In 1972 I was young, naive and idealistic. I was also an elected official ( A County Legislator at age 23). I ran for and was elected a delegate for George McGovern, for the Democratic National Convention in Miami , from my NNY Congressional District. 

     I was there when McGovern gave a wonderful and empassioned speech entitled " Come Home America!" The problem was that he delivered it at 4am, and other than the political zealots, no one else was was watching. McGovern went on to win the District of Columbia, and the state of Massachusetts. Richard Nixon won everything else. Say Godnight, Irene. 

     Fast forward 44 years, and we have hoards of idealistic young people supporting a self described ideologically committed democratic Socialist from Vermont for President. 

He is vying against an establishment Democratic candidate, whose negatives are very high. Could he win the nomination? Yes. That is a possibility. Could he win the general election? That is far less probable. 

    So what to do, what to do on April 19th in the NY Primary? Vote for ideological purity and take a stand, or vote for practicality and the Democratic tried and true, in the hope that the Commonweal can still advance?    

     At this stage of my life, practicality matters more to me than ideological purity. I do not oppose the potential of a Bernie Sanders, and indeed the reformer in me is drawn to his candidacy, but the adult in me is drawn toward Hillary Clinton, and it is the adult in me who will be casting a vote on Tuesday, April 19th for Hillary Clinton.