A Message to Hillary Clinton, Part 1: "Don't Look Back"

You make think that what your supporters want is "fight," but what we want is leadership.

And a president who will get up everyday and fight the important fights. Sometimes the unwinnable fights are important -- (healthcare, education, jobs, civil rights) -- and sometimes they are not -- (4 votes from a committee who were really doing their honest best to make chicken salad out of chicken shit).

So please ignore the voices that are encouraging you to make a fight over the 4 delegates left on the table.

There are two primaries to go. And then it is Decision Day for the rest of the delegates -- the superdelegates. There are some good arguments for you left to make to the superdelegates who must make their decision based on who they want to be the nominee.

I just read the polls on RealClearPolitics.com. They say that in a general election matchup you beat John McCain in a majority of the 19 targeted battleground states more easily than Barack Obama can. In 5 key states, you can beat McCain and so far he can't. He only beats McCain in 3 states that you lose.

I personally believe that Barack Obama can beat John McCain in November too. But the polls show, at least for now, that you would give us a more comfortable cushion for the inevitable ebb and flow of campaign politics.

For the next 24 hours, make your case based on the electability argument. It may be persuasive. Democrats really want to win this election in the fall.

Don't stir up our base with anger and the irrationality of the "if onlys." Let the Rules and Bylaws Committee decision go. Those 4 delegates don't matter at this point.

You are a great leader. Lead your supporters with the right argument.

Comments

[Jazzbeau]

Stop! Think!

We are not Repugnantcans. We are not Neocons. We are Democrats and we must rely on reason and pragmatism.

I was a Clinton supporter on the first of February. I am a supporter of Barack Obama now. So?

So, what's important is that now I am, and you should be, a supporter of America, the greatest country in the world. It is up to us, as Democrats and as Americans, to restore the values and aspirations of America to assure that we continue to be the greatest country in the world. The alternative, which begins with four (or eight) more years of Repugnantcan rule, are too abysmal to consider.

Yes, I could go into a litany of all the reasons I stopped supporting Hillary Clinton and began supporting Barack Obame but you can find those in many other posts here. I am not enthusiastic about having Senator Clinton on the ticket as VP, but if that is what it takes to beat the Repugnants in November then I will support it enthusiastically.

That will be one of the first, and one of the most important, decisions that must be made by the nominee and by Senator Clinton and her supporters.

It is time to come together. It is time to support ALL Democratic nominees, from Barack Obama to the newest member of your city council.

This country must change. We must rediscover our way or fade into history as a mediocrity.

Your choice.

Viva America

[Rockerbabe]

With friends like Ms. Rosen, who needs an enemy? It is one thing to encourage a candidate friend to reconsider their choices and direction down a chosen path, in private, it is another to make public your recommendations. Especially when so your comments are so discouraging; not a good friend at all. Hillary needs a new set of friends, not more detractors.

[gdub]

hey, don't you get it? it is not about HILLARY or Obama! it is about us, my fellow american. i am paying $4.50 a gallon for gas. how much are you paying. taking a 3rd party stance here is not an option. remember ralph "spoiler" nader??? and john mccain is bush 3rd term. get to the bigger picture. america reclaimed. there is a spirit that should not be denied. i was with rfk his last weekend in california. i finally have that spirit again. sorry hillary...gdub

[rubyrubyruby]

and what is Mr. Obama going to do about $4.50 gas? Turn water into oil?

[RickO]

An appeal to Hillary Supporters:

This was a close contest between two of the most important candidates in American history. The intensity and duration of this contest has elevated emotions and created some acrimony and negative feelings between the supporters of each, but in the final analysis, only one candidate can win and that candidate MUST defeat the republicans.

It is understandible that in a moment of disappointment over coming in second in such a close fight that you may consider voting for McCain instead of Obama, PLEASE consider the implications. Clinton and Obama are very close on the issues and both share your passion for change and a better life. A vote for McCain may seem like a way to settle a personal score but a continuation of the past eight years will condemn countless more people to death around the world and in our own country. Our security and position in the world, our economy, our children's futures, our environment, even our chances of survival as a democracy will continue diminishing toward the point of no return.

