A 9 year old Democrat supporting Hillary Clinton

[CTyankee]

Yep, that's right. She 9 years old and has admonished our family (all Dems) that we "should" support HRC because she will be our first woman president and that is important for us as females.

Earlier this year she organized a "Save the Polar Bears" poster campaign at school and last year at age 8 did the same with Darfur.

I am proud to say that she is my granddaughter. I always said I wanted lots of granddaughters so I could have feminists/environmentalists who will replace me in the ranks.

Wow, just wow!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. You have a right to be proud!

Political activism should begin at an early age!

[Madspirit]

2. k&r for your granddaughter!!...n/t

[terrya]

3. You should be proud of your granddaughter.

Very heartening! She's already a committed activist...and that's a great thing!

She's right about the environment, she's right about Darfur and she's right about Hillary Rodham Clinton.

[Kajsa]

4. That young lady is an activist.

You sure have reason to be proud!

That activism will continue through her adult years.

I know- I speak from experience.

:hi: :thumbsup:

[Wetzelbill]

5. Please if she was a real activist she'd support Kucinich

She has blood on her hands!!!!!!!

No, seriously, that is great. It's good to see her taking an interest at that young of an age. Feminist has become a word of derision, so it will take a strong generation of intelligent tough women to lead the way through all the BS and enact real change. Kudos. :)

[CTyankee]

9. The funny thing is that her parents have been mostly leaning

toward Obama (but for a while Biden). So she's not just parroting what she hears from her elders.

She's amazing. I was visiting when she and a friend were organizing the polar bear campaign. The two of them were unstoppable, peeling stuff off the Internet, designing the poster, talking about campaign strategy (should we do a phone campaign for the town?). My daughter and I just got out of her way!

[Tom Joad]

6. That's appropriate for a 9 year old, not seeing the larger issues at hand

or the fact that HRC has supported wars that hurt so many women (and men... and children and other living things) and supported economic policies (e.g.WTO & NAFTA) that hurt labor and the environment.

[Wetzelbill]

10. dude, you are way too grizzled

:)

[Madspirit]

12. It IS appropriate for a 9 year old...n/t

[leftchick]

13. Exactly

and the future war with Iran, she is very big on that. My 10 and 12 year old children think she is as bad as the neocons. I told them they are correct.

Example: Her blaming the victims of Iraq and demanding the benchmark "Oil Law"......

ANTONIA JUHASZ: The American public is afraid of just a quick end to the war, that they need to seem more reasonable, and I think that that’s why the Democrats picked up the -- and the Democratic leadership -- picked up the benchmark language -- we’ll make the Iraqis do some work; if they don't do the work, then maybe we’ll end the occupation -- although that language changed in the final supplemental. And instead of saying, “If the Iraqis don't pass the benchmarks, then we’ll end the occupation,” the language changed to, “If the Iraqis don't pass the benchmarks, we’ll cut off reconstruction funds,” which is obscene in itself. But that the American public doesn't want them to end the war right away and that they need to seem more reasonable and they need to wait out the war and blame it on the Republicans, and that’s how they’re going to win the 2008 presidential election.

I think what that calculation is going to do is going to cause them -- maybe not at the end of the day, if we’re sitting in a booth and the choice is between Hillary Clinton and Newt Gingrich, that most Democrats or most of the public won't choose Hillary Clinton, but rather that all of that energy, that legwork, that activism, that spirit that got them the House and the Senate is going to be gone.

AMY GOODMAN: Where does trade fit into the story of war?

ANTONIA JUHASZ: The Democratic leadership is also playing a fast and quick with an agenda that also got the Democrats into the House and the Senate, which was a mandate to not focus on the advancement of rights of the largest multinational corporations in the world by expanding a free hand for them through a free trade agenda, but rather to focus on fair trade, the interests of small business, local communities, local development. The Democratic leadership has been doing private deal-making with the administration, making deals to pass trade agreements with Peru, with Colombia, with Panama, and potentially allowing the administration a hand to move forward with fast-track, a negotiating mechanism which puts all of the power into the administration and takes it all away from the Congress.

http://www.democracynow.org/print.pl?sid=07/06/06/1415237

[William769]

15. Stupid is as stupid does.

[CTyankee]

16. She picks up on a lot more than you think.

I respect your differences and I myself haven't gotten anyone I will work for yet. So neither I nor her parents have influenced her toward HRC.

