From the Obama campaign:
"Since June, Senators Obama and Clinton have been working together to ensure a Democratic victory this November. They are both committed to winning back the White House and to to ensuring that the voices of all 35 million people who participated in this historic primary election are respected and heard in Denver. To honor and celebrate these voices and votes, both Senator Obama's and Senator Clinton's names will be placed in nomination."
“I am convinced that honoring Senator Clinton's historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion,” said Senator Barack Obama."
Senator Obama’s campaign encouraged Senator Clinton's name to be placed in nomination as a show of unity and in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation’s primary contests.
“With every voice heard and the Party strongly united, we will elect Senator Obama President of the United States and put our nation on the path to peace and prosperity once again,” said Senator Hillary Clinton.
Senator Obama and Senator Clinton are looking forward to a convention unified behind Barack Obama as the Party’s nominee and to victory this fall for America."
Immediately bloggers and others responded with joy, unease, and confusion.
Kbuczko twitters, "Not so sure about Clinton agenda for Convention seems disruptive..."
Suburban Guerrilla writes, simply, "Interesting"
While Talk Left's Jeralyn points to reports "...The most likely scenario is that Hillary's name will be placed in nomination. She will then release and turn over her delegate votes to Obama."
My first reaction? Uncomfortable. However I applaud the gesture.
What do you think about Clinton getting a roll call vote in Denver?
Comments
Missing the Point.
I think the Obama camp is missing the point, as well as is the DNC. All candidates that held delegates through the primary season should be on the floor for voting. Everyone who's "pledged" their vote to a certain candidate hasn't signed any contracts - they are legally allowed to change their mind until the day of the contest.
I don't agree that Hillary Clinton should be given a "pity" vote - that's what it seems like they are proposing.
So you're saying the 'gesture' amounts to
'pity?'
You're not the only one
http://twitter.com/TXPoppet/statuses/887578221
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
Heads I win, Tails you lose?
So, by that logic,NOT allowing her name to be placed in nomination would be a snub, allowing it to be placed is somehow a "pity vote"?
Where is the solution? Facts are facts. He has more delegates than she does, he is the presumptive nominee. They have agreed upon this solution, evidently, though I don't trust Hillary Clinton even a tiny little bit.
All of the risk is taken by Obama with this scenario, small as it might (or might not) be. How is that a 'pity vote'?
karoli
odd time signatures (life)
bang the drum (politics)
Hillary!
I'm fascinated. I didn't believe the rumblings would actually lead to this. I'm also thrilled and am now looking forward to the DNC in a way that I wasn't before.
~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager
Flamingo House Happenings
Something More
What I'm saying is simply, I don't believe that Hillary's "historic" campaign should be the reason she's on the floor for voting - she should be there because pledged delegates have not voted yet. She (and everyone else with pledged delegates, for that matter) should stand before the committe for the vote.
I say this with all respect; I just feel that she deserves to be in the vote because of her hard work and great achievements, regardless of the fact that she's a woman. I think it's great that Obama would be the one to suggest this, though I'm hardly convinced it's for any other reason than to win her voters.
Remember the courtesy that has been extended
One wonders if the tables were turned, if the same courtesy would have been extended to Senator Obama? Politics has always been played as hardball as possible and the winner simply does not have to accomodate the loser...age, race, gender notwithstanding. Winner takes all!
On the other hand, one of the areas which Senator Obama has discussed is changing the tenor of the dialogue among those with whom we disagree, agreeing to disagree and extending his hand to those on the other side of the aisle as well as those on the same side of the aisle...(although Lieberman is pushing the envelope beyond its capacity). I respect Senator Obama's decision to extend this courtesy to Senator Clinton for whatever reason. I trust him and support him therefore I am comfortable with HIS decision. I must say at this point I doubt this has as much to do with her supporters as it has to do with the unspoken rules within the halls of Congress and among legislators themselves to allow their colleagues (especially those on the same side of the aisle) to walk away from a hard fought contest with pride and honor. I think it is the mark of this honorable man to always be gracious.
Dogs and Ponies
As usual, the Dems are planning one helluva show. Is there any such thing as a boring Democratic Convention?
Nordette is a Contributing Editor with BlogHer.com whose personal blog is hosted on another site at this link.
Confusing
I'm no electoral expert, far from it, but I do consider myself a fairly informed voter. The way we elect a president in this country makes no damn sense to me.
Nerd's Eye View
Why not?
I'm not sure why anyone should feel uncomfortable. If the shoe was on the other foot, Obama's delegates would want the same thing for his historic effort, as well. Nothing is taken away from Obama and he probably gains more of Clilnton's supporters this way.
Seems like a win/win to me.
PunditMom, BlogHer Politics & News Contributing Editor
Also at MOMocrats, The Huffington Post & MomsRising
Just Politics
This is what they call making everyone happy. Happens all the time in all sorts of arenas. At the end of the day, everyone gets to walk away with their heads held high. But, it really doesn't mean much to the voters at all, now does it.
Laurie J. Storey-Manseau
www.walkinginmysleep.com
www.storeymanseau.com
Holding Out for Hillary
Well, my first reaction is - she earned all those delegates so why wouldn't she be on the ballot? She's only 200 delegates shy of the nomination herself. Supposedly the convention is where all the actual counting is supposed to take place - it's only the news that makes us believe a winner is predetermined.
That said, I was surprised to hear two Republican women say, at a party, they were holding out hope that Hillary will actually still take the nomination.
I examined, on Blog Fabulous, today any possibilities where this might occur. I came up with only two:
I'm not hopeful of either of these two things. But I very much hope that Obama will respect Hillary's wide support and names her Vice President.
Empowering Girls: So Sioux Me
Blog Fabulous
we're planning on spending that much money
...
There is an Irish joke that goes something like this. It's Christmas Time, a Dublin man, sprawled out on the sofa, watching the telly, when his wife comes home with the shopping. He looks up at her, and says, "so, wha' do y'want for Christmas?"The wife, clearly exhausted, drops the shopping bags on the floor and says, "I want ... a divorce," (thick Dublin accent).
And the man goes, "ah now, I wasn't plannin on spendin' that much muney."
And so it goes that Hillary gets to have her name included in the roll call at the convention. She gets to speak -- last speech of the night on Tuesday, so the climax of the night if you will -- her husband gets to speak on Wednesday, and then either on Wednesday or Thursday, her delegates get to line up behind her and acknowledge their support. A good thing, everyone is saying. Cathartic. Healing. A way to bring the party together.
To me it seems like the final deal to end all deals (cut all ties?) between the Clintons and the Obamas.
We're planning on spending that much money. http://lucyinamerica.blogspot.com