Reconciliation from the Bottom Up
As a sense of finality settles over the race for the Democratic nomination, we are all left wondering if the wounds inflicted will heal, if the party will once again unify, or if a win in November will slip from our grasp. We know that Barack Obama will attempt to mend the divisions; we saw in his victory speech on Tuesday a sense of reconciliation. He has and will no doubt continue to celebrate Hillary Clinton's strength and achievements as well as the core values of our party.
But for reconciliation to be real and lasting, it must, like the movement that has led Obama within inches of the nomination, come from the bottom up. There has no doubt been a certain level of vitriol aimed at Hillary Clinton, her campaign, and to some extent, her supporters. As one of her most disapproving critics, I am certainly guilty of as much. I do not apologize for disagreeing with her campaign tactics, her style, or her willingness to risk the party's welfare for her own; I believe my comments, and those of many others, to have been justified, and grounded in fact. But I do believe strongly that with the race now coming to a close, we can all look back with admiration at what Hillary Clinton attempted, and what she accomplished in so doing.
The Clinton's were an extraordinarily important fixture in our government and our lives, presiding over an economic prosperity that feels as though it were born out of another world when compared to our current plight. Her biggest policy failure was a valiant attempt to provide health care to all Americans. Her biggest personal crisis was handled with poise and grace on a stage far too public, in an environment far too raw. Her tenure as a Senator from New York was marked with significant policy accomplishment and a bipartisan recognition of her talent and skill and commitment. Let us not forget that though the Clintons sought power for most of their lives, it was not power for power's sake, but rather power as a means to improve the lives of all Americans.
Though she will not ultimately succeed in breaking "that highest of glass ceilings," that she reached for it with such tenacity and strength, that she came so close to having achieved it, is proof to every schoolgirl in America that the ceiling can, in fact, be broken. The presidency is something to which they can aspire; its attainment is within their grasp.
Those who have supported Hillary from the beginning know this about their candidate. They see what was, for Obama supporters insufficient, but what for them was clearly so much. And ultimately, while we have disagreed on who should lead us out of the darkness, we all know the direction from which the light shines; we know the direction home. What will follow from here is as much our choice as it is theirs; it is as much our decision as to whether we will move forward as one, united in the belief that the promise of America must not be stolen again, that the eloquence of our founding and the persistence of our perfecting can continue on as we've always envisioned.
We cannot move forward without each other, no matter the depth of our wounds. Four more years of the last eight years could disfigure our nation beyond recognition, and perhaps beyond repair.
The bridge from primary to general must be woven with olive branches. Reconciliation must start from the bottom up.
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I disagree with you that they sought power for the sake of all americans.
I was there and fought hard against NAFTA, GATT, and the WTO. The deregulation of the banking industry..
I did not trust the Clintons before this campaign started... I will be FURIOUS if Senator Obama spend a dime of my donation money towards paying Hillary Clinton's campaign debts!!!!!!!!!!!
For me reconciliation means I don't have to hate her but I can hate and detest her actions. For me when she finally takes the action of getting out of the race whether by outright losing or conceding.
Reconciliation not only MUST but WILL occur from the ground up. I, an over-educated, elitist, latte-drinking, Republican
That's bottom-up reconciliation. This means, also, that I will not stop saying that Hillary is a self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing divider, who is willing to do anything to win at whatever game she plays. Bill and Hillary have the same philosophy in business: too bad for them they lost the Presidential pardon and can't silence the courts anymore with hundreds of pardons to cover their tracks. She's just lost too much political capital now to be effective in the short run. She'll have to go back to NY as junior Senator and actually write some legislation that has nationwide, important impact.
For now, I will do what the article asks, and support from the bottom up. Bottom-up does not, by definition, mean that we have to start thumping our chests telling each other how great Bill and Hillary are in some kind of revisionist daze. I will continue to hold the Clintons in odious contempt, where they belong, butI will embrace her supporters.
Iz that how u plan to embrace Hillary's supporters? By fourgiving our bad grammer and stewpit ideuhs? I shud not have wasted all that time in Medicuhl skool and drunk more lawttay.
By the way, your split infinitives and dangling participles are showing.
And can you tell me ONE piece of legislation authored by Obama in the senate that has had a nationwide, important impact?
I guess after his one year in Congress his self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing goals interfered with his chance to actually effect CHANGE in this country.
Thump Thump
The Clinton's are classic baby boomers. They, like most of their generation, genuinely believe that all of this is entirelyl about them. Obama and many of his supporters have an entirely different world view. Most people miss the "code" implicit in Obama's signiture line that "it is about you."
Mrs. Clinton and many of her advisers simply do not get it. Baby boomers are rigidly generational centric to the exclusion of others and it is reasonable to assume they are incapable of comprehending the shift that is taking place around them. For example, the support Mrs Clinton gets from seniors is merely a continuation of the permissive attitude that the parents of the baby boomers had towards their self indulgent children. But, it is now time for these seniors to finally take the focus off their kids and shift their commitment to their grandchildren's leaders.
....The Clinton's "sought power to improve the lives of all Americans"
Will you all listen to yourselves??? Lets start the healing NOW, people...t
We need to unite the party starting NOW.
Amen to that!!!!!
