Subscribe to Breaking NewsA Few Clinton Supporters Still Hoping
You have to hand it to some of Hillary Clinton’s supporters. These “hardy few” are doing their best to make sure their candidate’s name is listed on the binding vote to be held at the upcoming Democratic convention. Called the Denver Group, the organization has asserted in newspaper ads that because neither Clinton nor Obama have the elected delegate count for the prize, a roll call of super delegates is required to clear things up.
It’s unclear if the group is reading the party’s rules right but Heidi Li Feldman, a co-founder of the Denver Group, insists on her blog her work for the roll call has everything to do with a principle instead of a person (although she does confess she wants Clinton to represent the party come the fall):
I am committed to enfranchisement, enfranchisement wherever franchise is offered. By exercising the franchise individuals go through a decision making process to resolve a situation that was not previously resolved. I insist that the superdelegates be meaningfully enfranchised at the Democratic National Convention, that they be given a real chance to make a real choice.
I’m sort of confused what a “real choice” actually means (and can the words super-delegates and enfranchisement be used in the same sentence without a fit of the giggles?). The only options at the end of the primary were Clinton and Obama and except for some style points the differences between those two were minimal at best. So the “choice” Professor Feldman is asking for is essentially between Coke and Pepsi. If that’s “real choice,” then we are in big trouble.
It’s ridiculous — and specious — to dismiss all Clinton supporters as “racist”, but unfortunately that’s the low level to which some Obama fanatics have sunk.
The FACT of the matter is that in none of the previous Democratic primaries did a second place finisher, especially one that was a close as Clinton was, fail to take it all the way to the convention. For Clinton to concede prior to the Convention given that she and Obama were nearly tied in the grand scheme of things is a remarkable act of party loyalty, and the party refuses to be as respectful and loyal to her.
Second place candidates that were LESS close than Clinton took it all the way to the Convention. This is a historical fact.
For the DNC to attempt to not even allow her candidacy to be submitted in the first round of voting — given all the history that other, less close, second place candidates were there — is an insult, and, frankly, a show of weakness on Obama’s part.
If everyone was so certain that the party had truly unified behind Obama, than giving Clinton the earned and deserved respect of having her nominated in the first round of voting would do no harm.
If, however — as may be the case — delegates and superdelegates are having “buyers remorse” about Obama, then it becomes clear why the DNC is trying to block these efforts — against tradition and its own rules — because they are afraid it will demonstrate that there are still many Democrats with serious reservations about Obama.
So much for democracy, transparency, letting the people have their voice… or “new” politics. What we are getting instead is an orchestrated, bullying, conformist, “free speech zone” spectacle, as if we were the GOP.
These so-called Clinton Hillary fanatics are frankly racist democrats who have figured out a politically correct way to express themselves.
This Obama guy is a man one Harvard professor described as the best all-round student he had seen in decades. Yes Harvard! This is also a man who put his own personal ambitions aside to serve for a lot less pay. He cares!
If these Hillarycrats were smart they would know that they are destroying Hillary instead. Even if they wrestle the nomination from Barack she cannot win the general election without his supporters. If the democractic party loses this presidential election because of Hillary supporters (and statistics will tell whom they voted for) she will not even win another senatorial election.
I don’t know. I think Hillary might make a much better USSC Justice or Attorney General than a running mate. She certainly has the credentials for it. With the exception of that silly violent video game ban (rolls eyes), she has a fairly strong civil liberties record. She has a lifetime rating of 75% from the ACLU and 100% from NOW. Hillary has also come out against domestic wiretapping and torture. And the Senate rarely votes down one of their own, so it would be a fairly safe nomination as well.
Don’t rule out the possibility that Obama may yet name Clinton as his Veep choice. He likes to surprise, and, like his current trip, Hilary’s annointing as VP would generate massive press coverage, again burying McCain.