We all want what's best for our country

Many people have attempted to follow Wes wherever he went, to the point that others may have felt them to be sycophants.

I'm one of the people who has been bashing Obama since he pulled this shit on Wes. Nobody throws Wes under a bus and gets a pass from me. It's not because I voted for Clinton. I made every attempt to follow Wes to Obama. And, yes, I agree that Obama is better than McCain. But Obama's got to remember that if he does start eating babies, he is going to get tossed out on his ear. Granted, throwing Wes under a bus may only be equivalent to eating babies in my eyes, but he damn well better step away from those babies. If the answer is always "but he's better than McCain," he can do virtually whatever he wants to anyone he wants. You've given him infinite power. He's still got to be held accountable. And he just did something mean, and stupid, and what goes against everything that he's been preaching he stands for. So, yeah, from my viewpoint, he's eating babies and the superdelegates out to toss him out. I'm in the minority, and that's not going to happen, but if he has to know that if he keeps this crap up, the small minority that I'm a part of will grow.

It's kind of the same principle as the ACLU. I send them money every month. I think they pick too many battles. I think they're tilting at windmills (doesn't anyone know what that really means?). But they serve a purpose of being the anchor point. They're the edge. And boundaries are necessary.

Now Obama knows he's crossed a line. And because of that, some fraction of people who would have supported him are gone. Some are gone temporarily and some are gone permanently. In some ways, being part of the boundary is more helpful than being another vote.

We learn. We change. That's progress. If we don't do that, well, we're GWB.

I might point out that there are a number of people here supporting Obama who did not get onboard back in 2004 when Wes was campaigning w/for Kerry. Some by their own admission did not vote for him and were fairly negative of him during and after the election cycle.

Mmmmm candy.

With caramel over ice cream! In light of the past few days, that's the best I can do. I'll think about it.

Wes to have been a part of the next Democratic Administration. If that is what HE wanted....and I think it's obvious that he DID want this. His reasoning? For the pure purpose of helping the country get back on its feet again. A daunting task!

It seemed a given that he would have played a HUGE part in a Clinton administration---perhaps any part he wanted (I had always suspected he would be Hillary's vp, with tons of foreign policy responsibilities).

At first I wasn't sure that Hillary was electable, but as time went on, I became convinced of her electoral strength; just as a whole lot of other people in the country did. It was amazing to watch!

Now... it breaks my heart to see what has transpired in these last few days. Actually, for the most part, I CANNOT
watch. I am so full of the sadness of what "might have been".

Maybe this gut-wrenching sadness is what all of us Clarkies share right now; and of course, our anger at the media.

Some still hope that Wes would have a part in an Obama administration. God knows, Obama would need his counsel. But I am weary of the idea of just "hoping" and "wishing"; when through Clinton, I know it would have been a REALITY.

So like I said, maybe a certain kind of sadness is what some of us have in common, right now. I cannot speak for everyone, of course.

We share a knowledge that with good leaders, great things really can be accomplished. Thanks to Wes.

We share the friendships that have developed over more than 5 years, with people we would otherwise never have known. Thanks to Wes.

We share a growing public voice, and a place express it. Thanks to Wes.

We share the self-confidence we developed in arguing, debating, sometimes fighting bloodily for and against each other and him, to use our voices to change our country for the better. Mostly, they are small changes, but small changes add up. Thanks to Wes.

We share the skills we've learned here that allow us to go out and help others willing to be those great leaders we hope they will be. Thanks to Wes.

We share the strength we've gained here, and directly from Wes, to question our leaders, and not let them off the hook until we get a straight answer, to hold them accountable for their actions rather than cower in submission, as though we've no right to ask "why?". Thanks to Wes.

We share a vastly healthier respect, admiration, and sincere appreciation for those who serve, and for their families. Thanks to Wes.

We share the renewed knowledge of what this country truly can be, if we're willing to fight for it, because we support somone who has shown us. Thanks to Wes.

This week, we've shared a front row seat to a demonstration of courage, strength of character, and grace under fire while the media created, then grossly perpetuated, a firestorm over the twisting of Wes' words, and their meaning, all in an effort to jump up a slow news cycle. And we watched that same media realize maybe they bit off a little more than they could chew. Thanks to Wes.

And this week, we've remembered there are more important things than our differences, more important than our own immediate events, more important than politics and the greatly over-rated virtues of political correctness...things like defending the honor of one we love and respect; of standing up for one who has never failed to stand up for us. We remembered if we sacrifice doing the right things, for doing the things we want, we're likely to end up with neither. Thanks to Wes.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad week after all. Thanks to Wes.

And maybe - in remembering all of these things - it won't feel like such a bad week for Wes, either.

Tell him thanks. Maybe send him a note with just two words:
"Thank you."

Kelly

"Our public servants work for us - we don't work for them. We have an obligation, as citizens of this country, to always remember that - and to never let them forget it." - DeadMessengers