< Back to Front Page Text size +

Obama: Clinton will be 'asset' in fall campaign

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor June 1, 2008 04:23 PM

Barack Obama, on the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, congratulated Hillary Clinton for winning today in Puerto Rico, praised her candidacy, and tried to reassure Democrats worried about a divided party.

"She is going to be a great asset when we go into November to make sure we beat the Republicans. That I promise you," Obama said, showing confidence that he would be the nominee.

"Whatever differences Senator Clinton and I may have, those differences pale in comparison to the other side."

Otherwise, he gave his stock stump speech about the challenges at home and abroad -- and how they convinced him to run and ignore those who told him to wait to run.

"We can't afford to wait," he told supporters in Mitchell, S.D., in front of the Corn Palace, a monument to the crop that is the local economy's staple. said. "That's why I'm running for president of the United States of America right here and right now."

He is also repeating the theme that Republican John McCain is "running for George Bush's third term."

South Dakota and Montana hold the final Democratic primaries on Tuesday, and with expected victories, Obama could clinch the nomination.

18 comments so far...
  1. Yeah what's this "nominee" going to have Hillary do in November? Bring him and his wife coffee?

    Posted by Howard Klein June 1, 08 05:47 PM
  1. Obambi get's smoked once again by "runner-up" Clinton... What's that 11 for the last 15 he's gotten his hat handed to him? Talk about being carried over the finish line...

    Too bad Rev Wright and his racist church came into play after he scored all those guilty white states early on.... Clinton is BY FAR the more electable candidate in the General. Not even close. This marxist racist is the most unelectable candidate since McGovern.

    Say hello to President John McCain. And incredibly in a year when Repubs are going to get trounced acorss the board.

    PS - Wait til the video of Michelle Obama hits YouTube this week... Previews say she goes on a tirade from the Trinity pulpit slamming "White America"!

    Posted by KevKristy June 1, 08 06:19 PM
  1. The only way Hillary will be an asset to Obama is if her name appears below his on the ballot in November. Otherwise, Hillary supporters will be staying away in droves.

    Posted by zephyr99 June 1, 08 06:22 PM
  1. #1- after the vicious malebashing she and her staff have engaged in, despite the propaganda from the media, she will be lucky if she's allowed to bring coffee or anything else to them. she should be forced to sweep up the floors after they leave a room to show her some humility. this chick has lived off of the public trough for her ENTIRE adult life. her daughter has lived off of the public trough for the vast majority of her life. how dare she think that she is anything but an employee of the public.

    Posted by fc June 1, 08 06:39 PM
  1. If that were the case, I wouldn't drink the coffee if I were Obama and Michelle. Cannot trust the Clintons...she is still waiting for something to "happen" as in Bobby Kennedy's assassination. The Clinton's are only for themselves...they use people to get where they want to get. Among her poison, is the use of racism to get votes. Her tears are planned and her lies are many...among them is the one where she claimed to be "under fire" when visiting Ireland with Chelsea. There was footage that showed that she lied, she didn't misspeak, she lied. I am a democrat who has lost respect for the Clintons. I support Obama for President. He is the only candidate who can bring this country together and earn the respect from the world that we had from others before George Bush got elected.

    Posted by sam June 1, 08 06:47 PM
  1. Obama certainly is arrogant and patronizing!

    Posted by Diane June 1, 08 06:47 PM
  1. Do you mean when Obama wins the election to be President? Well, given the dispicable behavior of the Clintons and the suggestions they have made to incite racism and something happening as in the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, if I were Barack and Michelle, I sure as heck would not dring any coffee that came from Hillary!

    Hillary, get out of the race, get out of the way and let us elect a respectable democrat into office. Vote Obama!

    Posted by sam June 1, 08 07:01 PM
  1. Well if she's an asset in November, she'll certainly be expanding her current role (by about 2 letters)

    Posted by dave June 1, 08 08:23 PM
  1. The Puerto Ricans areal Hispanics and the Clintons have prmised them the moon. Of course,Purerto Rico went for the she devil.

    Posted by RT June 1, 08 08:36 PM
  1. I was a clinton supporter, but after these past three months, I have seen the dark side of hillary clinton (and her supporters). barack obama does a have very good point regarding all the lobbyist money she receives. this country does need rapid change and I feel certain now that clinton won't and can't bring it.

