My President - part III My Endorsement of Hillary Clinton

Read also Part I The Candidates and Part II My Issues

It is finally time to make up my mind and decide who is my candidate in the democratic primary. When writing this blogpost I needed to think about the candidates positions on the issues more thoroughly and trying to make up my mind. I have been thinking for a long time and I have seen Hillary Clinton coming as my choice for some time.

My endorsement of Clinton is a positive one and I think it is a very competitive field of candidates where she ends up on top. After Clinton I think my favourites are Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Iraq and international leadership
Those were also my top three candidates when I did Washington Post’s test on which candidate to support. Biden is the most unknown of the three, even though he has been in the Senate in an eternity. In a normal American presidential primary – where all serious candidates would be white men in the upper middle age – he would be an outstanding candidate, with his waste experience on international politics. In the WP test I did, he scored best when it was about international issues.

The most radical candidate in the democratic field is without contest Dennis Kucinich. Apart from he is completely un-electable, he also has some positions on issues I disagree with. I think America, as the only remaining superpower, need to show leadership in the world and I am afraid Kucinich represent a more isolationistic line. On Iraq, he unfortunately shares that position with the experienced Bill Richardson. I’m afraid Richardson is solely looking at what is best for America and doesn’t pay attention to the needs in Iraq and that a hastily American retreat will leave the country in even greater turmoil. And even if Obama showed good judgement from the beginning – he was against the war from the start – I don’t think he is the one that is best suited to end the war and bring a sustainable peace to Iraq. I think Clinton and Biden have the best chance to succeed.

Global warming
To fight global warming America would have been best of with Al Gore as president. In his shadow, all candidates (and all other world leaders) look pale even if they are million times better than Bush. I don’t know which of the candidates that are standing out. Maybe Richardson, who has done a good work as governor in New Mexico and who is experienced since his years in the Clinton (Bill’s, that is) cabinet.

Free trade
On free trade John Edwards represent the more protectionistic part of America. I think such a policy will have negative consequences for countries that need to trade with America. But I also for the American industry, which will have more problems to export their products to other countries and also have to pay higher prices when they are buying from their subcontractors.

Domestic issues
All candidates are good champions defending valuably American ideals like Habeus Corpus. They are also pro choice and I especially like Clinton’s expression that abortions should be “safe, legal and rare”.

One disappointment is that the gun lobby NRA supports Richardson.

While I admire Edwards’ focus on the divided America and his willingness to fight social and economic inequality in the footsteps of Bobby Kennedy there are other important issues where I think Clinton, Biden and even Richardson offers a better choice.

Dated Obama, married Clinton
The symbolism of America electing their first afro-american president can not be over estimated. In America I think that symbolism is more important than America choosing the first female president. But outside America, the symbolism of a woman in the White house is even greater. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be a great role model for billion of girls and women around the world.

Clinton is ready to lead from the first day of her presidency. She has a consistent program, a great experience, understanding of the world and have so far made a nearly perfect campaign. Her campaign is that well run that she has been accused of being manipulative, cold and impersonal. Maybe that is the normal way to describe a woman that is competent and professional? (Oups, in this moment I get a mail from the Clinton campaign featuring her final message before the Iowa caucus. Let's say I am on message…)



Barack Obama has a great charisma and has the potential to be a truly great president in the future, and he will be a good president if he ends up as the nominee. He want to be a different kind of politician, but he can’t perform politics as usual if he want to beat Clinton. He needs to offer something different. He did that when he started his campaign but that has declined.

I dated Obama, but I am marrying Clinton.


I haven’t written anything at all about Chris Dodd. Well, I think it is telling. What choice does Dodd offer in the primary? I haven’t understood that yet, and no one else seem to have done that either.

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