Clinton Speaks To Supporters: No Mention Of Obama

Hillary Clinton just wrapped up a private fundraising event for WomenCount.org, a group founded late in the primaries by a handful of major Clinton donors, and one that is shifting to become, according to one organizer, the "MoveOn.org of the women's movement."

Clinton's remarks reflected the extent of frustration and resentment over the presidential race among the few hundred gathered attendees, mostly women. Clinton didn't mention either Barack Obama or Joe Biden by name during the roughly 10-minute speech -- she referred once to "the nominees."

And the New York Senator's unity argument seemed to be aimed specifically at supporters who were considering abandoning the Democratic ticket and backing John McCain.

"I believe that with all my heart that the Democratic Party represents a much better future for everything we believe in and care about," she said, "and I will be making a very strong case tonight that we stand behind our nominees in order for us to keep pushing progress forward. We cannot be deterred, we cannot be diverted."

Conversations with attendees found much of the widely-reported anger over the Democratic primary.

One Clinton delegate from North Carolina, Marc Friedland, recounted his convention hall confrontation with DNC Chairman Howard Dean. He said he pressed him to explain why Clinton-backing delegates were being, in his view, blocked from supporting their candidate on the convention floor.

Some griped about Obama's outreach efforts -- "If he'd actually say what he stands for, maybe I could get behind him," said one -- while two major donors claimed that while they were willing to support Obama, they viewed the message from his campaign as, "Get on board, you don't have any other choice."

Comments

[onedivasinger]

Stop it, please. This is too important. Your ambitions as journalists and pols is not the point. If my son goes to war because you have a petty gender or pigment problem....well, don't make corporate media the deciding factor in the most important issue of our time. Please, please. I beg you!!!

[renatam]

As a New Yorker, I hear you loud and clear. We will make sure we win this thing and NOT allow Hillary to bring her toxic show to NYC -- to derail this State.

Clintons are now Liebermans. Ditto, the DLC.

No woman should accept Hillary Clinton as their feminist leader -- and NYC women should be at the vanguard of correction this latest Bosnia-like DELUSION.

Ridiculous.

You don't TELL all women you are our unselected leader. We aren't Bill and Chelsea.

[Azmom]

Amen to this.

[Shannon2008]

I've bashed her for months, but what she said sounds great. As a Obama supporter, I just wanted her to stick to the issues. During the campaign, she didn't, and McCain put out 4 commercials bashing our nominee and our party with her words. Her values are our values and that comes across in many policy positions. If there is one reason she did not get my vote, it was because she moved to the center on foreign policy.

I'm hoping she can show the kind of leadership which embodies our values. I really don't want her or Barack Obama to dwell on the need to make history. I would rather see them chart a course forward by drawing contrasts between our approach to governing and the Bush/McCain approach to governing.


Obama/Biden '08, '12

Hillary Clinton for the Supreme Court!!!!

Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense!!!

Bill Richardson for Secretary of State!!!

Al Gore for Secretary of Energy!!!

Governor Ed Rendell for Secretary of Homeland Security!!!

Caroline Kennedy for Secretary of Education!!!

Harold Ford, Jr. for Secretary of Housing & Urban Development!!!

Governor Janet Napolitano for Secretary of Labor!!!!

Governor Deval Patrick for Attorney General!!!!

Governor Jon Corzine for Secretary of the Interior!!!!

Congressman Steve Kagen for Secretary of Health & Human Services!!!!

Collin Powell Secretary of Veterans Affairs!!!

Lieutenant Governor Patty Jean Judge for Secretary of Agriculture!!!!

State Rep. Dwight Evans for Secretary of Transportation!!!

Lawrence Summers for Secretary of the Treasury!!!!

Congressman Eliot Engel for Secretary of Commerce!!!!

[Lupin77]

Sour grapes. It's hard to take defeat gracefully for some people.

[politicalminded]

CSPAN has been covering the entire Convention live. You can also watch it live on your Computer. By the way, why are you guys surprised at Fix News? I will say this again. Forget main stream media. They can dictate the agenda all they want, it's not up to them. I will say this again, there are clear choices in the Election. It's up to you America!

[wearyvoter]

I turned on CNN when I got home tonight, and promptly switched to CSPAN as soon Campbell Brown dredged up talking point #666: Why can't Obama seal the deal with (fill in the name of the group du jour here.)?

