Gratitude for Hillary
Hillary Clinton gave the speech of her life today and as she endorsed her primary opponent, she cemented her place in history. As importantly, she also shone a path for herself as a national leader for years to come.
She said: "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States."
I was tough on Hillary earlier in the week. I shared the disappointment of her losing a hard fought and terribly close campaign. I thought we needed her to provide us with a bridge to move past the primary and into the General Election by acknowledging Obama's victory. Instead on election night, she announced would take her time. It doesn't matter now whether that was the right decision.
What is clear, is that she couldn't have given the speech she gave today on Tuesday night. Today, her voice was strong, her mind was certain and her back was straight. She wanted us to know she would be an unequivocal supporter for Obama. But she also wanted to say something else.
Yes, it is true she not so silently admitted, in the beginning she was trying to avoid running as a "woman." She thought she needed to prove she was Commander in Chief material instead. But in the last five months, she changed her message because she realized that people accepted her a a national leader, what they wanted was to connect with someone who understood their daily lives. She is filled with the stories of women along the campaign trail. They saw in her a woman who understands the complexities of life as a mother, a daughter, a wife and a worker all at the same time. The glue in other people's lives. Whether it was about health care, education or knowing a soldier in the war, women needed to tell her their stories. She would nod knowingly because she understood them. And she also understood that all too often a woman's dreams take a back seat to someone else's or they are filtered through a thin film of sexism that men don't see.
Hillary found a bold new public voice during this campaign. For those of us who have know her a long time, it was the Hillary we knew. The compassion, the humor and the grit.
She said: "But I am a woman and, like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious, and I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us. I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter's future and a mother who wants to leave all children brighter tomorrows."
She didn't talk about being a wife. Yet as she spoke, I couldn't help but think that among the legacies of this campaign is the certain re-branding of the "Clinton" name. It is now Hillary Clinton who is the contemporary political leader. The one whose future in the Senate and place on the national stage is more important than ever. For instance, when Barack Obama's first presidential priority is universal healthcare, it will be because of Hillary that we will understand its possibilities. What was once dubbed derisively as "Hillarycare" will now carry that moniker as a brand of honor.
We have a lot of work to do in the next several months to win back the White House. But today was Hillary's day in the sun.
"So today I'm going to count my blessings and keep on going," she said. "I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country, and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead."
Like so many today, my heart is filled with gratitude for Hillary Clinton.
Follow Hilary Rosen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hilaryr
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Democrats do not like losers, otherwise we would have selected Kerry to be our nominee again, after all he did receive more votes in the general election than any other democrat in history including Al Gore.
I predict that Hillary will Not be a great leader in the democratic party, her only claim to fame so far was voting for a very unpopular war.
She is a saber rattling war mongering Republican Lite Democrat who showed lousy judgment when she voted to give W authorization to go to war with Iraq. Sorry but I am still bitter about this gang of Karl Rove misfits and the way they trashed a fellow democrat.
And what are you? A winner who sits at home on his computer and attacks some one who is actually trying to make a difference
Dems don't like losers, and if Obama loses the GE, it will be his only chance. Too bad because with some more experience and seasoning, he might have been one of the greats.
But I predict that Dems don't like sore winners either, and those 18 million Hillary voters will resent any attacks on her integrity. Do it at your peril.
Or, with just as much or more experience and seasoning as Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton had when they took office he WILL be one of the greats.
Try checking out reality. It was not an authorization to go to war. It was a whole slew of tools given the president to bring Saddam Hussein under control. All senators, Dem and Repub, were assured that the last thing Bush wanted was war. He lied of course. But if you're going to be mad, be mad that they weren't psychic and should have seen that he would stab them and us in the back and rush into war.
As usual reality is a lot more nuanced that the 'easy answers' Obama people would have it. Sorry if I seem dismissive but this is becoming a 'conventional wisdom' kind of thing and real history is usually far more interesting than what the rumor-mill throws around.
Look, there's a lot of bad info out there. I just tried to convince a Jewish friend the Obama is not anti-Israel. We have a lot of clean-up work to do and I wish we could move beyond easily rebutted bad info like you have just posted.
