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

[bessie1]

Let's face it Hillary bashers. You're only thanking her now because you're afraid he can't win without her support. How do you really feel about her? It is inconceivable that after all the hatrted and venom spewed by the Obama supporters toward her, they have suddenly made this complete turnaround. Just like Obama - say anything and do anything to get elected. What a bunch of hypocrites you turned out to be.

[GunneraGirl]

oh go away before someone drops a house on you too.

[londonrainbow]

shut up.

u must be a rethug

[Pupadup4oBama]

When someone is honest and heartfelt and supports the unity of the party...then "YES, WE CAN" do a complete turnaround and forgive and move on....we're Democrats...we're just great people that way.

YOU guys on the other hand...I'm sure you hold grudges for years.

Let it go...it'll make you feel better.

[patrickjkiger]

I guess you didn't actually listen to her speech, did you?

[Bagger]

Seriously,
What motivates you? Hatred?

[MemeMagus]

I know most Hilary supporters are reasonable. They saw in Hilary Clinton an intelligence and tenacity that would make for a great leader, and if it weren't for the inspirational and powerful Obama campaign we would be nominating Clinton this week. But as it stands Democracy rules and Obama did win. He was Democratically chosen. Anyone out there claiming to be a Hilary supporter who will vote for McCain is a Republican troll or just plain crazy.

I want to thank and congratulate Hilary Rodham-Clinton for her historic campaign and her historic speech. The quote of Harriet Tubman was brilliantly moving. I can't help but wonder what would of happened if this Hilary had shown up in the primaries.

[lizr]

If Hillary hadnt voted for the war it would be her up there being crowned this wk.

[WoodyCPM]

You're probably right. You can't help but think that her vote to support the war was a political calculation on her part. In an attempt to position herself for the run for President, she didn't want to come off as a "weak female." Was she wrong? I think so. If she had also not be so stubborn as to not admit she was wrong and apologize for the vote earlier on, then I think many of the Democratic base, the activists, the grass roots flame keepers of the Party could have forgiven her and it would have made Obama's bid a lot tougher. She just miscalculated both the base as well as the unpopularity of the war

[Pupadup4oBama]

IF is the biggest word in the English language (or any language for that matter)
I commend Hillary for her speech last nite - I thank her for doing it.
BUT, things happen for a reason...this is the path we are supposed to be on (as the old man said in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" said - you have chosen...wisely)...we're moving in the right direction - but we have to keep up the momentum and fight the good fight...we have to...for ourselves, for our troops and for the rest of the world.

No how, no way, NO MCCAIN!!!

[siney]

so true... as a hillary supporter, had we not been to hell and back we would not have seen this hillary...she's really transformed and grown into quite the stateswoman... we need her in the senate as much as we need obama... after the horror of the last 8 years foisted on us by the great empty W, i believe obama will counter in equal measure with 8 years of a great american renewal and international healing...

[JanetE]

Well! As a Hillary supporter I am amazed that after hearing her wonderful speech tonight I came here to HuffPo expecting to read more Hillary-bashing ..... because in all these months that's all I ever read here.

And even after she lost to Obama, the Hillary-bashing continued here on Huff Po.
And reading it day after day made me all the more angry with Obama and his unrelenting supporters who disrespected Hillary and her supporters and ME. So angry that I was actually thinking of voting for (shudder) McCain.

But tonight! Tonight I am reading THANKFUL Obama people --- thanking Hillary and saying they will support her and vote for her in 2012, and even send her a check this week!!!

THANK YOU!!! Thank you, Obamakins!!! Finally!!! Now I can go to sleep with a smile on my face. Thank you. :-) Now you see in her what I saw all along. Now I have great hopes for the Democratic party again. Thank you.

[zippywpinhead]

just watched the replay -I have to say, she did an awesome job! i had my beefs with her campaign during the primaries, but believed that she would do exactly what she indeed did tonight. For that, I'll say my official "I told you so's" to the doubters and join in with the well deserved praise for Hillary.

I also look forward to a newly energized and completely united Left taking it to John McCain and all the agents of destruction on the right. Time to clean house and take back our country- it never was theirs, they just acted like it...

[siney]

no kidding... although i'm for obama-biden all the way, as a hillary supporter i am chuckling now as i read all of the hillary bashers falling over each other in their praise of her... alas, they finally see what so many of us saw long ago, the promise... i'm not naive -- hillary has grown into the stateswoman we saw tonight over the course of this campaign and what we see now is the president she would have been...

