Terrye, DTP

First I wish to commend two of my favorite purveyors of sarcastic wit.

Now for the life of me I don’t know fully what has gotten in to Susan Estrich, we actually are acquaintances. She is usually pretty thoughtful and reasonable but she has just snapped. I think it must be partly due to flashbacks of 1988 and Michael Dukakis, a campaign she managed. Either way quite a bit of personalization going on here in my opinion. You know I do believe that I know partly what is in play. I don’t want to overly psychoanalyze but I do believe a deeper inner-conflict is going on in her case that I can relate to.

I had a Republican friend of mine, a somewhat Evangelical type, who upon hearing the long version of my travails and descent into Neocon/Southpark Republicanism (that’s right Dennis I really am beginning to despise liberals more than being conservative). Anyway he said, “Gee, sounds to me like you just were just ‘kicking against the pricks’ and finally came to your senses.” I inquired “Kicking against the pricks, what in the hell is that?” He explained that he didn’t want to offend me but it was the only example he could think of and explained, “I am talking about the Apostle Paul of the New Testament.” He added, “Deep down the Apostle Paul knew that Christianity was the future and in some sense he was fighting against what he knew was actually for him a good thing. How did Paul handle it? By endeavoring to destroy it before he had to deal with it and himself. He then received a heavenly manifestation and was asked, ‘Why do you kick against the pricks?’ or in other words, ‘Why are you are fighting against what you in know in your heart is right.’?” We all know that Paul reversed direction on a dime and payed the ultimate price for doing so, yet he never showed regret.

After September 11th I became bipartisan and tried to be open about things, I remember Susan being the same way. Susan is Jewish and Pro-Israel, I know the inner-conflict that brings. She has to hate Likud because as a lefty she is suppose to, but she also knows that in a sense this can be against her interests. I saw her in segments with Benjamin Netanyahu after 9/11, she fawned over him. Believe me there is just as much a gap with security issues and economic issues between Likud and Labor in Israel as here between Republicans and Democrats, in some ways greater. After I got my head handed back to me on a platter after midterms I literally snapped. Susan seems to be know Kerry is doomed and has snapped, but the inner conflicts and tugs within compound such feelings, so her frustration deepens.

Also I know that Susan like myself really struggles with the unethical behavior of the Clintons much more then most. She had to defend them, it can make one sick. I know Susan is an ethical person and is just trapped in her feelings. Getting back to my political snapping, I had an experience that helped snap me out of it, but I also had an easier out and I fear change less than most. I had other outs as well. I had moved just after midterms into a new district. I cut my political ties and disappeared. I also had other experiences that helped me. I am out of politics to never return I assure you. Susan is so much more politically tied, and I doubt she is the nuanced person who rather uniquely makes decisions in black and white like I do. I don’t fear change, but I did care for others affected by my decisions. I don’t hold much hope for Susan unless of course like Paul she recieves some heavenly manifestation. I am beginning to realize that I am more unique than I thought, which is unfortunate. There are many others like me, don’t get me wrong, but as a percentage it is shamefully low.