Hillary Clinton Speech Reactions (VIDEO)

Reaction to Hillary Clinton's Democratic convention speech has begun. Here are what some of the pundits and TV anchors are saying:

Tom Brokaw: "Hillary Clinton did tonight what she needed to do."

Chris Cillizza:

She made clear her unequivocal support for Obama but also thanked her own supporters for their efforts and lit into Republican Sen. John McCain.

CNN's John King: "She passionately endorsed Barack Obama... She's a big game player, that was a big-game speech... she did what Obama wanted."

Keith Olbermann: "A grand slam." (Olbermann also reported that on Clinton's way out to the podium and after she returned from delivering her speech, she was given a standing ovation by Obama staffers.)

James Carville: "This is what a major-league fastball looks like."

Anderson Cooper: "This speech has electrified everyone in this crowd."

Bill Richardson: "She couldn't have been clearer... She hit a huge home run, a 500-foot homerun. The best news is Democrats are unified."

David Gergen: "Perhaps her finest hour in politics."

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: "Anybody who could be persuaded would be persuaded by that speech...She nailed it."

Wolf Blitzer: "Exactly what Barack and Michelle Obama wanted to hear."

Comments

[Just Joe]

I think Hillary gave a brilliant speech!
And she left us with a couple of zingers I think we will be seeing on bumper stickers etc.
"NO WAY, NO HOW, NO McCAIN"
and
"WE CAN'T AFFORD 4 MORE YEARS OF THE LAST 8 YEARS"
If any of her ardent supporters saw that speech and still can't get behind the Democratic party, then I don't think they were ever democrats to begin with.
Way to go Hillary!

[Lautenberg]

Unity rides on Bill Clinton tonight.

Respectability Rides on Joe Biden's Speech.

Hope rides on Barack Obama In the Mile High Stadium.

[Lautenberg]

Puma woman care more about their Feelings than they do about this Country. Hilary is more evolved than that. I was surprised and impressed. if she had spoken like that during the campaign she might've won.

[TheSeditiousRascal]

She may have indeed. On the campaign trail she was everything but herself. It was an expensive lesson.

[mozey]

I created this animation gif to highlight the WHOLE message out of that speech!, please enjoy
http://www.foreclosuredoctoronline.com/2008/08/26/hillary-clintons-speech-at-the-dnc-supporting-obama-animated/

[IRepTheKing]

Now that's funny. Especially the McCain "What?" pic.... LOL

[GooeyButter]

Next, Hillary should explicitly state that any people who are still PUMAs now are despicable and petty people who probably never supported her in the first place.

[indc]

Hillary Clinton gave a great speech in support of Obama and much needed progressive change... I was not a fan, but her speech last night put her in a new light to me.... we cannot afford McCain and more of the same.

[MPeter]

I was nervous and hoping she would give a powerful speech. She did and then some. She brought the fight to McCain and I believe if her supporters who were reluctant up to this point cannot accept her call to get on with getting on, then those supporters no longer care and are unpersuadable. But they cannot use Hillary as an excuse any more.

[Bagger]

I was hoping Hillary would get the VP nod. But she didn't get it and she still a Senator. She will be a fantastic leader for our country. I really hope we have an all Democratic government and she will help lead the way for Health Care to all citizens of this country.

[mtrav]

Harry Reid has got to go. GO Hillary for Senator Majority Leader!

[alphax]

" .. [McCain] still thinks it's OK when women don't earn equal pay for equal work" ... nailed it!

PUMA's what do you say?

[Pronto]

What a surprise . . . David Gergen, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman and Chris Mathews thought that Hillary gave a great speech. Of course they thought it was great . . . they probably wrote it for her.

[neetsie37]

Rachel (ugh) Maddow, Keith Olbermann & Chris Matthews might as well have worn an Obama lapel pin every nite. It was sickening the way they took Hillary down every chance they got. And Keith with his nauseating Special Comments about her just clinched it for me. I can't believe MSNBC is dumb enough to give Rachel Maddow her own show. I.CAN'T.ST­AND.RACHEL­.MADDOW and her know-it-all attitude.

[BookDesigner]

neetsie37: "I.CAN'T.S­TAND.RACHE­L.MADDOW and her know-it-all attitude."

It hurts to be stupid or ignorant, and find that others are smarter or more knowledgable. Please try to be happier.

[sooz154]

I listen to Maddow daily and watch as much of her smart (a crime, apparently, to be so?) punditry and she is the ONLY one of the MSNBC hounds I could continue to listen to over time because she worked so darn hard to remain impartial (other than a clear preference to any Democrat winning). Olbermann lost me months ago when he went after Clinton like a rabid dog (and so patronizingly tagged Clinton's address last night as a "grand slam," more code for "guess she really can hang with the guys now")and Matthews never had me, although if he had it would have been over the minute he referred to Clinton as "the President's wife" the night of the Iowa caucus coverage. Maddow is the best the progressive side has put forward to challenge right wing spin in decades. Yeah, the MSNBC lineup has definitely favored Obama over Clinton but Maddow rose above that and if you don't think so you probably just don't wanna hear the truth she tells nightly anyway.