We are on the same side. As both Clinton and Obama tried to stress during the campaign, we were friends before and and we'll be friends afterward. I really believe that is true of them and us too.

[texanna]

Really? "We're on the same side"? I have wondered often if that is the case over the last several months with the comments of Sen. Obama's supporters, because by and large those comments have shown me that we are not on the same side. Even today, in comments throughout HuffPost, Sen. Obama's supporters continue to rail against Sen. Clinton and enumerate all the egregious faults they find with her that show clearly just how not on their side she is. Personally, I don't like what has happened over the last several months and although Sen. Clinton might not have been my first choice, I did think that she would have made a fine President. With everything that has been said, written, manufactured about her and misreported or reported through a particular prism of bias I am uncomfortable with the Democrats that I see today and most definitely not feeling very friendly towards them. I really don't think I'm that much of an anomaly. I think there are lots of people who are thinking the same thing today, at the end of this long charade of a primary. A primary that I think was scripted down to the outcome by the corporatist media and the handful of people who are at the core of the power center of the Democratic Party.

[KatT]

I agree with you and I KNOW many, many others do, too. It isn't the fact that Hillary has lost, it is the way of how this primary season was run.

[StephenJK]

I wonder, as you do, if this is the party I identify myself with. Like you, also, I have seen the light over the past 6 months. It took Barack 6 months or more to come out and ask his virulent supporters to tone it the fuck down. 6months! Well, consider the source. He sat in a church and associated with some real unsavories for 20 years before "leaving" the church citing that HE is the one who is the problem. HA!

[rubyrubyruby]

you are not an anomaly...I see it as well...my friends and colleages see it too...the media spins and spins and spins in an effort to convince us to see something that just isn't there...

[iLogos]

You feel the way you feel. I understand that. The question you have to ask yourself, is will you put your feelings aside and do what you know to be the better choice?

For a Democrat, no matter how conservative, to look at Sen. McCain and decide the continuation of these foreign policies that have led us to a war, lost us our best chance at bin Laden, and are bringing us to the brink of another are what is best for our country is nonsensical. To look at McCain's economic policies and see that despite being in a recession, the cost of food and fuel skyrocketing, and the average American's salary dropping, and want to continue with them is illogical. To hold his stance on healthcare, despite the number of adults and children with no medical coverage at all, seniors who can't afford to purchase medication, and 50% of this country being one major medical incident away from bankruptcy, and is unconscionable.

There are supporters of Sen. Obama who are not just entusiastic, but rabid. There are also supporters of Sen. Clinton who are the same. There are also Republicans who are more than happy to pose as either to sow dissension between us.

You and you alone are responsible for your actions. If you believe Sen. McCain to be the better candidate then you should vote for him. However if you supported Sen. Clinton for her policies rather than her sex, Sen. Obama is the clear choice.

[stillonline]

No - that's the problem. He wasn't owned. He didn't follow the rules. Hillary had her ticked punched by the power elite. It was her turn.
But it's not about waiting your turn. It's about being on time. It's about being in tune with the country. She was on the wrong side till a month ago. Too bad. Too late.
It's his turn. She's proving that women can't compete. That we don't play by the rules, and we are sore losers.

[rubyrubyruby]

In the end it will not be the Hillary Supporters who are disappointed...there is no better way to fight fundamental Islam then to put a women in the white house...Hillary is our Ace in the Hole!

[iLogos]

That doesn't even make sense.

[stillonline]

Hillary approved war with IRAN! Ace in the hole? Only if you're halliburton.

[Jazzbeau]

AMEN!!!

[rubyrubyruby]

The right argument? huh? rah rah here we go fire up...rah rah here we go fire up...Hillary has made the right argument but the democrates want a football chant! The democrates want form...the American people want substance...the democrates want a rock star....the American people want a leader...the democrates want a figment of their collective imagination...the American people want pragmatic truth...the democrates will survive their collective blunder but without Hillary the election is lost...

[peorgietirebiter]

Just what "people" are the Democrats if not American people? And what on earth is "pragmatic" truth? When you denigrate people you don't know for their optimism it's says nothing about their life but it speaks volumes about yours.