I hear your concern but this kid is going to hear and read your side of the story, don't worry. She does this on her own, so rest assured she will have those things in mind as the campaign starts to loom. She will do it on her own, believe me (at age 4 she decided to learn sign language and nobody knows where she got the idea. She was pretty good at it too!).

[Tom Joad]

29. I should say it is to her great credit that she is thinking about these issues

and caring about the world around her. (and she probably does pick that up from the people around her).

She does have my respect.

[Colobo]

7. Good for her. Kids need to be in politics.

First black president is what I want, though.

[CTyankee]

19. Living in Massachusetts she saw a black man elected Governor

in 06, a candidate her parents fervently and financially supported. So she has experienced that issue first hand.

[ryanus]

37. I totally disagree that kids should be involved.

They are not mature enough. In a democracy, the citizens must be informed and capable to making judgements as if each of them were in charge. They have to know history and human nature, and be wise as to how conving some people can be. Kids are not able to do this. I cringe whenever I see someone "proud" of some really young person heavily involved in politics or having some strong political opinions. I know the kid is on autopilot and is behaving according to the signals they are getting from someone, but not digesting it on their own an acting on their own after having reviewed the facts and consequences and making the best decision they can.

So to grandma of the OP: congratulations on your little robot. Just be glad she's regurgitating they same things you approve of, because she doesn't understand what she's doing. (I've got kids this age. I know they can get behind ideas. But real quick I can ask them a few questions and they show they are just acting in accordance with someone else's wishes).

[CTyankee]

43. Well, speak for yourself. I had nothing to do with her support for HRC

Sorry you didn't pick up on this in my post, but indeed that is the case. So you see she is nobody's robot. In my family we don't have those. Perhaps you have more experience with them in YOUR family? Hmm.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. Awesome!!!! Good For Her!

Sounds like a really bright granddaughter you've got there. Hat's off to her!

:toast:

[PBass]

11. I hope Hillary Clinton as the front-runner, inspires more women to get involved in politics

I mean 'by example' not directly, although that would be great, too.

There have been other women candidates of course, but Hillary's front-runner status generates a lot more national attention.

[William769]

14. Great story! Thanks for sharing.

K&R!

[ronnykmarshall]

17. Get her one of these!

[CTyankee]

21. Thanks, I just went on HRC's website today to look at stuff she could wear.

There is a woman's T shirt I like better. It is chocolate brown and says Hillary on the front and "make history" on the back. Perhaps I could get her a size small in women's so she could wear it.

I can't fathom it, but she is also something of a fashionista. But she makes her own statement and it is usually great on her. Don't know where she gets that (not from me certainly). Oh well...

[Wetzelbill]

23. this might help some

It has some more activist/Feminist related stuff etc.

http://www.cafepress.com/powerboutique

[JohnnyLib2]

18. Great! May there be many more like her.

Recommended.

[David Dunham]

20. Great for her. Hillary will be the Dem nominee. Obamie is fading.

[durrrty libby]

27. The BO Sniffers won't like hearing that

[ronnykmarshall]

31. Come on.

That's rude.

[durrrty libby]

36. Thank You. Just a little pay back for the constant HillShill mantra

I love it

[Laurab]

34. and extremely immature. n/t

[CTyankee]

47. No, her parents have been leaning to Obama so she doesn't

have any prejudices in that regard. She really did this on her own, which is typical of her.

[MLFerrell]

22. Yes, and I suppose that if Condi were running, we should support her for the same reason, right?

:eyes:

Your nine-year-old granddaughter doesn't know any better. You do, or at least you should...

