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Obama's Clinton Bounce in Denver
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Ari Melber, Clinton, Convention Bounce, Convention Party, Convention Speech, Democratic Convention, Dnc, Dncc, Hillary Convention, Hillary Denver, Howard Wolfson, Obama, Obama Clinton Bounce, Obama Denver, Politico, The Nation, Thenation.Com,
Politics News
No, we're not done talking about her.
Sen. Hillary Clinton's official moment in Denver is over. Her Tuesday night unity performance drew rapturous applause from Democratic delegates and supportive analysis from the punditocracy. The most consequential Clinton question, however, is whether any of it matters.
Howard Wolfson, a former strategist for her campaign, thinks Obama may get a bounce among women in polls next week. He told me that Clinton essentially hit every key point for Obama in her speech, so skeptical female voters may move in his direction. (Following the convention's interdependent spirit, we were talking at a Tuesday night party hosted by his consulting firm, the Glover Park Group, and Politico, where I write a column.) If those voters are driven by policy, Clinton's references to health care, foreign policy and pay parity will surely help. Yet for voters who doubt Obama on more personal terms -- his experience and "character" -- Clinton's argument was much thinner.
Slate's John Dickerson flags the "hole":
[T]here was one big flaw in the pitch: Clinton never made the case that Barack Obama was ready to lead as commander in chief. That was her strongest argument against Obama during the primary -- so strong the McCain campaign is recycling her ad about the president answering the phone at 3 a.m.
Clinton did reject the McCain ad in her remarks to the NY delegation on Monday, to be fair. But her convention speech definitely fell short on detailing a personal case for Obama as the right person for the job. That's the core issue for the remaining voters -- from skeptical women who normally vote Democratic to undecided independents. After all, if policy preferences settled the presidential race, the Democratic nominee would hold a huge lead, given public opinion on the war, economy and the incumbent administration.
Forget the fact-free cynicism about how conventions are irrelevant. Convention speeches are actually one of the only avenues for the parties to directly reach millions of voters with an extended argument -- without the media filter or commercial soundbites. Over 20 million tuned in to hear the Democrats on Monday night alone. There's no Nielsen data on the viewers' voter preferences, of course, but it's a good bet that Clinton's Tuesday speech drew more undecideds and Obama-doubters than the average convention programming. So while her heartfelt address was still a net gain for Obama, it offered little to those voters who don't like him, or don't think he's ready.
Now some pols hope Bill Clinton will take up that task on Wednesday night. His official letter to delegates in the DNC program barely mentions the O-word, however, and he famously deferred to the Constitution's formal requirements when asked to vouch for Obama's presidential qualifications.
In the end, the bobbing blue "UNITY" signs still fill the Pepsi Center, and most of the delegates I've seen are more united than cable news coverage would suggest. Clinton's speech should help the cause, and now it's up to the people actually on the ticket, Obama and Biden, to fill the hole that she left. It's not enough to show voters that they agree with Obama on most major issues. People want to know they can trust him. They want to feel, to borrow a tacky campaign slogan that came up short, that he's ready to lead on day one.
---
From The Nation.
On a break from campaigning in Montanna, Barack Obama watches Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday.
Follow Ari Melber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AriMelber
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I know a lot of people are relaying this talking points about her not saying enough in her speech... but wasn't this night about the economy, not national security? She definitely made the case for the necessity of Obama being in the White house for the sake of the economy. Wasn't this also about Hillary planting the first footsteps towards unity? I don't think the undecideds and the disillusioned, yet persuadable Hillary hold-outs want to hear about Obama and why he deserves the presidency. What they needed to hear was why they deserve and desperately need an Obama presidency. I think she accomplished sending out that message. The night was also about women which she talked about as well. She had less than 30 minutes, and I think she accomplished everything she humanly could and everything that was needed for that night.
She has also been talking about Obama for two months. I can recite her quotes from the top of my head from various events (if you wish for proof, just ask me, I'll dig up the articles). "I have seen his grace and his grit, his passion, etc." "In his own life he has lived the American dream" "Working as a community organizer, etc." She has said all of that in her new stump speeches and I believe also at the unity event.
The nominee must prove he is ready.
His FISA vote others me.
His vote for the B u s h Energy Bill bothers me.
These are issues he must address, she can;t make his own choices go away with a speech.
I will be SOOOO happy when we ARE done talking about her.
Maybe tomorrow we can move on when history is made by Obama. Remember him? You know, the candidate that BEAT "her"...
I guess it isn't enough that she said, in essence, we risk our very future if we don't vote for Obama. She did a good job, it's time to let this go...and I was not a Clinton supporter.
Obama put himself out as the next coming of the Kennedys.W
Sound pretty bitter to me. He won because he ran a better Campaign, she lost because she allowed hers to be mismanaged. Period. Get Over It.
Whine, whine, whine...
