Senator Hillary Clinton won two of three Democratic Party primary elections (Puerto Rico and South Dakota, but not Montana) held in the past three days. But Senator Barack Obama seems headed for the party's presidential nomination. Clinton spoke to reporters tonight not in South Dakota, where she won, but in New York City, where even one of the NYC volunteers who participated in the "Honk and Hollar" outside of Fourth Street Live and the Seelbach Hilton hotel on Election Day, May 20 (just two short weeks ago) again stood behind her on TV. Although much of what Clinton said was from her stump speech, she still used notes and she still talked through applause line (just as Vice President Gore had done during his like hers belated populist campaign of 2000). Apparently bargaining behind the scenes for the vice presidential nomination - she told supporters earlier in the day on a private phone call that she'd accept it if offered - she still declined to concede, telling her supporters she'd spend days plotting her next move. And she asked us not to send money - and indeed we received no e-mail from her today asking for money - but ask us to go on her Web site and use that to send her messages about what she should do. (The talking heads on Cable News Network were unanimous today that Obama should not pick her, that it'd be inconsistent with his change, reaching out to independent voters approach - I'm not sure - It's pretty clear that Obama won and Clinton lost because she went along with her political strategists' tactic of campaigning only in the biggest states, completely ignoring the Democratic Party's rules and assuming a Super Tuesday knockout - not that Democratic Party voters clearly prefer Obama.) One of Clinton's best moments of the campaign - and I've watcher her a lot - came when she talked about a woman she met yesterday in South Dakota who asked her to keep working to get her health insurance. This was Clinton at her best, slowing down and talking for emphasis, referring to the many people I saw whisper in her and President Clinton's ears asking for help in fighting to help solve the people's problems. Bill and Chelsea Clinton greeted her after what may be her/their final campaign speech.
But, then, Senator Obama and Michelle took the stage in the downtown St. Paul arena that I passed almost every work day for a year, where I watched Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young in October 2004 in what was essentially a fund-raiser for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign. Obama was nearly at his best, lauding Clinton and even the old pre-2008 John McCain effusively, then training his attack on McCain and also inspiring more generally. After a while, I noticed that Obama - speaking in a much larger venue, with some 20,000 people inside the arena where the Republican National Convention will take place in early September (also where the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild play) and some 15,000 people outside- used a teleprompter. But, no matter, Obama did not talk through applause lines - or, if he did, the crowd went with and he soared. The only hiccup came at the end when the crowd cheered through a litany of Obama lines, but then died down just before he stopped. Old favorite David Gergen said no one has spoken like that since President Reagan (who Gergen worked for, before working for President Clinton), though they also noted that Obama - who for the first time said he would become the nominee - could have been more definite had Hillary actually conceded.
Clinton may pursue the health care issue, where her and Obama's positions actually diverge somewhat (her people said his plan guarantees coverage for no one) and education reform (she's for repealing No Child Left Behind). But I noticed that Obama tonight more than ever has adopted some of President and Senator Clintons' lines - talking about "shared prosperity" - and - really his litancy of issues - and remember I haven't heard him speak in person for nearly two years - since I missed him in Louisville 2 1/2 weeks ago - sounded almost identical to hers. Whether this issue convergence will turn into a Clinton concession/endorsement and/or a Clinton on the ticket remains to be seen. What is clear is: it's been a wild ride, but it may now behoove the Democrats to join forces, and quickly.
But, then, Senator Obama and Michelle took the stage in the downtown St. Paul arena that I passed almost every work day for a year, where I watched Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young in October 2004 in what was essentially a fund-raiser for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign. Obama was nearly at his best, lauding Clinton and even the old pre-2008 John McCain effusively, then training his attack on McCain and also inspiring more generally. After a while, I noticed that Obama - speaking in a much larger venue, with some 20,000 people inside the arena where the Republican National Convention will take place in early September (also where the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild play) and some 15,000 people outside- used a teleprompter. But, no matter, Obama did not talk through applause lines - or, if he did, the crowd went with and he soared. The only hiccup came at the end when the crowd cheered through a litany of Obama lines, but then died down just before he stopped. Old favorite David Gergen said no one has spoken like that since President Reagan (who Gergen worked for, before working for President Clinton), though they also noted that Obama - who for the first time said he would become the nominee - could have been more definite had Hillary actually conceded.
Clinton may pursue the health care issue, where her and Obama's positions actually diverge somewhat (her people said his plan guarantees coverage for no one) and education reform (she's for repealing No Child Left Behind). But I noticed that Obama tonight more than ever has adopted some of President and Senator Clintons' lines - talking about "shared prosperity" - and - really his litancy of issues - and remember I haven't heard him speak in person for nearly two years - since I missed him in Louisville 2 1/2 weeks ago - sounded almost identical to hers. Whether this issue convergence will turn into a Clinton concession/endorsement and/or a Clinton on the ticket remains to be seen. What is clear is: it's been a wild ride, but it may now behoove the Democrats to join forces, and quickly.
Tell Clinton what you think by sending her a message here: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/splash/sdmt/
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