[Pupadup4oBama]

No...the president she WILL be...she can still run in 8 years...I think she will be younger than McCain.
Let's face it...with age comes wisdom...and if John McCain were a wiser man he could have been POTUS himself....but he never learned.
One GOOD thing he has done is pave the way for older Americans to run, Hillary has paved the way for women, and Obama has paved the way for African Americans...this is truly what America is all about and I am finally proud to say it!!!
AND I can honestly say now that I would proudly vote for her.

[lizr]

I am just so happy it is a Democratic love fest as it needs to be,

THANK YOU HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW I remember why I always liked you!

[MattThorn]

I supported Hillary before switching to Barack last winter, and have been distressed by the mutual hating going on here in the comments section of Huff Po, so, from the other side of the fence (which I think Hillary tore down dramatically), I couldn't agree with you more, JanetE. Hillary gave the speech of her life and hit it out of the ballpark. Now I think we will see the difference between true Democratic Clinton supporters, like JanetE, and the stealth conservatives who have been using Senator Clinton's name to try to divide and conquer the Democrats. I also hope we will see considerably less Clinton bashing here on Huff Po.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

My path was the same, Matt. I supported Hillary then my primary came around and I put my faith in Obama and switched my vote to him. But posters on here didn't believe me, and any praise of Clinton or slight Criticism of Obama was met with viciousness and callousness. I began to wonder if I made a mistake in my vote, and then as Obama's positions shifted, I began to really have regret. I didn't think I would vote in November, just staying home, cause I was sick of it. But Clinton's speech was wonderful, and I may just follow through for that great lady. She layed out why we should be voting and why it's important.

[WoodyCPM]

I have always been an Obama supporter and I have never "bashed" Clinton. I have disagreed with her votes and her stand on some of the issues, but I've never "bashed" her. That would be silly. There have been way too much bad mouthing of both candidates by the trolls and flame throwers on HuffPo that is personal and ugly and does not in any way help people to understand what the issues are and which direction is the best for the country. Clinton is a smart woman, a good Democrat, and like her husband, a brilliant politician, all of which she proved last night in spades. She has a lot to offer the country and hopefully Barack Obama will do everything he can to include her in his Administration.

[Fudgefase]

She gave a gracious and powerful speech last night. The lady really knows how to work a crowd. No-one has ever doubted her intelligence and her resolve. Unfortunately, during the campaign, she was badly advised, said some poorly though-out things and didn't seem to have a strategy to cope with the Obamamania that swept the country.
That's behind us.
I sincerely hope there will be a good, senior position for Sen Clinton if Obama is elected. The US needs people of her intelligence and strength working in important offices, making important decisions.
Sen Clinton is not ready to retire quite yet!

[WoodyCPM]

I agree.

[JanetE]

I would say that after Hillary's remarkable, amazing speech tonight that the Ted Kennedy torch in the Senate after he's gone will go to Hillary Clinton. At this point in time, she is by far the most outstanding Senator in the country.

[Lautenberg]

Lets not start jumping rainbows yet. Governor of New York Maybe, but Hilary is no Ted Kennedy. He has one of the great speaking voices in the history of politics. As great as her speech was yesterday. It wasn't as good as Ted's on Monday or in 1980. We just need her now because she took forever to set aside her ego for her country. Now that she did I forgive her, but that doesn't make her a Kennedy.

[siney]

but hillary is growing as a stateswoman and the clinton dynasty, whether some like it or not, is far from over... i'm a happy dem today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[toddausaurus]

Oh, if Olbermann says it was then ot must have been. Why don't you just listen to Rush Limbaugh if you want that much bias. They're both equally pompous but actually Rush is funnier and has more talent in the broadcasting field.

[Mij13]

What are you on?

[Pupadup4oBama]

Unfortunately nothing....he could probably use a good bong hit or two.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Toadasaurus: Your era has come to an end. Be a good dinosaur now and lay down, die and make some sweet, crude petroleum.

[zippywpinhead]

we can get Nancy to drill his brain. 'Ol Todd might finally prove not to be completely useless after all...

[Pupadup4oBama]

HA HA HA>...if the name fits!!!

Yeah, they want their oil... have all the Repubes lay down and just disintegrate into the earth from whence they come...(like the reptilian creatures they are).
Now THAT'S going green!

[lizr]

your day is done, dude :)

and not a moment too soon.

We still have time to save our country from the neo con artists.

[daddydamon]

Yeah, lots of talent, just like a German orator who became chancellor in 1933.

