Hillary's speech

Well, when Jenn picks herself up off the floor, I expect to see her post here. DH & I thought it was a great speech - she really threw her support behind Obama - and made it clear she wants her supporters to do the same.

Loved the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuits" line.

Kris?? How ya feeling these days?

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Hillary's speech

It was a well-delivered, inspiring speech that was all about her. I bet there are a lot of people at the DNC who are privately wondering if maybe they made a mistake.

She gave NO reason for her support for Obama outside her own positions and interests. I thought that was really funny. She framed everything as "I believe X, Y, and Z. I fought for A, B, and C when seeking the nomination. Obama believes these things and fights for these things. Therefore, I support Obama!!" Very big of her. How about extol some of his strengths and positions, outside YOUR accomplishments and interests? How about going the real mile and saying, "Obama is READY TO LEAD and I am ready to follow to join forces and make this country great!!!!" or something like that. Nope. In the end, it really was all about her.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Hillary's speech

I think you could tell what Obama's campaign's reaction was to her speech by looking at Michelle's face during it. Someone really needs to talk to her about how she's going to be on TV more then she might think. :huh: Most of the time she looked much less then impressed.

Re: Hillary's speech

DH's cousin also mentioned the way that Hillary talked about HER values and then stressed that Obama shares them. She (the cousin) was really torked off about it. I'm not. The truth is that their platforms were nearly identical, and we've known for a long, long time that they shared most of the same views. I've got no problem with her stressing that to her (highly committed) supporters, and asking that they look at the bigger picture rather than continue being angry that she didn't get the nomination. She's got some supporters who just want her, and if they can't have HER ... well, they just won't vote - or they'll vote for McCain, who most certianly does NOT share her views.

I loved when she asked people to ask themselves WHY they did all this work. Was it just for her? Or was it for the country? I understand people being disappointed b/c they wanted a woman in the White House - I can't tell you how many people I've heard say "It was her time." - but if they truly believe in what she stands for then they'll follow her lead.

As to why she needs to get them there - as I said - some of these women are committed to her. The race for the nomination got ugly, and everyone was worried about the party being fractured. What's that line about Republicans supporting their own, and Democrats eating their own?

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Hillary's speech

This may not be the place for it but am I the only one that thinks its odd that Biden has to share "his night" with Bill?

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Hillary's speech

No I don't think its odd that he gets to speak - I would expect no less. But why should Biden have to share his night?

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Hillary's speech

some of these women are committed to her. . . .

Boy, oh, boy, are you right about that!! They are militant, even cultish. They have all the rapid enthusiasm of an over-the-top Oprah fanatic, but layered into that a sense of moral imperativeness. I didn't fully appreciate or recognize it until the convention began. Holy cow. I don't understand how she does it (not because I do not like Hillary, but because I don't generally get that inspired by a person, as versus a cause or position), but I have to say--the Republicans could use that kind of enthusiasm. I don't anticipate anyone shedding tears of devotion when the nominees and speakers are introduced next week...

[DCJenn]

Re: Hillary's speech

I thought she did a magnificent job of doing exactly what she needed to do. I think her most powerful argument was to remind these die-hard supporters of her that if they REALLY do support her then remember the people that she wanted to represent.

I think it was less "all about me" as it was "yes, it sucks but unless you get your shit together, people, we're going to have 4 more years of the same." I think she did an excellent job of turning it so that it makes it OK for her militant supporters to vote for Obama.

I really liked the speech and I don't really think Michelle Obama looked like she didn't like it- I think she looked very much surprised but the support that HRC was throwing Barack's way.

jenn

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Hillary's speech

Wasn't cultish the term used to refer to Obama supporters that sent many of them into orbit?

Call me cultish if you must...I am sure that most everyone here will disagree with me...but this is how I feel:

I don't think that we as Americans really take the time to evaluate our candidates based on their actual performance and issues (I include myself in this criticism)...We are just too hard on them in the wrong way. I don't know if this makes much sense, but...we focus too much on things like hairstyles, mis-statements and personal issues instead of becoming more critical about the issues themselves.

None of the candidates are bad people or want anything less than the best for this country...but somehow we get so caught up in the scandals and personalities that we can forget WHAT we are voting for. Often times, it seems like our media is even concocting some of those scandals and they turn out to be false.

For example, I found it ridiculous that all day there were complaints about HRC possiblyasking for a roll call. It would be totally appropriate...the democratic party has a HISTORY of honoring candidates with these roll calls and it has never been questioned in the past. Why now? Also, her speech was very positive and came out in strong support of Obama...and yet today I was listening to the criticisms that she didn't go far enough, etc. We have had candidates in the past who have refused to acknowledge the winner of the primaries in their speeches, have taken the fight to the convention floor (umm...didn't Ted Kennedy do this???) That all seems to be a long-forgotten memory though.

I don't think negativity gets us anywhere...but I think that honesty goes a long way in making changes in our country and sometimes we lose touch with that. While we are celebrating Biden's pick as VP (and I personally actually like Joe Biden) no one is touching on his ties with the credit card industry and MBNA bank. Though we are mightily criticizing HRC for mildly, mildly disparaging things she said during the primaries (something common for the primaries, of course) we are trying to ignore the things that Biden said about Obama (and that McCain took advantage of in his first ad out.). We are willing to criticize HRC bitterly, with joy even, while overlooking the same behavior in someone else that we can forgive and celebrate.

