Obama and Clinton Make Peace: Can the Hillraisers Handle It?
At this point, no one really knows. There are rallies planned in Denver advocating a change in how Democratic primaries are organized, but no one is sure how many Hillraisers will be there. There is talk of anti-Obama signage in the hall (something the networks will no doubt gleefully focus on if it happens), but nobody knows if it will be an organized effort or simply a display by stray, unsatisfied Clinton delegates.
In short, Hillary supporters are still a wild card for Obama, and despite his best efforts at reaching out to embrace them there are many bitter enders who may seek to ruin the moment for the nominee. And the problem, as past convention planners have discovered to their chagrin, is that they can’t control what every delegate might blurt into a live mic; nor can they dictate to the networks what their cameras can show.
Of course, controversy is what the networks are all praying for. Nothing will bring the more casually interested voter to the coverage than the prospect of blood on the convention floor. When you think about it, this kind of ghoulish hope for disaster on the part of the networks is dangerous. Might they not seek out such controversy and fan the flames of discontent?
It’s certainly not like the old days. Everyone probably has their favorite out of control, up for grabs, in your face, fractured fairy tale of a convention. Mine is the 1912 Republican get-together in Chicago.
Theodore Roosevelt’s supporters at the Republican convention of 1912 also felt betrayed by the system, which at the time involved a lot of smoky back rooms and party loyalists who enforced the will of then-President William Howard Taft. Even though TR won eight of 11 primaries, 36 other states held no nominating elections, relying on state conventions controlled by the party to choose convention delegates. Since Taft controlled the party, he controlled the state conventions. This set up a slew of credentials challenges prior to the convention by TR’s camp to delegates controlled by Taft.
Roosevelt believed he should have had nearly 80 of those delegates according to party rules. But Taft had other ideas. Fully in control of the Republican National Committee who had final say on delegate matters, Taft steamrolled TR and allowed him only a handful of delegates, thus insuring his victory before the convention in Chicago even opened.
Never one to stand on tradition, TR violated the longstanding practice of presidential candidates staying away from the party convention and arrived in Chicago full of fight. He addressed his supporters the night before the convention opened and urged them to do battle with their foes. In one of the better political speeches in American history, TR’s peroration brought his supporters to a fever pitch of excitement:
“Fearless of the future; unheeding of our individual fates; with unflinching hearts and undimmed eyes; we stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord!”
It is a great shame that TV missed Theodore Roosevelt or, more accurately, the other way around.
Of course, he still lost. But the convention itself was one for the ages, as delegates scuffled and Taft floor whips vainly tried to control what soon got out of control. Noted Kansas editor William Allen White (whose famous editorial “What’s the matter with Kansas?” was used as the title of a recent book
Glorious. ‘Tis a shame we live in such a time where Vanilla is the preferred flavor of politicians and Rocky Road is banned from our convention menu.
Obama will not have to worry about a major rebellion, to be sure. But I can guarantee you that the networks will actively seek out the most disgruntled, the shrillest, the most bitter of the bitter end Hillraisers to at least give the appearance that all is not a bed of roses in the Democratic party in Denver. Even though Obama whips will funnel smiley face Clintonites to the floor reporters (who are usually content to allow the convention managers to do their work for them and get interesting subjects to interview), there will no doubt be the stray Clintonite with a grudge who will find his or her way to an open mic and jar the happy proceedings with a few well chosen shots at the nominee, the party, and the press.
For the most part, however, expect the Hillraisers to behave, and for Hillary to get a roaring ovation on that Tuesday evening. It will be 88 years to the day that women won the right to vote when Clinton mounts the platform to address the delegates. And for her legions of supporters it will be a cathartic moment, a release of emotion they have kept bottled up since the primaries ended in June. Hillary’s troops will scream their approval, shaking the roof of the Pepsi Center and no doubt giving their cheering an extra oomph from deep inside where their resentments have lived these past few months. How many of them will be satisfied with this kind of primal therapy and the warm glow of vindication in having her name placed in nomination is anyone’s guess. But I suspect that, when all is said and done, a very large percentage of those who say now that they will not support Obama will come around eventually and pull the lever on November 4 for the Democrat.
When they do, many of them may very well smile to themselves and pretend it’s 2012 and they’re marking the ballot for someone else.
The whole sordid, contrived affair will likely be inspired by the episode of “The Office” where Michael, after insulting and outting his gay accountant, Oscar, decides he will mend the damage in a phony PC demonstration by kissing Oscar on the mouth.
Maybe it will inspire a new comedy series called “The Dems.”
Those who say they won’t vote for Obama because of the way he treated Hillary are just in the pouting stage, come November they will pull the lever for the democrat, no matter who it is. Those who say they won’t for Obama because he is unqualified will indeed vote for McCain.
An interesting election this will surely be.
If a Hillraiser does not abandon Hillary and vote for Obama, that is the sign of racism in white women amongst Hillary’s followers.
No. We won’t get over it.
Obama and pals used sexism to bash Clinton. The DNC did NOTHING.
I left the Democratic party because of this and I won’t be voting for Obama under ANY circumstance. Conditions between now and November will determine if I vote against him by voting for McCain.
GerrrG,
It is a sign of racism that I refuse to vote for a man who used sexism as a weapon?
Steady there, Lisa. I think GerrrG was being sarcastic.
‘Tis a shame we live in such a time where Vanilla is the preferred flavor of politicians and Rocky Road is banned from our convention menu.
So bland and manipulated, our American life. Since, these days, perception = reality, democrats (especially) are deeply into control and orchestration of spectacles. And the conventions (both of them) will be spectacles.
LINK: Maybe some PUMA’s will show up !
All the “isms” (sex, race et al.) are too easily bandied about.
Any diehard Obama supporter will be attributing any defeat to latent “racism” in America.
Just count on it.
Melanin in the skin would never affect my vote for a President.
Wiring in the neural pathways, a classical Leftist agenda and “preachery” from a candidate as to who and what Americans are or “could be” and how he’s gonna make ‘em that way, offend me to my core.
OBAMA’S STRATEGY REVEALS HIS STYLE OF GOVERNANCE:WIN GRACIOUSLY AND FORM STRONG ALLIANCES
I can’t stand Obama’s big mouth wife. She is the reason I will sit this one out. Maybe what he should do is tell her to be a good little wife and shut it up. These wifes think they are running. I could care less what she thinks or what she does. McCain should do the same.
OBAMA AND CLINTON MAKE PEACE: “Obama will not have to worry about a major rebellion, to be sure.”
Yessssss, Mr. Moran, and I have a nice ocean-front property in Hope, Arkansas to sell you.
As to “SAF: Those who say they won’t vote for Obama because of the way he treated Hillary are just in the pouting stage, come November they will pull the lever for the democrat, no matter who it is,”
and
GerrrG: If a Hillraiser does not abandon Hillary and vote for Obama, that is the sign of racism in white women amongst Hillary’s followers,”
I say only THANK YOU for showing all of us how blind leftist ideology leaves humans when unaddressed.
Well you got to say, the worst candidate won, and it’s been a whole lot of fun exposing racism and sexism in the Democrat party. who knew it was so bad and ran so deep.
Naive and way over his head is the only way to describe ‘street organizer’ Obama. Hope and change, that’s Harvard jive talk for good old Marxism.
PUMA, Cougar, I thought predatory stalking was against the law.
Nope, I will not vote for Obama….
I will be a Democrat for McCain….
and I am not alone
Barack has blundered again.
You can’t assuage the Clintons. You can’t make nice with the Clintons and expect something good in return because they live by the Leninist philosophy. Stick the bayonet in til’you feel resistance. If you don’t feel resistance, or if it’s as puny as Barack’s, well, you’re pretty much up the creek.
Early in his administration, George Bush tried to make nice with the Clintons and even with Ted Kennedy, and we see how far that got him.
The time in the limelight Barack has surrendered to the Clintonistas at the Democratic Convention will be used, albeit subtly, to undermine him in every way shape and form. The brown eyed handsome man isn’t likely to feel the prick of the bayonet until it’s coming out the other side, at which time the Clintons will have created a win/win scenario for themselves. Like commandos in the night, Hill and Bill are setting themselves up for the run everybody knows is coming four years from now.
Barack and his gang that can’t shoot straight are making a colossal miscalculation; by giving the Clintons enormous air time at the convention, they believe Hillary votes can be salvaged. Like Bill’s honesty, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In Barack’s case, a very painful truth at that.