[bmnehls]

Rachel absolutely deserves her own show, and maybe she has a "know-it-all attitude" to you because she is by far more intelligent than most others who have their own shows.

[SamiNJ]

heh heh heh her "know it all attitude" really bugs ya huh? that's fantastic. I personally like a commentator who doesn't just focus on how she's feeling or how she thinks others are feeling but instead talks of facts.... knows the names of the different factions involved in the iraq war and where they are, etc, or when Pat Buchanan (that bastion of intelligent observation - why is he not at Faux News?) makes a comment on whether it should be Kathleen Sebellius as Veep that "if you're gonna choose a woman why not Hillary!?" Rachel retorts "Because all women are not interchangeable. All women are not the same woman!" and so on and so on.... Yeah, she is soooooooooo annoying. Knowing a bunch of stuff and discussing it instead of letting the likes of Pat Buchanan and Joe Scarborough be rude and interject and talk to her like she's A GIRL! You go Rachel!

[DebM]

Might I suggest you watch Faux News? With your attitude, you might find it more palatable.

I confess that both my husband and I have a bit of a crush on Rachel. She's intelligent, thoughtful and spot-on.

[BookDesigner]

Now that's deliberately obtuse thinking. Speech writing by committee, indeed. If that were true, Clinton's speech would have been dirty pudding, mixed with kitchen slops, rather than the crystal sharp speech she gave. I was impressed, despite my apprehensions beforehand.

[Wilson201]

What a surprise..­.the folks at Fox thought it was mediocre. They had a rough time finding a REAL issue with it though. I thought it was just what the doctor ordered and then some.
Have a nice day!

[Pronto]

If Fox couldn't find the REAL issue with Hillary's speech, I can: it was insincere. The Clintons are seething and will continue to seethe from the time they cast their vote for McCain up until the next election cycle in 2012.

[poeticsinger]

I too have been harsh with Sen Clinton after her primary performance. And I must say, I thought that her concession speech in June sounded very forced and insincere. Last night's speech made me cheer. Thank you Senator! I was a Hillary supporter when the primaries first started and turned to Obama later. Last night made me remember why I rooted for her in the beginning. She was great. I will be making a donation to her campaign this week too.

UNITY is the word of the day!

[recruitgal]

Where are all the PUMAs now? They're all suspiciously quiet...

[AtticusinPa]

1. Meeting with Karl Rove to plan further interviews and blogs

2. Meeting with McCain's tv ad people to film more ads

3. Buying their tickets to Minneapolis

4. All of the above

[Lautenberg]

Did you see them call Barack a Musilim just to win an argument with CHris Matthews. Some people will sink t new lows to get their way

[annis]

I didn't listen to her speech. I read the headlines here and a few of the comments. I don't get this hype. I want Barack Obama to be our next President and Michelle Obama to be our First Lady. But much much more than that - I want our public education system to be completely overhauled so that our next generation is truly prepared to think through how to be responsible citizens of this country and our increasingly fragile world. I want an end to violence, war, and ethnic cleansing. No more torture. I want an end to the raping of this planet. I don't see the rah rah getting us there. No big deal. Let's calm down and see what really matters. I think Michelle Obama made a truly revolutionary speech in demonstrating valuing human life.

[BookDesigner]

You should have listened to her speech. Opinions without knowledge can be as dangerous to the holder as a handgun without safety instruction.

My wife, who grew up in the Soviet Union, and has heard more speeches and read more books than most people I've met, said, "Michelle Obama gave one of the greatest political speeches of all time."

I agree with my wife on that, but give Clinton credit for doing a great job last night. She has finally recovered her balance.

[SoulDrift]

FANTASTIC speech. The "If you were only in it for me" line sealed it.. that's the *only* line that could've legitimately taken herself out of the equation, and made it her supporters' duty to vote Obama..and she said it with conviction.

Beyond my expectations, Hillary! Thank you!

[Bub]

It was a fine speech, but no disrespect, I still think the speech she gave at the end of the primaries was the best speech I've ever heard, and the best speech since 1968 - and that's after some damned fine speeches during this political season by all the candidates, especially Obama, his best being the response to the Reverend Wright controversy.

It's possible that Hillary might become our first "Prime Minister" - that is, the lion of the legislature, if Democrats secure strong majorities there.

Even with the John Edwards fall from grace, the Democrats have some fine and deep bench strength. Especially compared to the Republicans who've got nothing.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

I didn't hear that one. Wish I did. The speech last night was incredible. And I agree on your take on the new lion of the senate. She is here to stay. She will anchor the party and replace Edward Kennedy, basically. Obama hopefully will do well, he'll pan out for us, he has a lot to live up to of course. What I'm afraid of is him being a flash in the pan and 4 years and out. Then we'll be fighting tooth and nail with the GOP all over again, with them having fresh legs. If that happens, I feel better that at least we have our girl in the Senate.

[Pupadup4oBama]

Great comment, Bub.

[londonrainbow]

thats true.

[PALinda]

Tuesday, August 26: Renewing America’s Promise

Who among us did NOT feel renewed after Tuesday's speeches?!­?!?!?!????­??????????­?

Well done, DEMS. Exceedingly well done.

Well done, Hillary ... from PA-not-a-H­illary-fan­-Linda. WELL DONE!