I...am on the fence about where I'm at with politics right now. I believe politics to be a highly personal issue and I know that many people vote a certain way because they feel strongly about a certain issue, idea or solution to a problem. I have always voted and taken my time to decide without my heart getting in the way...at least I've tried.

This time, I'm having difficulty...as a woman... I guess I'm at a point in my life where I feel discouraged by the fact that even though HRC might not have been the right candidate, I feel that sexism is one of the last remaining acceptable forms of prejudice. No one from the democratic party stepped in while news commentators and democrats debated her hormones, tears, pantsuits, weight gain and overall bitchiness. Is she too emotional? Not emotional enough? Does she look like a bumble bee in her pantsuit...and where did she buy those...Kmart? I began feeling very upset with the fact that as a society we have still not come far enough that things don't get personal when it comes to supporting or not supporting a female candidate. I can only begin to imagine the outrage if truly racist issues were discussed openly about Obama. Though the media implied that they were at times...there were not really discussions and criticisms lobbied against him with the same viciousness.

I feel like it is time for equality truly to take root in this society...I think it is incredible that Obama is the democratic nominee...it is historic...and I don't want to downplay that at all. My disappointment instead is with a party and a society willing and eager to disparage a candidate for her femaleness and not because of her performance.

There you have it...

[houseelf]

Re: Hillary's speech

This time, I'm having difficulty...as a woman... I guess I'm at a point in my life where I feel discouraged by the fact that even though HRC might not have been the right candidate, I feel that sexism is one of the last remaining acceptable forms of prejudice. No one from the democratic party stepped in while news commentators and democrats debated her hormones, tears, pantsuits, weight gain and overall bitchiness. Is she too emotional? Not emotional enough? Does she look like a bumble bee in her pantsuit...and where did she buy those...Kmart? I began feeling very upset with the fact that as a society we have still not come far enough that things don't get personal when it comes to supporting or not supporting a female candidate. I can only begin to imagine the outrage if truly racist issues were discussed openly about Obama. Though the media implied that they were at times...there were not really discussions and criticisms lobbied against him with the same viciousness.

ITA with this. Can you imagine the moral outrage if a supporter used a racial slur against Obama or if a reporter opined that he dressed, acted or spoke "too ethnic"? If a Muslim, Gay, Hispanic, Jewish, or Handicapped politician were insulted with a corresponding epithet denigrating his person while a candidate stood by and tacitly agreed to such description, people would be hell-fired up. At a minimum, there would be a national discourse condemning such behavior and placing the topic of the candidate's or the media's bias on the table.

While I'm not a Hillary supporter, as a woman, I'm pissed on her behalf. God forbid a woman look "fat" or "unfashionable".

Kelly

Re: Hillary's speech

I have to admit, while watching Hillary's speech I found myself for a brief moment wondering if supported to right candidate. Hopefully, after Obama's eight years she'll run again.

I don't know about the rest of you, but after watching Lilly Ledbetter from Gadsden, Alabama give her speech I will never buy Goodyear again.

Re: Hillary's speech

While we are celebrating Biden's pick as VP (and I personally actually like Joe Biden) no one is touching on his ties with the credit card industry and MBNA bank. Though we are mightily criticizing HRC for mildly, mildly disparaging things she said during the primaries (something common for the primaries, of course) we are trying to ignore the things that Biden said about Obama (and that McCain took advantage of in his first ad out.). We are willing to criticize HRC bitterly, with joy even, while overlooking the same behavior in someone else that we can forgive and celebrate.

I do agree with you here. Remember, Biden is the one who said (paraphrased) "this is the first time we have an African-American who is clean cut, well spoken" blah, blah, blah .... That's the first thing I thought of when they announced Biden. Geez -- someone is going to have to put a tape delay on his mouth!

As I said many times during the primaries - I do agree that Hillary got a raw deal in many ways. Even just searches for t-shirts turned up so many truly appalling "slogans" against Hillary that really made my skin crawl.

I think she did a fantastic job last night. I don't think she "didn't go far enough" or whatever the pundits might be saying. I think she deserved her time in the spotlight, and I have no issue with a roll call vote. The woman earned 18 million votes - to decry a roll call vote is to try to act as though that didn't happen!

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Hillary's speech

The roll call vote, or trying to get rid of it, is the one thing I don't get. Its ALWAYS done, regardless of the candidates, regardless of the votes. Now just because the primary was so close they want to do away with it. Because she's a woman? Probably. The next 10 weeks can't get over fast enough, I'm going to be so done with this election after next week.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Hillary's speech

While we are celebrating Biden's pick as VP (and I personally actually like Joe Biden) no one is touching on his ties with the credit card industry and MBNA bank.

Good point. I am shocked that no one has commented on this, frankly. It was the FIRST thing I thought: HE'S the guy they're pitching as the ally of the "lunchbucket" crew? I don't think so!! All the CC issuers are located in ... you got it: Delaware. He spearheaded numerous of the VERY pro-CC company friendly and very consumer debtor-unfriendly changes made in 2005 to the federal Bankruptcy Code.

[DCJenn]

Re: Hillary's speech

Actually, it was already discussed- NPR dissected it a few days ago.

See, if everyone would stop listening to the windbag Rush and tune into REAL radio, they'd learn things.

But, gotta go back and watch my people.

J.

PS- I haven't felt this good since I waited in line for two hours to vote for Clinton AND won a $100 bet that night.