Love, Politics and Scrubs?

Love is a treacherous thing. And in this tragic life, is it ever found to be easy? Shakespeare pens lines like “the course of true love never did run smooth” and we quote it like we know something of it, like we know it enough to determine its way. I think if we knew it that clearly we wouldn’t struggle so much to follow its lead.

The brilliant Dr. Bob Kelso, of the even more brilliant sit-com Scrubs, says that “nothing in this life that’s worth having ever comes easily.” I think I actually cried watching that episode. Okay, maybe just teared up a little at the realization of what a profound truth that is. Had I not been interrupted by Dr. Dorien’s humorously gorgeous, well crafted, witty narration, I would have broken down and balled right then and there. Or not. We’ll really never know.

At any rate, life continues to prove this thought true. Take the recent “Unity” event in Unity, New Hampshire on Friday. Obama and Clinton, sharing the stage instead of battling over it, stumbling over lines like, “We look back at the votes cast here in the snows of January not as 107 votes for Hillary Clinton and 107 votes for me but as 214 votes for change in America.” I have to hand it to Obama’s speech writer; that was a good one.

Of course Clinton’s admonitions of Obama were just as well crafted (still not as well crafted as Dorien’s witty narrations); “Although we weren't able to shatter this highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it, and the light is shining through like never before… it is this belief and optimism that Sen. Obama and I share, that has inspired so many millions of supporters to make their voices heard. So today, I am standing with Sen. Obama to say, 'Yes, we can.'"

I’m almost positive there is a SNL skit in there somewhere.

Clinton, though was not about to lose her own dearest supporters, "To all those who voted for me… you have inspired and touched me. You have humbled me with your commitment… eighteen million of you from all walks of life -- women, and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich and poor, middle-class, gay and straight ... you have stood with me," she said.

Well done, Clinton! Way to reach out to the working class, straight, white men. (Remind me not to use her speech on my next date.)

What does this have to do with anything? You ask. Well, for one, you have to agree that it’s tragic; a black male and a white female, both fighting to become the first “whatever” president of the US – someone’s pride will inevitably be laid out for all of America to shred. At least it was Hillary’s; she has to be used to that by now. And, they say, she’s handling it well (I’ve heard that somewhere before), “I think she's making a good stand down. She's a lady. She's doing it well."

Putting personal bias aside, I realize that at the end of the day, this has to be tough on her. For all intents and purposes, I’m sure she believes and is at least partially baffled by the fact that she wasn’t the one chosen. After all, she has all the makings of a great president – she’s been in the White House for some time now, her family heritage runs long in the political scene, she’s been on stage more often than not. She’s there, she had it, she should have been it! And all of America rises to say, “Really, you’re the best VP and we’d love to see you fill that spot. But Obama’s running for our heart.”

And with that, she pulls herself together, puts on her best political smile and says, “We may have started on separate paths ... today our hearts are set on the same destination for America ... to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. We are one party; we are one America.” Whether she meant that or not, it had to be hard to say out loud.

So maybe it is true, that nothing in this life that’s worth having ever comes easily. Clinton can still make it to the White House. It might mean riding on the coat tails of Obama for the next eight years, but if she sticks it out, her day will come. Maybe that’s what we’re all waiting for – our day to come. And for some, like Hillary, we find our tune best sung by 3 Doors Down – “It’s Not My Time” – and find comfort in the driving, danceable rhythm.

… And besides, there’s always McCain!