Hillary's Gift to the American People (and Barack Obama)

If we step back and really look at the Democratic presidential race for 2008, the gift bestowed by Hillary Clinton shines through. Her staying in the race has made it a better race with better candidates. She's tough, smart and relentless. Obama is a better candidate because he's had a competent opponent who is well versed on the issues. All the dirty laundry has been uncovered, viewed and washed clean: Reverend Wright, the questions of Muslim heritage, and the indictment of the money folk from Chicago. Yep, it's all out on the table and the television cameras have had their day now, not in October, 2008 before the Republican candidate. Her staying in the race made Obama's resounding loss in West Virginia palatable. Consider the fallout if he lost to a candidate that was not even in the race. That would have been hard to package even for the most skillful spin doctors.

Hillary staying in the race is really about a candidate deeply committed to the country and its people. What does she need this aggravation for? She's one of the most powerful Senators to come to Congress. She has a legacy of far reaching, bi-partisan legislation. Her husband's Clinton Foundation is impacting world poverty and health care. Her daughter is beautiful, smart and loves her dearly. Why would anyone submit themselves to the constant humiliation from the media, if they did not care deeply about the future?

I say it is because we have a candidate that at all costs believes that we can rebuild this country, and has a bone deep commitment to helping to make these changes. I say it is because she truly believes.

If we look back in years to come, we will see that her candidacy was remarkable and changed the face of this country forever. Hillary's gift to this country will be felt for years to come whether she is on the ticket or not.

I only pray that we are wise enough to take the gift of Hillary, and allow it to soar.

Comments

[S1m0n]

"She's one of the most powerful Senators to come to Congress."

If Hillary Clinton is so powerful, how come she hasn't accomplished anything in the senate?

[edhillfiker]

Calling out Obama, his supporters and the media for misogynist attacks on Clinton.

The 21st century & still age of Misogyny.

For over 20 years , Barack Obama sat quietly while his spiritual mentor, Jeremiah Wright, maligned America, Jews and advanced conspiracy theories from the alter.
Over the past year, Obama sat quietly while the media and his supporters unfairly used sexism as a means to attack Hillary Clinton. Is this the leader, the unifier, the agent of change we"ve been waiting for?

[altohone]

Calling out ed-

I can't believe someone as motivated as you sat quietly too.
It's about time you got on this, what with all those corporations and religions denying women a role.

Thanks for for addressing a lingering problem in America.

Women's groups are eagerly awaiting donations, and they do accept money from Republicans.

Thanks again.

[edhillfiker]

Calling out Obama, his supporters and the media for misogynist attacks on Clinton.

The 21st century & still age of Misogyny.

Rudov, during discussion of Clinton, said " The woman is not called the B-word because she"s assertive and aggressive; she"s called the B-word because she acts like one". (Would this be tolerated if it was said about Obama?)

F..K Hillary. God knows she needs it. Anti-Hillary sign peddled by Obama supporter.

" There were tears that melted the Granite State. And those tears that Mrs. Clinton cried on that day, (it) clearly moved voters¦But those tears also have to be analyzed. They have to be looked at very, very carefully in light of Katrina, in light of other things Mrs. Clinton died not cry for.
We saw something very clever, we saw a sensitivity factor. Something that Mrs. Clinton has not been able to do with voters¦ Not in response to voters, not in response to Katrina, not in response to other issues that have devastated the American people, the war in Iraq, we saw tears in response to her appearance,. So her appearance brought her to tears, but not Katrina". Obama campaign Co-Chair Jesse Jackson, jr., Jan 9, 2008.

[edhillfiker]

Calling out Obama, his supporters and the media for misogynist attacks on Clinton.

The 21st century & still age of Misogyny.

What kind of progressive American leader would stand silent, supporting with the cold reserve of ambition the disgracefully sexist, blatantly anti-feminist attack on a well- respected woman of the same party, a political foe perhaps, but a national Democratic leader?
Barak Obama so far.

Unless Obama speaks out, his campaign"s chilling acceptance of the gender bias stirred by our national media will also remind many of Reagan"s acceptance of the race-baiting southern strategy-because if Obama accepts the presidency, at least in part, because of abject sexism, a brutal gender attack on a female rival-the most famous female Democrat in history-he will set feminism in our country back a generation.

Obama has benefited mightily from sexism in this campaign, and has remained silent.

Journalist Tom Watson.

