A House Divided? Two Democrats, Father and Daughter, Different Choices

ERMA — A house divided against itself. Can it stand?
According to our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, in his famed speech in Springfield, Ill., June 16, 1868, it cannot.
“… A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other…”
According to county residents Raphael “Rafe” Ackley and his daughter, Samantha “Sam,” 19, however, on a microcosmic scale at least, a house divided can stand.
Lincoln, of course, was speaking about the house of this great nation, and it being divided by the issue of slavery as the states stood on the brink of deciding the question. It was tearing the country apart.
The Ackleys are talking about choosing a candidate for president in 2008.
“I was not going to vote,” said Rafe, “and she said, ‘Oh, I voted for Barack;’ and I said ‘I gotta go cancel out your vote’.”
Samantha smiles.
In the Ackley household, politics is part of the mix. Growing up, Sam said, the family would talk politics and current events at the dinner table, and lively discussions flew fast over meatloaf.
Now, Sam is on her own, with a daughter of her own and a fiancé, but in between her classes at Stockton College and her life as a young mom, she still often hangs out at the family home where the talk inevitably turns to politics.
Meanwhile, young Kamryn, 6 months, beams on mom’s hip, oblivious.
Rafe and Sam are not divided by political party, but rather by political candidate. While they stand side-by-side as independent-minded members of the Democratic party and both believe the country is ready for fresh leadership, they have very different ideas about who their party should put forward as a candidate in the race to the White House this November.
Samantha voted for Barack Obama on Super Tuesday’s primary Feb. 5. Raphael voted for Hillary Clinton.
“I was not going to vote but I had to cancel her vote out – and it’s because of John McCain,” said Rafe.
His vote is based on strategy. Only Hillary could have a chance against McCain, is his thought.
“Cape May County is this somehow-stuck-in-the-mud-1800s-Republican-wing-no-matter-what party, and it’s devastating to everyone unless you are one of the connected families. And that’s where Sam and I got into this discussion. You have to look at the big picture,” he said.
That big picture includes a fact that Lincoln would surely find disappointing: race still divides people in today’s America.
“I’d love to vote for Barack Obama. But all you’d have to do is drive down South and every single pickup truck with a Confederate flag and the gun rack in the back and that’s a vote against Barack Obama. They will not vote for him. It will not happen. I’m not that close-minded. I would vote for the man if I thought he had a shot. But my big thing with Sam was we have a shot at getting Bill back in as co-president – although he’s also a huge detractor. People see him as a liability. They don’t want Bush-Clinton Bush-Clinton. It’s been like a dynasty.”
Sam agrees.
“Almost every time anyone under 40 years old has voted there’s been a Clinton and a Bush on the ballot,” she interjects.
“I’d vote for Jeb Bush in a heartbeat,” said Rafe. “He did great in Florida – great politician, great manager. But he’s tagged with that name. Even though I’m a registered Democrat, I vote for the best candidate. And in my opinion, although I like Barack, he’s got plenty of time. I don’t even think Hillary will get eight years out of it, I think she’ll get one term.
“But to lose to McCain is just so bad. And that’s what’s going to happen.”
An ABC/Facebook poll Feb. 8 indicates the majority of Facebook users, comprised almost entirely of those in the 18 to 35-age range, are, like Sam, not considering voting “strategically,” as Rafe would.
The question: “Does McCain being the leading Republican candidate influence whether you support Clinton or Obama as the Democratic nominee?” tallied the following answers:
• It makes me more likely to support Obama: 6,993 or 16%
• It does not influence whom I support: 21,992 or 52%
• I do not support either Obama or Clinton: 11,630 or 27%
• It makes me more likely to support Clinton: 1,837 or 4%
And then, there are the Republicans.
“Huckabee really hurt Romney by not dropping out,” says Rafe.
Mitt Romney had just announced he was dropping out of the race, Sam relayed.
“His whole reason was he doesn’t want anyone to give into terrorism and didn’t want to take away from McCain,” she said.
“Oh my … I … well …” He shakes his head in disbelief and Sam laughs.
“Him being a Mormon’s a problem, overall, because our country’s so polarized about how you are and how you’re not, and that’s just archaic, but I grew up with that,” Rafe says.
Sam goes to a display case to retrieve a silver bowl, dated 1914.
Rafe’s great, great grandfather was Democratic state Senator John A. Ackley from the First District, who, according to Rafe, is the last senator from the First District to be elected as a Democrat, before Jeff Van Drew who won that seat this past November.
“To Senator John A. Ackley from the friends of Vineland” reads the inscription on the silver bowl.
The Wildwood Baby Parade was named for John A. Ackley until the 1950s when the Ladies Club took over the event and changed the name to the Wildwood Baby Parade. It was originally planned by his great, great grandfather as a promotion to bring visitors down to the shore, Rafe said.
“So yeah, our whole life is involved in politics. When Sam turned 18 the first thing she did was register to vote,” said Rafe.
Rafe’s son John just turned 17, and wishes he could vote.
“I even met Jimmy Carter, but he was not the right person at the right time,” said Rafe. “The country was in trouble and we needed Ronald Reagan.”
“That’s how I feel now, with Hillary,” says Sam. “She’s not the right person at the right time. You just need something different. With Bill it will be like she’s co-president.”
Rafe sighs, then he smiles her way.
“There are only certain things we are given in this country. And the right to vote is so important,” he said. “It makes me so proud that she does care.”
(Ed. note: Are you a Republican household in Cape May County with differing views on the best candidate for president? We’d like to speak to you, too. Call the Assistant Managing Editor at the number below.)
Contact Avedissian at (609) 886-8600 Ext 27 or at: savedissian@cmcherald.com