Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Top Clinton Supporters Miffed At Hillary's Failure To Concede

The unstoppable Hillary has really put her supporters in a tough place. By refusing to concede last night after Obama’s clear victory she is sending the most mixed of messages. Now her ardent supporters are complaining.

Most vocal award goes to Hilary Rosen. She has long been one of Senator Clinton’s most vociferous supporters and now she is a strong Obama voice! From Huffington Post:


Senator Clinton's speech last night was a justifiably proud recitation of her accomplishments over the course of this campaign, but it did not end right. But she didn't do what she should have done. As hard and as painful as it might have been, she should have conceded, congratulated, endorsed and committed to Barack Obama. Therefore the next 48 hours are now as important to the future reputation of Hillary Clinton as the last year and a half have been....

I am also so very disappointed at how she has handled this last week. I know she is exhausted and she had pledged to finish the primaries and let every state vote before any final action. But by the time she got on that podium last night, she knew it was over and that she had lost. I am sure I was not alone in privately urging the campaign over the last two weeks to use the moment to take her due, pass the torch and cement her grace. She had an opportunity to soar and unite. She had a chance to surprise her party and the nation after the day-long denials about expecting any concession and send Obama off on the campaign trail of the general election with the best possible platform. I wrote before how she had a chance for her "Al Gore moment"

And if she had done so, the whole country ALL would be talking today about how great she is and give her her due.

Instead "she left her supporters empty", Obama's angry and party leaders trashing her. She said she was stepping back to think about her options. She is waiting to figure out how she would "use" her 18 million voters.

But not my vote. I will enthusiastically support Barack Obama's campaign. Because I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat.

Add to her complaint that of Rep. Charles Rangel and you get a picture of a campaign that has moved on in spite of its candidate. ABC News reports:

One of Hillary Clinton’s most loyal backers on Capitol Hill is voicing frustration about the position she has put her supporters in.In an interview with ABC News, Rep. Charles Rangel said he thinks it is time for Clinton to publicly clarify what she is doing and allow her supporters to switch their allegiance to Barack Obama.

“Unless she has some good reasons-- which I can’t think of-- I really think we ought to get on with endorsements (of Obama) and dealing with what we have to deal with… so we can move forward,” Rangel said.

Asked why the Senator told supporters Tuesday night that she needed more time to consider her future, Rangel said: “I have no clue.”...“The NY congressional delegation encouraged her to run for President. So we feel some obligation to stay with her as long as we can” to give Clinton some time and space he said.

“We just have to have a better answer as to why it helps her to victory… as to why we’re not endorsing Obama when the only person left to endorse is Obama.”

Overall it is really puzzling why Hillary has refused to face reality and support Obama as she has intimated she would do should he become the nominee.

So Hillary, what gives?

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