The Next Great Speech
The speech yesterday struck the right combination. Senator Clinton reasserted her claim to a strong voice at the convention on behalf of the voters who supported her. She then cast her support to Mr. Obama's side in unequivocal terms. Finally she portrayed a genuine historical perspective on her candidacy for presidency.
What remains for the next speech in which she shares the platform with Senator Obama is to counter the harmful statements she made during the campaign, particularly those questioning his judgment and asserting his unreadiness for office. These are already being used in anti-Obama ads.
She made it clear that he stands strongly on policy. She left for next time that he is competent, that his judgement is mature and sound, that his measured, humble, understated style will move a sane and compassionate domestic and international policy forward.
Don Krieger
"didn't talk about being a wife". That's very telling. Most people now praised Hillary Clinton for being a strong woman and all that but the fact remains that she hang on Bill Clinton's coattail to this race. She wouldn't have been where she is today if Bill was not a governor then a president. In fact, during his presidency, she stole his elected office by working behind the scene and deciding everything from personel to policies. By boasting her experience, she exposed herself to be the unelected co-president then so now she is really running for a third term presidency. Saying that she was in Bill's shadow is misinterpretation of the truth. She is a very strong woman. She planned to stand on her own name to bypass the Constitution. Unlike her supporters who have to struggle in life without the help of powerful husbands, saying Hillary running as a woman defying the sexism is the most blatant spin I've ever heard: she was the inevitable at the start. Not Hillary. Hillary did it yesterday after seeing that she has no support from the party. It's still Clinton first, everyone else second or last. She was ungracious towards the party and Obama's supporters, the majority and she treated her supporters as if they were her own. Can anyone imagine Obama would have done the same if he had lost?
Even in winning, he said: this is not about me but about the country and he has done just that.
Where do you get this stuff? Not one syllable is even in the realm of reality.
As an Obama supporter, I've appreciated your sane and thoughtful postings. We don't know what it is yet, but Hillary has kicked off a magnificent future with that speech. Let's all remember that the real enemy is John McCain. I've just lost all interest in past differences and arguments, we can't afford to have ten more minutes of Republican rule, let alone four more years.
To be honest, I think Hillary missed her moment (again!). She should have boldly run in 2004. In 2008 she's so "pre-ordained" she lost. She could have given a great speech on Tuesday. By waiting to Saturday it was too little too late. Bitterness has festered Tuesday to Saturday, Rep. Clyburn has been racially attacked by "HRC supporters" (as they identified themselves). The whole thing is ugly and unnecessary. The only good news is that she is gone. I congratulate the country, as did Noonan, on dodging a bullet.
Actually Rep. Clyburn was one of the most blatant surrogate of Obama's who played the race card and then blamed it on Bill Clinton. Just look at his statements before both the SC and NC primaries. Now the moderators might delete this because it isn't pro Obama, but the fact remains that many of the 18 million Hillary supporters believe that and hesitate to support Obama, and if they do they will have to hold their nose when casting the ballot. There other reasons they might not support Obama, but the race baiting is one of the biggest.
I strongly disagree. As a Hillary supporter, a tuesday concession would have been half-hearted and greeted with great disdain and certainly would not have been a boost for Obama. By waiting until the dust had settled and we could accept all this, the timing was perfect. It was a great speech and she succeeded in bringing people like me into your camp, so you should be grateful instead of disrespectful.
As an Obama supporter, I agree that the timing of her speech was of more benefit to both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton's supporters. However, the timing was not of her choice, but was enforced by the pressure that was put on her after she refused, not only to concede on Tuesday, but refused to even acknowledge that Senator Obama had won the nomination. What she did on Saturday does not excuse or condone what she didn't do on Tuesday. In fact, had this pressure not been put on her, she would probably still be campaigning and rallying her supporters behind her today.
Nonetheless, I appreciate her speech. I think it was very well given and well received, and I look forward to joining her and her supporters in our concerted effort to win in the general.