[Lautenberg]

Rush Limbaugh takes cash for opinions he gives on the air. He is paid off. It is illegal and he still brags about it. Olberman is honest. you may disagree with him, but don't compare him to a snake oil salesman who isn't even giving his honest opinion. Rush is selling opinions to the highest bidder.

[4wehttam]

Ok, I wasn't a fan of Hillary, but she really made me believe last night. I really felt that she was backing O with an authenticity I haven't seen from her in the past. Thank you Hillary, thank you for that great speech that has the potential to unite our party so the Republicans can't tear us apart next week.

If your supporters don't come around now, they are lunatics that can't be convinced by anyone and I will promise not to blame you for it. You did your part and did it beautifully. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!

[obamaisdukakis]

You never saw it in the past because you are too young to know and Keith is too much of a Limbaugh clone to let you see.

If Obama loses this election, you can place it at the feet of rags like huffpo and MSNBC, et al . .

Why Hillary wasn't chosen as VP? Just shows the poor shallowness and stupidity of somebody in the Obama campaign.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

A lone, isolated screwball. Get some grief counseling so you can move on.

[PingMama]

No, it's called Bill Clinton. That's why she wasn't chosen.

[Pupadup4oBama]

No....you're just showing yourself to be a republican troll.

Move along now....get your points.

[Lautenberg]

Rush Limbaugh takes cash for opinions he gives on the air. He is paid off. It is illegal and he still brags about it. Olberman is honest. you may disagree with him, but don't compare him to a snake oil salesman who isn't even giving his honest opinion. Rush is selling opinions to the highest bidder.

[noamjunior]

Most New Yorkers are relieved she isn't the VP.
Hillary is great for New York State,and she looks out for the whole state not just NYC like D'amatto did.

[Lautenberg]

We would lose with Hiloary as VP. 49% of Maericans will NEVER vote for her and Barack would be seen as her "boy" after the shabby way he was treated. Once Hilary called out the spectre of Asassination it was all over for her. Woman would you let your husband pick a Vp that might off him and take his job. I think not.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

Was that Secretary of State Clinton I heard? Perhaps Attorney General Clinton?

As an admitted independent that has been leading towards supporting Senator Obama during this election cycle, I wasn't sure what to expect......but I definitely wasn't expecting THAT!

What a remarkable speech from a remarkable woman. You couldn't have asked for more than that. I can now see why so many supporters of her campaign are still so passionately committed to her cause.

I have a feeling that if she wasn't being considered for a cabinet position if Senator Obama is elected, she certainly is now.

[jpaultel]

You don't want her in a cabinet position. That will be a bad move. You want her exactly where she is, in the Senate, with seniority and leadership, especially when Democrats aim for a 60% super majority in order to pass her pet project, health care reform. That is where you want her and Ted Kennedy, to be the movers and shakers.

[suec03]

Exactly. Well said. May Sen. Clinton get her supermajority so she and her Senate colleagues can pass the legislation we need to improve the lives of Americans. No more Republican filibuster threats!

[WoodyCPM]

I think she should be Senate majority leader. That would be a great post for her. You're probably right that the Senate is where she can do the most good now.

[Frenchy9]

I have to acknowledge a "mea cupla" here.

I have doubted the sincerity of Hillary since she lost.

I though she will bring a Troyan horse at the convention. I think I was fooled by the "demands" of her surrogates after the primary: she must be VP; no other woman than her can be VP; the PUMAS; cold remarks by Bill...

Well, my sincere apologizes: that speech was absolutely perfect.

She can be super effective: I hope she continues helping the Campaign: I guess she will, because, from the reactions to her speech, she knows it a good feeling to be a high class game player, a real Democrat, not an ambitious politician only

If she runs again, I will vote for her (If I was American...)

I hope Obama can have the job for 8 years and she can build the healthcare for every one who needs it.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I think that will be her baby and that will be her legacy.

[moogyboy]

I was absolutely enthralled by Hillary's speech; I can now see why so many people went for her, because she is an incredible public speaker, her words have the force of sharp jabs of the fist. I hope BO can match her intensity, in fact.

She went a long way towards restoring her reputation with me tonight--I'll stand by my longtime support of Obama as the right guy for the White House this year, but I can also say that now I'm proud to have Hillary on our team. In spite of the differences in opinion and tactics that pushed me to the Obama camp, I think she's demonstrated that she's basically on the same page as the rest of us, and that she can help us win.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I think we'll see Obama fighting like we haven't seen him do before...just wait until the debates...he has done a FANTASTIC job on his own and I mean FANTASTIC...and NO one can deny that...even the trolls, but they would never admit it...that's why all the hate...they are scared and WAY jealous.

