Hillary Clinton just gave the speech of her political career. Following the brutally divisive primary race and her eventual loss to Barack Obama, Senator Clinton found herself preparing this week for the speech she hoped she'd never have to give. Standing before the assembled delegates of the Democratic National Convention she called for party unity in the face of the most divisive Democratic primary in a generation.
But was it enough?
Clinton ran a brutal campaign, hitting Obama hard on numerous issues and accusing him of everything from racism to incompetence, so much so that many of her criticisms now feature in one of John McCain's new ads. It was a primary that left the party bitterly divided and, though Senator Clinton's run for the Presidency is now truly at an end, demonstrators continue to protest in her name in the streets of Denver.
For the Jr. Senator from New York there was more on the line tonight than the 2008 presidential election or the cohesion of the Democratic party. Senator Clinton's call for unity was as much for her own sake as her party's. Too much is at stake in this election for the Democrats to easily forgive petty infighting and bickering and if Mrs Clinton proves incapable of mending bridges the party may burn them for her.
In truth, Clinton's speech was the capstone of an entire day designed to appease her supporters and heal the rifts in the party. The five O'clock hour of the convention lead off with what the DNC billed as the US Senate Women
-- eight female US Senators giving short speeches endorsing Senator Obama. They were followed by a veritable parade of party luminaries, governors, and representatives, many advocating the same centrist Democratic principals that Hillary Clinton has come to represent.
At 8:40 pm the lights dimmed, and amidst thundering cries of "yes we can" Senator Clinton was introduced to the convention floor. Delegates and guests raised thousands of white "Hillary" placards and the Jr. Senator from the State of New York walked onto the stage before an exuberant crowd.
As she spoke blue post-signs spread throughout the convention hall and when the party stood and cheered it's fallen firebrand stood before a convention, not of delegations beneath the banners of Montana and Utah and Georgia and Colorado but beneath a thousand banners each proclaiming "Hillary" and "Obama" and "Unity."
It was in the unlikely and yet profoundly appropriate figure of Harriet Tubman that Senator Clinton found her muse. A symbol of both African American heritage and Feminist history, the invocation of Tubman's famed keep going
exhortation brought the crowd to its feet and the convention hall to deafening roar. It was the endorsement she needed to make and delivered in the way she needed to make it.
But was it enough? Can it ever be enough?
To the PUMAs and Protestors the answer is a resolute "no," but theirs is not the final analysis. The success of Hillary Clinton's speech and the sincerity of her call for party unity will be judged not on the streets of Denver but in restaurants, bars, and coffee houses and ultimately polling places across the United States.
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And with that, I'm logging off for most of the evening. What's your take? Did she pull it off?
I would say she hit a grand slam with her speech. And don't forget...she's going out on the campaign trail for Obama after the convention. Here we are just over two months until the election, and I still don't have a clue how it's going to go on November 4.
I just watched it on Video she talked about Obama instead of herself I though she was very persuasive..
I am with Mr. Blevins. If you like a horse race, by golly, this is it!
I've updated the article with a few of my photos from inside the hall. With that I really am logging off. More convention details to follow tomorrow!
Thanks for the overtime KF.
She gave the message clear, simple, and direct -
If you are a Democrat get with the programme and fight a common cause and today's reality, not yesterday's dream.
If you want to destroy any hope of a Democrat President, continue wallowing in what might have been.
Its that simple, and she was absolutely right, said it clear and unequivocally, and any Democrat who didn't get that message is not a Democrat, they are living off hurt pride which will achieve nothing for the people Democrats say they are there to help. There will be another Primary, Hillary will not stop now, meanwhile there are bigger fish to fry.
Hillary absolutely hit a home run in uniting the party. I am a tremendous Hillary supporter, I am a 48 year old woman and lifelong democrat who watched the Clintons take us out of the Reagan/Bush years. I will vote for Obama because if had Hillary not been running I would have been on the Obama train from the beginning.
I have never agreed with Pat Robertson before but I agree with him now: Hillary's voters will have a hard time voting for Obama in spite of her efforts to unite the party because they LOVE her. Just as Obama's supporters would have completely abandoned the election had he not won, some Hillary supporters will stay home. It will not be the majority of us because even though our dreams have been dashed, we will put the dreams of our children ahead of our own needs. It is what women do. It is what Hillary did last night. It is not about support, it is about love of this woman and seeing yourself in her image for the first time. I don't know how they can vote for McCain, but they may stay home. It is like the Robert F. Kennedy vote that did not get transferred to Hubert Humphrey in 1968.
I do think Hillary did all she could and will continue to campaign for Obama in states he needs and struggles in like Penn. and Michigan. You can never underestimate a Clinton on the campaign trail.
It was certainly "enough" for everything that counted for her, i.e., "enough" to keep her as leading candidate to take up the party's mantle if Obama crashes and burns in November. It's Barack Obama's job to make the sale to her supporters, not her.
Hillary's time has to be NOW. A woman for pres is going to be hard enough to elect still. I figure her next opportunity will be in 8 not 4 years at which time she will be 69 and even harder to get elected. If not now, then another woman will have to be put forward as the candidate in the future who is younger, hence, with more possibility of electability.
And Siebelius will be running. Hillary has missed her window, and I think she knows it, which is why she fought so hard for so long. If she thought she had a chance to do this again, I think she would have conceded earlier to build good will. She's a sharp card player that way.
Let's state the obvious -- almost everyone who voted for Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries will vote for Barack Obama in the presidential election. If you voted for Hillary, of course there was the inevitable disappointment because your candidate didn't win the primary. And some people get a little funny when they are frustrated, and they said things they don't mean, like they'll vote for McCain instead. But after a short cooling off period, people got back to reality. People who really believe in Hillary Clinton and like what she stands for will vote for her Democratic goals. Barack Obama is very similar to her. As a matter of fact, during the primaries most people had a hard time deciding between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Only a very immature and spiteful person would hurt America and vote for Republican McCain because the Democratic candidate they voted for in the primaries did not become the party's nominee.
