As Primary season 2008 wraps up, we are left to ponder the race. For Democrats, it has been a season of historical dimensions by all accounts. For the first time a Mexican American, a Woman and an African American mounted viable challenges for the top spot. And for the first time in a long time, voter interest and participation shot up to record levels.  Now as the final votes are cast, here’s my take on “the good, the bad and the ugly” of the race.

Today, Memorial Day, is the day we have set aside to pay tribute to our fallen. Today I would like to say a few words to the families and friends of those men and women.

THANK YOU!

You are in my prayers.

I grew up in a different America. Different that is from the one Hillary Clinton grew up in. Maybe different from yours too.

I'm not a Democratic insider with secret knowledge, just someone who'd like to inject just a little common sense into the discussion... At the risk of stating the obvious...

In the trailing end of the primary season we are witnessing a political garage sale coming from the losing camp. It sometimes seems that Camp Clinton has decided to clean out the closets and cupboards, and round up all of that stuff that’s been floating loose in the garage and just put it out on the table to see who would buy it.  But the fire sale on justifications, rationales and explanations, should not obscure a very important and highly complex issue. Sexism, and how did/does it affect the campaigns of women.

By now you are well versed in the Camp Clinton fall back position that she leads in the total popular votes cast in the primary contests thus far... not counting caucus states and counting MI and FL of course.

Such an argument makes for entertaining debate and theoretical supposition, but relying on it can be dangerous for the Democratic parties long-term health.

(Initially posted as a comment - reposted as a Dairy by request)

None of us have any choice or control on where, when, who or in what condition we are born. You are what you are and that's that! But it is certainly true that some of us have more obstacles, mountains and holes to surmount as we journey on the road of life.

In this campaign none of the participants had any control over their gender or race, so all of the candidates had to play the hand they were dealt.

So when Senator Clinton complains about the "sexism" and "misogyny" in the campaign being worse that the "racism" it deserves some thought... in today's Washington Post, the Senator is quoted as saying...

Today I read yet another heart wrenching article memorializing the tragic struggle and death of one of our young soldiers – and his wife.

A victim of the war within...

(ht to Raw Story)

...And sons…??

Many years ago, in the heat of a bygone election, I was listening to the news on my car radio while driving my son to his daycare.  During a newsbreak in the music, one of the Presidential candidates came on and made a patently ridiculous statement. To be honest, I don’t even remember what it was. But I do remember my young son looking up at me with open eyes and asking… “Dad, did that man just tell a lie?” I remember how I felt as I tried to compose an answer for my child, who had yet to learn about the ugly in the world, about leaders and presidents who tell lies.

With the Democratic Primary winding down and the calls for Hilary to exit becoming increasingly loud and more frequent, that memory caused me to reflect upon this moment. While Hilary lost me (and my vote) somewhere South of New Hampshire, I have come to realize that, despite how I might feel about the race, this is really an important teaching moment. One we shouldn’t simply throw away in our election exuberance. As a single father, I know first-hand how precious and rare these moments are and how valuable they are to our kids.

Sisters,

I write this as a aging Black Man who is sympathetic to your cause. I know that I have not walked a mile in your heels, but believe me – I see and feel your pain.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Hilary threw me under the bus quite awhile ago. I mean, I felt myself slipping in New Hampshire - seems about ten years ago, I think. By South Carolina... I was a gonner! I was under the bus as the Clinton Campaign started the effort to paint Barak as the "Black Candidate" as opposed to a Democratic candidate who happened to be Black.

As we head into the final lap of the primary season, we are assailed with a constant barrage of accusations and insinuations - from all sides. As the campaign comes to a climax we have a three-way battle royale underway. It’s ugly and getting uglier. But at it’s heart, it is really just the same old political battle over power – but this time it’s complicated by questions of race.

Or as the line from "The Kite Runner" puts it, "Nothing is free." That's something my mother was prone to tell me from time to time.

It's a lesson the Democratic Party leaders and Super Delegates need to internalize in a hurry. Nothing is free! It's getting close to time to pay the band, and the price is getting steeper and steeper.

Jeez... who knew? Tonight I was told by CNN that the Founders and drafters of the Constitution had it all wrong. Democracy is not about the choice of the majority!

In the midst of all of the angst and anger of the current campaign coming, for the moment, from my old home town of Philadelphia, PA, I was reminded of our shared humanity by Andrew Sullivan on his dairy... (Thanks Andrew!)

As the recent ABC debate and the "conservative" blogs evidence, the campaign from here on out is going to deteriorate into UGLY. No question about it. And as Sen. Obama has said... you've seen the roll out of the General Election Republican campaign. And much of the Ammunition will come, not from contemporary issues or concerns - but rather from old feuds and fights. Here's a few suggestions on how to deal with some of these attacks...

Tax day... Again! Don't cha just hate it!

This is the day we pay our part to keep America running... except we really don't! We are in fact just making the minimum payment on a massive credit card debt that we are leaving for our kids and grand kids to pay off. What's up wid dat?

Just so you know, our national debt is $ 9,452,948,339,024 and growing ...

National Debt Facts...

In the past few days the MSM and the cable news channels have been a buzz with the news that various folks are raising the "Wright issue" in various ways and forums. Specifically noted is the Clinton campaigns effort to raise the issue of "electability" via the questions surrounding Rev. Wright. It's time to stop with the nonsense and the inferences and let's ust dump all of this garbage out on the table!

Jeremiah Wright is being used as a Willie Horton! He is being used to raise the issue of race, pure and simple. While posed in all kinds of guises... What did Obama know and when? Why didn't Obama leave his church when his pastor said despicable things? And on and on...  In truth if it wasn't Rev. Wright, it would be Louis Farrakan, or Rev. Sharpton, or Whatever. Any angry or aggressive Black person will do.

So let's just ask the question that everyone is trying to, without wanting to be the one to say it out loud.

Will America elect a African American president in 2008? And under what conditions?