She's not gone. She's going to be stumping for Obama, and you may have noticed a lot more Hillary people have returned to this board and his campaign. You should be delighted except for now there will be countering voices to all the hysterical, fact-deficient posts by Obama people and their misplaced outrage.
She did a lot of things throughout this primary season to warrant outrage from Obama supporters. It seems that when Hillary supporters are outraged it's ok, but Obama supporter outrage is "misplaced
From this Obama supporter to Senator Clinton and her family of supporters: That was a fabulous speech and I am so grateful. She really did make my heart sing. From this moment, I lay aside any bruised feelings and look forward to joining hands. As she so eloquently reminded us, it's time to join against a common opponent and not waste this golden opportunity to heal the things we care about in America. In 40 years only three terms of democratic presidents have been elected and the governmental policies surely show it. We could take inspiration from the Texans. At their democratic convention today, the Clinton supporters and the Obama supporters, all 12,000 of them, joined hands and became the democratic supporters as they co-joined their chants and shouted, "Yes We Can. Yes We Will." I feel proud to be an American today and optimistic about the future and I owe the feeling to Hillary Clinton. Thank You.
But Hillary has said thousands of times in print and on video that Obama is not qualified. Her endorsement is not genuine. The Clintons lie to serve their own interests. Hillary's endorsment is just more dishonest poltics as usual. Better to have it than not. But Obama would be foolish to embrace the Clintons. They are a big part of what is wrong that must be changed.
She did not say he wasn't qualified. She said he was inexperienced. Not quite the same thing as it implies that he will gain the experience.
Beautiful post, I'm an Obama supporter, and I'm grateful to Senator Clinton and her supporters. Our family fight is over, let's keep our eyes on the prize and work together to put a Democratic President in the White House!
"They saw in her a woman who understands the complexities of life as a mother, a daughter, a wife and a worker all at the same time. "
I don't quite buy the premise while it may be true that voters misperceived her as someone other than who she really is. She was a daughter of privilege (elite schools and universities), a lawyer of Wal-Mart (not workers), a mother with childcare help rivaling royal families (while in governor's mansion and White House), and the wife of a governer and then U.S. president. Not a typical life trajectory at all. How many other women exist there like her??
More likely is it that she was a cunning politician who did everything to gain power from a specific constitutency based on identity politics.
Moreover, I was really moved when she spoke about a woman who had to work three jobs and STILL could not afford health insurance.
I recall how the Clinton presidency failed to help all Americans get better health care.
I'm glad she lost.
Why reward monumental failure?
It is very disturbing how much lobbyists' money HC took from the very healthcare corporate interests who spend millions of dollars lying about her plan in order to kill the plan. What, exactly, were they paying for? Rewarding her failure? Making a downpayment on a failure to come? Or were they sorry for the lies they told? I kind of doubt that it was the third reason.
There is no question that hers is a highly atypical life story. The ironic thing is that she shows the positive side of "elite": her intelligence and drive made her a star at her elite schools like Wellesley and Harvard. Another poster I read went to Harvard with her and said, "Bill married up."
Feminist friends of hers begged him not to marry her because they feared her considerable talents would be subordinated to him, more irony.
I think Bill is the best and the worst thing ever to happen to Hillary, and this campaign exemplifies why. He was an invaluable asset and a traveling sideshow, He teamed with Mark Penn to revel in getting down and dirty, which cost Hillary. It's too painful to think that he tried so hard to get her the nomination that he may have lost it for her.. I think some of the blame he's aiming at the other side and at the DNC should be going to himself and his guys.
Hillary supporters should check out the article on how infighting damaged her campaign. Obama's team worked smoothly together. These differences have nothing to do with gender or media bias, but they are important factors in why Hillary lost.
