Hillary's Concession Speech

Email Print posted by yturks 06/07/2008 01:12:21 PM EST

Google Technorati del.icio.us digg reddit
So a few hearty Young Turks fans and I live blogged through Hillary's exit speech Saturday afternoon. What did you all think. When she said that we all have to get behind Obama and support him so that he wins, she came out strong. I didn't detect hesitancy or any underlying, undercutting tones in her voice. On the other hand, she didn't really say much to support Obama personally, other than that he's a Democrat and agrees with her on everything.  And she didn't attempt to correct any of the specific damage she caused him, like when she said he's not ready to be Commander in Chief.

But then again on the good side, she didn't go around claiming she actually won (although she did mention the 18 million votes she received, but in a very small way which was fine).

But on the bad side, for a large portion of the speech she talked about herself.

She never mentioned McCain, but I don't know if that matters one way or another.

She did do a convincing job of saying everybody has to support Obama.  Overall I give it a B, but if you say C+ as one TYT fan did, I can't argue with that.  It depends on how much grade inflation you like to have.

David

< once more into the breach | Hillary's Concession Speech >
 Display:
Hillary's Concession Speech | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)
two cents (none / 0)
I missed the very first bit of her speech, but overall I agree with the B- or C+.  She seemed to go on and on about women and herself, like you said.  I'm not sure, but I think that was sort of a historic moment when she included gay rights in her bit about winning civil rights for Americans--has any other presidential candidate EVER come out and said that?  My favorite line was about an America with no prejudices.  I guess it was the last time she could really talk about herself, so I'll give her a passing grade.  She fought a tough battle!

by desertpear on 06/07/2008 01:46:28 PM EST

The boo's (none / 0)

Yes; and those came from those most likely to stay home, or to even vote for McCain.

A lot of work needs to be done to turn as many of them as  possible.

 

by saeed19 on 06/08/2008 09:25:03 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Did you hear the boos? (none / 0)
Every time she said "we need to throw our support behind Barack Obama" there was DEFINITELY a consistent crowd of people booing him.

by jarett on 06/07/2008 03:06:30 PM EST

OT - Watch KEYNOTE EVENT from MINN LIVE! (none / 0)
JUST GOT THIS IN MY E-MAIL from The Nation

7PM EST, 8PM CST 4PM PST
You can watch and listen to live streaming video and audio from the big keynote event tonight featuring Naomi Klein, Dan Rather, Arianna Huffington, Sen. Byron Dorgan, Grace Lee Boggs and many others. It starts tonight at 8:00pm CST. http://lyra.thenation.com/t /28432/60736/659/0/

by sbandb on 06/07/2008 03:20:52 PM EST

OT - Watch KEYNOTE EVENT from MINN LIVE! (none / 0)
JUST GOT THIS IN MY E-MAIL from The Nation

7PM EST, 8PM CST 4PM PST
You can watch and listen to live streaming video and audio from the big keynote event tonight featuring Naomi Klein, Dan Rather, Arianna Huffington, Sen. Byron Dorgan, Grace Lee Boggs and many others. It starts tonight at 8:00pm CST. http://lyra.thenation.com/t /28432/60736/659/0/

by sbandb on 06/07/2008 03:21:04 PM EST

Hillary's Concession Speech (none / 0)
"I am a woman and, like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious, and I want to build an America that respects every one of us.


"We must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers...


"Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it has about 18 million cracks in it and the light is shining through like never before."



CONQUERING PREJUDICE

"Let us resolve and work toward achieving a very simple proposition: there are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the 21st Century in our country...


"Children today will grow up taking for granted that an African-American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States."


Hillary Clinton

As a woman, who knows that women got the vote in this country ten years after the black men, and those women were jailed, beaten, raped, degraded, humiliated ... 


As a woman who made 10 times in sales what the men made in high tech and they still didn't want to pay me until I threatened a class action suit ...


As a woman, I'm incredibly proud of her.  Period.


Yes, we all need to get behind Obama and make this country a democracy again ...


But, I LOVE those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling.

Love,

Alixandra

by Alixandra on 06/07/2008 03:45:13 PM EST

I agree Alixandra .I made a point (none / 0)
to see the speech from beginning to end .  I think she did a great job. Kudos to her. She hit exactly the right note.  I was moved by the speech and I have no doubt we will be seeing more of her soon.

Im happy to be living in such historic times.

by Chinese Democracy on 06/07/2008 07:47:45 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Clinton (none / 0)
Impressed me as well, she did hit all the right notes! The question really now is, will her actions live up to her words? What was not so impressive was the reaction of the some of the crowd, core losers. They must have realized for some time Clinton was out of the running, and that voting for McCain is voting against everything women's lib, and Clinton actually stands for! Even not voting this Nov. is still a vote for McCain, so I am really disappointed by some of her supporters, but I am content with Clinton.

Blog: http://perspectivos.blogspo t.com/

by Nick86 on 06/07/2008 09:24:31 PM EST

Disappointing (none / 0)

Too much about Hillary. Little actual concession. Didn't blast McCain or apologize for attacks on obama. Can't be sure that she'll campaign seriously.

She's done too much to lose my trust in her.
She has a Hillary 2012 MySpace page with links to running as an independent.

I'm very disappointed in her and her campaign up to the end. I really thought she'd be good.

Big disappointment.

by zenie on 06/07/2008 10:47:40 PM EST

B- (none / 0)

I thought it was the strongest speech I've ever heard her give. So why the B-?

You have to understand this speech in light of the fact that Hillary's campaign owes $30 million, including significant cashola to one Mark Penn. How much money would it take for you to sound convincing? She needs Barack to help settle that debt, because after her concession, nobody's going to help her out without appeals from the man with the master plan.

The high point of the speech was when she said, thinking about what might have been, "don't go there." I felt like I was hearing a little bit of Hillary sans consultants. Overall, it was, finally, a graceful exit. But I agree with Dave that she talked mostly about herself and did little to undo the damage of the past 4 months.

If she proves me wrong, and plays a significant role in helping Obama to win this election, even after her debt is settled, I think that history will judge her kindly. And I would sincerely hope under those circumstances that she continues to be a lion of the democratic party. 

by hazmat on 06/07/2008 11:10:44 PM EST

Hillary's Speech (none / 0)

I haven't liked what Clinton has done in the last several weeks. She has done damage to Obama, and to the party.

However the speech, given the situation, deserves an A.  Did you hear the boo's?  Those were coming from the people who were the most important audience for the speech, because they are ones who are most likely to stay home or to even vote for McCain.

If she had been more flowery, spoke about Obama more, there would have been more boo's.  

There are many Clinton supporters who need to go through a healing process, and the speech was a first step.  It struck a balance.  

The important thing is that her support was unequivocal and unambiguous.  

More important that the speech will be the next few weeks and what she does/doesn't do to continue her support.

 

by saeed19 on 06/08/2008 09:23:46 AM EST

after seeing the reax (none / 0)
from strong Clinton supporters like gov. kaine and charlie rangel on the sunday shows I sort of agree with you. I think for once in this campaign she hit the right note. I remain skeptical of her motives though.

by hazmat on 06/08/2008 03:24:05 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Hillary's Concession Speech | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)
 Display: