The Speech of Her Life
After Hillary Clinton’s robust speech last night, I listened to the talking heads for a while, wondering if they heard the same speech. Kristol, Krauthammer, et al felt it was subdued – which I think is nonsense. Over on CNN, a cornpone Jim Carville enthused, “There’s levels to political ability, and you jes’ saw a real, Sandy Koufax major league fastball!” I thought that closer to the mark. He went on to say, “This is a baaad night to be a Republican!”
Actually, it could have been worse – she could have been speaking as a nominee instead of as a failed candidate. Last spring, I wrote, “I loathe Hillary Clinton’s ideas. But everything she says about sexism in politics is true.” The Republicans are capitalizing on this by holding a party in Denver for Hillary supporters. One angry attendee said, “The Obama people haven’t reached out to us at all…THEY should be the ones holding this party!” But the Obama campaign is so staffed with sore winners that they are backtracking on allowing Clinton to have her full due at the convention.
According to the Denver Post, the Obama campaign was trying to get delegates to vote at the delegate hotels instead of on the convention hall floor after Clinton’s name would be formally placed in nomination. Kelly Jacobs, a Mississippi delegate, immediately began a petiton which needs 800 signatures to succeed, to have a formal vote. "That's not what we learned in civics class," Jacobs said. "I could have voted from home...She is our captain. We don't want to see her disrespected." Another Texas delegate, called ‘visibly angry’ by the Post, said, "I came out here by God to vote for her, and I'm going to do it." Indeed, I wouldn’t want to be the staffer telling a woman like Senate President Murray that she’d be clandestinely casting a vote for Hillary so she could lose quietly in order to present a faux display of unanimity of the floor.
Really, it doesn’t matter if this effort is successful or not. The fact that the effort was made is alienating enough. Sen. Clinton upheld her part of the bargain last night, and gave a vivid speech endorsing Obama. It remains to be seen if any courtesy will be returned.
Goodness - get over it. Hilary is not the nominee. Barack is. And the issues in this election go far beyond "sexism in politics." Whatever animosity there is between the campaigns and supporters should be laid to rest right now - that is, unless you want more war, more inflation, more dependency on oil and basically more of the same long slow blind slide into the morass of fear and ignorance which the Republicans have led us into the last 7.5 years.
Hillary talks about all the little people that face difficult times. Has she repaid all the vendors that she owes from the primary campaign? Outside of her campaign manager who she owes millions to, there are likely small vendors that have been left holding the bag. Hillary is waiting for Obama or someone else to pick up the tab. That is just like a Democrat; use other peoples money to fund wastful programs. If she hasn't paid her debts, shame on her. She and Bill have millions plus the ability to make a lot more. That is more than can be said for a lot of people that believe the Democrat Party or the Republican party are going to "save" them.
great speach!!!
Magnificent!!!
Bull Shit, I donot understand after studying pltics for so many years how you guys donot understand the simple plotics. First clintons played it smooth. they are always been media centric. Escpecially Hillary she saw it right aways -- Presidents affair with intern and then for presidential elections. Very first what are you trying to say about her. She doesn't need any respect anymore She has lost. and is a spoil sport. . She wanted to this convention badly to come back in focus and become a medias center again ... Look at Mr clinton. I respect Bush more than clintons. Atleast he has character in place. He is a famliy man. Not in any scandals ...Why are you guys thinking so high of Clintons i do not get it. If you loose and you cannot accept it , What kind of president are you trying to be..
This Obama/Clinton drama is a self-fulfilling soap opera perpetuated by the media constantly looking for any juicy moment of controversy. While I'm trying to find ANY channel actually covering the speakers at the convention, all I get are idiot journalist hacks like Anne Curry asking everyone questions about this supposed "rift" between various factions, be they Clintons, Obamas, Kennedys, etc. What they SHOULD be doing is reporting on both conventions' speakers and speeches, allowing the American people an unfiltered look at both parties' candidates so they can make their own choice without punditry's asinine gossiping!
If I want reality tv, I have 100 channels to choose from. Give it a rest and grow up! Both of these parties are populated by whiny babies with the maturity of high school students. Which is exactly why I will always be an independent.