[renatam]

Are any boomer women embarassed by this display, courtesy of Hillary Clinton -- speaking FOR YOU?

[peascott]

As a old African American woman, the white feminist movement NEVER spoke to me, about me nor included me. I find the current "woman's movement" the same.

[renatam]

As an AA boomer woman, I agree. That is WHY the original "Movement" never had traction and DIED, as it will again. Victimhood is toxic. And, until they speak for Bill's victims -- housekeepers, nurses and not just women like Hillary and Gloria who went to elite colleges and happen to be white.

These backhanded compliments from Ed Rendell, James Carville and THE CLINTONS, don't fool anyone.

REVENGE isn't a feminist motivation that has any traction in the past or in the future.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Amen. to that. I've said that all along. To me they do not speak to me as a black woman. Never have and I doubt they ever will. Also, I am tired of hearing white women say that the black man got the right to vote before them. They still were not allowed to exercise that right. Many people died trying to get that right enforced. Voting Rights Act of 1964. Almost at the end of a century and some people cannot or just don't want understand why Michelle says for the first time in her adult life she is really proud of her country. I could understand where she was coming from.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Have one more thing to add. Where were all those feminist when the media was attacking Michelle? I rest my case.

[smayhew]

Never heard of Angela Davis? I'm black and from New York - you weren't looking in the right place.We are 13% of the population - men and women.... women are 51% of the population. The problem is not women or blacks - the problem is that Barack is not the right African American this time - simple as that.

[sf94127]

Obama is trying to look presidential and one reason why McCain is gaining is a lot of your non-koolaid drinking Americans see Obama is not a Jedi yet.

The Clintons don't believe Obama is ready to be President. Yet they will grit their teeth and tell people to vote for him. That is the problem I have with the Clintons.

You want to know what the real problem is , hmmmm? Its the two party system. Hillary should be running as an independent and 2-3 other candidates to give a field of five at least. The two party system is merely an illusion of democracy.

[olivia]

They don't speak for me, or for very many women at all.

Their numbers are greatly exaggerated. Every woman I know supports McCain.

I found one man who will vote for McCain because he still thinks McCain is a maverick. Some people haven't been following events too closely.

[Felicty]

And why should she?

This election is all about HER, after all.

[ScandalousCandice]

"I am ready for my close up Mr. De Mille."

[smayhew]

How?

[Tulka2]

We hear on Air America today that the main video feed at the convention is provided by Fox News to the other networks. Can this be true? It would explain all the cut-away shots during Michele's speech of people looking bored. I urge people to switch to their local public television station tonight. They are providing fair and balanced coverage. Why are the Dems allowing the Republicans to run their convention? No wonder it's "all about Hillary" today.

[lenoirlady]

OMG!!! I see it all now and will go to PBS or Web. Totally don't respect Fox ANYTHING!!!!!!!! i wondered WHAT THE HECK all the Hillary crap has been today. As Ricky Ricardo use to say "Splain it to me Lucy!!!!" Makes me sick.

[proudamericanblkwoman]

Those Hillary Supporters are really Hillary Destroyers, who are not only racist, but are also sexist and chauvinist. The same would be if I were to refuse to vote for a white candidate because of the color of their skin. Of course, since there have only been white Americans as the nominees of both parties, that would also have meant that I wouldn't have ever voted in any race at any time in America.

[neocon43]

You just defined the democratic party.Thank you!

[hominidx]

A neocon painting someone else as racist is one of the funniest things, ever.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Don't get so smug, neocon43. The Republicans are full of the Dixiecrats that left the democratic party when they decided to take up the civil rights issues of the black citizens of this country. Frankly, I haven't seen where they have taken up any issues that would concern the fair treatment of people of color.

[proudamericanblkwoman]

No, neocon! I describe only the ardent Hillary supporters. However, it's just like you as one of the "entitled" to feel HRC = the Dem party. Get over yourself and please tell the Clintons to do the same. "There's a change a'coming!"...for all! Get on board or get lost!

[biglover]

Children Please Stop This Infighting. This is how party's lose elections.

[renatam]

Hillary Clinton has always elicited and incited INFIGHTING and divisiveness. Read up on how she "managed" her Campaign and its funds. FACTIONS ran amok. But, her "supporters" are in as deep a denial as she is. It's everyone else's fault and we shouldn't look at her mistakes -- or Bill's.

