"I've come to admire Hillary Clinton. What on earth happened?"

[pnwmom]

Many progressives have been on a similar journey. Hillary is no longer the lesser of two evils -- she's admired for her strength, her perseverance, and her passion.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ive-come-to-admire-hillary-clinton-what-on-earth-happened/2016/09/30/4a3a92a8-85c3-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html?utm_term=.b47d1cc3b609

Danielle Allen is a political theorist at Harvard University and a contributing columnist for The Post.

I admire Hillary Clinton. This is new for me. I have come to admire her only over the past year. Before Monday’s debate, she had already sealed the deal. But everything I have come to see was on display that evening: intelligence, fortitude, self-control, discipline, strength and grace.

Let me share my journey.

SNIP

Yet somehow between Clinton’s 2015 campaign announcement and the present, I’ve come to admire her. What on earth happened? Call me crazy, but I read her emails. Or at least, I read as many of them as I could. You try it. It’s no small task. And what blazes out of those emails above all is a combination of discipline and dedication to the U.S. cause. Then I started listening to her town-hall events. The discipline and dedication were richly in evidence there, too.

SNIP

When Clinton in May changed her slogan to “Stronger Together,” I believe she finally made the United States itself her calling. She had identified our fundamental problem and publicly committed herself to working to solve it. We need to build a connected society on these shores, one in which — for all that we enjoy the pleasure of our own social groups — we also maximize ties across boundaries of difference. Achieving such a connected society is a necessary part of solving all of our other problems — especially after the damage to our social fabric brought about by this year’s political campaign and many acts of public violence. Clinton is simply right: We will be stronger together. A connected society is the necessary foundation for strength in a democracy.

SNIP

But because I have come to admire her, I will also vote for Clinton in November with enthusiasm and pleasure. I will even consider it a privilege to do so.

[liberal N proud]

1. The more you hear, the more you understand her

I think many wouldn't even take the time to listen to what she was saying. And she has evolved somewhat which is what you would want in a leader.

[JRLeft]

5. Most of the country does not have an affinity for her.

I will say this, she's not evil but our ideologies aren't aligned. She has a lot good ideas and awful ones but the only person I agree with 100% of the time is myself.

I follow the money she may have great intentions but she will provide access to her biggest donors and that is why I will vote for her but won't expect anything from her.

I rather have someone who won't fuck things up aka no change than someone who wants to destroy the planet.

[liberal N proud]

6. Follow the money?

Access to biggest doners?

I only hear that stuff from those who are looking for a reason to not support her. The trust issue is starting to fall apart on many levels so the naysayers are clinging to the biggest doners have access meme.

[JRLeft]

7. I'm backing her to block Trump and the Supreme Court.

You seem to have the idea that every one who's voting for her likes her. I don't, but she still has my vote. I bet you she doesn't care if I believe her as long my absentee vote is cast in her favor.

The donor part is real and if you believe it isn't then it isn't true for anyone.

Koch money has no impact it's all a myth.

[liberal N proud]

10. No, I do not think that way

Everyone is entitled to their own views, as long as they are your views and not something that you were told to believe by some talking head.

[JRLeft]

11. I think for myself, I don't watch any of the corporate tabloid news

shows full of propaganda like Fox News, MSNBC, or CNN. I read on my own instead of watching trash TV.

Money in politics is a problem it's why you get toothless legislation with congress celebrating like they accomplished something.

[Thinkingabout]

2. I have followed the Clintons since 1980, whatva journey, she a progressive who

Gets things done. She has advocated for women and children for a long time, she will continue.

[fleabiscuit]

3. KICK

[relayerbob]

4. It takes a village

[LAS14]

8. Here's a link to a similar statement.

This was first published in January of this year. I'm sure there are other such stories out there. I wish they'd all go public!

http://bluenationreview.com/i-was-a-hillary-hater-until-i-read-her-emails/

[sheshe2]

9. KnR

[rusty quoin]

12. I'm glad I feel the way I felt about her in 1993.

The 2008 election was hard because I preferred Obama. These primaries were less hard, though I backed Sanders. Now I am more impressed by her more than ever.

[Kathy M]

13. K&R

[Coyotl]

14. She knows the simple math, we are all inter-related, we share the same ancestors, we are family,

and the world is a village.

2 parents, 4 grandparents,
8 great-grandparents,
16 great-great-grandparents,
32, 64, 128, 256,
512 great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents,
1,024 2,048 4,092 8,184 16,368
Fifteen generations ago 32,736 great, great..... grandparents.
Counting back, every generation twice as many ancestors.
Given 25 years per generation, 40 generations occur in 1000 years
... one trillion ancestors in the last 1000 years.

The One Trillion Principle

[Avalux]

15. I have to say, she's won me over.

I've never been in her corner until now. It's been happening gradually and that debate sealed the deal - I was PROUD to watch her handle that shitbag as she did, it was a victory for all women everywhere who have ever had to face the likes of Donald.

So yes - I can say I admire Hillary. It's come to that and I'm good with it.

[AgadorSparticus]

16. K&R

[LAS14]

17. Be sure to watch the video embedded in the article.

I didn't realize there was a video the first time I looked. It's seven minutes. What inspired this WaPo staffer to produce the video? Is it a campaign video? Did she do it on her own? It's great!

[Hekate]

18. KnR

[joshcryer]

19. She keeps going. She doesn't quit.

And evolving on issues actually becomes something to admire for someone who just keeps going.

[pnwmom]

20. Right. The whole country has evolved. Why shouldn't she? She's human, like everyone else. n/t

[joshcryer]

21. "Evolving" is more of a primary talking point anyway.

As if, for some reason, a politician going with the flow is a bad thing.