Hasn't the press "gotten it".... the only reason that speech was needed was because Hillary didn't support Obama when she initially should have. This wasn't about uniting the party... it was about Hillary....
Hillary wins only if Obama loses and she comes back in 2012. She has to do that by keeping in the public eye - looking like she is behand the party - and by making an incredible speech at the convention.... She also has to divide the party enough to keep him from winning.
She was brilliant...but not for the democrats...but for Hillary.
Cynthia, it doesn't "remain to be seen." Michelle Obama already quoted Hillary's superb "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" line in her own speech the night before, which was a sweet and appropriate homage. Did you miss that?
Obama betrayed the Democratic party. He did it because he is a weak candidate. Kennedy took Johnson, Reagan took Bush. Obama took Biden. By taking Biden who is a male clone of Hillary, Obama said to 1/2 of the Democratic party you got it wrong. Biden who statistically got no votes and had to quit Obama thinks is the better candidate. Obama's reactions to international events is to quit and run and later edit his comments. The Democrats deserting Obama are not doing so because they do have similar ideals, but rather because they know he is an empty suit. They supported Hillary because because she brought substance, an attribute Obama is sorely missing. McCain may not be exactly what they want and claiming he is a clone of Bush is wrong and will backfire on the Democrats. But frankly that's all the Democrats can do because there is no way to make up for the unqualified Obama who barely squeaked by and who was losing momentum at the end of the primary season.
Ladies, get over it. Hillary, as a woman, has the same right to lose as any man. At least she's showing (outwardly) more class than her husband, who yesterday continued mealymouthing Obama. Lord only knows what weak support Bill will show for the ticket tonight. His eyes are on 2012 and getting himself back in the White House as co-prez. Well, the rest of the Dem party is partying hearty anyway. Bidding to purchase the web address www.Obamatini.com is brisk, a clear sign that most of us know a good thing (Obama/Obiden) when we see it.
Yeah right!!! This story doesn't even sound remotely true. Stop printing this propaganda Cynthia Stead!!!!! These people were probably from McCain's staff!! Obama has bent over backwards to reach out to Hillary's supporters. He is even helping pay off her campaign debt. When, in history, has that ever happened? He is a way better person than me. I wouldn't pay any of her debt back, her debt was her own fault. Leave the reporting to real reporters, you obviously have a vendetta Cynthia Stead!!!!
By not choosing Hil. Cliton as the V P a mistake has been made. Yesterday we all saw it. We chose right in Obama as the president. But we made a mistake in the Vice President. O God. What have we done!
Hillary Clinton is a terrible public speaker. Only Albert Gore, Jr. is worse. Aside from her disingenuous, "aw shucks, I'm like one of you factory workers" schlock, Clinton thinks yelling and pounding on the lectern is equal to eloquence and power. It is not. It is time for Hillary Rodham to take her failed place in history and slowly waltz into her small and wavering crowd of frowning delegates. If this speech was the speech of her life, imagine what a a bad speech might be like. The only solace is the public will never have to watch Bubba bite his lower lip and feign allegiance to yet another Clinton failure.
Hillary should be the nominee - in spite of her speech saying she supports precious - ain't gonna happen with this bitter old deadender
I got kicked out of the Democratic Party by the "new Democratics" - so to hell with them
If I vote for McCain, it will be a vote against precious - an inadequate, immature, unqualified empty suit
During the intense coverage of the potential break of Hillary's
people for McCain (why not Nader, or even Barr, whose positions
are friendlier to women than McCain's) I've yet to hear anything
from them other than hatred of Obama for having somehow
stolen the nomination. How'd he do that? Where is the reported
hatred coming from.
The Republican Party has become a joke!
I was skeptical about what Hillary would say. But she said it all. It is not about her, it is about the need to end the Bush nightmare Any Clinton supporter who cannot grasp what she said in her excellent speech and get behind Obama is against all that Hillary is fighting for.
Thank you Boston Globe. Now how about those investigations into the illegal caucauses & the strong-arm tactics of the O'Bama group? How is the suit filed in Philadelphia court going as to the legality of O'Bama's right to run for President over his citizenship?
As far as I am concerned this is the type of "flip flop" that makes Obama a dangerous choice for President of the US. Isn't it fascism when the democratic process isn't followed?
And what in Gods name is he so afraid of?
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