My wife and I have supported Sen. Obama for president since before Super Tuesday. However, as we have said, we believe that Sen. Clinton would also make an effective and honorable chief executive, commander-in-chief, and head of state. And those judgments were blind to color and gender. The fact that our party has now broken a "color barrier" and "glass ceiling" by bringing these two outstanding candidates further than any other Americans of their demographics reflects well on our party and our nation at this point in our history.
By all accounts, Sen. Obama now has secured enough pledged delegates and publicly committed superdelegates to secure the nomination. It is, thus, his prerogative -- and it has been his predecessors -- to consider well and propose a nominee for vice president. His overriding concern in this judgment, I'm sure, will be who will best serve the nation in each of the roles the vice president serves, including who would cast intelligent and compassionate tie-breaking votes in the Senate, as need be, and who would be best qualified to fill the role of president, after eight outstanding years of a long-overdue and historically unique Democratic administration.
All personalities and other individual considerations of these particular candidates aside, perhaps it is worth noting that the color barrier for former slaves voting was broken, by the 15th Amendment, a half century before we, the people, recognized the right of women to vote, with the 19th Amendment, in 1920. As I have mentioned to one or the other of you, I have long thought that a person's "gender identity" was even more deep-seated than one's "racial identity"; and that, of course, says a lot.
As a white man, I cannot fully appreciate the historic -- and current -- tides against which women and African Americans have struggled; but I admire anyone -- including the gays and lesbians who are spearheading historic legislation in the realm of "gender identity" even as we speak -- anyone who stands up for what they truly believe is good and true and right. I, thus, can also respect those on the Right who are sincere in their beliefs; but I am truly thankful we are not so deluded and exploited.
Regardless, if a "Dream Team" is the result of Sen. Obama's deliberation, and the convention's nomination, then Frances and I will celebrate that; if otherwise, we will likewise support that ticket.
But whatever we do, we must not let our party be divided, along any lines: The common ground between our candidates -- on the life-and-death and pocketbook issues before us -- is exceeded only by the chasm separating our progressive positions from the antiquated, war-mongering, bankrupting policies of the present administration and the presumptive GOP-nominee, who insanely and, as a supposed "maverick," hypocritically trumpets more of the same.
We cannot afford a President McCain -- in blood, treasure, or national reputation.
Here's to our nominee and to a tide of national sanity that will sweep him, his running mate, and our senatorial and congressional candidates into office and truly progressive change into law. But only, as Sen. Obama more eloquently says, if we work together.
