An aide for the Hillary campaign has stated that, according to internal campaign polls, up to 25% of republican females will vote for Hillary Clinton simply because she is a she. I don't know how accurate that number is but I do know that a significant number will do just that and it is no surprise. Anyone remember the 20%+ number of women who voted for Bill Clinton because he was good looking but couldn't cite any of his campaign platforms? Women are emotional creatures and even the polls showed the women would vote based on "the emotional factor" rather than their political views. Kind of a "sisterhood" thing, I suppose. Lte's hold hands, band together and watch the country go down the tubes in the name of sufferage. It's sad to think that otherwise intelligent, rational women would make such a dire choice, one with such far reaching implications and effects, based on emotions and injustices, real or perceived, but they are not alone in their biased balloting.

Also in todays paper was a column by Leonel Martinez about his reasons for wishing to see Bill Richardson in the White House. He says it's because of his vast political experience(because none of the other candidates have that having served as Representatives, Congressmen, Goverenors, etc), but having been an avid, and mostly disagreeing reader of his for years, I know where his loyalties lie no matter what he says and he is not alone in biased views. He is joined by huge numbers of Hispanics who would vote for an Hispanic candidate no matter their actual qualifications just as scads of black voters were ready to toss America under the bus when Jesse jackson ran and are now on the Barak Obama(I WILL say Barak is a FAR superior man in every way to the Reverend) bandwagon. Leonel made the statement that whites could be criticized for the same bias in white candidates, and to some extent he is probably correct. I have stated in prior posts that America's top posts are still reserved, primarily for white gentlemans club members. Be that right or wrong it is simply a fact. I have also stated that many male democrats would vote, secretly, for a conservative male candidate before they would vote for Hillary and I still believe that.

My family is like a box of crayons. We have just about every color going on and certainly many women, so you may say I vote white male because that's what I am, but you'd be wrong. I am a conservative and I am always going to vote that way. Just as in hiring and college admittance practices, I believe the best qualified person should get the spot and that is who I will support. Let's face it. Most major minority or female political candidates are liberals. They won't get my vote based on that fact and not that their skin is a different color than mine or that they are outfitted with different plumbing. I would vote for Condie Rice(were she running)before I voted for a white male liberal(or most white male conservatives for that matter). I just want what I believe is in the best interests of America's long term health to come to pass and I will vote for the person I believe is best qualified to carry out the task of seeing to that.

As a man with such a diverse family and a job in which I am constantly in contact with people of different races I see the biases and double standards of racism at work in many ways and many times the people involved don't even realize they are doing it. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage or your gender, but a person should never make major decisions based solely on either or both. If you truly believe the candidate you support is the best person for the job, stand firm and cast your vote, but if you are doing it for any other reason it is time to check yourself. It is much more important that you vote as an American than as a person of race or gender. We need to elect leaders based on character, foresight, love of country and determination, not on race or gender.