[ronnykmarshall]

24. Good god!

:puke:

[PBass]

26. So Condi and Hillary are the same, politically? Lame... ridiculous... silly... (NT)

[MLFerrell]

38. No, what's "Lame... ridiculous... silly..."

Is the suggestion that anyone should support a pro-war, pro-corporate candidate solely because of their gender (or race, or religion, etc.)

[terrya]

28. Hey, let's beat up on a 9 year old!

It sounds EXACTLY like she knows what she believes in. And this is a grandmother who is rightfully proud of her granddaughter's activism. Do you believe most 9 year olds care about politics?

[ronnykmarshall]

30. So true.

When I was 11 I supported Nixon for god sake!

[MLFerrell]

39. No, let's beat up on grandma...

Who obviously hasn't instilled her granddaughter with the important notion that it's as wrong to blindly support a candidate solely because of his or her gender as it is to deny support for the same reason.

[ryanus]

41. bingo

[CTyankee]

45. Well, you don't know anything about my family, then.

Yes, she knows politics, but no, she has not been inculcated with any of my politics. She has done this on her own because our family encourages that. She has made her owndecisions since she has been very little, when she decided to learn sign language at age 4. Nobody said anything to her about sign language but we supported her decision.

We are democrats in our family (horrors! and a post on DU, too!). Sorry this pains you but she made this decision all by herself. I had nothing to do with it. As a matter of fact, I was in the hospital in New Haven with several abdominal surgeries when this all occurred.

You owe me an apology.

[ronnykmarshall]

59. Don't hold your breath CTyankee

and I hope you're feeling better.

[MLFerrell]

68. I owe you nothing.

You need to teach your granddaughter that voting for a woman simply because she would be the "first woman President" is every bit as asinine as not voting for a woman just so there WON'T be a "woman President".

"Sorry this pains you but she made this decision all by herself."

Doesn't pain me at all. But she's getting old enough for her to learn that there are more important considerations than gender in selecting a viable leader. Ms. Clinton is a poor excuse for a Democrat at best...

[ronnykmarshall]

58. That calls for a couple of exrta .....

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[CTyankee]

49. Maybe not, but SHE does!

Sorry it pains you that a 9 year old kid could be that politically precocious. We ARE a family of dedicated Democrats, but I haven't heard anyone in this family settle on a candidate yet, so how could she be so brainwashed?

Geez, what is so bad about a family whose values are those of the Democratic Party?

[terrya]

51. Um...I was congratulating you and your granddaughter

I was being sarcastic to that guy. My apologies if I was misunderstood.

[CTyankee]

54. Sorry, too. I must have reacted too quickly (and wrongly) My apologies.

Thanks for your good thoughts, tho.

Sorry this seems to bring out some scary emotions in folks here at DU. I guess I should have known. Hillary sets off lots of alarm bells, and since I haven't decided on a candidate I support yet, I must pay attention to all sources. I think my granddaughter will too. She has never needed anybody to do her research for herself yet!

[terrya]

56. That's ok.

I've made it abundantly clear that if Hillary is the nominee, I will enthusiastically support her. She is not perfect...but I will not countenance another 4 years of Republicans in the White House.

Your granddaughter seems to be very well informed on the issues! NO ONE should make her feel guilty about her choices for President.

[CTyankee]

44. She has done this on her own. She has chosen a candidate

from those available. Why do you so despise the fact that she has done this as herself? Why do you assume I did this for her. As a matter of fact, she did this when I was in Yale New Haven Hospital for 2 months, having 3 abdominal surgeries.

If you want to argue with HER decision, fine. I would bet she would give you better than she got! I'm laughing about the thought now, you poor guy!!!!

[durrrty libby]

25. Congratulations. Your granddaughter picked a true leader

:loveya: :applause:

[Alexander]

32. At 9 years of age, I supported Bill Clinton...

We Democrats are precocious.

[styersc]

33. Cool- when I was 9 I put up posters for McGovern.

But to be honest I was just doing it because then I was allowed to ride my bike farther out of the neighborhood then I would have been otherwise.

Sounds like you are raising an aware young lady.