[smayhew]

Right and the continued vitriol from the Barack supporters continue the hatred.... no one is waking up

[ShawnWolfe]

Obama, Clinton and McCain are all Council On Foreign Relations functionaries. Wake up.

[JShankel]

What's that you say? The people running for president are associated with organizations interested in the exercise of power?

Shocking.

Next up: your local librarian is in a book club! Wake up!

[ShawnWolfe]

CFR sets the agenda and exercises the power and are elected by and accountable to no one. (Unlike your book club.)

These administrations we're fussin' and fightin' and dreaming about (Obama, Clinton, Bush, McCain) are pre-approved showroom dummies. The powers-that-be don't care which flavor we pick. Obama's on board same as McCain.

Go back to sleep. Ignore the man behind the curtain.

[kimk3]

The more I see and hear Hillary, the more I loathe her. First of all, she didn't get 18 million votes. Secondly, for sure if California primary had been later int he game, she wouldn't have won it at all. She is just all sour grapes. She and Bill are just hissy pissed that they are losing the Democratic party to... the next generation. Buh-bye.

[jrterrier]

how many votes did she get then? in fact, the saddest part of this whole affair is that no DEM candidate has ever gotten as many votes as Hillary and been treated so shabbily -- not Teddy Kennedy, our current hero, who received many fewer votes than Hillary and took it all the way to the convention and after he lost still wouldn't get on the platform with Carter and hold his arm up in a sign of victory; not Gary Hart; not Jesse Jackson; not any other man. And worse, not a one of them was then asked to carry the nominee across the finish line. If there is no unity in the party, it's Obama's fault. It's up to him to enchant, persuade and move the party faithful to support him. i guarantee you that if the roles were reversed, Obama supporters would be marching in the streets and resigning from the DEM party as Donna Brazile threated to do.

give me a break.

popular vote count: Total Estimate w/IA, NV, ME, WA*
Obama: 17,869,542 47.4% Hillary: 18,046,007 47.9% http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

[LCLiberal]

Vague language like this obviously won;t cut it tonight. She has got to mention Obama BY NAME and leave nothing to chance as far as urging her voters to back Obama.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

[jrterrier]

is Obama a grown man, who is about to ask us to vote for him to be President of the US or is he some baby that needs to be helped along by Hillary. The supporters who keep whining about the Clintons not doing enough to help him are not doing Obama any favors. Do anyone ever recall Gore, or Kerry, or Clinton demanding that those who didn't win must get him elected. NO.

[AFCOL]

Couldn't agree more. Obama will rise or fall on the strength of his message. If that message convinces enough Americans, he will be elected. If not, he won't.

[criquet]

Yup, that's why Hillary is not the VP nominee. Enough of the Clinton drama and both of their divisive attention getting antics.

[LinusBern]

In every single primary there is a call for the loser to throw their support behind the winner. There is nothing at all novel in the fact that it is happening this cycle as well.

[zoozey]

Actually, they didn 't have to demand. Those other candidates stepped up and proudly supported Clinton, Gore, and Kerry immediately following their own concessions. They did it gracefully and with dignity. Their supporters didn't show up at the convention bent on divisiveness. Their supporters waved flags and supported the chosen candidate whole-heartedly and without rancor.

I have never seen, even the candidate who loses the general election (by hook or crook) act as Hillary (thru her surrogate PUMAS). Even the loser in the GE makes "that" phone call, swallows their pride and makes their concession speech THAT VERY NIGHT OR NEXT DAY. Geraldine Ferraro did it when she lost the Vice Presidency immediately, so I would like to think that this is not a "female" thing with Hillary, but it is beginning to look bad for the girls.

In fact, I fully expect Hillary to show up at inauguaration to be sworn in, followed by an entourage of PUMAs, regardless of who the winner is--McCain or Obama.

[GunneraGirl]

I really and truly don't get it. They are frustrated by the presidential race? Due to what? Losing? What is the source of the resentment?

And as far as Obama not being clear where he stands, that's malarkey! There's a website with his positions spelled out in fine detail. It was Hillary who waffled and spoke out both sides of her mouth throughout the campaign.

Really don't get how anyone who calls themselves a democrat, who is concerned about women, could even countenance McCain, less vote for Him.