[Myshkin57]

I get really annoyed when people cite things like polls that show a SLIGHT advantage in some states as demonstrating some general election advantage. There are things called margins of error, for one, which I have yet to see a media type fully understand or explain (a margin of error is never as big as it really should be as the margin is itself based only on a probability). Second, "the ebb and flow" of a campaign ebbs and flows at all times. So, Obama may be ebbing slightly, while Hillary is flowing. Big deal.

[FOXYLADY]

I HAVE TO SAY THAT AS OLD AS I AM AND WITH MUCH EXPERIENCE IN LIVING..........THE HUFFINGTON REPORT ARTICLES AND THE POST REGARDING THESE ARTICLES, HAS BEEN AN EDUCTION WORTHY OF SOME KIND OF DEGREE!!!!!

[Jazzbeau]

There is a key on the left side of your keyboard just above the shift key. Have you found it? Use it.

[live]

I personally think that there is some sexism from all men. It is inherent in our society. But I also think that there is SEXISM IN ALL WOMEN> again when you see women putting pink clothes on babies . to how boy and girl babies are handled differently or how we talk to babies They have done studies on this.
Or why did Hillary smile so darn much ? they have also done studies that people want to see women smiling ALL the time, HILLARY played up to sexist attitudes with her drinking, nascar, guns.-she was deliberately RUNNING from being a woman. I might have had more respect if she had just tried to be a woman instead of trying to be a bi-gender candidate.
But she didnt want people to see her as not being "nice" so she smiled all the time and smiled BIG>

It disgusted me as a feminist and as a white woman in her fifties. Face it clinton ran a sexist campaign herself. Not to mention a bad one . which is actually why she lost

[live]

Clinton lied to her SUPPORTERS with bosnia sniper fire -for gods sake people why did she do that to YOU?

Mccain will likely get to pick three supreme court justices who he SAYS will over turn R v W
and destroy many cilvil liberties and worker rights.

We already know how Bill Clinton treats women-including his wife

Clinton HERSELF said that MI would NOT count.

4 delegates would have absolutely NO impact on the outcome

No one can say who won the popular vote

As a senior white woman tell me what i am missing that I would ever change to McCain and the blood and money from Iraq sucking the very life out of america?

[jbatch]

I'm genuinley perplexed by Hillary supporters. Anything short of hagiography is deemed sexist. Lokk, your candidate ran a stupid campaign and ran it poorly.

She supported the Iraq resolution (without even reading the NIE) and then supportd the war until it was unpopular to do so then she flipped.

She lied -- 3 times -- about being under fire in Bosnia;

She lied about her role in the Irish peace negotiations;

She lied about her role and postion on NFTA;

She's been about as constant as a weathervane in a cyclone on every issue, pandering on the gas tax issue etc.

You don't need to invent sexism as a reason for her loss. She did it herself. Why should Americans elect someone who can't even run a campaign to run the country? Why would we?

Look, it's long past time to have a woman in the White House. But not this one -- she would set feminism and women's opportuntiy back decades -- the only thing that would be worse for women would be John McCain and those ultraconservative judges he wants to appoint.

[JulieinVT]

Hillary, while I appreciate most of your post, I must take umbrage with your comments concering current polls at RCP. Obama has been getting attacked, daily, by the Clintons AND McBush. Hillary has been given the white glove treatment for at least the past month by Obama AND McBush. So the current polling is meaningless. If the PAST were brought up, as, believe youme, it would be if Hillary were the presumptive nominee, those polls would look a whole lot different.

[honeychild]

A wonderful message! Now if only your good friend, Hillary Clinton, would listen to you, we'll have to wait and see if you have any clout. I am not holding my breath though. The few times I gave Hillary Clinton the benefit of the doubt and thought she would do the decent and noble thing, she has terribly disappointed me by not only doing the opposite, but by pulling something completely nefarious. So as much as I totally appreciate and agree with the essence of your excellent message, I am more inclined to think that Hillary Clinton is incapable of taking the high road. I hope I am mistaken and I hope she proves us wrong tonight by gracefully conceding.

