If it wasn’t for the telephone call I received yesterday from Hillary Clinton, I might have missed it altogether.  Today is Super Tuesday, though it seems pretty much like an ordinary Tuesday around here.  A few TV adds and one telephone call.  Nothing in the mail at all. 

I’m reluctant to get involved in the subject of presidential party candidates.  No, not because I’m reluctant to post anything political or controversial.  And yes, I have had  a comment or  two about Rudy Giuliani, though my purpose of enlightening non-New Yorkers to the real Rudy is purely educational, and in no way reflects my personal feelings about whether anyone else should vote for him.  Of course, that’s history now, since Rudy  has been rejected by Americans of all types.

After 12 years of campaigning, the race for the Democratic nomination has come down to two candidates, Barak Obama and New York’s own junior Senator, Hillary Clinton.  We never suspected that Hillary had aspirations for higher office when she moved to New York and was elected Senator the following day.

In some ways, it’s hard to distinguish one candidate from the other.  Both support the death penalty.  Both tell us that we will have universal health care.  Neither is a white, Anglo-Saxon, male.

Obama clearly wins the speechifying trophy.  He’s far more inspirational than Hillary.  But Hillary has plans.  She’s far more nuts and bolts than Obama. 

Obama brings the vitality that reminds us of JFK, who uttered those famous words, “Ich bin ein Berliner.”  JFK said other stuff too.  Hillary has experience.  She’s unlikely to get lost walking around the White House, and will know exactly what to serve at State Dinners from day 1.  What Bill is going to do all day long is a huge mystery, but I’m still reluctant to let my daughter work as White House intern.  I’m not saying anything, but better safe than sorry.

Others have made their decision about whether to vote for Obama or Hillary (we use Hillary’s first name to avoid dreaded “C” word).  I can see how the Republicans would drool over Hillary being the Democratic nominee.  The one thing all Republicans agree upon is that they hate Hillary.  She would be the primary galvanizing force for the opposition, even if John McCain, the most statesman-like candidate for the Presidency in generations, is nominated despite the fact that many Republicans think he’s really a Democrat without hair.

I find it difficult to muster an affirmative reason to prefer one over the other.  Both scare me.  Both have virtues. Neither has convinced me that they are worthy of my vote.  

While I consider voting a sacred civic duty, it strikes me that voting for its own sake may not be the best way to exercise that civic duty.  The odds-makers say that Hillary Clinton, a favorite daughter, will win New York.  I’ve never subscribed to the favorite son/daughter philosophy, but then I’m not in line to be attorney general so I don’t see any personal benefit to having New York’s junior Senator in the White House.

It seems wise to leave it to people who want to vote for someone to make the call between Hillary and Obama, rather than just vote for the sake of voting.  I’m going to sit this one out, and hope that whoever ultimately gets the nomination does something that makes me want to vote for him or her.  It’s been a long time since I’ve voted for someone rather than against someone else.