BlogHer - 2008 presidential campaign - Comments

Double-edged and Intersections...

Yvette Perry — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:05:16 -0500

I think many of us in our discussions fail to consistently see the double-edged nature of these two campaigns: race helps in some cases and hurts in others; gender helps in some cases and hurts in others. Being well educated is "smart" in some cases, "elitism" in others.

Similarly--A BO/HRC ticket would be a dream to some and a nightmare to others. Some folks who would be OK with either a Black man or a White woman alone would not be comfortable with both at the same time. Not to mention a long history of racial/sexual imagery such a pairing would invoke for some (many).

Recoiling from this elephant in the room might make us temporarily comfortable, but make no mistake that we as a country are not past these kinds of subliminal worries and it will become an issue if these two run as a pres/VP team.

Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Links to all three speeches - Obama, Clinton, McCain

Catherine Morgan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:26:39 -0500

Here are links to all three speeches from tonight...

Barack Obama Speech

http://politicsanew.com/2008/06/04/video-of-barack-obamas-speech-june-3-2008/

Hillary Clinton Speech

http://politicsanew.com/2008/06/03/video-of-hillary-clinton-speech-june-3-2008/

John McCain Speech and blogger reactions

http://politicsanew.com/2008/06/03/video-of-john-mccain-speech-june-3-2008/

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

I want her to unify the party

Erin Kotecki Vest — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:20:43 -0500

And I do not think staying in, when the race is over, unifies the party.

Tonight she had the opportunity to at least BEGIN to bring the party together, and she couldn't even muster acknowledging Obama now has the delegates.

Instead I heard how she has won more swings states.
How she has the popular vote.
How she will fight for your vote to be heard.
All fine and good when it's put in the context of unifying the democratic party-which she made only ONE reference too.

One.

The rest was all about her.

Not to mention she spoke after McCain spoke-and praised her up and down and sideways.

Not a word about McCain.
Zip.

Here we have the GOP nominee talking about how GREAT Clinton is for what seemed like EONS of time, and while the Dems are divided Clinton does NOTHING to bring the sides together but instead continue the battle on every single thing that has occurred.

I want the VP that is best for this country and can beat the GOP. If she's it-great. If OBAMA is the best VP-great.

But I want team players. Right now it sure does not feel like she's on my team.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

I Agree - She Shouldn't Drop Out

Gena Haskett — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:57:43 -0500

She should take it to the convention because I resent the news media dictating who is and isn't the nominee.

I don't think she should be his VP. Way too much bad blood has been spilled and can you imaging the ruckus when in the third year she starts campaigning for the office of President?

Frankly I wouldn't trust her behind my back if I was President. I'm still mad at not one, not two but three bone-head statements coming out of her mouth.

That White House would be rocking with stories leaking all over the joint about what one did to the other. And nobody seems to answer the question "What would you do about Bill?"

Gena - Out On The Stoop

My very professional opinion

HeatherB — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:05:04 -0500

As a blogger and as a long time member of the Democratic Party even though I am only 24; I don't think she should concede and I hope she doesn't. This is the most democratic process and it is being played out to the fullest as it should be. People who suggest that she should drop out, etc. are the same people who once upon a time got all upset that New Hampshire and Iowa practically determined who the nominee would be and the convention was rather superfluous. Now every single vote counts and I think it's fair and right and that the actual delegates at the convention should be able to vote on who the nominee should be as the rules of the Democratic Party explicitly state.

Heather B.
Personal Blog: No Pasa Nada
BlogHer CE: Business, Career & Personal Finance

Mmmmm... this shoe is quite flavourful...

nelle2nelle — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:35:00 -0500

Just reading on MSNBC that Hillary expressed interest today in the veep position to Congressional reps from NY.

So much for my thinking she would not be interested...

