affection and free things to which he was privy in her company, "[the girlfriend] is always telling me how much privilege I have by being born white. I don't think she's thought much about how much privilege she has by being born beautiful."

And Hillary--and definitely, women in power (especially in media or politics) have a very strange line to navigate between being attractive but not too attractive, a navigation that is different from a man's--she's been looking pretty fucking good. This is a woman who's 60, you know. She's lost weight, her skin is glowing, her hair is getting blonder. Standing by her twenty something daughter, they look very glamorous and all-american indeed.

i am quite annoyed and estranged by the Clintons, and the election has been tiring. But a lot of the deference to Sen. HRC--i get that its a lot of graciousness, and don't-piss-off-her-angry-bluecollar/feminist/racist/whatever-supporters. but there is something fierce about her. Like I really believe she thrives* off the fight. And all politicians are whores for the masses and ambition is their life blood (Obama happens to be more talented at working with that/covering it up)--but i think she sincerely believes in herself as some sort of MotherJonesLadyLiberty Sword-by-her-side flapping-pantsuits-in-the-battlefield figure. Every time i want to hate her, roll my eyes and say go away Hillary, I just can't. (not that i have any such impact in doing such, but lets pretend my citizen voice amounted to something).

Bitch has got bite, and it looks good on her.