Hillary Clinton's Disgraceful Exit*
"Denver! Denver! Denver!" chanted Senator Hillary Clinton's supporters in the middle of her "concession speech" in New York last night. Forget numbers! Forget reality! Forget the Democratic Party and unity! On to the Convention!
Presumably with some new criteria (states starting with the letters A-K, perhaps, or seniors who watch re-runs of Matlock).
For her part, Hillary Clinton gladly fueled her followers' desire for a fight.
In spite of the fact Barack Obama had won the necessary 2,118 delegates to secure the nomination, becoming the first African-American in history to be the standard bearer for a major party, she continued to speak of how she was the stronger candidate, how she won the important states, how she won more votes than any candidate in primary history (not counting caucuses and counting Michigan, where Obama wasn't on the ballot, of course).
I kept waiting for some kind of concession, some acknowledgment of what had just happened, some class and dignity, maybe, dare I say it, humility. This was no longer a matter of perspective or preference, after all. Barack Obama had won. Her chances of winning had gone from nearly impossible to impossible.
Yet instead of graciously accepting defeat , she told her 18 million followers to get on her website and tell her what they thought she should do next. Surely, in this way she might come to a rational, clear-headed decision for her political future. Here's a sampling of the pearls of wisdom being offered at HillaryClinton.com:
They have totally skrewed Hillary, lets get her on the ballot ourselves!!!We need each other not the DNC or Obama, I refuse to support him! [bb]
I sincerely wish that Hillary does not accept the second slot. I just cannot and will not support the Democratic party nominee. I will vote for McCain B4 I vote for BHO. The present DNC has stabbed Hillary in the back, I cannot continuing supporting the Undemocratic party. I will always support and Vote for Hillary but cannot support Chicago mafia(BHO) [bestpresident]
Let's take this to DENVER..........She is the only one. I will never vote for BO...Neither will my family or friends..We will either not vote or vote for McCain...Oh, today I just registered and my family and friends too as INDEPENDENTS....SCREW THE DEMOCRATES.... We love HIllary with all of our heart and we will always support and back her...but what the democratic party has done to her they have done to us....ENOUGH!!!!LET THE DNC HANG THEMSELVES........................DISGUSTING!!! [caspercat]
I say run as INDEPENDENT NOW!! Obama will want Hillary to campaign for him. Hillary is much greater than that. I hope Hillary goes with the "will of the people." She is the "People's President." I will never think of BO as my President. Nope, I just cannot do it. It is about the way they treated HILLARY. Call it whatever you like, dirty politics, etc. etc. She worked so hard, and every step of the way, they tried to diminish her, even when she won her landslide victories. I say, DENVER - DENVER - DENVER - DENVER [LillaBet]
Never mind that young people are dying in Iraq, that millions are struggling to pay the bills, that our policies on health care, education, and foreign affairs could sink even further under a McCain presidency. For thousands of Hillary supporters, it's been a long time since this race was about issues or rationality. It's been rather about a disturbingly insulated, narcissistic, monomaniacal candidate and a base (many of whom lack education) that has passionately followed her lead. (I recognize it's not "PC" to call people uneducated, yet that's what the statistics show and the historical reality is that uneducated voters are more prone to vote on emotion and fear, more prone to manipulation (see gas tax), and more prone to racism and bigotry (see West Virginia and Kentucky.)
In contrast to Hillary Clinton's "stoke divisions and rally the troops for civil war" speech, Barack Obama hardly spoke of himself in his victory speech in Minnesota. He thanked his family, campaign team and supporters, he spoke of the important moment we find ourselves in and how the issues are larger than any one candidate. And he generously complimented Hillary Clinton.
Continuing the trends of their respective campaigns, Barack Obama took the high road; Hillary Clinton chose the low one. When the Clinton's injected race in South Carolina, Barack gave Bill Clinton the benefit of the doubt and spoke of moving beyond our differences; when Hillary ran the infamous 3am ad, Barack continued to insist we act on hope not fear; and in the end, when Barack held out the olive branch, going so far as to say that Hillary's strength and tenacity paved the way for his own daughters, Hillary refused to show grace and help heal the party.