"The default candidate for Democrats in this race was always going to be Hillary Clinton because she"s Hillary Clinton as opposed to Hillary Rodham" Obama Oct 12, 2007.

Barack and Michelle Obama strolled triumphantly into his victory party in Des Moines, Iowa on Jan 3rd. Jay "Z"s "99 Problems" was blaring. In it, Jay-Z raps "I got 99 problems, but a b--ch ain"t one".

"Stay out of my village B--ch" anti-Hillary t-shirt for sale by Obama supporter.

[mm29464]

ed, you say obama has benefited by sexism in the media and has remained silent. frankly, i don't see it.

however, the clintons and their surrogates have intentionally used a southern strategy to define obama as the race candidate and to give a green light for any individual to have cover for their racist beliefs. they have appealed to the lesser natures of our citizenry and called out white rage. you need to check out an interesting item on slate where they run excerpts from speeches given by bill clinton recently and george wallace in the 60s and 70s. they're almost identical.

the obama campaign does not was race on their sleeve and in fact seeks to downplay and negate any rumors of racism and reporting of racial conflict encountered by campaign workers, expressed by racially hostile voters who state that they could never vote for a "half-breed", and campaign offices being attacked and vandalized with racial epithets scrawled across the windows. check out the recent article in the washington post. do you really think if something in kind was happening to hillary it would not be topic #1?

you never hear anything sexist coming directly from the candidate nor his surrogates in the obama campaign. it wouldn't surprise me if some of obama's supporters have gotten carried away and that is wrong. but the clintons have been egging on such attacks and have participated in many of them themselves.

[mm29464]

the item about the jay-z song at the iowa party is an urban legend. it is simply not true. he has used the identical loop of songs throughout--stevie wonder followed by country band brooks and dunn.

How 'bout those hillary supporters in pa and w va who carried signs that read 'don't vote for barack "hussein" obama'?

you act as though the election has been stolen from hillary. it is always someone or something else's fault, not hers. she has run an awful campaign and has been caught flat-footed on every front by a supposed political rookie. the only time she has really gained any traction is to run as the candidate of "white" people. isn't this the democratic primary? nixon wouldn't have even been so bald-face in the midst of implementing the southern strategy.

[Daisy1111]

I don't understand that when I question Obama's foreign policies I'm called a racist on HuffPo

I don't understand that when I say I prefer Hillary's Healthplan over Obama's (after I downloaded her 50-page PDF file outling the details and read every page), I'm called a racist on HuffPo.

I don't understand that when I say electing a woman president is also an historic first, I'm called a racist on HuffPo.

I don't understand that when I mention my discomfort with Obama's ties to the Nuclear Energy Lobby, I'm called a racist on HuffPo.

It seems to me too many Obama supporters on HuffPo are framing the election as:

If you don't vote for Obama you're a racist.

And this is not constructive.

[scire]

I agree with you that just because you don't want Obama to win does not make you a racist. And I agree with you that people should not call you that everytime you say you like Hillary. However, if you scroll down the comments on all these posts, don't you also notice that there are a lot of Clinton supporters who says that anybody who does not want to elect Hillary is sexist? And if you're a woman who doesn't want Hillary to be the nominee, you're told you're betraying your gender? There are idiots and nutjobs in both camps. That doesn't mean that all people who like Obama are rude and nasty, just as it doesn't make all Hillary supporters rude and nasty. There is something about the anonymity of blogging that brings out the worst and nuttiest in some people.

We should all be thrilled about how energized these two amazing candidates have made the presidential race. We should be thrilled that people are so excited about this race, and so disillusioned by the Republicans that they're registering as democrats in droves. And we should stand behind the candidate who wins the party and take back the White House for Americans.

[altohone]

I hope you're right Michelle.

There's an extremely high price to pay if you're wrong.

You only needed to tune into ABC or F*X News this morning to see that every statement by Biden and Dodd criticizing Obama will be used against him. The same will happen with EVERY Hillary clip.

If you think Wright and Rezco are dead as issues for the GOP though, you are delusional.

Personally, I think Hillary's biggest gift was moving her rhetoric to the left of her record.
She did abandon DLC policies, and that IS good news for the Democratic party.

[grendl]

Hillary's gift to the world is the entertainment value and blogosphere fodder she's provided.

