By refusing to concede and instead dangling "18 million voters" before Obama's eyes, Hillary Clinton is threatening to withhold her "army" of backers from Obama until she gets what she wants, whatever that is.
Obama has reached out to her. But he would be wise to offer her nothing and let her hang out to dry. Meanwhile he should work around the edges to pry her supporters away without conceding her anything.
Already Maxine Waters has broken from Clinton. Obama now has to work on winning over Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, Jon Corzine of New Jersey, Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York and other key Clinton supporters. Once he secures their public backing Obama needs to get them to bring their people along.
After Clinton supporters really start paying attention to what McCain is saying, they will gravitate to Obama.
In any case, he can wait. This is way too early to pick a VP. If she doesn't want to concede and endorse him, ignore her and let her be marginalized. Then whom will her "18 million" voters follow?
Tonight it looks like she has an army. But how long will it stay together when she has no more primary campaigns to run, no more rousing speeches to make?
Time is on Obama's side. The last thing he should do is give in to the Clintons' blackmail.
After all, if there is a Democratic Congress and Senate McCain will be severely limited as to what he could accomplish as far as wars and taxes and even judges.That is, if the next Democratic legislators come equipped with backbones.
You people act as if he trounced her! The analogy is that he beat her on a last second play...and that was because the officials called a biased game.
All you obama backers want HRC's delegates and voters to vote for your guy, yet you say that the only reason they voted for HRC is that they are racist idiots...which is the same thing you say about every one who lives in "fly over country" and yet you expect all of us to get on our knees and worship you and your choice even though you disdain us...very nice
Also, if he offers her this type of cabinet-level position publicly and she refuses she damages her credibility with the public beyond repair, therefore pulling the fangs of her supporters' urging for her to usurp the party's choice.
Any third-party run (fifth, actually, considering Nader and Barr) would be misguided; she has little enough financial support even now, and as her supporters drift away she will have less. Almost certainly, no delegate or super-delegate will follow her into oblivion, let alone Democrats currently in office. She should not risk becoming a Lieberman with a severly limited future.
She boasts of "having" 17 millions voters. That number may well have voted for her in the primaries, but polls show that the equation has changed. California would almost certainly have been in the Obama camp had the primary been held in April or May, and that is with the large Hispanic population that is said to be exclusively in her corner.
I’d like to see her celebrating the fact that people are not voting exclusively according to their gender, race, or age, instead of continuing on with the identity politics that divide us.
Now that she doesn't have to calibrate her vote according to her presidential aspirations, she can become a leader in the Senate and can seriously take on those issues she says she champions. With her capable and inspiring help we can make the changes so desperately needed in this county. Come aboard, Hillary.
OBAMA: And if not, then what? You'll leave the party and have your followers vote for McCain? Your political career will be even muddier than it is right now.
HILLARY: But...but....
OBAMA: How about we do this: you save your political career by unreservedly endorsing me?
We used to call this the "queen bee" syndrome; some women get to the top and then make very sure no other woman does. Obviously, it's the opposite of true feminism.
If anyone can think of a better choice to fit this bill than Jim Webb, I'd love to hear it! Jim Webb is
- a highly decorated ex-Marine
- former Secretary of the Navy to Ronald Reagan
- truly reformed ex-Republican who has seen the dark side and embraced progressive politics (he knows the enemy)
- high credibility among white working-class voters
- delivers Virginia
- adds maturity to the ticket without seeming old (seriously, he doesn't look old enough to have served in Nam)
- can be extremely tough when needed... who could McCain possibly pick to debate this guy?
- can hang McCain out to dry on the issue of benefits for veterans, thus delivering veterans
Someone's going to mention Richardson, who I think would be a good second choice. Not much of a debater, though.
Don't underestimate millions of "older women" who came of age in the 60s and 70s. To underestimate us is an arrogant mistake on your part. Remember, we started a revolution.
You say Obama has class? No, Obama has Axelrod -- proof he has no class. (research Axelrod -- the ROVE of the Democrats.)
Obama stepped over her South Dakota win with "Breaking News" about Supers putting him over. Is that a win to be proud of. Party insiders picking the candidate?
He couldn't wait till this morning to claim victory? It had to be moments after South Dakota polls closed? A calculated manipulation of the media.
You say Obama showed Hillary respect?
Where was Obama when his operatives planted vile rumors in the press, when his bloggers wrote 'hate Hillary' articles to whip up the fringe, when his supporters said vitriloic things about her, her daughter on comment boards? Obama's silence constituted approval.
Where was he when he let his supporters circulate GOP lies about her on the interent? Obama's silence constituted approval.
The Vanity Fair article about Bill? So well timed, so nuanced, so many unnamed sources. Obama's silence constituted approval and Axel-rove clearly planted that bogus story to use as an excuse for not choosing her as VP.
Maybe Obama supporters are blind but Hillary voters see it all. Obama & company are MORE ruthless than the Clintons, ever.
You say you don't need Hillary voters? We'll see in November.
...just her war vote is enough reason not to vote for her, not to mention the fact that she is morally bankrupt and seen by nearly 60% as dishonest...you seem to share in the same sociopathic and deluded fantasy that your candidate does as she absolves herself of her failures by scapegoating, denial, magical thinking, and a refusal to take responsibility for her situation...
Clinton herself would've needed party insiders to claim the nomination...this is an infantile argument and a disingenious one at that...Obama supporters may be blind but they've seen enough to know that Clinton is a "me" first politician with a penchant for victimhood and a tendency toward pandering...
I am a proud Obama supporter and I DO NOT like Hillary. That being said, there are many that are proud Hillary supporters and DO NOT like Obama. We all know this. I would have voted for Hillary had she won the nomination, no matter how much I personally don't like her as a person (or at least the public persona). A lot of the hate in this campaign has come from both sides on the comment boards. Depending on who you support, you're going to view this campaign differently and neither side will agree to the other. That being said, Obama has clinched the nomination and we NEED to keep John McCain out of the White House. Both sides NEED each other and we have to put our personal feelings aside and do what's best for the COUNTRY. It's the Supreme Court! If nothing else, think of your future or current daughters and granddaughters, and how their rights will be effected if McCain is in the big house.
UNITY 08.
She still feels entitled although she has earned NOTHING.
"What role could she play to benefit the country? is a better question.
I'm a passionate Obama supporter (despite being a woman of Hillary's age), but I do recognize that Hillary has values, ideas, skills, and connections that could be tapped to accomplish great things.
I think she'd be an excellent Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Further, I think we need to redirect our anger toward our real opponent -- and it's not Hillary.