Hillary Clinton will be a major player in the Senate when Obama becomes president. This is not the end of her career, this a a major milestone and the beginning of real power in the Senate for her. Her speech last night and her campaign efforts for Obama and other Democratic candidates will help both her and the party.
Here is a picture of James Carville on the convention floor.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=748480
Note the type of shoes.
Care to make a guess?
PUMAs.
killfile, I think her speech was pretty good. She was pretty direct and clear. Some today on public radio are saying she didnt repudiate her 3 am ad and such but others are calling in to say she couldnt have been more direct. I agree with the latter position
I'll return later to respond to some of the comments.
Have I admitted i'm so jealous you're there and i'm not?
Meanwhile, I think this by Eric Boehlert, which I'm about to go seed, is the best piece I've read of the media's lousy coverage of the speech
Scott, MBrown already seeded that article.
i'll go take down my seed - thanks for the heads up.
Looks like dopple's getting worse. my theory is it's is the one suggested in this piece by Harsh Paul
Actually that piece by Paul - as I mention in there - gave me my idea for my next writing exercise,
namely write from the perspective of dopple to figure out why he/she/it is falling down on the job esp. with NY Times seeds.
I'll formalize the assignment post-conventions
AA -
She knows full well what her only chance is - Obama has to lose, and McCain has to be vulnerable in 2012. Otherwise, she's a footnote. Bill's First Lady and cuckold. She knows this full well. So do Obama's handlers.
She didn't address any of the issues she brought up in the primaries, she said his name alot, and that she supported him alot, but it's not beleivable. She didn't say he'd be a great president, she said Michelle would be a great first lady. She didn't reverse her standing on any of the things she said about him earlier. She did this for the party and thats all. Everyone knows her feelings about Barrack, so no, she didn't pull off uniting the party, but she pulled off what she wanted to do. Make sure she keeps her place near the top of her party.
Um, Federalist No. 51...she DID bring up health-care during the Primary Season. Clear as a bell.
And Obama has the same ideas as her, I meant issues she has with Obama anyway, she needed to say he is experienced, he is going to be a great president, he is going to beat McCain because he's better, not just because he's the Democratic candidate, she said specifically, we need a Democrat in the whitehouse, thats why we need Obama, not We need Obama.
All one need do is compare the advisors Obama and McCain have surrounded themselves with. It's really not rocket science. I choose Obama for his advisors, and you?
Neither. We don't elect advisors, we elect a president. I may be an objector.
Well, then...let me rephrase it so you understand my meaning. I'll venture an educated guess that Obama scored higher on the bell curve than McCain.
I have to ask what you mean by that - not trying to argue, but the one time I took a class in college and they said they were going to grade on the curve, I dropped out. Why should I get a C just because everyone else happened to study? Why should their be a quota for how many of us could get As or Bs, if our work deserved those grades?
So I'm a little confused here. I've always felt that the bell curve is a bad thing and rewarded mediocrity.
The bell curve was kind of racist don't you think ? It basically says that blacks are less intelligent because there are more in poverty, and more incarcerated, and more single mothers, and more highschool dropouts, etc etc etc, they even bring attention to the troubles in Africa, using it as a point to prove their case, so even the theorists behind the Bell Curve would have to disagree with you, remember, grades in college are subjective, and most profs are very liberal, so is he actually more intelligent ? No one will ever know.
McCain went to a military school, and graduated 894 out of 899. Obama graduated near the top of his class from an Ivy League school. I don't think the argument that college professors are more liberal and therefore Obama had an advantage is valid.
In my case, it was a COBOL class and not subjective at all.
Of course it's not valid, it's not your view, and anyone who doesn't share the left wing view must be stupid. I don't know how I lived as long as I have, I'm to stupid to have not shot myself with my guns, or walked over a cliff or something. Just when he looses, remember the way the dems are talking to Hillary supporters now...you know...the whole, "you lost get over it" thing
Technically true, but a valid consideration to take account of when casting a vote is the kind of administration the president will have (which includes advisors, including his chief advisors: the Cabinet). If you don't think that advisors matter, then you don't remember Alberto Gonzalez and the wreck he left Justice. If you don't think advisors matter, then you don't remember "Heck of a job, Browny!" and the disaster of the federal response to Katrina. If you don't think advisors matter, then you don't remember the myth of the new military espoused by Don Rumsfeld, and the stubbornness with which he stuck to a failed military strategy even as Iraq was coming apart at the seams.
We may not directly vote for the advisors of the new administration, but we sure as hell vote for the person who hires them.
Do I want Phil Gramm at Treasury? No. Do I want Charlie Black influencing policy regarding Blackwater thugs? No. Do I want Randy Scheunemann recklessly advocating further aggressive entanglement with Georgia, and a new cold war with Russia? No.
We don't vote for the advisors, but we vote for the judgement of the man who will choose them. For me, that choice is clear as can be.
And Obama's most trusted advisors so far--his own words -His mentor Rev. Wright.--Rezko- must be his finacial advisor-right?? you have to have some experience to gain the judgement you need to make the types of decisions a president is required to make.. Obama has never had to make life and death decisions for millions of people-he has never made billion-trillion $ budgets...so on what basis do we trust that he has this judgement capability? on his time as community organizer ? 182 DAYS in the senate ? That's just not enough and anyone who would think so is foolish...
With whom he has since broken. McCain's advisors seem to be in revolving door. First Gramm is now, now he's back in. John McCain: not just flip-flopping on the positions. He can't even make up his mind on simple staffing.