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/03/1102583.aspx

nelle

Ok I'm going to disagree don't zap my html code tho ok? :)

Jill Miller Zimon — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:33:30 -0500

I think they can pull it off, if they really want to re: Obama w/HRC as VP. Their dedication to the Democratic party is really unshakable. I believe her stock is only going to go up now. It is sad - I got chills listening to her, but I do not see her as a spoiler taking it to the convention. I just don't - being a realist as well as a fighter has been a Clinton Hallmark.

And you know what I think is the biggest reason she won't go to the convention? Chelsea. Chelsea as the embodiment of what we have GOT to get done now - that the fighting it to the convention hurts the future generations.

Clinton has already shown us everything there is to fighting - going to the DNC doesn't amplify that, it looks delusional, sadly, because in a democracy, we end up yielding to the Supreme Court no matter how we hated it and we yield to the process that she helped put in place re: the delegates.

This is what we do - we fight we win we lose we go on and we do. She is a doer who does by fighting for something - I don't think there's anything more to fight for now - she wanted everyone to vote - they voted. Now, the only one she'd be fighting for would be herself - assuming she can exact promises from the Obama campaign to take care of the Clinton constituencies.

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Hillary just gave an EXCELLENT speech.

Catherine Morgan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:55:40 -0500

Hillary just gave an EXCELLENT speech.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

Not a Dream Ticket

Candelaria Silva — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:41:09 -0500

I don't see Obama and Clinton on the same ticket. I belive some of the nastiness that occurred from her and her camp was beyond simple politics.

I've read all the posts above and thought and thought and thought about it - and I just don't think the two of them will work. I will respect Obama more for not caving in to people who call for him to pick Hillary.

And Bill - tired of him. He adds nothing to the party at this point.

And what about Bill?

Laracolvin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:21:39 -0500

I'm not opposed to a joint ticket right now with BO and HRC, but Bill scares the bejeebers out of me. I worry he'd somehow screw it up...he's being setting himself a pretty fine precendent this primary season.

Notions of Identity

Not a rebel

Denise — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:18:45 -0500

OK OK so I am a rebel. I'm also a conservative democrat who tends to be slightly pessimistic.

I simply do not believe these two people and all of their camps can work together to bring effective leadership to the White House. And, I do not want ineffective leadership in there for another four years.

The question for me is - can an Obama/Clinton ticket really work together and get things done? Can John McCain bring in a team who can work together and get things done?

I'm leading on a no for those two from the blue team and a yes for the red team (though without knowing who the second in command is for the red team, I'm still holding out.)

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

While there is...

nelle2nelle — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:13:48 -0500

an argument to be made along those lines, I don't see it working on other levels.

Hillary is not one to take a position that is toothless. Obama would have to cede a good deal of authority to her, and I seriously doubt that is going to happen.

I can't blame Hillary in turn for not wishing to be in a position where she has little actual authority.

And then there is Bill. If Hillary were the nominee and subsequently president, she has the say, Bill has to listen. If Bill goes off on another of his tangents, he is going to look bad in the eyes of the public. As the spouse of the veep, he is has far less keeping him in check, and he would give Obama indigestion within a year. Imagine your new assistant's spouse having once held your position?

If I were Hillary, the Senate would be where I'd stay - unless Obama gives me the authority desired.

nelle

I Totally Agree

Megan Smith — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:11:23 -0500

They're politicians and they know you don't always get what you want the way you want it.

The candidates' supporters would fall into line for the most part, if Obama and Hillary presented a united front.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube
Megan's Minute
Video Runway

I disagree

Liz Rizzo — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:05:00 -0500

I think people sometimes confuse ambition with selfishness. I think Hillary Clinton is wonderfully, fabulously ambitious, and I think she cares deeply about America and the Democratic Party.

But we shall see.

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

McCain ...

PunditMom — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:03:19 -0500

... will seize that moment. He already has started, suggesting in his blogger conference calls and news releases that he is somehow more pro-feminist because he wants to have a "conversation" with us.

Don't be fooled!

PunditMom