Endlessly amusing. Running around like Cruella DeVille, threatening to separate the white race from black, scaring the hell out of the electorate with 3:OO a.m. phone calls.

" Uhm Hi, just Hillary Clinton here to say everything's safe and fine with me in the White House. Go back to your sleeping blonde angels. "

Gold, solid gold. Her Chutzpah, well that made it even more entertaining. " Not that I know of"???

The proper answer to that was " that's a ridiculous claim", or " even if he was, Muslims are allowed to run for the presidency. It's a religion, not a terrorist organization."

But noooooooooo. Not our Hillary. When she wasn't busy revising history, dodging 8 year old girls on Bosnian tarmacs wielding poetry, she was wagging the finger of shame for even considering an unknown into the Oval Office, her house.

She's ready for her close up Mr. DeMille, while the body of young Democrats lies floating in the pool.

(BTW whoever did that You Tube Video, give props where its due. I mentioned Norma Desmond countless times long before your little skit )

[SteveClements]

I don't understand why women don't honor Obama's achievement as a credit to the strength and goodness of a single mother who at times had to accept food stamps managing to raise a child who can overcome and achieve. Isn't that as much of a feminist achievement as having a woman president?

[DaisyMiller]

No, it is not.

[apoyo]

The primary race is running on fumes. The end result is pretty clear. There can only be one winner. It's time to remember what is at stake. The future of this country. It's time to unite. Hillary has already started that process by coming to the defense of Obama this past week. She will be a positive force and someone to admire greatly. The primary has been like a prolonged labor, once the baby is born you forget about all the pain.

If we women didn't have that defense mechanism, we would have zero population growth.
So, congratulations, It's a boy!

[shep1900]

Your post is entirely correct--and, alas, I'm sure will be viciously attacked by the Unity Gang.

What a shame that they are so very short-sighted, and have no understanding of what being a Democrat actually means.

[michellekraus]

Thank you I could not have said it better and appreciate the support. I believe this is true Unity and we Democrats have to get smart really fast to win this thing -- that is ours to lose.

[gaypastor]

First off, Hillary is NOT the "Ron Paul" of the Democrats. She is not that far behind! The pressure for her to end the race is suspect at best! Second, the sexism that has pervaded the mainstream media's coverage of Hillary " and ignored by the DNC - is nothing short of astonishing! I'm saddened to be part of a country and party that 1) is unaware of the signs of sexism and/or 2) doesn't care. For example, I've spent months watching Hillary be chastised in the name of "she's a Clinton." I watched as people I thought were educated and progressive adults go along with these statements, utterly unaware how their decision to tie her identity with her husband (i.e. highlighted by those who call her Billary) is, itself, an incredibly sexist statement. This is NOT the 1800s and a woman is NOT defined by her husband. This is one of MANY, many sexist remarks that have emerged during this race that was SUPPOSE to be a historical time for TWO reasons. We're still behind you Hillary & we know "the more experienced choice who is more capable of making change" when we see it. Let our own party force us out. Its far from the first time women (or gays or other pro-female communities) have had to walk our own path. God helps us all.

[SteveClements]

Hillary constantly tied herself to Bill's administration, including it in her experience and taking credit for the good things of his administration.. She defined herself in terms of him and his administration.

[4wehttam]

Wait a second, wasn't Hillary that proclaimed her experience of 35years from her time being married to a governor, then to the president of the United States? She essentially ran on her quasi "VP" label in her husband's administration. She and only SHE is the one that initially outlined and linked her experience as First Lady.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for her intelligence, her strength to continue on, but have no doubt that HER tactics, her campaigns gaffes and their discounting of many aspects of this race is what put her behind and unable to catch up. Nothing else.

Barack just happened to run an amazingly well organized and well funded campaign from a historical grassroots level attracting new and young voters like never before. He deserves credit for this feat as well. As much as I dislike her at the moment, in order to unite our party and make an unbeatable duo against the republicans I wouldn't dramatically oppose if she were his VP.

[DaisyMiller]

behind? not that far behind? she's ahead!
she's got the popular vote and her delegates come from a much higher proportion of voters.

it is time to wake up and smell the general election. winning caucuses is not (NOT) winning the GE. Hillary is ahead right now. we'll see if she maintains that lead after OR and KY this week.

[altohone]

Saying it doesn't make it so.

Sorry Daisy, your numbers aren't factually accurate, even if you don't subtract Limbaugh voters.