Now he has not just one...but TWO fighters behind him.
Let's see...Biden and Clinton vs Lieberman and Mittens...HA HA HA - it's not even a fair fight!

[Bobonze]

Awesome Speech HRC!!!

In-so-far as the so called "PUMA's, I see a little repub, Rove, or Limbuagh manipulation going on.
After seeing that one women on Hardball Monday night spewing a bunch of those Corsi smear crap talking points, (its on Huffpo somewhere) I'm pretty sure they weren't Democrats or for Hillary Clinton to begin with.

Thanks for an awesome speech Senator Hillary Clinton!

No thanks to the peeps who thought Warner would be a good Key-Note speaker though... bad move.

[GeoLee]

Only political junkies are hearing most of the speeches and prime time television is carrying only an hour a night. so don't worry....most missed Warner anyway and a lot of the msm stations staff talked through it with their own commentaries.

[lizr]

I thought Warner was brainy and interesting to listen to.

[WoodyCPM]

Warner is running for the U.S. Senate. The Obama folks put him as the keynote because Virginia is a state they want to carry in November. Warner's speech was more aimed at Virginians than anyone else in the country.

[Avembe]

well you know, if somebody doesn't want vote for Obama , he won't ANYWAY so...
But thanks HRC you did it well...but you can't control your people so...

[BobbyOctave]

Yeah but she took away their excuse.
Now they have to just state “I ain’t voting for no trigger!” (typo).

[cwhig1848]

As in "Pull the Tregroes"?

[Pupadup4oBama]

Is that a typo similar to "Vice Presidential P(r)ick, Joe Lieberman??? :)

[geese1920]

OK, I know I have been very harsh in my criticisms of Hillary Clinton during this campaign. After watching her speech tonight, I can say sincerely that she has done everything she could have done tonight to begin the rehabilitation of her reputation in my view. She finally laid it out there for all of her supporters who are threatening to vote for McCain or sit out the election. And if any of you are still considering not voting for Obama after hearing her speak, then you deserve a president like John McCain. Thank you, Hillary. Your fellow democrats thank you. This is the Hillary that was missing for the past eight months.

[peascott]

I couldn't agree more! It was the speech I've been waiting for.
I will no longer address Hillary by "The Clintons". She more than earned her right to NEVER be linked to her husband in political matters. She is her own woman and her speech tonight simply confirmed that.
I've not been a Hillary supporter but I appreciate what she did tonight for Obama and his campaign for president.
THIS Obama supporter would like to say, Thank You Senator Clinton!

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Very well stated!

"This is the Hillary that was missing for the past eight months"--so true! Apparently, we all did not have to be put through that painful eight months. Had this Hillary run in the primary she would have won it! It was hers to lose.

[bascombe]

why is brokaw even considered a reference.

[seriously29]

i agree. what is his problem.

[newhouse1]

After the Rendell comments and in Tim Russert's absence, Brokaw is trying to come off as the down-the-middle broker. And he's been brought out of retirement, but retired for a reason. God bless him for still motoring around. But you only need remember the visual of Bush being told we're under attack on 911, and being frozen in that chair reading to kindergarteners, or flying over New Orleans after Katrina, to realize there is no down-the-middle brokering you can apply to the Dem's enthusiasm this election year.

[GeoLee]

Brokaw is quoted as saying he was glad Bush was president on that day rather than Gore. Since then he lost my respect as it was clear to me he could not really deepdown be unbiased, But then, I grew up in the time when there was a clear distinction between journalists/newsmen and opinion wirters and opinions were clearly noted on the screen such as when Eric Sevareid gave a commentary. I never could figure out who Walter Conkrite or Huntley and Brinkley ever voted for. We all know who Brokaw, Couric and Charlie Gibson will vote for and we sure knew who Keith Olbermann, Schuster, Gregory and Matthews would have supported in the primary.

[brighterside]

Brokaw and his sidekick Brian Williams are nothing more than closet republicans. They don't seem to be enthusiastic at all covering the convention.

[JohnFObama]

She went beyond my expectations. She has my vote in 2016 which until recently would have been impossible for me to consider.

[conservativesoncrack]

Same here. I now have sufficient reason to feel she is onboard, and I certainly could support her in the future!

Obama/Biden 2008!

[4wehttam]

Me too!!! After tonight, she will definitely get my vote in 2016!!!!

Obama/Biden '08 WHOO-HOO!!!!!! Go Democrats!!!!!