    Posted by charles krup June 1, 08 08:38 PM
  1. He's clinching the nomination on Tuesday, how DARE he imply that he might actually, you know, run in the general election with Clinton's support. Clinton's remarks about Obama have been no less based on the idea that she would be running in November. But he's the arrogant one-- whatever.

    Posted by warshow11 June 1, 08 08:56 PM
  1. Obama is going to lose in November....he reminds me of Dewey when he ran against Truman....he also spoke in platitudes and he was charismatic and he lost to Truman....

    He will need Hillary to help him win....so what CHANGE is Obama talking about...he evidently can't do it alone....

    I am changing my registration and I plan to vote for McCain...I think he is an honest man and he is not a fraud...I will feel safer with him.

    Posted by A. M. Patel June 1, 08 09:11 PM
  1. the Democratic party is a joke . . both clinton and obama are absurd candidates. obama will show his true colors when he announces clinton as his running mate -- so much for his "fresh look at politics" b.s. by having clinton run with him, obama will prove that he cannot keep his word just like clinton. she is ridiculous. when she thought that she did not need the michigan/florida votes she signed off agreeing that those states would not count . . now that she is losing, she throw her word out the window and tries to steal the nomination. clinton is just a disgrace and cannot be trusted.
    McCain doesn't need a strong campaign because clinton is winning it for him. Hey, at least he is a man who can keep his word and has respect and honor . . neither clinton nor obama have those attributes.

    Posted by Proximo June 1, 08 09:55 PM
  1. Sam, the Obama campaign spun the Clinton's comments to be racial, and you bought it, hook, line, and sinker. It's sad how Obama supporters seem unable to think or make decisions for themselves.

    Posted by Pat June 1, 08 10:54 PM
  1. I think this conversation has taken the wrong direction. Sure there are problems with both Obama & Clinton, but neither of them are viciuous, revenge filled people like our current president. Whichever Democrat is nominated will get my support.

    Posted by Steve June 1, 08 11:44 PM
  1. Why is it that white criticism of Obama generally falls under the heading of "he's elitist" (uppity negro) and "he's racist" (militant black)? Don't people realize that he's as much white as he is black? Even attempting to introduce race into the discussion when talking about Obama is racist in and of itself. Remember early after his announcement when Clinton had the support of the vast majority of African Americans? The criticism from that demographic was that Obama wasn't "black enough" to understand the black experience or represent their interests. Pee-shaw.

    The man is mixed race-- half African, half WASP. Black vs. White has no place in a discussion of the man-- he's both. People who try to make an issue of his "race" are exposing themselves as racists. He's neither black nor white and he is both black and white. Criticize him on policy, criticize him on religion, criticize him on values, but never, ever try to bring his blackness into any discussion about Obama. It just makes no sense.

    Posted by Democrat in LA June 2, 08 01:32 AM
  1. Obama is a media creation, nothing more. He will be a tool of the Senators who may get him elected. Had the media covered him properly from the beginning, Hillary, clearly the better candidate, would have the nomination.

    Quite frankly, I think it is insulting to black people. All of the people, Daschle, Kennedy, Durbin, Pelosi clearly could care less about Obama. They just want to get rid of the Clintons. They know he is not qualified, which is why he will have no real power if elected.

    He is a silver-tongued stoodge. He is an affirmative action candidate. The superdelegates, if there were two white candidates, would vote for Clinton based on her better polling in swing states and popular vote lead. But since Obama is black, it has to be given to him or the blacks will march in the street.

    Just an FYI - I believe in affirmative action, there should be lots more of it. And I believe we need to spend hundreds of billions to fix inner schools. So, all I am saying, is that everyone knows blacks have been treated unfairly in this country and something needs to be done about it. Not talk, money to fix inner city schools. But electing someone who gives a good speech but is otherwise totally unfit with many questionable associations is not what is best for the country.

    Posted by Honest Opinion from New Jersey June 2, 08 09:17 AM
  1. This 'race' is over.
    The trickle of Super's should become a flow after Tuesday's primaries are concluded.
    Hopefully, Hillary can follow through on the promise she made to help bring the two factions together, in spite of herself. Although she has shown, in recent past, that her word can be suspect, I am hoping she can pivot from contender to supporter after Wednesday and help elect a Democrat to the office of POTUS this November.
    If this already onerous contest is dragged, kicking & screaming, into August and the Convention, that is conclusive evidence that Hillary cares nothing for the party & it's unity.

    Posted by Anthony Paul June 2, 08 10:10 AM
add your comment
Required
Required (will not be published)

This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.

About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com

archives

browse this blog

by category