Man, there is no pleasing some people. Compare Jerry Brown's fiery convention speech in 1992 where he didn't even mention Bill Clinton. Hillary was as supportive as anyone could have hoped.
Maybe if the Obama campaign stopped practicing this naive and ineffective "new politics" long enough to aggressively make Obama's case about why he should be President and as EQUALLY important why McCain should not be President, his diehard supporters wouldn't still be looking to Hillary Clinton to do what Barack Obama needs to be doing for himself.
Nothing anyone else says about Obama is going to bring his poll numbers back to their levels of two months ago. Maybe Biden will help as he's on the ticket. Ultimately, it's up to Obama.
Obama is going to have to decide if he wants the Presidency and, if he does, put aside this "new politics" long enough to fight for it. McCain may be a disaster in the making, but there is no doubt that he and his conservative backers will ruthlessly fight for the win.
Obama's "new politics" may have barely won the primary against an ideologically similar opponent. However, the general election is whole different matter and his declining poll numbers show this "new politics" ain't cutting it in the real world.
I don't need Hillary to tell me how to think. I know who I want representing my interests. Let's stop looking for others to chart our thoughts.
Is Obama ever going to make his own case?
Tell me how any incoming president of the past could have made the case? You decide if you have trust then you vote. We are a young country, but do we have think so immaturely?
Everyone's whining that Hillary Clinton is not making the argument for Obama's readiness as commander in chief. Well, why doesn't he make it himself? What else is she supposed to do, clear his table crumbs and rub his shoulders?
It's an argument that's not being made because there is no argument to make, at least not with a straight face. He's a couple years out of the state legislature, and when his opponent is John McCain, war hero extraordinaire, just what exactly do you expect people to say that will convince anyone? If there is something to say, why doesn't Obama and his campaign make it?
See Horace McMillon's Profile
No -Don't bring sexism into to this. Hillary should have said that Obama was well qualified to be president.
Her job was to bring her supporters to O b a m a.
If she would suddenly drool over his qualifications -- and let's be honest, his resume is thin -- she would have come off as phony.
It's HIS job to close deal.
No one can do it for him.
And as far as I can tell, he's plateaued.
Why is it Hillary's job to make the case for him. He is a big boy he can do it himself, and if he can't make a convincing case for himself, how can he represent America to the rest of the world?
I am sick and tired everyone saying Hillary needs to do this. I am not voting for Obama until he convinces me that I need to vote for him. I am not going to tell undecided voters good things about him(won't say bad things either) I won't try to convince people to vote for him. I need to trust him, and I don't.
Obama, prove to me that you are more than sound bites and a good speaker. I don't want change I can believe in, I want change, period. I don't need to believe, I need to be shown. I don't tell the electric company, "The check is in the mail, believe me!" The check is there or it isn't. Rhetoric sounds nice, and gets me listening, like the hook of a good song, but I need more than one song with a catchy hook to buy the entire album. Now Barack, sell my the album. It isn't Carrie Underwoods job, to make me buy the next Big & Rich album, it is their job! Just like it isn't Hillary's job to sell me on Barack, it is his job!!!
It would be much more powerful to hear Obama's being prepared for the job from Pres Clinton because he can make pertinent comparisons to his candidacy in 1992. I didn't see the speech yesterday, but it is difficult to put everything that people think is necessary in a speech. There is one certainty, there will be some Obama supporters who nothing that Clinton could say will be enough, and likewise, there are some Clinton supporters that nothing Obama could say that would be enough. The motivation for the anger is different - Obama supporters are bothered by things Sen Clinton said-particularly, saying McCain was ready to be commander-in-chief, but Barack Obama was not. Moreover, she said it on more than one occasion. She could have just as easily said that while she respects Senator Obama, she feels that she was best prepared to be commander in chief. Clinton supporters, on the other hand, are bothered by what they perceive to be the media's bias against Hillary Clinton. Bias, that has been around since 1992. The same bias Michelle Obama has begun to face. The same bias that started with the Republican party and talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and eventually the media accepted this topic of conversation as acceptable. Ironically, some Clinton supporters are willing to vote for the exact people who are responsible for this media bias, the Republican party. Barack Obama has not taken any tough shots at Hillary Clinton.
Fair assessment---well said.
uhhh, yes, he took many shots but that is not the point now.
Don't forget Biden is also in an add so you cannot use Hillary's words against her, spoken in a Primary... which is how Primarys go.. and not use Bidens against him.
other wise you are a hypocrite.
You aren't a hypocrite are you?
How about enjoying the present, stop the harping, carping, whining and complaining.
You should watch the speech.
HRC is a great person, woman, American, leader.
She has proven the haters wrong.
His surrogates need to make his case. Not his losing opponent.
HIS surrogates.
Pelosi, Reid, Kennedy, Dean......
Oh wait, they already spoke.
