I Am Not a Bargaining Chip, I Am a Democrat
Senator Clinton's speech last night was a justifiably proud recitation of her accomplishments over the course of this campaign, but it did not end right. She didn't do what she should have done. As hard and as painful as it might have been, she should have conceded, congratulated, endorsed and committed to Barack Obama. Therefore the next 48 hours are now as important to the future reputation of Hillary Clinton as the last year and a half have been.
I am so disappointed that she lost. As a long time Hillary Clinton supporter and more importantly, an admirer, I am sad that this historic effort has ended with such a narrow loss for her. The issues she raised and the people she touched have not been affected this way by any recent presidential candidate. And we were counting on her victory to change so much in this country. There will be the appropriate "if onlys" for a long time to come. If only the staff shakeup happened earlier; if only the effort in the caucus states had more resources; if only Hillary had let loose with the authentic female, connecting voice she found in the last three months of the campaign. If only. If only. I have written many times on this site about the talents of Hillary Clinton and why I thought she'd make a great President.
After last night's final primary, she was only about pledged 100 delegates behind him. Ironic that after not wanting to make the decision for so long, it was in fact, the superdelegates who made the decision. But I guess they did so for another reason. It just isn't her time. It is his time. It's a new day that offers a freshness to our party that many have longed for. We felt the rush of new voices and a new energy in the Congressional sweep of 2006 and the sweep continues. It has been an organic shift.
The life's work of Bill and Hillary Clinton in partnering with so many African Americans uniting our purpose and promoting our mutual issues is as responsible for Barack Obama's success as our first African American nominee as anyone. And yet, that joy is being denied for them by themselves. It is so sad.
So, I am also so very disappointed at how she has handled this last week. I know she is exhausted and she had pledged to finish the primaries and let every state vote before any final action. But by the time she got on that podium last night, she knew it was over and that she had lost. I am sure I was not alone in privately urging the campaign over the last two weeks to use the moment to take her due, pass the torch and cement her grace. She had an opportunity to soar and unite. She had a chance to surprise her party and the nation after the day-long denials about expecting any concession and send Obama off on the campaign trail of the general election with the best possible platform. I wrote before how she had a chance for her "Al Gore moment." And if she had done so, the whole country ALL would be talking today about how great she is and give her her due.
Instead she left her supporters empty, Obama's angry, and party leaders trashing her. She said she was stepping back to think about her options. She is waiting to figure out how she would "use" her 18 million voters.
But not my vote. I will enthusiastically support Barack Obama's campaign. Because I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat.
Follow Hilary Rosen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hilaryr
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Excellent post, Ms Rosen.
You hit the nail on the head, thank you
Thank you Hilary Rosen!
As Democrats we need to stop bashing each other and start unifying. I find it hard to believe people will turn on their party and vote against their own best interest. I would like to say thank you and welcome Hillary supporters! We have a great deal of work to do.
"take her due, pass the torch and cement her grace."
Alas, the problem is, it appears that she has no grace.
A year ago, my opinion on Hillary Clinton was that she would probably make a completely fine president, but a lousy presidential candidate. I never thought she was incompetent for the actual job, but I didn't think she had the charisma that, for better or worse, is necessary to win a presidential race in this country in these times. For that reason and that reason alone, I was never in her camp to begin with.
But now, after everything that has transpired, I no longer believe that she is fit to be president at all. Her campaign has been an embarassment: the staff undisciplined, the planning faulty. They're massively in debt. She has sunk to ridiculous lows -- Fox News is "fair and balanced"? "White people" support her? And in the speech on Tuesday night, it wasn't entirely clear whether she was even in touch with reality.
Granted, this has been a long, hard campaign, and I have little doubt that the woman is exhausted. But isn't that also the point? If you can't survive the campaign, how can you survive the actual job? Isn't this the woman who was going to be answering the phone at three a.m.?
This primary season has made me appreciate the truth of campaign-a
Ms. Rosen,
Great Post!
On many occassions during the course of this campaign, mine have been some of critical comments your writings have received.
What you write here is a great reflection of a very reasonable political mind and one with very high personal integrity at a moment of huge political disappointment. You are standing tall by recognizing that this election is not about Barack or Hillray Clinton but about the ordinary people.
It is sad that Senator Clinton could not see the great global moment that final primary election night provided for her own legacy. We all know that way one behaves when facing defeat is a huge reflection on deep personal characteristic. She provided people with a view of a soler loser
HRC missed the opportunity to quote MLK about the historic moment of her candidacy and that of Barack in terms that would have highlighted that they were being judged by the content of their character and how far the nation has come - what a shame
Why is it that any other person who ran for office got the benefit of taking days and in some cases weeks before they came out to endorse, yet Sen. Clinton is not afforded that same respect? I just love the selective memory of history during this campaign.
Throughout this campaign anything she has done or said has been bashed while anything Sen. Obama has done or said has been handed down like it was scripture from above. I have no doubt that no matter what she said the other night the media and Obama supporters would have found something wrong with it. That goes to show more about their and your own character then it does about her.