[StephenJK]

Hilary Rosen,

As you can see, your wisdom, intellect and ability to transfer them to written word have provoked healthy thought. I respect that. I appreciate that. My only hope is that those with the power of decision will see this light and consider it. At least. Hopefully, everyone can take a step back and see the entire objective picture. Make your impressionist paintings. However, make them fair representations.

[hidef2]

I agree with Hilary Rosen's comments and would like to add a few of my concerns @ the rules committee meeting--I think Sen. Carl Levin's dispute with the comm. were overlooked He, not being a super delegate nor making a case for either candidate but rather for the state of Mi. and the voters,-said that the state had followed updated rules passed along by the commttee-I thought it was a pretty strong case-If anyone were to pusue the dispute I would think it might be the Senator--I haven't seen any interviews w/him but am curious to know of his thoughts--There was more here than just a squabble btwn/candidates

[frumke]

I don't know the Michigan story, but I'm a Florida voter and I'll offer a comment on our situation.

Florida decided to play chicken with both the GOP and the DNC. Nearly 100% of Florida state legislators voted to change our primary date (two Republicans voted no, 100% of Democrats voted yes), even though we had been told in clear terms by both parties that we would be punished if we moved our primary. Our state didn't care. We didn't believe them. We decided to push the Parties. We decided to dare them. To call their bluff.

They weren't bluffing. We got slammed. Then we cried like a baby.

Now, here's the question. Republicans got half votes, Democrats got half votes. Both parties got the same punishment. Both knew that punishment a year ago. So why is it that only Democrats are mad? Answer -- one of the primary candidates told us we should be mad at the other primary candidate when, in fact, the only people we really should be mad at are our own state legislators.

[StephenJK]

The following is of no relevance to the topic at hand and is most likely drunken ravings of a lunatic:

Look What You've Done

You've made amazing things,

Look at the perfection of the trees,
You've made them happy.

Look at the perfection of the ants,
You've made them happy.

Look at the perfection of the rain,
You've made it happy.

Look at the perfection of the sun,
You've made it happy.

Look at the perfection of politics,
Why have you made us so unhappy?

[Bettysdad]

Electability.

The question is do we want anybody but McCain? Or do we want traditional Democratic beliefs to represent us and possibly lose.

I, for one, would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. With Mrs. Bill Clinton as President, just as when he husband was President, progressive Americans will be living on their knees. But we won't be acting like Monica.

[FOXYLADY]

"LIVING ON OUR KNEES"??? PERHAPS I AM STUPID BUT I WOULD RATHER HAVE SOMEONE LIK HILLARY WHO'S BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK A FEW TIMES, THAN AN UNTRIED MAN WHO DIDN'T VOTE MUCH IN HIS TERM IN THE SENATE..............CHECK IT OUT..........WHY DIDN'T HE COMMIT MORE TO ANY ISSUE? AFRAID TO MAKE DECISIOINS.......?????? NOT GOOD FOR A PRESIDENT

[Boadicea]

Thankfully, the superdelegates are not as naive as you appear to be about the electability issue.

Hillary is doing better OF LATE in electoral college polls in those "chosen" states (that's another debatable issue) because SHE HAS BEEN GIVEN A FREE RIDE BY MCCAIN and the right AND OBAMA since Feb. 5! She was rendered irrelegant and not worh the effort to attack. This is just common sense, which is why the superdelegates are ignoring it.

Obama, on the other hand, has been fighting off attack after attack from the right, the media and worst of all, from someone who claims to be in his own party. The way Hillary has tried to destroy Obama by dividing the party and de-legitmizing his candidacy is unconscionable, disloyal to the Demoratic Party, and unforgivable, in my view. Just today Bill Clinton accused Obama of "getting other people to smear Hillary" (which is funny, given that the Clintons are famous for that themselves.) That's character assasination of our nominee for president.

Hillary's campaign to destroy Obama has been shameful and offensive.

[StephenJK]

Oh, so it's WHEN you do good? LOL

[StephenJK]

Irrelegant is a new word. Please explain.

[GwenElle]

StephenJK, obviously Boadicea made a typo. It does happen. Take a look at your keyboard. The letter g is very near the letter v. But then, you knew this right?