SPARKS, Nev. - According to a recent Gallup poll [1], 28 percent of supporters for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) would vote for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) if Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the Democratic nomination for president.
Of course, on the opposite side, Obama backers would vote for McCain, but only 19 percent of Obama backers. What does this say about Obama supporters? Well, one, we're not as crazy as everyone thinks we are and that we're nine percent less fair-weather than Clinton backers.
Still, it bothers me.
How on earth would any self-described Democrat ever vote for McCain than Clinton or Obama? Is it cult of personality? Is it racism? Is it sexism?
No, it's being fair-weather.
Frankly, I have no time for such nonsense. Whether you're a Clinton backer or Obama backer, the choice of a Democrat in the Oval Office is preferable to a man who's given a century time-frame for U.S. involvement in Iraq.
That 28 percent or 19 percent of either candidate's backer would vote for a man who's weak on reproductive rights and marriage equality is alarming.
Fair-weather Dems have no place in my universe. Maybe it's the way I was raised (Democrat), but once you espouse enough beliefs in a party, you should have enough strength of character to stick with the party. If you're not willing to commit to a progressive leader, then stay home on Election Day. Go to a movie theater and sneak into the really long movie, sleep or just walk around in a daze all day.
Because voting against a Democrat is what you're going to get, four more years of a daze and bewilderment.
Links:
[1] http://www.gallup.com/poll/105691/McCain-vs-Obama-28-Clinton-Backers-McCain.aspx