I would imagine that you are someone who has spent your life fighting..
We are not boomer's..
I can't ask you to understand
I am not a koolaid drinker...
Sometimes, as in the case of Bill Clinton and Barack, It's better to be lucky than good. He's got the luck.
I agree with your assertion that Sen. Clinton deserves the time afforded others to come forth with her endorsement of Sen. Obama.
What most people had a problem with was the lack of grace shown by Sen. Clinton on a night when she was afforded nothing but grace from Sen. Obama.
Newsfolks and pundits alike spent the night contrasting the three candidate's speeches.
McCain's was called painful to watch & comical.
Obama's was viewed as gracious, magnanimous & historic.
Clinton's speech was collectively seen as self-serving, extremely ungracious & divisive.
The difference is when the other candidates dropped out there were 2 candidates remaining, I think it was respectful of them to not pick one and endorse right away. Once Obama got the number of delegates to reach the nomination she should have been more gracious in her speech. She had already stated whichever of them won, the other would support them. Dragging it out, and in my opinion, leaving a bunch of false hope for her supporters was wrong to do. People are passionate about her candidacy and she knows that, drawing out the inevitable for her own purposes is disrespectful to them.
You apparently play 'Hardball' quite well, Hilary, were wonderful to watch and are a fine representative of your party wanting it so quickly united to face McSame. The TRUTH is that of the 18 Million votes Senator Clinton claims to control, at least half of those have ALREADY said they've no problem switching to and getting behind Obama if he won the nomination. Many more found resolve when her speech Tuesday night not only failed to acknowledge Senator Obama's clear WIN of the nomination, but also failed to mention his Montana win, According to NBC, it again gave Obama the lead in popular vote ...even when using 'Clinton math'.
Your statement to the effect that your vote is NOT her hostage seemed very well received and expressed the feeling of many other voters, that THE issue is really about ensuring there's NOT a third term for McBush. I also applaud your seemingly never displaying the misandry shown by other Hillary supporters, that said the ONLY possible reason for not backing her was a hatred of women (misogyny). While I guess those continually making that claim figured somehow only men were against Senator Clinton, my wife of 30+ years was always dumbfounded by that accusation. She's always detested both dynasty and lobby-bought politics and has never supported returning 'the Clintons' to the White House.
Thank you, Hilary Rosen, for both your honest words and your great work at HuffingtonPost, whose existence I so appreciate.
I think it's worse than bargaining chip...
Clinton already sold our party out, and the damage is done.
Evidence:
1.While Obama gave an AIPAC speech, McCain was sending out info that Obama opposed a bill to label Iran's Republican Guard a "Terrorist Organizati
2.McCain pointed out that Clinton supported the bill.
3.Immediat
4.Clinton'
5.Hillary Clinton made damn clear in her speech to hit the McCain talking point.
She was lost by March 1st.
Since then, the Clintons had one goal: destroy Obama.
Oh yeah, and, there's a tape going around.
For release after the convention, perhaps...
Might be a bad year coming.
Oh well, I just discovered a McCain video too, which has been overlooked by MSM, and he's singing again -- see Poltergeist 2.
I wonder how many of you out there are like me, an Independent for Obama?
that would be me....I am not a Koolaid drinker and hope he is all that he says he is. He has shown promise
And me too!!! Next?
I am an Independent for Obama. (I live in PA.)
Probably many more than you imagine...
I support Democrats, because I despise republicants and neoCONS.
I second that, but must admit to having genuine admiration for Obama
Another one...
I'm an Indy for Obama '08 in Southeast Texas.
I differ Ms. Rosen. It has been said that at the end of the War For Independence, the British Surrender Yorktown, the British played on both bagpipe and drum an old folk ballad from I believe the 16th or 17th Centuries titled, "The World Turn Upside Down". I have been a loyal Hillary supporter along with many of my friends and associates. We all agree the above stated ballad describes the current situation perfectly if any are interested in learning the words of the British, now American Lament, consult the internet.
You fought a good fight Hillery. Bill left this Great Country in good old black ink. A surplus, something not seen in so many years, and not likely to see in the near future. This is the beginning of a very serious time for us all. May God Bless America, as we need The Lord's Help more than ever, even more so after reading Hilary Rozen's article. You are free to write what you wish Ms. Rosen, but I am not likely to read anything else from your pen now or in the future.
I have lately started to follow economic issues. It would seem to me that Bill got all that Black ink selling out the American worker. Most if not all the issues we now face trace back to Clinton policies in the 90's. The mess Greenspan made was a boom in the 90's but ended with the bubble's that are strangling the economy today. I could go on forever pointing out policies that Bill either supported or failed to prevent the republicans from implementing.
NAFTA, China most favored trading partner, repeal of the Glass-Stiegel Act
I also would like to point out that Ms. Clinton voted for the Bankruptcy reform act in 1985. The law that the Wall Street banks wrote.
