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A Clear Message from Hillary: It's About Obama, Not Me

The only question was this: would there be a hint of resentment or reluctance in her speech, any sign of holding back? But Hillary Clinton, on the second night of the Democratic convention and in a much-anticipated speech, offered a loud and clear message to her supporters: get behind Barack Obama. In the opening moments of her speech, she identified herself as a "a proud supporter of Barack Obama" and declared,

I haven't spent the past 35 years in the trenches advocating for children, campaigning for universal health care, helping parents balance work and family, and fighting for women's rights at home and around the world...to see another Republican in the White House.

No ambiguity there.

Prior to the speech, a parlor game for the politerati assembled in Denver was to trade gossip and rumors indicating that the Clintons might not be fully with the elect-Obama program. A prominent Obama supporter said she had heard that the Clinton speech would be "bad for us." A reporter said that he had heard that a top Clinton aide was trash-talking Obama to other reporters. This all fed the only narrative of conflict at the convention: the Clintons versus Obama. But right before the speech, Joe Lockhart, who was a press secretary for President Bill Clinton, said to me that Hillary Clinton would put this subplot to rest.

And it seemed she did--at least for the night. It's true, as several political reporters near me noted as soon as she was done, that she had not said that Obama would be ready to be president on Day One. There was nothing resembling a retraction of her it's-three-in-the-morning attack on Obama. She did not announce that she would ask her delegates to vote for him during the roll call on Wednesday night. And she had one slight dig at Obama when she said, "I can't wait to watch Barack Obama sign a health care plan into law that covers every single American." (During the campaign, she had blasted him for promoting a health care plan that would not cover every one at the start.)

But much of the speech was addressed to her supporters, and she encouraged them to fall in line. After telling of her campaign trail encounters with individual Americans facing tough times, she said to all those Hillaryites in the hall and at home:

I want to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible.

That passage could be read as a gentle get-over-it.

Clinton took the requisite shots at John McCain, demonstrating she could be an effective critic of him in the weeks ahead. She emphasized the historic nature of her candidacy, paying tribute to the champions of women's rights who came before her. Drawing on a story about the grit and determination of Harriet Tubman, the antislavery activist, she told her supporters that they had to "keep going...keep going...keep going" and that they had to "get going by electing Barack Obama."

There will still be media speculation that her heart is not in sync with this rhetoric. Reporters (myself included) will not stop looking for signs that the Clintons are not doing everything possible to put Obama in the White House. And, no doubt, some of the Hillary Hold-ons will continue to complain about Obama and keep alive for the media the story of scorned Hillary supporters. But in the convention hall, before a sea of white Hillary signs and thousands of cheering fans, Hillary Clinton spoke to her people. She gave them clear instructions. She demonstrated her ability to be a forceful and passionate advocate for Obama. She did what was expected of her, producing the best performance of the evening. And now that she has done that, what will counts is what she--and her husband (who will address the convention Wednesday night)--will do for Obama in the intense weeks to come.

Comments

Anybody else notice
1.) How she listed her roles and excluded being a wife.
2.) Michelle Obama pursing her lips as Hillary praised Barack. She looked like she was holding back a lot of anger.

I'm sorry, but that speech was forced and fake. Just downright fake. A great deal of her speaking is just fake. That joke about McCain and Bush being the same was so rehearsed! I'm sorry for Obama having to put up with her narcissism.

Given that, bring it on PUMAs!

Posted by: Jay on 08/26/08 at 11:16 PM Respond

I thought that Hillary's speech was excellent, and a very strong statement in favor of the best American values, the American people in general, and of Barack Obama for President. Who could ask for anything more? Hillary is no saint, but she is smart, pragmatic, and light years ahead of
Bush, McCain, and most other Republicans poli-tically.

-----Jeff Swint Smith

Posted by: Jeff Swint Smith on 08/27/08 at 12:01 AM Respond

PUMA. LOL! What a sad bunch of pathetic spoiled ingrates. The same with that pathetic group VETS FOR FREEDOM. Tell these groups to go do something constructive like... ohhh... say...help young toddler & infant boys and girls that are raped and molested. To offer their services at homeless shelters. To buy a group ticket and fly to Dar Fur and help the beaten, raped and maimed women, children and men. Oh, no. PUMA and VETS FOR FREEDOM would rather stay in their yard and bark all day. PATHETIC.

Posted by: You May Disagree, But You Know I'm Right on 08/27/08 at 7:26 AM Respond

Now those spoiled little Clinton supporters can shut their pathetic yaps and stop acting like little children that they are, grow up, and support the next president of the USA (Obama) in order to get this country turned around.

Posted by: You May Disagree, But You Know I'm Right on 08/27/08 at 7:28 AM Respond

The problem with the Clinton’s is that it isn’t what they say, it is what they do – especially behind the scenes. I think that they have proven that they can not be trusted.

Jay – when has Hillary ever come off as sincere?
Jeff - My 13 year old neice is light years ahead of McBush.

Posted by: kirkbrew on 08/27/08 at 10:55 AM Respond

Was Hillary's speech sincere? Yes, I think it was, but does it really matter? Hillary said what she had to say to unify the party and survive politically.

Disgruntled Hillary supporters were encouraged to support the Democratic ticket. Hillary's point about what they were working for as opposed to who they were working for was right on target.

There are very few differences between Hillary and Obama - health care being mandatory and the schedule for troop withdrawal from Iraq were the only differences I'm aware of.

There will still be some Hillary supporters who will remain angry that she didn't win. Some won't vote at all while others will vote for McCain. Either way, we all lose if they chose to do that.

Posted by: Kaiser Sosay on 08/27/08 at 12:44 PM Respond

Ask someone who listened to this speech one week from now just what it was Hillary said.
You will not be surprised at the response. Either "I don't remember", or "_____________ (standard Demo talking point)"

Posted by: Sntauri on 08/27/08 at 2:36 PM Respond

this was a fine speech -- to be given just after she lost. months ago.

Posted by: open season for pumas on 08/27/08 at 2:46 PM Respond