Ditto, Ditto. Amen. My sentiments exactly. Bill, yesterday was in fact dissing Obama with his X vs Y candidate. "IF" and that is a very huge "IF" he was referring to McCain vs Obama, he should have just came out and said it, but he was not. Bill was giving a subliminal message, I saw right through that.
Bill is not and will never admit that Obama is more than Qualified, neither will Hillary. They have this freaking ego that will not let go. It is sad that they can not let go, they appear to be to act ENTITLED, all I can say is that is BS. This is NOT the Clinton Party, this is the Democratic Party, the Peoples Party.
This is not longer about respect, but in my opinion complete lack of respect on the part of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Bill is NO LONGER the big man on the block and he can not stand it, it sticks in his craw that some young guy has taken his place. Well get the H*** over it Bill, it is NO LONGER ABOUT YOU, in fact is is not about Obama, he has taken a new direction, this is about us, we the people, the American people and in case you have not figured it out, WE chose to have OBAMA lead us into the 21st century.
Funny - sure sounded to me like like he "admitted" that Obama is "more than qualified" tonight. I hope you saw him, and the rapturous reception that he received.
I agree with the article, but I'm going to give HRC the benefit of the doubt.
Given that we don't know the behind the scenes planning about the speeches, maybe Bill will 'fill the hole' tonight. Maybe HRC will be saying more as the campaign goes along and will fill the hole that way. Maybe that's what Barack Obama will do in his speech tomorrow. It would have been nice to do it last night in one fell swoop since she had a large audience, but since we don't have access to the total plan, I'll wait and see what happens in the comming weeks.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Someone has finally said what I have been thinking all day! Hillary bsically said, vote for Barack because he is a democrat. She never really made the case for him. I am so glad some one other than me thinks Clinton short changed Obama last night.
I think so too, and have been really annoyed that fellow democrats are running around here calling anyone who doesn't think it was the "best speech ever out of the park home run" a repubIican tr0ll.
I watched it on Cspan, and I am no repubIican tr0ll...bu
Aleka4 Name me one losing party over the years that was asked to glorify the winner.non
"Forget the fact-free cynicism about how conventions are irrelevant. "
Talk about fact-free and cynical.
Your--and Dickerson'
All that aside, John McCain's gutless flip-flopping and adoption of Rovian politics are enough reason for any reasonable person to vote for anyone who ran for the Democratic nomination.
When the alternative is a fiercely mysogynistic lightweight who thinks the economy is so strong that multi-millionaires should not be considered "rich," and his most credible campaign promise is "more wars" then you don't need to think too much of the Democrat to have enough reason vote for him.
After primaries, I am no longer a Hillary fan based on her conduct. I have to say I thought her speech was just right---anything else would have come off as false bc she overextended herself with her extreme and poorly put comments against him during the primaries (which she was warned about by the way, but she thought she had it in the bag and would never have to pay the piper). Besides, the Hillary followers are never really going to fully embrace Obama the man, but once reminded about what's at stake (which she did perfectly in her speech), would vote for Obama based on all those who have suffered so badly over the past 8 years, and stop cutting off their noses to spite their face when she reminded them---"were you in this for me or all your fellow Americans who so badly need you to vote Democrat this year". She was being realistic---I know you don't like him (and she helped build up that resentment in a conscious effort), but if you love your country you will vote the way you know is best if you want change---Democrat. Now, let's just watch Bill come in and, once again, undermine her and Obama, and put a spoil on the convention tonight with his "it's all about me" speech.
why are you so bitter, so cynical, so ... well, ridiculous?
You have no concept or understanding of the Clintons.
Stop pissing all over this historic time.
Didn't you do enough damage during the primary?
HER behavior?
Please.
your behavior has been the worst I've ever seen in all my years as a Dem.
Do you want to win?
Then stop alienating Hillary supporters.
You are sowing more division instead of solidarity.
I guess that is more important to you than winning.
LET IT GO!
do some research on the history of primarys and conventions.
This is how it goes, this is how primarys work out. People say lots of things.
O's hands are not clean by any measure.
stop calling names, stop complaining, whining, voicing such garbage that forces those who do want to move on and make sure Obama wins to feel so disgusted and not want to be bothered.
As I said to someone else you should be thanking HRC and after tonight Bill for bringing so many people around to being fired up and ready to work for O.
I for one was disgusted, demoralized and alienated due to the hate mongering and neocon smear tactics that you people used.
Don't you think its time to stop and be gracious winners?
It is always incombant upon winners to do the right thing for unity yet HRC has done all the work in making sure there will be unity.
She has raised many millions of dollars for O.
She has been out campaigning and rallying for O. She has been making phone calls, begging, cajoling, pleading for her supporters to move oon... I wish I knew why.
You have already denigrated and demeaned what should be a sublime moment in the history of our party, out country--- and that includes the historicty of HRC's run.
grow up dammit. this moment is amazing.
what have uyou done for the country besides whine, complain, denigrate.
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