Ultimately, Hillary is responsible for her own mistakes, whether it is from her husband/s, or her managers'. she herself condoned the policies of dividing and dirty attacks. It was her own behavior that drove women away from her but typical of Hillary, she ignored these women and praised the women who stuck with her. She mentioned 18 million votes as if those voters are all women! Let's face it, everyone has a woman in their life: mother first of all, not only Hillary has one, daughter, wife (even though Hillary ignored this role because she didn't want to remind voters that she hang on to Bill's coat tail to arrive where she is today. Who else could win NY when she didn't live in NY?), cousin,... Not all 18 million who voted for her because she is a women. And among them there men too. To say Hillary lost due to sexism is to gloss over what really made her loss: her character, her mismanagement, her arrogance and self-important ego and her keeping on fighting with spins and lies. Tenacity is a good trait but when she mixed that with spins and lies, that pulled her down.
Hillary went to Yale, not Harvard; otherwise, excellent post.
So what?
I do appreciate the speech, it struck the right tone. Now the hard part is living up to the words.
I hope she will.
I am officially done posting on anything Hillary.
enough...I
fired up........
And BTW I know that post will result in some vitriolic responses, but so be it.
As of that post I'm done worrying about the Clintons.
There are bigger fish to fry now.
The fish to fry right now, dude, is getting the other half of the Democratic party to support your candidate. If you can't do that (btw, continuing to trash HRC and her supporters is not the way to go about it) you ain't got squat. I have heard soooo many times "we don't need you", but I really suggest you stop living in that dreamworld where Obama can win the Presidency without us.
So, I suggest you...and people like you (and I speak very strongly of HRC supporters behaving the same way)... get over it. HRC supporters
I agree in every aspect. Obama's people display a lot of misplaced outrage, IMO.
that's the ticket!
But enough about Hillary's campaign. Let's talk about Senator Clinton,
we'll see
As an Obama supporter, I can't say that my heart is filled with gratitude - but it was the speech of a lifetime and I grateful for her support for Obama - and I am grateful that finally, finally, Hillary Clinton is speaking about women's rights again. I've been waiting months for that. She still has a great future in front of her - whether it is on her own, or in the Supreme Court or in the Senate.
Why are people always trying to put that woman on the Supreme Court. She has never mentioned that she wants to be on the Supeme Court. I just want the Clinton's to go away, get out of the limelight. They are venomous. The last thing we need is her on the Supreme Court.
Hilary Rosen says: "It doesn't matter now whether that was the right decision."
It doesn't matter after the fact if someone makes a bad decision (not conceding on Tuesday)? First of all, all it took was one sentence. The first words out of her mouth on Tuesday should have been "I congratulate Senator Obama for having won the nomination
All the dirty tactics she used in her campaign, culminating with that last massive act of disrespect, cannot be magically absolved by giving a great speech today and saying all the things she should have said 4 days ago.
Because of those things, she does not, and will not EVER have my respect again. One has to be accountable for their actions. The way Hillary supporters refused to acknowledge HER actions, and now want her to be issued a blank check on her accountability for those actions, is not unlike the 25%'ers who will never admit to any wrongdoing, or insist on any accountability by George W. Bush. Not very attractive, is it?
Dear seriousBlack.
You do realize of course that your rant is merely your opinion- don't you?
Dear, no one is perfect and everyone who runs a campaign gets frustrated, nasty on occasion and attacks now and then... yes, even Barack though I know you don't want to admit it dear, he does as well.
Still it would seem you have been overly influenced by the media's biased accounting of Clinton.
Please do some research. A new non partisan report shows that Obama coverage was 90% positive and Clinton about 60%.
During the Wright Controversy Obama's positive coverage was at 65% and Clinton's was 40%.
Yes dear, that is bias that had an affect, which benefited Obama and was detrimental to Clinton.
Not that I am suggesting this is what won him or lost her the contest.
In any event dear one, why not start the rapprochement by holding Obama accountable for a couple of things that you think he may have been guilty of, OK? I'm sure you will contribute greatly to those who want to bridge the divide quickly.
Thanks so much,
OhMercy
A) I'm not your dear.
B) You automatically make the assumption that I DON'T hold Obama accountable for some things he's done. Interesting.
"nasty on occasion and attacks now and then"
It's the key words"now and then". When Hillary did it consistently, that was a policy, not just "now and then".
But after all, I agree, as Obama had said: It's about the country and we have to work together to win in November. Let bygones be bygones, SeriousBlack. Obama is the winner now.
