I am so depressed.  While many others were having Obama fever I took the Hillary vaccine.  I knew she wouldn’t do well at the Potomac Primaries, but it was a tad worse than I thought it would be.  If someone doesn’t find a dead hooker in Barack’s trunk before March 4th it’s all over.

Okay, so in the last couple of weeks… I went to a private reception for Hillary following that cool debate in LA where they were so nice to each other.  I ran into some old friends (women) who work and live in Venice,Ca.  They were glad to see me.  They said they had been surrounded by strident Obama fans and they felt they had to keep their true identities as Hillary supporters on the down low, or it might adversely affect business.  I could say many things about how the Obama people bug me more than he does… but Joel Stein already said it best. (http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-oe-stein8feb08,1,5769667.column?ctrack=1&cset=true)

I figured that even though my friend Bonnie and I forked over $500 each to get into this shing-ding it would be a typical Democratic dullsville.  A few cubes of cheese and the candidate would be miles away.  Hey, Republican’s give bad parties too.  Years ago my dad “treated” us to Governor Wilson’s second inaugural ball in Sacramento.  His girlfriend at the time was done up like a mother of the bride at a Filipino wedding and the venue was a large, concrete floored cave. Wilson and wife showed up for a minute to wave to us from up high on a perch in the cave. We got drunk and ran into her old boyfriend and drank more. The cubes of cheese went fast.  But, anyway.  Present day, Beverly Hills and the Hillary people had chocolate cake –good stuff, not crap–out in a carpeted ballroom in the hotel they filmed “Pretty Woman”in.  I felt that Hillary’s story was a bit more inspiring than that one.

So,  unlike the Wilson gala.  We were as close to the stage as secret service would allow, which is about 3 feet.  We had to wait awhile, but we made friends.  A nice nurse from San Diego, an Indian businessman from the South Bay.  I did talk to a couple of other people, but when one guy said that Condi Rice has her job because she sleeps with Bush I turned a cold shoulder.  Not the female centered dialogue I was after.
Barbara Streisand introduced her. Yes, the famous one.  Very exciting to be right up close.  The exciting thing about Barbara Streisand is that she talks just like Barbara Streisand.  The inflictions, intonations. You can’t have watched “The Way We Were” as much as I have and not be moved.  She gave a good speech. And  I know Babs doesn’t like public speaking, so it meant a lot.
Then Hillary came out and Chelsea was there too. Chelsea is a star too.  And a great selling point for Hillary.    She gave a good speech.  I nudged Bonnie at one point while Hillary was speaking and said, “Look at my face”.  I had that wide eyed, half open mouth look of a happy guppy.  Shelia  Jackson-Lee, congresswoman from Texas was also there and I love her.  She has her own style and she is gutsy.  When the speech was done Hillary came down to shake hands.  Bonus!  This was shaping up to be my best political event ever. It was my most expensive, so there is that.  As she approached me I thought of what I could say that was meaningful, yet quick, since I had seen she seemed in hurry and was probably already tuckered out from the VIPS’s upstairs who paid $2,300 and got a photo with her.  There wasn’t time to remind her I had talked to her at length in 1994 when she was on the show I produced, Dr. Dean Edell.  Back then Whitewater was the buzz.  Oh, the old days.  Lot of hooey that was.  Now, the buzz was on the first viable woman candidate. She grabbed my hand, and I hers, I looked her right in the eye and said, “I believe in you.” She said, “thank you.” With a smile and moved on.  I thought for a minute is that true?  Do I?  Do I believe she is a strong, smart, tough as nails woman with a good heart?  A person whose political objectives while not always lining up with mine (resolution to go to Iraq), hits the mark more than not.  A person who has the guts to be President.  Yes, I do believe in her.  I got a little choked up.  Meanwhile, Bonnie got her for a while.  She told her she had a 6 month old daughter and she was here for her.  So she could tell her she supported the first woman president of the United States.  Hillary said, “God, bless you.”.
We were elated as we waited for valet parking.

That Sunday, before Super Tuesday, I was restless.  I finally bit the bullet, did something I hate to do: I phone banked for Hillary.  It was in a real estate office in W. Hollywood.  It’s gotten more automated since I did it from my cell phone in my apartment for John Kerry. (can hardly believe that I did that.  Seeing how he threw Edwards under the boss.  I remember that Bill Clinton got out of his sick bed following HEART surgery to go campaign for Kerry in ’04.  Guess Kerry has a short memory.  But, I was desperate to get Bush out of office.)
Here is a running commentary of my pre-super Tuesday calls.

I love old broads.  If they are clinging to life they are my kind of voter. They love Hillary and they vote.  Usually vote early.  They were also great when Kerry ran.  When I say I am a volunteer for Hillary and could I count on their support or did they know who they were voting for.  They don’t say, “oh, I don’t know”, or “yeah, I guess.”  They want to chat and tell you how much they are supporting her and think anyone who isn’t is nuts.  They want to know how the phone banking is going.  This day I was only calling California.  When weeks later I called Wisconsin the people weren’t as fun.

I love Latin ladies.  They were so nice as I told them in Spanish my number is Daphne.  Yeah, got a little confused.  But, they love Hillary.
Men are mean.  Younger men ( under 50) are either undecided or mean.

Some good quotes.  “Girl power!”

“They call for Romney, McCain and I said I’m not voting for either, don’t call me.”
“How’s it looking?”.  Truth was the majority were for Hillary, but I am a nervous caller because I hate to intrude on people and if I get one rude person it can color my experience.
One lady said she had voted for absentee for Edwards, “I don’t know what I will do.”.  I said, yeah, that’s a bummer.
There’s always one.  “Hillary Clinton can go bury herself in a hole…” I hung up.  And it was an older sounding lady. She was bucking the trend.
“I’m voting for the man.” A cranky woman said. Obama I asked? “The Man”  the lady repeated.  McCain I asked?  I had a form to fill out.  “The Man.” She repeated.  I decided the woman hating woman meant Obama.  I hung up and marked his name.
I felt like I was there for days.  It was under 3 hours.  Democracy at work…I guess.

Now, it’s before the Texas and Ohio primary.  Many of my friends and I are feeling blue.  My mom said she can’t watch TV anymore.  The media has been so biased against Hillary.  They are always looking for fault and no one ever writes or comments that Obama errs.  How can I not think the country is sexist when she is the more qualified candidate?  I am so disappointed in the many women who have not supported her.  One friend told me that Hillary has “too much baggage.”  What politician who has been around as long as she has doesn’t have baggage.  Some people say she is only were she is because her husband was president.  To that I say two things.  1) many women in politics are there because of their families.  Congresswomen have routinely been handed the seat of the husband’s if he dies in office.  What about Bhutto?  As she was the head of a Muslim country for a time! 2) then why fall over yourself when Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama.  A woman’s who cred rests on being born to a President, not even the partner of one.

The fat lady hasn’t sung.  I have given more money, I have made a few more calls..should do more.  And I thinking seriously of going to Texas for a few days.  I did also harass my one friend in Austin to Caucus for her. Thank God for the gays.  They love her.
Obama said after Super Tuesday that he believes Hillary supporters would go to him, but it’s not clear that his would go to hers.  Oh, really Mr. Smug.  We will see about that.  I hate to say it.

I am sorry that this brings up the history of Seneca Falls, but it does.  I am sorry that this makes me feel like a child in the ‘70s’ and the ERA is going to failure, but it does.  I will make one more stab at this. But, Obama supporters, and Moveon.org, and Air America and their ilk need to know that they are not currying favor with Hillary supporters and some of us will not be taken for granted if he gets the nomination.