Rezko was never Obama's financial advisor. Try again.
There is no experience in the world that truly prepares a person to be leader of the free world. But let's look at the judgment exhibited by the candidates, shall we? Obama was right about going into Iraq; McCain was wrong. Obama was right about a timetable; McCain was wrong. Obama was right about needing to refocus on Afghanistan; McCain was wrong. Obama was right on the gas tax holiday; McCain was wrong.
Huh. Whatever experience McCain has, it certainly doesn't seem to be helping his judgment any.
Neither has McCain.
See above.
Foolish is denying the record.
Your answers are not answers they are EXCUSES...and at least the reporters are right on this one point ====Obama has a long way to go..
Your argument isn't an argument. It's barely even a retort. Why aren't they answers? Why are they excuses? What differentiates the two? Lay it all out for us.
I didn't call you stupid. I said your argument was weak. It was.
It's not invalid simply because it's not my point of view. It's invalid because it doesn't hold water. Maybe you can try harder next time, but to say that Obama did well in school (graduating with high honors from an Ivy League school while heading their law review) because college professors tend to be liberal is a tacky argument to make.
As to the question, I think Sen. Clinton did a very good job, but I am not sold it was necessary. It is merely my opinion, but I think her efforts were more about creating a smoke screen to cover that most had made the switch. I also believe that it is embarrassing for women to behave as if we did not get what we wanted. We wanted a woman to have the right to run and be taken seriously. It happened. Equality does not mean you favor one side against the other-it means the opportunity is given fairly. I voted for Sen. Obama and this was done with examination of both their records. When I saw how close they were, I began to distinguish character differences and I heard more errors/lies from her lips than his. Once she began the "Kitchen sink" period, she had lost me permanently as I don't believe people must be nasty and deceitful to prove they can better run the country no matter the race or gender.
I have read some of the other nonsense posted and it tells me how much many rely on commentators instead of reporters. I have also noticed the bias in what gets covered or the length of coverage. This country is in trouble and I would hope that competent people will educate themselves instead of following the last eight years of stupidity. If your vote is on opinions instead of facts or you do not know the difference, I am speaking to you.
She did an amazing job. You can't please everybody. It was sad watching Chelsea see her mother's biggest dream fade but it must have made her proud to see that her mom was a very classy lady. Hillary did the very best she could for unity. Will it satisfy everyone? Probably not.
Has the dream faded? Or has it been deferred?
Don't make the mistake of so many and write Hillary off. She is not headed into the sunset. She is tough and she is in it for the long haul. The biggest threat to her future is if Obama loses in november. The DNC and the money rainmakers will pretty much ditch her if that happens. Assuming an Obama victory, she will be well positioned to build her resume and come out swinging for the presidency in 2016.
I am glad you know class when you see one. I getting sick of Obamabots singing praises to Michelle. Well, she gets throne next to the King. I don't see what Michelle has done for us that you see this page filled with adoring fans. She gives a prepared speech and she becomes a BLESSING to America! With people like them, we really need to ask God to Bless America!
I don't understand how an Obama loss does anything but strengthen her position for 2012. She can look back and say she could have beaten McCain. As for her needing to build her resume, I think you mean that if Obama loses he could build his resume. His is the one that needs building.
In Politics, negatives are more powerful than positives - "might have beaten", would be pounded into the ground by a massive chorus of not doing enough to support Obama and not bringing into play all her supporters. That will split the Democrats into a few years of internal warfare, ensuring a McCain second term.
Time is a big healer, all will be back together for 2016, by which time Hillary will have been pilloried for life - whether that was fair or not.
If the remaining Clinton diehards don't wrap their heads around that reality, they will guarantee another 8 years of McSame, and they will never be forgiven for that, ensuring Obama gets the 2016 nomination. Which ever way you look at it, without uniting now, the common goal of a Democrat in the White House will not happen for a long time, and totally wreck any future chance for Hillary.
It was an excellent appeal to her supporters. Now its up to Obama to convince them.
No, she won't satisfy everyone. I just wish Obama supporters would understand that there is only so much she can do and sticking a gun to all of her supporters' heads is not among her talents. Does it ever occur to anyone that Obama must sell himself if he is going for the most important job in this country? It is alarming that his supporters are putting the onus on Hillary if he doesn't win. It will be his own fault and no one elses. And it just shows that Obama supporters would be just as disappointed as Hillary supporters are and you can bet some of them would not vote for Hillary if the tables were turned. So cut the c---p. Obama's supporters have a responsibility too and that is to stop attacking the patriotism of members of their own party who disagree with them. That is not the way to help Obama.
Isn't it great that the Democrats have too many good candidates??!!! Nice problem to have. The Republicans don't even have one anybody likes.
Joe, nobody like any of the Republicans; that's why McCain is in the lead...
Absolutely! I have always been pretty neutral toward Hillary. I didn't vote for her in the primaries, but I'm not a basher. This was amazing!! The contrast to the fear-mongering, thinly veiled hate that so often comes from the right could not be more stark.
Cue Newsvine's chorus of fake-Democrats to chime in with their tired screeds of "I'm a Democrat, but this time I'm voting for McCain."
As Redruby said, she did the best she could. We'll see how it plays out.
I think she did what she needed to do for herself and the party. Not sure that it is enough to bring as much unity as all would have like but she did her part. Having read and heard some of the words from Clinton supports, I am not sure there was any to deliver them all no matter the speech.
You are absolutely right. As usual, she showed great dignity and strength by delivering a speech that had to be approved by the Chosen One. The same person who mocked and ridiculed her during the campaign. My only comfort is that it will go down in history and Obama will have to live with a tainted victory.. She has to do what she had do. I am giving my vote to McCain because Obama has not proven to me yet that he is worthy of my vote. I want to vote for a statesman who share my values. the American values. I still can not make out heads or tails about his life and who he is until he showed up in Illinois. There is no accurate documentation of his life before Columbia University. The dates are so vague. I see a lot of "soon after" "a few years later" so there must be a lot of information that they are hiding. It is not clear when his mother met his stepfather, Lolo Soetoro. His bio says her parents (biological)were divorced in 1964, the same year Soetoro graduated from the U of H. He also said that her parents were both scholars at the East West Center at the University of Hawaii. The EWC only give graduate scholarships and his mother was only 18 yrs old when she married Barack Obama, Sr. The more I try to know him, the more confusing it gets. In his book, "Dreams from My Father" He said that he made up stories about his father who left him when he was two yrs. old and when his father came to visit when he was 9 . This must be how he mastered the art of lying. Lies and discrepancies, unbelievable. I can understand how the DNC lets him get away with it. To those who intend to vote for Obama, do a little hoomework. Don't rely on what the dedia and the DNC feed you. I can understand that he could get mixed up with his two fathers but if you are running for the highest position of the country, you have the obligation to check your data. His grandmother is still alive so I am sure she could help put together a more accurate bio. And his supporters say McCain scares them!!!
I understand your fear, well sort of if I take it into my peridim of who I am in this country. you claim to have study and read up on Obama and he is a liar and scam artist but hey how did he pass the FBI/CIA security to become US Senator..you make no sense.
My son was in the Navy on a submarine the FBI check his records before he was in, while he was in and after he was in the service. They came back years later to ask the neighbors about him and went back to his schools and spoke to his teachers about him and if they remember if he was anything less than he stated. I can not beleive that you don't question anything about Senator McCain and I mean anything but you claim not to consider race in your actions.
You have to vote for what you believe and though I did not support Obama originally (I was a Edwards person) I will not go to McCain for he is the opposite of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.
You can be a Senator and fail a security clearance. You just can't serve on any of the committees that handle classified information.
So can I extrapolate and assume that because Obama and McCain are running for president and would be privy to all types of classified information should they succeed, that they would pass security clearance?
No Joe you can't. There is no requirement in the constitution that a president or a candidate for president pass a security clearance.
To require a security clearance for the President is a ridiculous position, please, he's the final authority on what is or is not to be classified.
The President has the power to grant clearances by Executive Order without a background check, including to himself.
So, you truly agree with what Clinton represents - and yet you think McCain shares your values more than Obama does? That just doesn't make any sense.
Yes, these are the words of someone who wasn't going to vote for Hillary anyway, or if they were, was doing so for entirely the wrong reasons. Clinton's positions are far closer to Obama's than McCain on at least 90% of the issues and her experience level as far elected executive office is the same as McCain's and Obama's: all three of them have never held one.
Ok I wasn't sure, thanks for the clarification.
On the Security Clearance issue:
I am a conservative who just retired after 23 years in the Submarine force and was a Security Manager on one of my boats (disclaimer).
For a non-elected individual, you need a "Satisfactory Background investigation" (i.e., your story checks out and you don't have too many negatives) and a "Need to Know" (i.e., just because I had a Top Secret on a Sub didn't give me access to Air Force Top Secret Info)
An elected official DOES NOT REQUIRE a Satisfactory Background investigation; they just require a "Need To Know" the specific information.
You could understand the ramifications if elected officials had to pass an investigation-it would be almost entirely political. Although I do firmly believe Marion Barry or any other fellon should never hold an office.
Excellent, at least one intelligent defender of our country understands why these processes need to be as apolitical as possible. I have no problem with both liberals and conservatives in the process except that decisions like this must be as removed from politics as possible. Retired, hmmmm...Would you be interested in a DOJ position under President Obama? :)
Re the security clearance; Obama serves on the Foreign Relations Committee as well as the Committee on Homeland Security. I'm sure one, if not both of those committees require a clearance.
She gave a very good speech but as the saying goes action speaks louder than words. She needs to get into the faces of these supporters who refuse to listen to reason and lay it down on the line to them. She has not been visible enough as his supporter nationally and if she really means what she says than she has to show it more than just this speech. Flat out, her supporters are electing McCain and that needs to stop or she will be the next Ralph Nader.
My God what do you people want out of Hillary she is and all ways been for the Dem party she's not god and can't make people do what she says and neather can Obama even tho i think some times he thinks he can like when he says hes going too change the world but neather here or there like all you Obama supporters has said time and time again get too know him and learn him and what he stands for well the same aplys too the Clintons they are good people and have all of us in their thoughts and tries too help us Iam sick of the bashing and name calling that goes on
Hillary has put herself into a unique position, should Obama win the election. Any bill she proposes is going to get just a bit more consideration than the average. She may not become President, but she just became a serious force on the Hill, representing as a U.S. Senator not just New York, but basically 18 million OTHER voters.
In a way, you could now call her Super Senator. Vice-President? Forget it. I don't think she really wanted the job THAT badly. She would have accepted it, I think, but it was a distant second in her mind.
DMONMCD -- What'd you think about the part when she asked people if they were voting only for her or for their hopes and dreams? Not enough?
Hillary did everything she could in the speech, I think. Getting combative with her own putative supporters does no one any good. Those who weren't convinced by her speech will likely never be convinced, and wasting time and energy on them is just that: a waste. Let her spend that effort on the campaign trail, in places like south Texas, which she's hitting soon, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan.
Clinton gave Obama a huge opportunity to close the deal on Thursday. Given his history for public speaking, he should do just fine.
