Democratic Nominee

Ambivalent. Yup, I think that is how I feel. Ambivalent.

Dictionary.com defines ambivalence as follows:
1. Uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
2. Psychology. the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing him or her in opposite directions.

Barak Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee and Hillary Clinton is out of the race. It's fairly accurate to say that I have positive and negative feelings about this.

I heard Hillary's concession speech and thought it was amazing. She hit all the right notes in throwing her support to Obama and in thanking her supporters by acknowledging the importance of what she (and they) was fighting for...and that it was not for naught. That their sacrifices and efforts on her behalf meant something. She was strong, gracious and nothing like the right wing's media pundits tried to portray her as: a shrieking, nagging wife. She was a viable candidate for President of the United States and they kept saying all American's would hear when she spoke was, "How many times have I asked you to take out the garbage." Bleh.

I know she was not the perfect candidate. She is institution. She is party machine. She began as the First Lady fighting the health insurance companies and ended up being the Senator who took contributions from those same insurance companies. She voted for the war in Iraq; and never publically acknowledged that was a mistake. But she is also savvy, has a vision and seems to genuinely want to provide all Americans with the same benefits and advantages she has had in her lifetime. The same can be said of Barak, too. I also believe he is savvy, has a vision and is genuine in his beliefs.

But his inexperience keeps rearing its head and getting in my face. When one applies for a job, the interviewer uses past experiences and behavior as the best indicator of how the candidate may act in the future. It is all he or she has to go on, since we don't really have Deloreans with flux capacitors. I know Hillary Clinton can handle criticism and legislative wrath. I know she can handle herself with international leaders. I know she can work with both sides of the aisle ( at least to some extent). I do not know these things about Barak Obama. He may very well be able to do them, but then again, maybe not.

Obama's crew has shown it can win campaigns. Does this mean he can be the CEO of the United States of America? I wish campaigning had more to do with one's ability to execute the duties of President. Great campaigners can be lousy leaders and vice versa.

And so I am ambivalent.