Maybe media coverage of Obama was more favorable because they were reporting things like, Obama Wins! and Obama Says Something Smart! which are facts, while reporting Clinton Makes Another Gigantic Appalling Gaffe! and Bill Clinton Undermines Hillary Again!
In other words, they can't lie about Obama just to make their coverage more balanced between the better candidate and the worse one.
Oh please, the press treated her royal highness with kid gloves. No politician has ever had such good luck with the press.
If she wasn't a Clinton, she would have long been painted as worse then Nixon and run off the stage.
You've got to be kidding! Her speech today was a hundred thousand times more effective for your candidate than it would have been on Tuesday. The tactics on the campaign have been conflated and exagerated.
Yeah, kinda like her apologizing for her Iraq authorization vote would have been a hundred thousand times more effective today than it would have been to vote no on it at the time.
Oops - She's never apologized for that vote. My bad.
SeriousBlack -
I empathize with your anger. I vacillate between gratitude for Senator Clinton's endorsement and anger for the brutal primary; Clinton's lack of graciousness on Tuesday, and even the heaps of praise she is receiving about her speech that didn't stir me in the same way as it seems to have stirred others.
But, in the end, Senator Clinton did endorse Obama. I believe she was frustrated and angry about the loss. It was an incredibly long and drawn out primary. I honestly don't think the Clintons knew how to handle defeat. Senator Clinton was the energizer bunny ready to fight right through to the convention. I hope Senator Clinton takes her new voice back to the Senate to fight for Universal Health Care, restoration of government regulatory agencies, and a fair tax code. This will serve the American people. Her legacy may prove to be much bigger than she can imagine if she goes through the right door.
It is time to let go of the anger. It does nothing at this point but foster divisions. Senator Obama has to win this election. There is far too much at stake to allow Democratic in fighting and division when we need to collectively pull our energy.
Obama 08! Yes We can. Senator Clinton - Yes You Can, make a difference.
Obama must be careful not to let the Clintons hijack his campaign and presidency. They represent the corporate interests and Washington establishment that Obama has promised to change. Hillary's concession does not change her values or her record. It does not erase the deep divisions the Clintons and the Bushes use for political power. Obama cannot change politics as usual in partnership with the Clintons. He will, sadly, become politics as usual. That is the Clinton mission now, compromise Obama and dilute his reform agenda.
Senator Clinton did endorse Obama...At what price?
Can she united what she so eager divider?
She cemented her place in history by second the people,country,and party?
Her legacy will, be a tenacious candidate to keep fighting even number were on her favor?She open the door completely for others women to run
and win the White House,when?Some day from the middle nowhere
we will see a female candidate rise on the horizon and conquer us all
and win the White House,wont be a Clinton Or Bush,will be others
women,capable,,new ideas,a woman politician,who know to concede on time,not use gender as to gain voters,a Politician.
Some day a woman will be President ,it will be a Democrat! Obama08
The complaints about Hillary Tuesday night were so overwrought and hysterical that it's a wonder people are not cringing at themselves for their handwringing and their outrage. A cursory look at the history of presidential politics would show you that primary losers do not routinely pay instant and adoring homage to the winner. Some wait months before offering a grudging endorsement. Some never do.
The fact that she gave a perfectly (for any other politician) decent speech Tuesday, while Montana voters were in fact still voting, and then came back with this clearly unifying and gracious showing on Saturday is not some horrendous sin. It was far better, and did far more for the healing process, than any other approach could have.
This is politics. It is not governed by Emily Post.
Amen SeriousBlack
her campaign tactics have made it impossible for me to have any sympathy for her loss.
I wasn't overly impressed with Hillary's speech. The timing of it for one and some of the content but - but I guess this was yet another one of 'her moments' she's being afforded. I wasn't convinced of her support but then again I'll take what little she can give because I want a Democrat to win in November.
Very well said, indeed. Thank you (to Cesaria).
Cesaria, I agree too. Well put!
You'll take what little she can give? On what planet does that make sense?
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