"Why Hillary? Why not Obama?"

As I'm standing in Starbucks this morning wearing my red, "Hillary Clinton for President," baseball cap, I was asked that question, and without missing a beat, I turned to the inquisitor and responded:

• Because I need more substance than just Southern-Baptist-Preacher style rhetoric regarding "change."
• Because Obama failed to provide a plan for universal healthcare - instead stating, "affordable healthcare for everyone." That's not the same.
• Because from day one when Hillary takes office, you've got a built-in ambassador to the Middle East through the First Gentleman. The President can deploy the former President to negotiate real & lasting peace that will truly make America & Americans safer at home.
• Because I'm not comfortable with the fact that Obama has attended the same church for 20 years with a preacher who is known for his vitriolic rants against the "white man." Just as I left the Southern Baptist Church because I did not believe & support its hate-mongering against homosexuality if Barack Obama did not believe & support his preacher's hate-mongering against the "white man," then he & Michelle would have found another church. I'm not comfortable with the possible implications of their staying in that church.
• And quite frankly & directly, straight men haven't exactly done a bang-up job leading this country the past several decades, so I think it's time for someone with a vahjayjay give it a shot and let us see if testosterone & having the "bigger one" really are a requirement for the office of the president.

After he wiped the dumbfounded look off of his face, he responded, "You make some great arguments, and I'm happy to find an educated voter who knows why he's supporting his candiate."

I smiled and said while turning away, "Oh, I definitely know who I'm supporting & why."

I have to thank my friend Christine who asked me for political advice right before the Arizona primary. Unfortunately, I hadn't really articulated my beliefs prior to her question, so I didn't respond very well. Since her posing that question, I've taken the time to organize the thoughts in my head and thus my being able to successfully articulate them today when put on the spot, as it were.