For heavens' sake! You are lucky that Hillary had the dignity, humility, and the class to go up that stage and say nice things about the very same person who mocked and ridiculed her throughout the campaign. Hillary had to do what she had to do. We travelled to campaign for her us unpaid volunteers, never expecting in return, all we wanted was to put this country in the right direction again. She knows that her supporters believed in her but that, as the saying goes, you can bring a horse to the river but you can't make it drink. We chose to support Hillary because we believed in her. Barack Obama has a lot to prove. We are not mesmerized by smooth talking. He might be a good orator but communications? NO! Did you watch him at the Saddleback Church interview on moral values and faith? I was so embarrassed for him. I felt so sorry for him when he stammered big time: he...he...he...he..., I...I...I. Ah...ah...ah. Just like a schoolboy who did not do his homework. But that was not the reason, though. He is used to being ambivalent. He does not stand for anything. He says what his audience want to hear. This is why we can not vote for him. We wanted to vote for Hillary. We have three options: stay home, vote for a third party, or vote for McCain. Staying home or voting for a third is a waste of our votes so we are voting for McCain. At least we share some common issues that are important to us. And we know him. If he makes some misstatements or exhibits some forgetfulness, well, that is part of the aging process. I am 60 yrs old and I have two children and I mix up their names at times. But my memory is great and my ability to process information is intact and I would challenge any of those young Obamabots who mock McCain because of his age, to an IQ test, or geography, or pick any subject. Obama said recently that we should send some of our Arabic translators from Iraq to Afghanistan because they are needed there. LOL. Afghanis do not speak Arabic, their language is either Pushtu or Farsi. I bet he does not even know which other Muslim country speaks Farsi. And he made fun of McCain because he misstated that Pakistan shares borders with Iraq. McCain was probably talking about Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistanand Afghanistan does share a border with Pakistan. We have a saying like ths: A person who does not know where he comes from, will never reach is destination. In his book, Dreams from my Father, he has been struggling to find who he really is. He went to Kenya, he wrote a book about his father who he barely knew. Why did he not write a book about his mother whom he claims molded him to be who he is now. Well, my opinion is that he was preparing to move ahead and figured there was an advantage to being 'black. He was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.Why could he be the first Black President, right! His inexperience and lack of knowledge shone through went he made slurs about Pres. Clinton a racist. He did not realize Pres. Clinton was dubbed the first Black President of the US. Well, I am giving you a glimpse of why we are can not voting for Obama. And, Hillary understands this. We can not elect a president whose history is based on lies and continues to tell lies.
Spiffie, the problem is there won't be 200,000 Eurolefties in the crowd or watching on tv Thursday night.
Don't threaten. Obama has to win them over. Hillary cannot force anyone's vote. And neither can you.
Her speech, yes was very compelling, but indeed her actions have and DO speak louder than her words could. Lest we forget, this rift we're all bantering on about was begun from her insistance on continuing a lost primary, despite the repeated pleas from the DNC and senior party members to end it earlier and gracefully. Even then, it wasn't a concession, but a suspension. Then, a week or so before the convention is set to start, demanding a formal Roll Call which appealed to her primary voters as a "Last Stand" of sorts. It all served only to stir up the proverbial pot yet again and add unecessary drama and division at a critical point in the campaign when the party SHOULD be celebrating its candidate and presenting its vision and objectives.
There's alot of discussion concerning her political future, with emphasis on future presidential campaigns. But ask yourselves this, has she possibly burned a few too many bridges within the DNC leadership to garner the same consideration and support she enjoyed this year? I believe she may have, which is a shame because she really is a remarkable woman and public servant....not quite as inspiring to me as Obama is (he inspired this life-long Republican to switch parties this year), but she is certainly capable enough.
We have just done exactly that twice, we cannot afford to do it again with McCain.
Honestly I don't know which primary election everyone else watched but the one I saw Hillary attack Obama over and over again. I am not going to lie for her behalf nor for her supporters. Her campaign was underhanded and many of the tactics she used against Obama were taken by the McCain camp.
Her speech blah blah yeah it was good but for someone who did so much to split her own party it really won't be enough. I'll admit its not her responsibility to help Obama in the least but given what she's done and the way she ran, for the sake of her own dignity she'd best do what she can.
As for her "supporters" who will vote McCain this group aren't worth it. Not the energy, not the time. They were convinced long ago they wont for Obama for whatever they claim their reason to be. And people are often like that. This stubbornness is one the worst problems Americans have.
Her winning the nomination nonwithstanding, what more could anyone want out of Hillary?
Okay, a VP slot I guess.
Short of being on the ticket, Hillary did her job. She extolled the virtues of the Democratic party, the necessity to vote for and rally behind Obama, and hit McCain on his ties to Bush and the Neocons.
As long as Bill says similarly strong things, and Biden and Obama rip McCain a new hole or two, I don't see how Obama can lose.
Anyone who honestly thinks that supporting McCain over Obama because they're bitter about Hillary's loss should be ashamed of themselves. You will regret it sorely if Obama does not win and McCain brings about WWIII and destroys whatever credibility and positive standing this country has left.
Any Clinton supporter not swayed is a DINO to begin with. Republicans were salivating at the thought of running against another Clinton. When Obama nailed the nomination down, their next best hope was to get her on as VP. Now those Republicans in the trappings of "Democratic" Clinton supporters are doing everything they can to undermine the party.
Hillary is just where she should be. She can do so much more in the Senate than in the White House, in the same mold as Teddy Kennedy. Like Teddy, whose legacy is so much richer than that of his brothers, Hillary's legacy will outshine her husband's.
Teddy may have passed the Torch of Hope for the Presidency to Obama but he'd better be dusting off the Mantle of the Senate Liberal Lion for Hillary. She's gonna be a phenomenon there.