Regardless of what happens from here, Barack Obama's historic night will always be partially shadowed by a woman with an ego too large to do what every other candidate in both parties, including Mike Huckabee, understood was appropriate. Last night Barack Obama won the nomination. He made history. And Hillary knows he offers drastic change from both Bush and McCain. Yet instead of urging her supporters to rally in the name of larger principles, her message was much like another disastrous politician's: screw the pundits, the naysayers, the numbers, the facts. We can still win! Just stay the course.
For Clinton like Bush, it's the war that never ends.
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A few notes, in no particular order, since I'm tired and in a hurry and don't have time to organize my thoughts and weave them seamlessly:
1. Sen. Clinton sure didn't act last night like someone who wants to be VP. Obama must have been watching that and thinking, "Do I really want four years of this exasperating person?"
2. The only reason I can see to put her on the ticket is to get her out of the Senate. Not a good enough reason.
3. Clinton on the ticket would drag it down among independents and potential cross-over Republicans. But she wants to be the first female *something
4. Her "go to my website and tell me what to do" line was astonishingly cynical. The site was a fundraising pitch. She was still trying to get her supporters to pony up their nickels and dimes so she can get her $11 million back! I guess that's her version of "hope."
5. I'm sorry. I've been advocating all along treating Sen. Clinton with respect and remembering that we're all Democrats here. But her comments in South Dakota and her Bronx cheer last night just strain patience beyond all endurance.
6. So, she wants to play hardball, how about this: Clinton supporters, you can either vote for Sen. Obama and preserve Roe v. Wade or vote for McCain and kiss it good-bye. Take it or leave it.
I agree with most of your points. I think her main reason for keeping her website open is to get more money from the gullible supporters who refer to her as their "Leader". I, too, left two messages, and am sure they were not printed. They were complimentary, in that she fought a valiant race, but it seems the only comments printed are those from rabid supporters, many of whom state they are continuing to send more money. Obama would be unwise to put her on his ticket. He would also be unwise to select her as Defense Secretary, since her judgement to invade Iraq and "obliterate" Iran comments are directly opposite to his. I just want to caution her supporters-she just may be asking for more money to pay her bills. She may be playing on their emotions, just as she did throughout the campaign. I also believe many of the people commenting on Hillary's site and others are Republicans trying to sway our thinking.
I am a Hillary supporter and a life-long Democrat, I will vote for McCain. I will never vote for an inexperienced, unqualified person to be President of the United States. Obama has done nothing in the Senate and would be ineffective as President. Roe versus Wade is such a low priority issue. What is Obama going to do about the econony? He does not even support universal healthcare for all Americans. He is all talk and has no real solutions to the staggering problems facing our country. Obama and his intolerant supporters will not be able to unite the Democratic party. You are so stupid. By kiss off Hillary's supporters, you will lose the election to McCain. At least McCain will be willing to work with the Democratic Congress. That is more than I can say about the Obama supporters who are vicious towards and intolerant of other Democrats in the Democratic Party who support Clinton's position on the issues.
"At least McCain will be willing to work with the Democratic Congress"
Yes, I remember that in the past, McCain has "sided" with the Dems on some issues and not just jumped on the bandwagon with the Repub's. He seems to hoe his own row, and this is one quality that seperates him from his inflexible Dem Pres opponents. Good point.
There is definitely a gaping wound in the Dem Party. If Tolerance is the buzz word for the Dems, it's not being shown here [even] amongst themselves.
My thoughts exactly!
Great post! I kept waiting for Hillary to do the honorable thing and congratulate Obama on a race well run, admit that it's over, and bow out with grace and dignity, throwing her support wholeheartedly behind him. Some that are close to her keep telling us that she will do just that, but when? I see that is just not in her. And make no mistake, her ardent, zealous supporters are following her lead. As long as she continues to tell them, either directly or through innuendo, that she can still win, they will not back down. I never thought I would see the day when a presidential candidate would show so little class. Every time I start to think maybe she'll do the right thing, and start to feel a little more benevolence towards her, she disappoints me all over again. I hope she doesn't turn the tide against women in general with her malevolent behavior. How anyone can still be suckered into it is beyond me.
