Five Stages of Grief for the Winning Side, Too

1. Denial: "But Senator Clinton hasn't conceded yet! She doesn't admit that she's lost! She keeps moving the goal posts, continues playing the race card, it therefore must not really be over for her. We need her permission to move on!"

2. Anger: "If the rest of you don't lash out at what's upsetting me in exactly the way I am, you're as bad as she is!"

3. Bargaining: "This means that Obama has to put Clinton on the ticket (like Andrew Sullivan says, 'hello again to all that!'). Oh, wait, scratch that: he has to put a Clinton supporter on the ticket. Or maybe he has to put a different woman on the ticket... or how about..."

4. Depression: "Where'd everybody go? God, I miss the adrenaline of when this was a real contest!"

5. Acceptance: "Oh, goodie: More adrenaline to come! A general election campaign! Of course Obama will choose his running mate according to his standards. I bet it'll be as smart a move as those that got him here!"

(Originally posted at The Field.

Comments

[SethBLiNK]

There seems to be a tendency to confuse the candidate, who has been quite gracious and generous with his rival, and his backers, who tend to be less so.

Let's not confuse them. Obama is politely holding off on declaring victory, allowing Hillary to wrap herself around the concept in her own time. Meanwhile, he's going about his business, focusing on the general election.

His followers on the other hand, and I count myself among them, feel the need to respond to every barb in kind.

It would be nice if everybody could chill, but assuming that's not possible, it would be nice if we would all notice how calmly our candidate is handling all this.

[aquarius2001]

I also agree with your post. The negativity within our own party (on these blogs) are not going to help us in the fall. I try not to respond to some of the attacks by Clinton supporters, but sometimes I fail at that attempt. I try to reason with them, but to no avail. I guess we'll have to let time heal the wounds...hopefully.

[MrsPeel]

SethBLiNK, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Many Obama supporters, at least on HuffPost, are intent on unrelenting spewing at the Clintons. I think this is harmful to Obama's candidacy.

I posted comments on another HuffPost blog urging Obama supporters to chill, and to act magnanimously toward Clinton supporters. I suggested we take cues from how Obama comports himself. I said it's time for cooler heads to prevail. We are in a position of strength, and it's time to move along ourselves.

I got smacked down big by a couple Obama posters. One wrote, "Bite me!" among other choice stuff. Both attacked me for presuming to press what they pejoratively termed my "superior knowledge" on them, and to let them alone to vent.

Another woman who had written essentially the same thing as myself was smacked down by the "Bite me!" woman as well.

I haven't looked since that time, but there was one guy who agreed. He was concerned for Obama from reading the comments. My point was, how are these same people going to treat Obama when he does something they don't like? Are they going to yell and be verbally abusive to him when they don't get their way?

Writing thoughtful commentary and reactions is one thing. Hamstringing Obama from the outset is entirely different.

I, myself, could not vote for an Obama/Clinton ticket. I can't vote for Clinton under any known circumstances. However, I don't wish Clintonites any ill will, especially as many must be hurting.

[rzan]

I am concerned also. It is more important to hate Hillary than to love Obama in some cases. They are not listening to people telling them how turned off they are. I guess they really don't care if Obama wins. They just want to "vent."

[Grulg]

Bull-Shit. Goodie-Lord Prince Obama gets to show how well he's going to do in the fall by the way he fares in WVA and KY....Oooppppppps I think I spoke too soon. Can't get the White vote? Too bad! Say hi to a 3rd Bush term...

[SethBLiNK]

Yeah, no doubt about it, West Virginia and Kentucky are the primaries that tell us everything. Well, those two and Michigan and Florida. Those other states, who cares about them?

[JiminNC]

Great writing, wonder where that idea came from?

[standforpeace]

Some folks in the Obama camp are obsessed with the need to get the Clintons on board to pick up their supporters. But folks that ain't going to be necessary because there are plenty of others who can do that work. Here in Ohio both Governor Ted Strickland who supported Clinton and Senator Sherrod Brown who remained neutral will now work their asses off to deliver their base to Obama. They have better chance of turning out the white working class for him then anything that Hillary could say. The same holds true in Pennsylvania where Ed Rendell and Bob Casey who were different sides of the nominating battle will unite to push Obama over the top. Likewise you'll see grassroots Latino leaders in Texas and California take up his banner as will feminists all over the country who are rightly terrified over what will happen to the Supreme Court if McCain is elected. We can and will all come together to get this done. Although it would be great to have the Clintons onboard, we will get this done either way.

[Turtleluv6]

Obama/Richardson "08

[Mogamboguru]

Yep! Affirmative to the utmost! 8-)

[mairs]

Very funny! But so help me I keep thinking of those movies where everyone is relieved that the opponent is finally vanquished, splayed out on the floor in a pool of blood or whatever. Then the eerie throbbing music starts once again, the seemingly dead opponent suddenly sits bolt upright with a gun in hand, aimed directly at you.

[Turnow]

Why are there folks who find it necessary to aggregate folks into tidy little categories and assign common characteristics to the perceived group? That is to say, engage in bigotry.

And why does a sophomoric, bigoted rendering such as this merit band width?

[nellie]

I don't know. As an Obama supporter, I went straight to relief.

[Obamamo]

Same here but you can add a little party with friends and familly last tuesday night.

[Zanti]

There's such a Jonah Goldberg tone to your posts. But you're much more honest than Jonah, right?

[burnt]

"Denial: "But Senator Clinton hasn't conceded yet!"

I'm sorry, but you might be a bit confused... this battle cry comes from the Clinton camp. You might be surprised to hear that Senator Obama openly admits that he has not won candidacy for the general election as yet.

I believe I'll show some respect to both and continue until there is actual finality. Your belief that I should act presumptuous notwithstanding, I think we all might be aware of the facts a bit more. Yes, it certainly appears that for all intents and purposes that we should just ignore Hillary's attempt to insert herself onto the ticket or to have Obama supporters pay off what will be over $20 million in campaign debts, or ignore the continuous damage that she inflicts upon the Democratic Party... but I was not a premature baby, nor do I tend to practice premature politics.