Well, she also ain't exactly old and doesn't have a Chappaquiddick in her past ... 2012? 2016? Still younger then than McCain is now ...
Excellent post and exactly how I felt watching the campaign - The Right was absolutely waiting for her to be our nominee and then all the gloves would have come off more visious than we could imagine (given all the crap they said during the primary).
Totally agree! Hillary will have far more clout in the Senate, and far greater respect as a person. Figure anyone saying they are Democrat but voting for McCain are lost and not worth the argument. McCain gets into office, we probably won't have to worry about any more elections........the whole world will have the US as their target. He will be the "Maverick Gone Wild" and we will no longer have a single Country to have our back because he will start wars with all of them, he will start up the Draft. Do they not require mental checks for the folks in high positions? The guy is mental, and I am sure it goes back to his "Nam" years. Of course I thought Bush was mental too, but I be dang if he didn't worm his way in for two terms. It was like everyone just gave in and said to hell with it. We cannot afford McCain and his war hungry mind. When is anyone going to focus on America and keep our tax dollars at home and keep our soldiers home. Democrats? Support your party and the Candidate, it is the Economy that needs repaired now and only the Democrats have ever given the USA a surplus budget. We find ourselves digging out of a hole just as we did when Bill Clinton took office. The hole does not need to get any deeper, after all, hell is down there!
Absolutely. Short of being on the ticket, Hillary did everything she could to remind people that if the Democratic party doesn't take back the White House, the country will in fact come crashing down.
Anyone who would support McCain over Obama because of Hillary losing the primary fight should be ashamed of themselves now.
You won't have many rights left if you vote for McBush, and I don't think Mr. or Mrs. Clinton would like that any more than you would.
Obama 08 if you value the true American Way.
Hilary was classy and genuine. Her key question...were you just supporting me? Or do we support what she and Obama stand for. If you want to continue the last 8 years and worse, vote for McCain. If you support Hilary, take her cue and vote for the man who believes the same things she does, the man who will fight for the middle class and the poor, who think women are indeed equals and should get equal pay, who thinks diplomacy is worth trying before bombing a country that did not attack us, who believe women and doctors should decide what is best for their body, not gov't, who believe all people are entitled to decent health care. Hilary did her part.....Hilary supporters need to do theirs!!!!
She sucked! She said just enough to appease the Osama team, but deep down she hates Osama. Did you see the look on Michelle's face?? She hates Billary as much as Billary hates Osama. This won't unite the Dems...the Dems want to take this country back 50 years and we're not going to allow this to happen. All the Dems I know will be voting for McCain because they know deep down he's the better candidate. They're still Dems, but smart enough to know when to cross party lines to vote for the best candidate. If you're a Dem, I hope you'll follow many other Dems tonight and make the decision to vote for McCain. Republicans aren't running a negative campaign...they have more respect for people (including Dems) than the Dem party will ever have. I mean just look at the hate mongers and protesters in Denver...what a disgrace! The Dem party should be ashamed, but they're not. They should also be ashamed at all the Hollywood types there...just shows you that Osama is nothing more than a made for TV character, not a true candidate for President.
Who are these Osama and Billary people you speak of?
Goose:
Gag. Gag. Gag. You conclusions and strident belief about what a typical, intelligent Democrat will do are way off.
I am at a loss for words for how pathetic your comment is. I'm just going to quote this one little bit:
Then I'm going to hope that you can see the hypocrisy that radiates from your entire comment. I doubt you will...but here's to hoping!
'What's good for the goose' should be reminded that Calvin Tang has said previously that deliberately misspelling peoples' names in order to poke fun at them or make a negative point is AGAINST the Code of Honor.
Same goes for user 'Osama bin...etc'
These people actually created accounts for the sole purpose of spreading lies, racism, and hatred.
Real Americans do not do this, folks.
Trust me on this one.
DELUSIONAL! Not sure why you bothered to tune in tonight (if you really did). Your vitriolic "Osama" is racist and evil. That you would smear a good man's name (literally) shows that you have no heart and have no business voting in this election. I presume (HA) that you are a Republican. Funny to think that the "Party of Lincoln" has soulless people like you.
I just want to clear something up. The majority of the protesters down in Denver are not democrats. Many are revolutionaries and anarchists who mistakenly can't see the difference between Republicans and Democrats let alone the importance that electing Obama holds for the future of our democracy. I have been down in Denver to see it first hand and have friends in both the police line as well as in the freedom cages. Plenty of the protesters have abandoned the path of non-violence so strived for by Gandi, MLK, Thich Nahk Hahn, and others. Todays times cry for new mentors. We must all stand united.
For all Sen. Clonton supporters, I have great respect for you. The primaries are over. This is the general elections. Let us put our individulism aside and rally behind the winner. Oboma did not rig
the votes. He won on a merit. Sen.Cliton is not selfish. She has made her point and let us not follow the rhetorics of McCain and his GOP politics. We have got to put this behind us and unite for the future of this party. They are dowing dust into our eyes. They want us to fight each other and loose sight of what we are fighting for. The failed policies of George Bush.
Absolutely a yes. McCain is a part of the Bush/Rove Republican attack on the middle class and women. Hillary got me when she said did you vote for me or vote my ideas. Since Obama and Hillary both support women's rights, national health care, equal pay and opportunity, and help for the middle class (yes those making less than $200,000), I can't see voting for anyone but Obama now.
Hillary Clinton did the job she needed to do.... in strength, without wavering, with humor and a definite poke in the eyes of Bush and McCain! She very eloquently handed over her supoort and reminded her supporters that winning in November was crucial for the Democratic Party; she pointed out that this was bigger than just herself!
I was proud to see Hillary and was again reminded why I was set to vote for her!