Prove me wrong, and I'll apologize.

[Heika]

I'm all for working together when this mess is finally over, but I am opposed to calling a divisive, mean-spirited, dishonest, and at this point, somewhat delusional campaign a good thing that has benefited Obama and the country, Have you by any chance read the posts on NARAL's endorsement of Obama? Do you think people would be so furious if Hillary weren't still in the campaign against all odds and common sense? This "silver lining" perspective strikes me as a level of hypocrisy that should be outed for what it is, and I don't quite know how one does that in an amiable fashion. I am not even sure one should, be amiable that is.

[BADEN]

Gooooood grief.

What an obvious political kissy-face "gee, maybe she'll put me in the administration" piece.

"In the public arena, Dr. Kraus is also a noted political strategist and fundraiser. Her work over the past twenty years provides her with a rare and invaluable insight into the intersections of politics and technology."

I always look at the bio of the blogger.....

[juliatours]

I'm also an Obama supporter. And I'm annoyed that such a positive post was met with instant hostility from both sides. Grow up! We're on the same team- or have you forgotten that?

[Daisy1111]

The anti-Hillary responses in this thread support my opinion that this primary has been more about the liberal wing of the DNC wrestling power from the Centrist wing of the DNC than it has been about winning the White House.

I'd still like to know who fed the GOP anti-Hillary talking points to the "Obama supporters" on HuffPo who attack and demean Hillary at every turn.

Why any democrat would repeat the GOP/Newt Gingrich/Karl Rove/Ann Coulter faux-facts about Hillary astounds me.

Are you really Democrats? Are you Republicans in disguise who think you can beat Obama in November?

Or are you from the exreme left wing of the DNC who probably voted for Nader in 2004 causing Gore to lose.

Let's take a poll of these Democrat Hillary haters -- who did you vote for in 2004? It will reveal a lot.

[anon004]

And, of course, Hillary and her supporters never parroted any right-wing talking points about Obama (Is he a Muslim? "[pause], Not that I know of . . . " )

Didn't she meet with Richard Mellon-Sciafe and all the right-wingers herself and accept their support, so is she a Republican in disguise?

One thing you are absolutely right about is that "this primary has been . . . about the liberal wing of the DNC wrestling power from the Centrist wing of the DNC." Yes, the centrist wing of the DNC, led by the Clintons, who has been disasterous for working and poor people with NAFTA and welfare reform, not to mention having the uncanny ability to lose to Republicans at every turn becuase they're stuck back in the 1990s and mired in self-destructive scandals. So, thanks for the acknowledgement.

[altohone]

Of course this election is about wresting control of the party from the right-wing war voting corporatists.

How could you think otherwise? And, why do you blame "haters" after acknowledging the reality? Are you equating principled rejection due to policy with hate?

We're also determined to wrest control of the country from the same people, by the way.
Won't you join us?

[michellekraus]

Amen!

[mm29464]

i would also add that both hillary and her supporters have been dismissive, condescending, and hostile toward both obama and his supporters. "obamabots"?? do you hear anything like that coming from the other side. nope. but you all refer to obama and his supporters and being naive, cult-like, "the skies will open, the light will shine down...", "kid", elitist and yet stupid, the list goes on and on. furthermore, the clintons have used race-coded language and appeals to white rage and frustration as campaign tactics. they are pitting group against group for political gain. can there be anything more cynical. obama, on the other hand, wants to unite people and try to appeal to the better angels of human nature. when people oppose hillary it is not to her as a gendered person; it is her as a politican and the kind of politics she engages in and symbolizes. a large number of us are sick of triangulation and want to move forward and actually set about solving problems rather than playing into a politicians self-aggrandizement instead of the common good. you may not get it now. but we welcome you.

as a trained historian, i believe history will not judge hillary's campaign kindly. she and her husband have greatly diminished their reputations and legacies. it is so tragic, but that is what we have come to expect with the clintons. and that is what some of us are ready to turn the page on.

[SteveClements]

The divisiveness of Hillary and her campaign is proven by their own assertions that they will sit out or vote Republican in protest. The divisiveness is proven by the recent uproar over NARAL. Rather than being a uniter she divides asunder the feminist movement. My understanding is that feminism isn't just about electing women, otherwise we might as well bring back Phyllis Schafley, but about electing candidates who fight for issues of concern to all women and not just the select few of older, higher income, white women.