[jrterrier]

here's the answer for me. this is the closest primary ever. the two of them essentially split the vote, whether you look at the popular vote count or the total pledged delegates. On top of that there was all the bull with the MI and FL delegations (NH, IA, and SC broke the same rules but weren't penalized). The nomination should rightly be decided at the convention. it wouldn't be the first time. indeed, JFK arrived at the 1960 convention without enough delegates to win on the first ballot. instead, the DNC and party leaders (pelosi, reid, dodd, teddy) demanded that hillary drop out as early as march. he lost 2/3 of the contests in the last 3 months, including most of the big states. in the last weekend of voting, she won 2 of the last 3 contests. and to pick biden (who got about 9,000 votes) over her for the VP, while at the same time demand that bill and hillary go out on the trail to win it for obama is just mickey mouse.

Total Estimate w/IA, NV, ME, WA*
Obama: 17,869,542 47.4% Hillary: 18,046,007 47.9% http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

even if you look at the number of delegates

[LinusBern]

It has been widely reported that Hillary didn't want to be vetted for VP so that would make it rather hard for Obama to choose her. I'm not sure why you would want her to be VP anyway. So she can use her vast experience opening shopping malls and having photo ops? Frankly her unquestionable talents would be lost in that position. She will have far more influence as a senior member of the Senate or hopefully in a senior cabinet position than she would as VP. Maybe it would have been a balm to the ego of her supporters to pick her, but that doesn't mean it is the best use of her talents.

[runnerin1]

One PUMA put it best when she stated it was supposed to be Hillary's time. That is why they are upset, plain and simple.

[renatam]

It's HER TIME. We need not vote. MONARCHY? Dictatorship?

We already have Bush/Clinton oligarchies.

Americans, wake up - please.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Well, if it was her time, why isn't she the nominee? Some people play the lottery everyday and don't win because it is not their time. Maybe, their time will never come.

[DaOne]

Kucinic giving a great speech at the convention right now.

[olivia]

My favorite candidate of all - the most moral man in Congress.

[zoozey]

Gosh you mean Kucinich didn't show up with a band of supporters (his own PUMAS) railing against the injustice of his not being the nom? Gosh what is wrong with him?

[ckfan]

Hillary's legacy: DESTROYING the Democratic party. I hope she, Big Willie, Carville and all the other clowns are happy. They will go down in history as the ones who broke the party.

If O loses and she runs in '08 - she will not become the nominee. 18 million of us Obama supporters will never forgive her for this. She put herself before the country.

[Indieguy]

I'm really disappointed. I actually thought that the Clinton's would be good soldiers and eventually support the Obama ticket. I guess it really is all about the Clintons. They must know what they're doing is so destructive to Obamas Campaign. I never figured them for poor losers.

[LinusBern]

She hasn't made her speech to the convention yet so lets not further the MSM's narrative until it actually happens.

[renatam]

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=18cc5013-68d6-4e97-b71c-8c4d002f74d3

Bill Clinton's anger simmers on eve of convention speech: Friends

Sheldon Alberts, Washington Correspondent
Canwest News Service



Tuesday, August 26, 2008



CREDIT: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Bill Clinton has remained largely silent the past few weeks, declining all interview requests ahead of his convention address. But the undercurrent of tension has fuelled - rather than eliminated - the perception that neither the Clintons, nor their supporters, will put their heart into helping Barack Obama become president.

DENVER - The complaints come in whispers, not shouts.

Bill Clinton is still nursing sore feelings about his wife's defeat, his friends say. He thinks Barack Obama hasn't shown him enough respect. Worse yet, he's angry Obama didn't seriously consider Hillary as his running mate.

Even as Hillary Clinton praised Obama and appealing for healing in a keynote speech Tuesday night at the Democratic national convention, her husband and his confidants continue to pick at the wounds of the party's nasty primary fight.

[Millais]

Leopards don't change their spots - we await with bated breath for her grand delivery this evening. Do you think she might bring up the 'hardships' in her life - like the suspect 'suicide' of her friend and Counsellor, Vince Foster and the obvious and disgraceful aftermath 'investigation'; Whitewater; Nannygate; her husband's meanderings and cover-ups etc., all the things the Republcans would have a field-day with were she the candidate?

All the things her die-hard supporters are in denial of; or are they just plain stupid.?

SHE LOST - what more do 'her' Democrats? to lose the Election too? The have fallen for the 'Clinton' Myth - GET REAL - this couple is RICH - ask how?

[renatam]

Commerce Secretary Ron Brown?