Unity, but questions linger
After months of acrimony, it's a virtual lovefest among the Democrats, culminating in today's rally in Unity, N.H. -- the first joint public event of the general election campaign for Barack Obama and the vanquished Hillary Clinton.
Thursday in New Hampshire, Michelle Obama drew sustained applause when she called Clinton an "extraordinary woman" who put issues important to working women and families "front and center." Thursday in Washington, Clinton praised Obama to the heavens in front of two audiences. And Thursday night in Washington, D.C., Barack Obama announced he's giving maximum $2,300 checks from both himself and his wife to help Clinton pay off her primary campaign debt.
They're flying up together from Washington to New Hampshire on Obama's campaign plane. This morning, the Obama campaign sent out this set-up for the rally:
"Today, Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton will campaign together in Unity New Hampshire, where each received exactly 107 votes in January’s primary.
"Barack Obama has admired Senator Clinton as a leader, learned from her as a candidate, is proud to call her his friend, and knows how much they’ll need both Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton as a party and a country in the months and years to come.
He and Senator Clinton may have started with separate goals in this campaign, but they have made history together. Together, they attracted millions of Americans who cast their ballot for the very first time. Together, they inspired a record number of women, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and young people to participate in their democracy. Together, in this campaign, in 2008, they shattered barriers that have stood firm since the founding of this nation. Because of this campaign, and because of the campaign waged by Hillary Clinton, our daughters will forever know that what they look like and who they are is no barrier to who they can be in the United States of America."
But there's still work to do on the unity front.
ABC News reports on some rather unenthusiastic attendees at the fund-raiser get-together Thursday night. One described it as like a "dentist's appointment."
And The Washington Post reports on women who supported Clinton who haven't quite made the transition to Obama and who call themselves "PUMAs" -- an acronym for "Party Unity My A**."
And several key questions remain. How exactly will Obama use Clinton to campaign for him? Will Obama's donors follow suit and help Clinton repay her vendors? Will Clinton's loyalists follow her lead and enthusiastically back Obama? And will Bill Clinton, who this week issued a one-sentence statement of support for Obama through a spokesman, get fully on board?
P.U.M.A.
A new version of "The Odd Couple".
Just a lot of hype on a slow news day....
The media has implied severe acrimony in the Clinton-Obama relationship in order to sell more newspapers and advertising.
There is nothing odd about this - both are excellent competent people who said all along that they would support whomever the nominee was in order to defeat the Republicans.
It's time that we as citizens learn to discern actual news from fabricated news.
I see Karl Rove's "special ops" are still out in force, in the shape of folks claiming to be "Hilary supporters" who are now voting for McCain. "PUMA" indeed. Try RLLS (Rebublican low life scumbag) instead
All Democrats should be trying to get more like-minded Democrats elected.
All "undecided" Hillary supporters that are considering voting for McCain just need to compare her positions, priorities, and policies with those of McCain's.
All "undecided" Hillary supporters that are considering not voting in November just need to consider what happened in Florida (2000) and Ohio (2004).
All "undecided" Hillary supporters that are happy with the state of the economy, the war, and health care NOW will happily support "President McCain" (or Nader) in November.
All "undecided" Hillary supporters ~ PUMAs ~ need to do the objective research and do the right thing in November. Stay engaged and involved. Trust that future generations of Americans will appreciate your dedication and your decision.
Think about it.
If you were a Hillary supporter and you're now going to vote for McCain, then you were never a true Hillary supporter to begin with...why were you voting for Hillary if you don't support universal healthcare, a woman's right to choose, or an end to the Iraq war, just to name a few issues? Because if you're now going to vote for McCain, then you must be against all those things; that's what McCain stands for.
If you were a true-blue Hillary supporter, you'd be voting for Obama in November. Otherwise, you're just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Think about it you PUMA people and get with reality!
PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA
Can't you hear the chant now at the Denver arena?!!
PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA PUMA
Tim You can call the Obama campaign now and ask for your check. I have been on at least six sites in the past few hrs. and you have posted the same comment. Understood..............you love the Obama redoric, facts and truth mean nothing to you.
PUMA
If Obama uses, abuses and throws Hillary away you all ain't seen nothin' yet!!!!
BRAVO TIM - You've hit the nail squarely on the head with your analysis, so please keep posting all over the Internet!
And if PUMA does indeed elect McCain as POTUS in November, then they have only themselves to blame for what lies ahead. Heaven help us all...
Rhetoric and being played by Republicans... silly wabbits tricks are for Republicans! So "PUMA, PUMA, PUMA" all you want "children." If this about our COUNTRY - it is about electing the best person we have between the choices who are (now DO NOT POUT, it is unbecoming of so-called adults) Obama and McCain. Since some people have allowed race for POTUS to become about "Oh how dare they do this to Hillary Clinton" - well, guess what, that part of the political process is OVER. Moving on, if you truly care about what Sen. Clinton stands for on the issues, you vote for the person who most closely stands for what she stands or stood for on the campaign trail. You do NOT derail the whole country because you are a poor loser. Unless of course, you are just determined to behave childishly and in doing so continue destroying our country (IMHO, of course!)
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
browse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com
of the rich and creamy