The Clintons

Bill and Hillary Clinton have a choice to make: solidify their role in American history as steadfast fighters for their country, or vindicate their many detractors who paint them as nothing more than self-serving egomaniacs bent on destroying anything and everything that is not theirs.

This week's DNC convention is their opportunity to reveal their choice.

I look back at Bill Clinton's presidency as one of our nation's more successful. He governed with a skillful blend of social liberalism, economic conservatism, and overall deliberate, moderate thoughtfulness that has been sorely lacking in recent years. And he was a great speaker who inspired many at home and abroad.

Hillary Clinton has been a successful senator for New York, and ran an inspirational campaign for president. She started off deeply hated by many, and was able to win many followers- including myself for quite some time- as a result of her incredibly hard work, smart politics, and strong presence. She'd make a damn good president.

Barack Obama edged her out, fair and square. His primary strategy for racking up delegates in a broad spectrum of primaries and caucuses was superior to hers, which relied on the assumption of an inevitable series of big wins up front that would prove insurmountable down the line.

I can understand that a lot of Hillary's supporters have had a tough time coming to terms with losing something they had come to believe was impossible to lose. But just because they have had to adjust to a new reality does not mean that Obama didn't earn it, and that it's not real.

It is shocking to me how many of Hillary's supporters refuse to acknowledge Obama as their candidate. I'm not saying that Obama deserves all of Hillary's supporters for free, but it is starkly illustrative to see so many people who cared so deeply for Hillary Clinton saying that they would rather vote for John McCain than Barack Obama, or not vote at all.

People talk about Obama's cult of personality, and there's a hell of a lot of truth to that. But I think the cult of personality around Hillary is even more damning. At the end of the day, people who will vote against so much of what they stand for by choosing McCain over Obama are demonstrating that for them, the choice is more about the person- Hillary vs. Obama- than it is about the policies.

If Hillary Clinton is unwilling to do everything in her power to bring these people over to Obama, and to counter McCain's anti-Obama rhetoric which in recent days has sought to capitalize on this schism, then so be it: she will have chosen self-destruction for her party and her country as the price for a chance at personal gain down the road.

Same goes for Bill. Stop whining about the past. Acknowledge that Obama is the future. Accept your positive place in American history as a key building block on the road to this incredible future- please, don't tear it down.