Terriac I totally agreed with your insight. Your open end question can easily be reference with the Bush supporters, which to this moment still believes Hassein was responsible for the 9/11 attack.
She is taking away the limelight from Obama. It is hard for the Clintons to have the spotlight on someone other than them.
Had she been gracious last night people would have been prone to forgetting her and her husband's reprehensible behavior.
What she did last night assured that she will always have an asterisk next to her name in the history books, just like her husband does.
HuffPost's Pick
A person who cannot accept defeat is undeserving of victory.
Simply stated truth is perhaps the most profound truth. Thank you for your insightful comment.
Excellent comment!!!! Thank you, JC.
The truth is this,she is making a grave mistake by trying to force herself on the ticket. Barack doesnt take kindly to threats. Like he said in his own words "He is skinny but tough".
He is ready to take on the likes of Iranian president,Hamas and the others. Hillary doesnt really think she can threaten him or else she is even more dilusional.
Barack is taking to JFK's "Dont negotiate out of fear". When she becomes civilised then he might consider the other half of JFK's "Dont fear to Negotiate"
Senator Clinton should not only have given a summary of her campaign, but also, offered a clear concession beyond gracious comments such as it having being an honor to compete with Senator Obama. However, it would seem most helpful, at this point, to give the Hillary remarks a rest. South Dakota was an unexpectedly big win for Mrs. Clinton, especially being in Tom Daschle's territory, and Montana was a big win for Senator Obama, thus closing out the primaries almost neck and neck. Both states deserved to have their voting results appropriately covered. It might have been more dramatic and more sensitive, given the need to unify the party, for Senaator Obama to wait one more day to claim his rightful victory. Moreover, he could have gotten two nights of free media attention.
The only thing that matters to a Clinton is his/her own ego.
Thank the gods we have been spared another Clinton administration!
Clinton Leiberman 2008
Aw, come on....Don'
OBAMA is clearly the "People's President"! Where did he get all his money from to run his campaign? Not from lobbiests or big fat corporate doners but from WE The PEOPLE. Hillary needs to stop leading on (as opposed to leading...
I would like to ask you all to think about this for just a few minutes. That a man who's dad came from Africa is now the nominee for the presidency is beyond historic, it's a moment of grace. Our ancestors ruined families, tribes cultures to bring slaves over on the boat. This victory is a small bit of redemption that I am honored to have helped bring about as a white woman. Aside from that, I think Obama is a leader who's time has come. We need someone who can inspire us to be better together as one people.
Great Post Joe!
I agree completely. Clinton already told us what she's waiting for - just think back to her RFK comment. She's still hoping something happens in June or July that will automatically make her the nominee.
I have to agree. I have been a fan of Obama since early in the campaign. The reason being the change thing. I just felt Hillary was too much Washington. If she had been the Democratic nominee though I would have voted for her with no hesitation over McBush. But as the campaign continued the pathetic way she acted, the 3AM phone call ad, the myself and McCain are qualified and Obama is not, and so forth personally changed my opinion of her. And now she has yet to concede eloquently as she should have and pulled this party together. And for anyone who supported her to even consider McBush is a travesty and a totally emotional response to this narcissistic woman. I would still vote for her is she won but my hopes lie with Obama. And it has nothing to do with sex, race, or religion. It is due to hope and change. A qualifier, white, upper middle aged, college educated male.
Ego uber Alles....w
Even some apparently well educated people believe that Clinton lost solely because of "sexism." There's a weepfest going on over on Erica Jong's blog entry. Jong claimed Clinton's defeat felt like watching Jeanne d'Arc being burned at the stake. Marvelous hyperbole, and completely deranged, like saying your Ford Pinto feels like a Ferrari and you just can't accept that it didn't win the Grand Prix.