[Pyrzqxgl]

35. Ok, When I was nine I put up posters for Henry Wallace.

[JohnnyLib2]

42. Shoot, you just topped me, I was

Madly for Adlai.

[CTyankee]

52. Hey, so was I !

n/t

[struggle4progress]

40. That's great! America needs more girls involved and active from an early age!

I'm not supporting Senator Clinton myself

But I just love the image of this youngster having her own strong opinions and working to convince everybody to come around to her way of thing!

[proud patriot]

46. Wonderful

:hi:

[Cant trust em]

48. Too bad she can't vote

[scarletwoman]

50. Thank goodness she can't vote. A 9 year old's level of political comprehension is not something

I would want the future of our country determined by.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

53. About the same as Bush's

I also can imagine a shameless scumbag like Rudy handing out candy to children for votes.

[CTyankee]

55. Thank you for the gratuitous comment. I don't think I claimed that

she should vote. Only that she should be in the habit of THINKING. She has a head start on this, in advance of a lot of adults who are already voting. How awful, a kid who actually THINKS about these things!! I wonder what kind of citizen she will be?

[scarletwoman]

57. Please notice I didn't comment on YOUR post -- just on someone ELSE'S comment.

Notice the little clickable text in the upper right hand corner of people's posts? That informs you as to which post they are replying to. My post was a response to post #48, not to your OP.

Yes, it's lovely and laudable for young people to cultivate an interest in "thinking", as you put it. But I do not look to 9 year olds to have a sophisticated knowledge base from which to form truly informed opinions. Therefore, I do not agree with the sentiment expressed in post #48 that "wishes she could vote".

sw

[ronnykmarshall]

61. Amazing.

The blind rabid hate toward Hillary is sickening.

Regardless of you lame ass attempt to defuse your bullshit statement ... the bottom line is that you are shitting on a thread about a nine year old child.

Wow! What a great way of convincing people. :eyes:

[William769]

65. Screennames speaks volumes don't they?

[ronnykmarshall]

60. and another gem of a post

WOW! It comes down to shitting on a thread about a nine year old.

Pretty pethetic.

[scarletwoman]

62. How did I "shit" on the thread? I just said that I don't think wishing that 9 year olds could vote

is very smart.

Hell, when I was 9 years old (in the 50s), I thought that communism sounded GREAT! No lie -- when I asked my mom to explain what communism was, she told me it was a system where everybody was supposed to share all the money that everyone made equally. Sounded really fair to me, so I couldn't understand why everyone was so against it.

Would the same poster who thought that the OP's granddaughter's opinion was so wonderful have also wished that I could vote when I was 9 years old?

I was merely responding to the ludicrous notion of wishing that a 9 year old could vote. If you are truly pro-voting rights for 9 year olds, then please argue your case.

sw

[ronnykmarshall]

63. Is that you Linda Blair?

Damn girl, you still can spin that head!

Just watch the pea soup hon, I just warsh the rug.

[scarletwoman]

64. Worse than that -- I'm the fucking anti-christ.

Sheesh... :eyes:

[William769]

66. Well I won't argue with you on that point.

[sniffa]

67. LandsLide win for "president mommy"

[Cant trust em]

69. I didn't really think that I would have needed to add LOL

to the end of my post. Seemed like pretty obvious sarcasm to me.

[CTyankee]

70. Well, I seemed to have pulled out some strong feelings in folks here.

In retrospect, I guess I was being one of those grandmas who goes on and on about the grandkids. I guess that comes with the territory. But she's really not an obnoxious kid, just very busy.

[Lilith Velkor]

71. I'd vote for Hermione Granger

Too bad she isn't running.

;)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

72. Sounds about right.

:evilgrin:

[LeftishBrit]

73. Good for her!

Sounds like she's already very knowledgeable, and committed to some very good causes.

When I was 9, I was not very knowledgeable about politics, but the views that I did have then, I have kept to this day: (1) Education is a Good Thing, and governments should help schools; (2) The atom bomb is a Bad Thing.

BTW, I hope you're feeling fine now.