As for Obama; I am up in the air as to whether I will vote or not. Depends on how he and his supporters treat her and her family in the coming days. Clinton gave her all for Obama and deserves to recognized for that alone!
You are going to base your decision on whether to vote for Obama based on how he treats Clinton and her supporters? I thought we chose our presidents based on the capabilities and philosophies of each candidate, not on how well they schmooze their rivals.
BTW, I voted for Hillary in the primaries but will be voting for Obama in November because of his credentials and philosophy.
Christy...Go back and read your own post. You say she asked you to vote for Obama and then you say you will have to see how they treat her in the coming days? If you don't vote you might as well be voting for McCain. Do you not grasp how important it is for the Democrats to take back the White House? This isn't a game!
Cristy
If Hillary were the candidate, what would the republicans be using against her that Obama said during the primaries? Be as angry at or as skeptical of the MSM as you want but please don't blame Obama for any mistreatment or disrespect that Hillary may have gotten. He will continue to be respectful of both Clintons when he could be resentful of the comments that keep coming out in mccain's ads.
I'm not a Hillary fan, but I thought she gave an amazing speech. Anyone of these supposed "disenfranchised" women who vote for McCain just proves that they're not thinking with their head, just their bull-headed notion that a woman should be president. Hillary isn't through - it's just not her time.
Hillary's speech was inspiring, energizing and motivating. She showed the qualities that made her an ardent worthy opponent during this race. She delivered a clear message and appealed to her supporters to focus on the needs of the Americans she championed for. To focus on our needs. She delivered and most reasonable people should answer her call. What more could we ask from her.
Those people who threaten to support McCain are hurt, and they want to be hurtful in return. They will heal and move on. The idea that Hillary supporters will go out in droves and vote for McCain is ludicrous. She is not Ralph Nader. The media and conservatives are milking this news story for all its worth and it is working because today people are focusing on the negative rather than shining a full light on an amazing woman and her accomplishments. All of this divided attention hurts Hillary and hurts the party. I was a strong Hillary supporter and now Barack Obama is my candidate!
Can we move on from all this drama and get to the businness of the election...
I totally agree with you! Senator Clinton is what Maya Angelou said, "a phenomenal woman! She did a great job with her speech and I enjoyed seeing her beginnings and that her daughter introduced her. She is not done yet and she was looking great! Also I agree it is the media with the divisive things trying to keep up the hurt.
The pumma and others of their ink are to be pitied for as Senator Clinton said, 'were you just for her?' She stated her choice, Barak Obama is her candidate and the ones claiming that she was pushed out and will vote for Senator McCain, that is your choice and you are not a true supporter of Senator Clinton.
Senator Clinton is a classy lady and very well loved and admired. Great Job!
What Hillary did was a political "duty" to the Democratic Party. I watched & listened. What I saw was a Hillary who was there in body, but not in spirit. Was it enough? What IS "enough"? I think Obama has shot enough holes in His own boat to sink it. Hillary just may have just "attempted" to throw Him a lifeboat. With holes in it. She HAD to do what She did. It appeared to me that Her heart really was not in it. It scares me to think that an inexperienced Senator like Obama "could" be The Leader of the free world. Hillary has a LOT more experience than Obama. Though I wasn't going to vote for Her, I would rather see Her as President than Obama. That said, my vote will be for McCain. He has the experience , the wisdom, and the "Guts" to lead our Country. I don't agree with everything McCain stands for, but I am positive He is a better Man for the job.
This is not a vote for Obama. It is a vote for you, your children and the future of this nation. There is no time to experiment with our future anymore. George Bush already did and we are all eyewitneses to what is going on with our homes, gas prices, joblessness, homelessness, poverty, the social services and education. No more experiments. Our future can no longer go the labs. We have already tested it and the results are clear.
I think she showed she was an amazing person with so many ideas for change and the direction to go. I do not think Obama has a real plan for change and he sure needs one. I think she helped McCain and showed a lot of class but unity I do not think so--
Hillary and Obama are so close on the issues you almost can't tell them apart. She helped McCain? You are an impostor. Go away!!!
Onevoteless says, in part:
It's called a 'platform' and you can find it on his website, as well as a thousand other places on the internet. You would do well to read it. It's quite detailed.
I'm reluctant to hijack this wonderful article with a link, but if you are interested, I have a recent article titled 'How Barack Obama and John McCain Stand on Ten Issues' you can find easily.
Continuing the baseball metaphor as presented earlier, I say Hillary hit it out of the park! Gauging style, substance, determination, sincerity and CLARITY the package delivered was even greater than the sum of it's individual parts. Amazing, commendable, inspiring and the high note (so far) of her public service.
Wait... It's an analogy!!!!! Yes?
It was a moving and inspiring speech - for us non Americans (I'm from Australia) John McCain is a very scary alternative - c'mon Democrats - get together save the world - of course FOX NEWS will find some hidden signal in her speech - are those people serious?
Bob Gregg
I hope that on November 4, Mr. Obama wishes that she had run for President instead of him.
Sad. I feel sorry for you. God Bless you.
No way, No how, No McCain!!!
McCain '08, I wonder why you feel that way?
It must be his deep and unbinding love for Hillary Clinton.
That must be it.
The only problem with selecting a username like 'McCain '08' is that you leave no surprises for the reader when making comments or writing articles. I call it 'pigeonholing' your column.
It's acceptable. Maybe not the best practice, though. Suppose you want to write a science article or something later? Also, if McCain loses the election then the name becomes effectively useless.
If I remember correctly you can change your display name, just not your column (subdomain). That's why I chose mine, it's simple for me to use and most of the time I get referred to by my first name. I don't get to hear my first name that much anymore oddly enough.
Of course I'll vote for Obama, as his positions are much closer to my own opinions and perceptions than those of McCain.
