Today I think my heart is broken.  Help me understand.

I thought I knew the right path.  I thought I knew our journey.  This was supposed to be our year, the year we break down all the barriers and send a message to the world that America is not held hostage to the agents of intolerance, that we will not rest until we cast down the last dregs of bigotry and repression.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton!  They were supposed to be a team!  They were supposed to come together, to unite the party and then unite the nation, to transform the world.  I thought...huh.  I FELT so sure.

How could You break my heart like this?  Isn't it enough that women have been oppressed throughout human history, and even pre-history?  Isn't it enough that women are still oppressed all over the world...not by outsiders but by their own families, their husbands, their sons, their fathers, their brothers...and yes, by their mothers, their daughters and their own sisters as well?  And just how often does that repression take place in Your name?  You have ALL the responsibility here...I thought you were going to finally fix it.

VP Speculation season, I love it!

I think Obama's got everyone right where he wants them, feverishly speculating on everyone EXCEPT the one he's actually chosen.  He'll wait until the start of the convention, and then announce his selection in a way that will dominate the news cycle for the next week at least.

Personally, I think that choice will be Hillary Clinton.  If he chooses another woman, it will be seen by many Clinton supporters as a weak choice from someone who couldn't stand up to the "Clinton Machine."  There is a popular common narrative around sexist issues that many men feel threatened by powerful women.  Obviously, Obama doesn't fit that narrative very well (considering his choice of spouse).  But I think he'd be painted with that brush.

Hillary takes me WAY out on a lonely limb (thanks, Anna Shane, for keeping me company).

I read in an AP article today that IF Obama has decided on Hillary as his VP and is trying to pull a convention surprise, he would have to keep it from Hillary and Bill Clinton as well, because of the "seive-like" quality of their inner circle.  Hmm.  That remark probably referred to the leaked Clinton Memos.

Also let's look at the organization of the Convention.  Roll Call Vote, Hillary on Tuesday, Bill on Wednesday (the night the VP also speaks).  Wow.  He's really giving quite a show to the Clintons.  But look at the people who are NOT coming...Clark, Rangel.  Huge Clinton supporters.  Obama's creating a message of Unity, but he's not going to let it become Hillary's convention.  He's the top dog and Hillary and the Big Dog need to come to him now.  The message is clear.

Yes, yes, it's just speculation.  But fascinating.  What is Obama doing, we are all asking ourselves.

If Clinton isn't chosen, my bet is he'll choose Biden for his foreign policy experience and his ability to coin pithy expressions that crush his opponents ("A noun, a verb and 9-11.")

Finally, Sam Nunn.  As a gay man who spent 6 years of my life lying my ass off in the USAF, I offer a word of warning to the Obama folks:  Pick him and you can watch the gay community stay home on election day.  That's not a threat.  Samm Nunn is no friend to the gay community.

Caveat and apologies - my first diary.  I can't get the HTML tags to work so no linkie to the AP article, sorry.