Democrats 2008 Yes We Can
90% the same policy wise? Well I am glad the not be racist falls within the other 10%
This reminds me of the media and politicians singing praises and offering fake sentiments when someone they've previously ripped to shreds dies and goes to heaven. They'll talk about her stubborn, bulldog toughness with "respect for her strength and fortitude.
Please, don't do this. It's unbecoming. It's dishonest. She's a political hack. Always has been. Always will be.
These posts merely prove the point he is trying to make. The vitriole is palpable and sickening. We don't deserve any good condidates. Who would want to bring this type of hatred upon themselves and their family from those who are supposedly in the same party, much less those of the opposition. We will pay the price, again, with candidates the likes of GWB, who obviously don't care what people think. Sad but true.
The thing is, some of us have never liked her or respected her, and have always seen her and Bill Clinton as power-hungry whores. That isn't going to change for some of us. I don't agree 100% with the characterization ascribed to her in this article. I don't think she's been terribly effective for New York from an economic standpoint other than the 9/11 earmarks. She softened her image, sure. But that's about it. She pandered to the right on Iraq, pandered on the gas tax holiday, and knows no limit of pandering. She's a chameleon, all things to all people. And you wonder why people can't trust her?
And considering that she is STILL playing the race card to scare people about the black bogeyman, I find that she is not deserving of any respect.
Nafta, WTO, banking deregulation, China(MFN), the genocide in Rhwanda...
I suppose Clinton supporters could be persuaded to reluctantly give their allegience to Obama-- on a trial basis. If it appears he is stumbling against McCain by, say, early October, then he must quickly (by neccessity) turn the reins over to Hillary who can assume the mantle for the Democrat party and save victory. Only by such an arrangement can rapproachment truly be effected it seems.
we suppose your joking?
Funny.
What? This entire election has been about Hillary's thirst for power, give me a break, she obviously doesn't give a shit about the Democratic Party, or anyone who doesn't support her, be they endorser or voter, why would anyone think she cares any more about Americans? Because she said so in a speech?
Give me a break..
"Let us not forget that though the Clintons sought power for most of their lives, it was not power for power's sake, but rather power as a means to improve the lives of all Americans.
Now that,... I just don't buy. The Clintons (including Bill) sought power because they wanted and liked power. Improving the lives of their fellow Americans was a pleasant side-effect of that personal search for power.
So it goes for all politicans
Hillary was just herself - but in the wrong climate for her message.
So, you're conveniently forgetting that peace and prosperity reigned throughout the land during President Clinton's two terms?
Damn good thing the Clintons created the tech rise. We might have to be having this discussion via snail mail.
I will gladly reach out to any and all Clinton supporters and be as kind and understanding and magnanimous as I can be. It will take time for their wounds to heal but we will need them in the general election in order to win.
But when it comes to Hillary herself and the gang of lying sleazebags that ran her campaign and did everything in their power (I should put this in the present tense because they still are doing it) to elect McSame? Don't know if I have it in me.
....I will gladly reach out to any and all Clinton supporters and be as kind and understanding and magnanimous as I can be.....
If you do, you'll be the first. I got viciously insulted on this very site yesterday, for suggesting that we should show respect to Senators Obama, Clinton and McCain, regardless of whether we agreed with their positions/
Senator Obama's supporters have made me despise _him_--which probably isn't fair, but is certainly understandable, and human.
If he loses in November, it is ironic that he will have his most avid supporters to thank for it.
Shep1900
I am right there with you...I am a self proclaimed peace lover....i
** I am an Obama supporter by the way....I used to be HRC
A lot of the rabid, immature Obama supporters are treating this as they would a ball game. We Good, People Not With Us Bad. Obama Rockstar. People Not Obama Not Rockstar. I have never read of as much moronic, anti-HRC one liners as I have on this post. It's scary that this mob will propel Obama to the presidency.
"Her biggest policy failure was a valiant attempt to provide health care to all Americans. "
Wow... I guess her Republican-esque support of the war was what? A reasonable stand? A slight misunderstanding?
After reading this column I felt that I needed a shower and an insulin shot.
"Forgive? Yes. Forget? Never."
The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naïve forgive and forget, but the wise man forgives but does not forget - Thomas Szasz
I agree that the healing process within the Democratic party must permeate the organization from the top down and bottom up, at all times keeping our eyes on the prize, which is regaining the White House and capturing far larger majorities in the Congress this November.
But please, when the blame for all of this gross negativity is accurately and honestly assessed, it must be made clear that the Clinton campaign is mostly responsible for the half-truths, thinly-veiled racism, and outright lies that have plagued the primary and caucus season, especially since "Super Tuesday," when the Clintons saw the writing on the wall and didn't like it.
Make no mistake, too. After over twenty years on the national political scene, it is clear that their first priority is themselves -- anyone dealing with them needs to understand that from that proverbial "Day One."
That isn't necessarily a specific criticism, wrong or right. It is a statement of fact.
This means that Barack Obama and his highly-skilled associates will have to have their "A Game" in play when the inevitable negotiations with the Clintons begin. The upside to all that is the fact that there is much to be gained and plenty of laignappe on the table by putting together a reconciliation plan, leading to a huge Democratic victory in November.
I agree but even this morning on Joe Scarborough Howard Wolfson stated that Clinton is drawing the right working class voters(white people) that democrats need meaning we African American voters the most loyal bloc dont count like the 3/5 rule.For it to be a true reconciliation the Clinton's need to stop dividing the party along racial lines.
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