On Presidential Glass Ceilings and Hillary Clinton

It is seemingly an irony that when a candidate for our highest office loses, he or she then appears to be the most presidential. Remember how Al Gore transformed from a wooden, robotic presence on the campaign trail--in an election that his was to lose--to a funny and witty man on late night TV and then to a global warming crusader that inspired billions to act?

Such a transformation I saw today watching Hillary Clinton suspend her campaign for the presidency. Her speech was the most powerful I've seen her give, and she's given some good ones. She was gracious and affirming of Senator Obama--even if there were moments that seemed she still wanted to audaciously linger in the hope of being president herself. She rallied her supporters to the causes of universal healthcare, of a stronger middle-class, of civil rights and women's rights and even gay rights. She argued that no prejudice could stand in a 21st century America, that we needed more Democratic presidents to lead us progressively further, and that while she came close and opened the doors for future women to achieve that highest of honors and offices, Barack Obama was himself trailblazing a new path and deserved the full support of every Democrat, every Clinton supporter, every American.

Maybe some of Senator Obama's supporters will say she didn't go far enough, that waiting until Saturday to "suspend" her campaign was a slap in the face. And it is true that the campaign has been a hard fought and at times bitter one. But Clinton took the steps she needed to today to unify the party. She transferred the passion of her campaign to Obama, argued that her supporters must not let this moment slip away to change the course of our nation, and promised to continue influencing our society in a positive manner, believing that "yes we can", as Obama has so often said.

I wonder if perhaps she had ran a more gracious campaign things might have turned out a little differently, or if her husband and surrogates had played more honestly the political game that the rift in the party would be less significant. I myself have felt that having a woman president was well past due, and it was exciting to believe that perhaps it would come to be this year. But Clinton made it clear, even as she suckled her supporters on the marrow of enthusiastic recounting of all her successes, of her 18 million votes and primary victories, that Barack Obama should be our next president, that she and he shared a vision for the United States, that we are much more united than divided, and that it was time to heal. And so, she pledged to work for the first African American president of this great nation.

I think history will look more favorably on Hillary Clinton than it seems now in this moment in which the antagonism of the past few months lingers on. I think history will see her as a champion of women's rights to attain equality in this nation. And like any great character in literature, she is a flawed individual, driven nearly to the point of destructive abandon to achieve her goal of being President. Maybe it was about personal glory--there's always an element to any campaign that is vain--but it was as much about her ideals. That she lost sight of some of them in her effort is something to be remembered and learned from, but not something to excoriate her on any further. She has graciously bowed out, being more presidential today than she has in months.

Whether or not she is the VP nominee, becomes the Senate Majority Leader, is promoted to the Supreme Court, or runs for another sort of office, I don't think we've seen the end of Hillary Clinton yet. Her tactics were not always above board, but her messages remain important to be heard. In any other year, she would be our nominee. But, as she said, now is the time to not look back but forward and to the 8 year future that Barack Obama promises us, a future of progress, the attainment of rights, and a better life. And I think she did much to diffuse those who would not vote for Obama by arguing that their causes are one and the same; as much as she might have been a liability for Obama in the past, she will now be one of his biggest supporters, something that will be a benefit for uniting the party against Republican mismanagement and Bush III.

So, congratulations on proving that the glass ceiling in this nation has "18 million cracks" Senator Clinton. Perhaps if not you, your daughter will be the one to usher in that day when the majority--that is women--rule. That is a day I await with great anticipation. For now, while people may not agree with everything you did and how you did it, to paraphrase Frank Sinatra, you certainly did it your way.