I'm ticked off at Senator Hillary Clinton again today.

I actually had a tough time choosing between her and Senator Obama when it came time to attend my state's caucuses. While I agreed with more of Ms. Clinton's views and proposals, her political baggage in the Washington, D.C. partisan wars of the last 20 years is considerable and I preferred a fresh start in the White House. Senator Obama seemed to represent that (although some of his recent campaigning seems to gainsay the "post-partisan" politics he's been selling).

Yesterday, there were plentiful news reports circulating that Senator Clinton is busy insisting that her delegates and supporters "must be heard" at the convention. This seems like a combination of preening vanity and sore loser syndrome on the part of the Senator from New York--and whatever supporters she still has. A divided Democratic convention only further weakens Senator Obama's already-compromised ability to show he's a new kind of politician and he's having enough trouble without this.

I think that, if Senator Clinton were truly working to make America a better place and not to simply gratify her own ego, she would find another way. My suggestion would be that she show us her love of country and sacrifice her ego at the convention. First, she should ask ALL her delegates to vote for Senator Obama on the first ballot. In return, Senator Obama should ask all New York delegates to symbolically vote for Senator Clinton for the nomination to recognize her contribution.

Next, she needs to do the important thing for America and work to ensure a Democratic president: Ask to be the one who nominates Senator Obama. This would be her big moment, passing the torch and praising her formal rival with all the enthusiasm of someone who truly believes her party is best for America. The way she behaves right now, she only believes in herself and those who support her, not the party and perhaps not the United States of America.

Come on Senator Clinton, show us some greatness and be the one to close the matter. Give a speech nominating Barack Obama and make it one that takes time to honor your own supporters and then ask them to join her in making the White House Democratic. If she gave a great speech, she would cement her status as a leading light of the party and make her a serious contender for president next time there's an open Democratic nomination. Otherwise, she's playing Ted Kennedy to Barack Obama's Jimmy Carter, circa 1980, where a divided party only made things that much harder for President Carter when he faced Ronald Reagan in the general election (not that it would have saved Pres. Carter...).

CDs listened to today:

• Leonardo Balada: Torquemada
  
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Various Artists: Pop Ambient 2007
• Ludwig van Beethoven: The Symphonies, disk 5 (Herbert von Karajan conducting)
• Fastball: All The Pain Money Can Buy
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Triple Concerto (Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting)
• Duke Ellington: Suite from "The River"