I would have nothing against a woman for president, but I would expect honesty, clear-headedness, intelligence, and a grasp on reality--traits completely lacking in Hillary Clinton.
PLEASE don't compare Hillary to Huckabee. He did not have the majority of the popular vote. And I don't believe the superdelegates votes count until the convention. Are you people so scared she can pull this off that you won't concede those facts???? MIke Huckabee would still be in this race if he had been anywhere near her numbers. I'm voting for Hillary whether she's on the ballot or not. Because I know she won. Farily and squarely.
Ok, see, it's because of people like you that the two camps are divided. You lost, yet insist on making this ludicrous "popular vote" argument. Sure, if you don't count ANY of the caucus states, all of which Obama won minus one, give him 0 votes for Michigan because his name wasn't on the ballot, and also discount Americans Abroad. Then, and ONLY then, does she come out with a sliver of a lead. But the fact of the matter is, that the same camp who protests to the tune of "Count EVERY Vote!" wouldn't be so quick to discount hundreds of thousands of votes, unless it suits your purpose.
And no, none of the votes count until the convention, but so far not a SINGLE Obama delegate has defected to Clinton, the reverse of which is not true. Somehow doubt they're just going to see the error in their ways because a bunch of whiny women say so.
And just by the by, the remainder of the superdelegates will be switching to Obama in the coming weeks AS WILL THE PLEDGED CLINTON DELEGATES once she endorses him. he will go to the convention with over 3,000 delegates, she will be almost 2,000 delegates behind. Suck on that.
And one more thing - most states don't allow write in candidates, and the ones that do require the candidate to register as such, which she will not.
Did you really just say "I would have nothing against a woman for president.
And, you spent time reading up on Erica Jong's blog entry? Interesting.
God save the United States if Obama suffers such a gross lapse in judgement as to name HC as his VP. She is a crass and hard core CORPORATIST and has fully revealed her classless and predatory determination to win her selfish goals at any cost. THE CLINTONS ARE AT THE CORE OF THE CORPORATE CABAL DEDICATED TO REPLACE OUR DEMOCRACY AND ITS GOVERNMENT WITH A DESPOTIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE HEGEMONY.
Just watch what follows if Obama refuses to yield to her graceless tantrum. There will be a internal war fomented by the Clintons and their mindless robots to conquer our nation by corporatism that will be more vile and destructive than even than or Civil War of the 1850s. The electorate has no clue about this.
It would be consistent with her demonstrated values to demand to sleep in the White House, but graciously allow the Obamas to sleep across the street at Blair House and join her for breakfast and dinner, as well as permitting them to also retain an official residence at the Naval Observatory.
SLEEPERS AWAKE!!!
"Barack Obama's historic night will always be partially shadowed by a woman with an ego too large to do what... was appropriate. " Sadly, this is true. A historic moment, a great victory forever tainted by her graceless and self-serving words.
Great post, thanks!
Who said it was supposed to be HRC's concession speech? The Hillary-hating Huff Po crew who's hated her from the start for having the nerve to run against God? She doesn't have to follow your agenda, lists of what she has to do to "redeem" herself, or what pundits and talking heads say "she has to do". This is like the Inquisition.
She was making a victory speech to her supporters after a primary win. She wasn't there to make a concession speech. She'll keep her pledged delegates until the convention when the ballots are taken. Before Obama gets to the magic number, she'll take to the stage and release her delegates and ask the convention to nominate him by acclamation. Obama will join her for the traditional arm raising. Anything less is insulting to her and 18 million voters it would be nice for Obama to get (unless you think he can do it without them or their donations). It would also be tactically stupid. If he's the nominee without balloting, then why have the convention? If she lets her delegates go now, why would anyone - even his supporters -- watch another dumb-ass political convention? They are boring. This will make it dramatic and keep people watching the TV for the 4 nights of the convention. It will get supporters goosed up and that's what's needed 2 months before a general when the primary season has run almost two years and people are sick and tired of it.
Does she always hold her concession speeches 30 feet underground with a complete blackout on any type of cellphone service and with no TVs?
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