Here I Go A Caucusing

Super Tuesday for primaries and caucuses is coming up this week on February 5. Colorado is one of the twenty-four states participating, early enough to make a difference in deciding who will be the Republican and Democratic candidates this fall.

I have been quite fascinated recently with the campaigns and have watched several of the debates. I’ve decided to attend my precinct’s caucus Tuesday night although I’ve never been to one and am having to research what the heck a caucus is and how it works. At first I felt I was incredibly ignorant and out of the loop not to have a better understanding of this process. After all, I’ve lived in Colorado for the last 30 years. But there were always primaries in Indiana and also in Colorado it turns out until a switch in 2003 to caucuses for presidential elections, apparently to save the $2 million each primary costs.

Since I’ve voted in primaries in the past, I am registered as a Democrat, but in order to participate in Tuesday’s caucus I had to decide who I favor to be the Democratic candidate. Although I have great admiration for Barack Obama and the fresh excitement and passion he has brought to the campaign especially for the youth of our country, I have decided that Hillary Clinton is the best choice to be our next president.

My choice is not based on the fact the she is a woman and would be our first female president, although it will be thrilling to see that happen in my lifetime. Instead, I believe she is the best candidate for the job. My choice is based on her 35 years of experience in public service, including the past 7 years as a New York Senator and distinguished member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as well as her successful effort to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program. She learned a great deal from her previous effort as First Lady to bring about reform in health care and will apply this knowledge when she is president. She is committed to ending the war as soon as practical but fully understands the complications including the danger not only to our troops but to the 100,000 civilians and Iraqi citizens who have helped us during the Iraqi War.

Barack Obama has great promise. But he has been a Senator for only three years. Although he believes he will bring a fresh approach to Washington and the White House, finding ways to work with Congress to get things done is easier with past experience to draw on, and Hillary has the experience to hit the ground running. She already knows the challenges she’ll be facing and has clear and detailed plans for how to address these challenges. It will be a great historic moment when she is sworn into office and I really want to see it happen. I logged onto her website today and made a donation; I also signed up to make phone calls on her behalf and have already done a few today, something I have never before done in my life. It’s not easy making these “cold calls” but I hope my small part makes a difference.

Super Tuesday should be a very interesting day.