But, if you really want my opinion - it's reflected here. For me, the onus was on Obama to woo me and he failed miserably with his pick of Joe Biden.
(Especially in light of my perception of missed opportunities to truly make an historic moment in Presidential history - African American history and that of the Suffrage/feminist legacy have gone hand in hand from the beginning of our republic. Growing up, Harriett Tubman was the female hero I looked to most for inspiration.)
But, I'll vote for Obama/Biden.
Biden wasn't Obama's ideal choice. I think it was necessitated - partly by the meme Hillary started with the 3AM ad.
Not sure just what 'bad policies' you Dems are so upset about. Most Dems I know are doing quite well...I mean, even Obama made $4 million last year...not bad under Bush heh??? John Edwards also made millions under Bush...Hmmm!! So what if Rove helped Bush win twice...I didn't hear you complaining when BJ Clinton won twice!! The candidate with the most electoral votes wins, case closed. You're just peeved that your party wasn't in office the last 8 years and that you had loser candidates such as Gore and Kerry. You now have another candidate who can not win. Your party dissed Billary and yes, she will go on to be another career politician like uncle Teddy...just what we don't need, more career politicians who live in glass houses, but continue to throw stones themselves. And just in case you haven't read presidential history, Carter was the worst President we've ever had in this country...everything he did failed, so not sure why he was part of the convention...oh yeah, Edwards couldn't make it, he was trying to mend fences with his family after cheating on his dying wife and fathering a child with another woman. Geez!!!!
Ouch. Maybe I should vote for McCain- he is such a family man and statesman. Not.
Because he wrote a national best seller, not because he inherited his money from Daddy or managed backroom deals with his friends in the oil industry.
Because the country was in much better shape when left than when he arrived. It has since fallen down the well under Bush II.
Actually, it's more due to the fact that in the past 8 years, the country has suffered a significant loss of prestige, power, and moral right due to insane policies of the Current Occupant.
Okay, this one I'll give you (if Gore circa 2004 had been Gore circa 2000, there would have been no Dubya in the White House, though).
Disagree with you on this one. However, I think Barack needs to stop tacking to the center. If you're going to be accused of being a liberal, act like one.
Actually, she ran a horrible primary campaign, and had the press dogging her for quite a bit of time.
"Only please, Brer Fox, don't throw me into the briar patch."
Hmm ... the same President whose focus on energy policy and energy independence now looks frighteningly prescient? Or the Nobel Peace Prize winning statesman who has been a great ambassador of good will around the world? No ... why would the Democrats invite that guy?
As for being the worst president in history, I would point to Dubya.
I suppose it would be just as poor taste to point out that McCain also cheated on his first wife, Carol, who:
Source
He's your nominee. Edwards is not the Democrat's nominee. You were saying something about glass houses and stone throwers?
Does the POW thing give him a pass on this, though? I can't remember if he has mentioned it in this regard.
If you are such a student of history Mr. What's Good For The Goose, why would you think McCain is a good choice? Are you for what McCain stands for, or will just any Republican do? He started courting the far right well ahead of his campaign, but there's no statute of limitations on flip-flopping (what's good for the goose...) and voting for George Bush's failed policies 90% of the time does not make him the "maverick" he wants people to think he is. His support of the Iraq war was PANDERING to the far right and hoping the cards would fall in his direction - nothing else - and considering the only reason we really went in to Iraq is because Bush thought we'd be out in 6 weeks like the first Gulf War, I really do question McCain's judgement!! Before you write another flippant post, it might be time for you to open an unbiased history book - and make sure it wasn't written by Bill O' Reilly first!
Hillary did what She HAD to do. It did not look to me like She did what She "Wanted" to do. She is way more experienced than Obama, and would have done a better job at running the Country than Obama.
Obama has already shot enough holes in his boat to sink it. Sure, He is an Expert at saying what people want to hear. And flip flopping to meet whatever needs arise. I also think the voters are beginning to see through Obama's "smokescreen".
McCain 2008. Experienced and a war veteran. That's the kind of person I want running this country.
Was what Hillary did "enough"? Define "Enough". She did Her "Duty".
You no doubt are a Republican supporter - otherwise, you wouldn't be supporting McCain in any election, correct?
If he's the "kind of person you want running the country" you have low character standards.
Stevo: Hillary is not running any longer. It's Obama or it's McCain.
No matter what you thought you heard, she clearly, undeniably said "Obama is my candidate." Does she wish things were different? Abso-freakin-lutely. But real equality guarantees you a chance to get your clock cleaned some day --she did.
This broken record of what might have been will derail the process --the process of bringing a new perspective to the White House (one not too terribly different than what Clinton proposed).
Vote your conscious (we all will) but when will we move forward?
I've heard it said a hundred times - just because you're a war veteran does not automatically qualify you to be President of the United States. Yes, he served our country. But there are other ways of serving our country as well (i.e., public service, etc.). I'm still waiting for any McCain supporter to show me how he will implement national healthcare, how he will be a proponent of women's rights, what his plan is for the energy crisis (besides offering $300M for a new battery. Ummmm, yeah....). McCain actually sold out the Native Americans in Arizona to take their land and move them to an area that was contaminated with all kinds of by-products. Why? So a large comporation (who also was contributing heavily to his campaign) could build and receive hideous amounts of tax breaks! The man hasn't had an original idea for 25 years. Even his "cross in the sand" story was taken from Solzhenitsyn.
Steve, you are a republican...so glad you have it so good these days. Too bad you are not thinking of your fellow americans that are suffering. Repulicans always think of themselves first. That is the reason the US is in this terrible situation. Guess you don't care that american jobs are going overseas, that people can't afford groceries, that our education system is terrible...I could go on...I KNOW you only care about yourself.