Your view on Clintonomic's is skewed by one point that fails to look at what Bubba has done to this country.
Do you not think that the turning of the world upside down at Yorktown turned out fairly well?
I think that this turning of the world will turn out quite well, too.
You are SO immature. Grow up, sweetie. Your candidate lost. My candidate has lost in the Dem Primaries more times than I can count. I have never voted Republican because my feelings were hurt. That's just silly and counter productive. I know how you feel, but she lost fair and square. She had a lousy strategy inexplicably ignored the caucus states. For most of the campaign she was saddled with Mark Penn. Look heen about theow well she did after she demoted him. This has always been a delegate race, all agreed to the rules before the contest.. 2 words: SUPREME COURT. Are you ready for "the liberty to contract"?
Yeah, it was so nice of Bill to leave all of our surplus in the coffers for Bush to pillage, even though at least some of it should have gone to social programs and infrastructure. who needs bridges and levys anyway? Good job Bill!!
All these months Ms Rosen has been shilling for Mrs. Bill Clinton while we Obama supporters knew what this person was all about. I was not at all surprised by last night's speech, or timing it to step on Obama's moment of glory. I was, however, shocked by the pure, self serving venom she spewed out if you listened with an intelligent ear. Example: "I've been fighting for universal health care for 16 years, not 16 months."
Exactly what legitimate purpose does this comment serve? None, but that's Hillary Clinton at her finest.
C'mon...yo
I have been an avid Hillary supporter throughout this primary campaign..
Please, everyone..
I am a die-hard democrat first....H
Not bashing, seeking respect for the actual nominee.
She does not deserve to be disrespectful. She does not deserve to hold Democrats hostage and ask "what do I want".
If this was the other way around O would have been asked to stop hurting the party long ago.
We want your support because you're a Democrat and now is the time to unite.
We should not have to beg for it.
You're ignoring the second part of the quote. The despicable thought. And why are Mrs. Bill Clinton's fans thinking that ONLY she will handle health care? The difference between her's and Obama's health care plans are in the eye of the beholder. They both suck since the keep the insurance industry alive. Obama deserves 10x the respect she does, but I don't hear it coming from her supporters, or most importantly, her.
There is NO doubt that she has jusme.. it just wasnt the right time to be saying such things.. it wasn't a stump speech.. it was a historic event in this nation, and hillary's jabs.. her stealing of that spotlight, is just.... well.. rude.
I think you and other well-meaning people have been enabling HRC's bloated sense of self importance which has dragged this race out, Ms Rosen.
You write that HRC probably knew a couple weeks ago that this race was over, but in reality, anyone with a fundamental grasp of math knew this race was over by Indiana and South Carolina votes. It was a slim-to-none chance THEN.
HRC has had chances to "do the right thing" and get behind the party, but each time she finds a new, more desperate rationale for staying in, and I point to things like asking superdelegates to switch sides, claiming all delegates at the convention can switch sides, and mentioning RFK's assassination, as examples.
She had no reason to wait until all of the states voted, and she had no reason to not concede last night. Her campaign SUCKED. Let's be honest, its tone was trashy and mean, and she flip-flopped all over the place.
HRC spent 4 months savaging Obama, blew all her money and then an extra $40M she didn't have, and refused to concede months after it was obvious to anyone but the Ellen Jamesians that she LOST.
You write, "if only she had a staff shake up earlier" - which misses the whole point: HRC is this narcissistic delusional beast. "If only she didn't suck so bad" would be another way of phrasing it, sorry HRC supporters, but you're not getting any sympathy here.
Yellow Panties...
Hillary Rosen, you are a gem. And, Hillary Clinton certainly blew it. I was amazed that she, the consumate politician, was so blind and short sighted and self-consumed, that she did not see the greatest opportunity of her whole life last night. Perhaps that is the ultimate "what if". And, perhaps that points exactly to why she did not win. This country needs a President who realizes that it is not about them, it is about us.
This has been Hillary's biggest problem all along, it is Bill not she who is the consummate politician. She has attempted and failed running on his record for she had none of her own. And though it is Hillary's habit to blame others for her decisions it is well documented that she takes no ones counsel (remember over the gas tax pandering; experts are elitists).
What an article! I have seen this lady defend Senator Clinton and advocate her message many times, but for her to express this message to Senator Clinton is just WoW! It means Senator Clinton squandered an opportunity.
As a hardcore Obama supporter, I too feel Senator Clinton could have been more gracious in her speech after it was clear the Democratic Party nominee was Sen. Obama. I understand it was a fiercely contested primary, but it is time for Clinton's supporters to unite with the Democratic Party in support of Obama.
The election is not about any candidate, but rather a message and the direction we need to lead our country.
Registered Non-Party Affiliated Voter
Hilary thank you for this article. Women like yourself who are Hillary supporters and have media voice can be a big help in brining the democratic party back together. Again thank you.
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