Apparently not everybody is onboard the Unity Train...
PUMA notes that, No one knows what tomorrow’s speech will bring. Speculation is running like wildfire in every direction. Let’s not panic. From our perspective, there are really only two possible outcomes to tomorrow’s speech. Either she will fully and unequivocally withdraw from the race, OR she will not.
If she announces a complete and permanent end to her bid for the nomination, I, for one, do not want to waste any time being depressed. I don’t even want to spend any time feeling bad. If Hillary is out, then our path is clear ...
...We will work to let the DNC know that PUMAs are protesting the 2008 presidential election. In response to the bungling, the baiting, the rule-bending, and the assault on the franchise of millions of voters in Florida and Michigan, PUMAs will not support the Democratic party’s nominee for president in 2008.
Hell Hath No Fury, adds Taylor Marsh...
...in response to a New Republic article by Michelle Goldberg, - "3 A.M. For Feminism: Clinton dead-enders and the crisis in the women's movement", its very subhead a hint of where Goldberg was headed:
...This conviction, that sexism cost Clinton the nomination, is likely to be one of the more toxic legacies of this primary season. It is leaving her supporters feeling not just disappointed but victimized, many convinced that Obama's win is illegitimate. Taylor Marsh, a blogger and radio host whose website has become a hub for Clinton fans, says she gets hundreds of e-mails from angry Democrats pledging not to vote for Obama. She's started running posts from such readers under the headline DEMOCRATIC STORM WARNINGS. ...
While over at MyDD, we get the full smiley faces of "unity" from Barack Obama himself, Gen. Wes Clark, and Chelsea Clinton.
This afternoon, the Obama campaign sent out a fundraising ask that paid tribute to Hillary's campaign:
I'm sure you've heard that Hillary Clinton is suspending her campaign and announcing her support for Barack. We all owe Senator Clinton -- and her supporters -- a great deal of respect for running an incredible campaign and strengthening our party in all 50 states.
A bit later, I received this from Wes Clark, one of Hillary Clinton's staunchest supporters:
Now I am asking you to come together and make sure Barack Obama is our next president. This is a critical mission.
And this evening, Chelsea Clinton addressed the Texas state convention and delivered a message that can only be seen as a preview of her mother's speech tomorrow:
Chelsea Clinton delivered a message to convention delegates from her mother: Thank you for all the support - and now it's time to rally behind Sen. Barack Obama.
And now for my thoughts.
First, I am no longer a "Democrat" (D). I gave up my membership in the Party (P) after watching for months as Sen. Clinton was vilified and demonized by Barack Obama's surrogates and supporters and by leaders of the Democratic Party, without repercussions. Most of them, in fact, stood by and allowed this to happen without saying a word. The notable exceptions are Sens. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Mikulski.
I also watched as Florida and Michigan delegates and voters were given the middle finger by Howard Dean and others at the DNC (including, sadly, some of Hillary Clinton's surrogates). Instead of resolving the problem early-on when it could have been easily addressed and solved, it became a rallying cry for "da rulz." Then, I watched - along with millions of others - as Barack Obama violated da rulz but was given a free pass to do so. And all of us, I'm sure, know what happened last Saturday at the DNC's RBC Meeting held in Washington when "da rulz" were completely thrown out in favor of something else.
I'm a liberal with a very strong belief in fairness and justice. These are supposed to be two of the tenets of the Democratic Party. However, I am strong enough that I don't need to bow to a political party in order to live and practice liberal values and beliefs. Thus, I will not support the Democratic Party (or any other party) that so abuses voters and its constituents.
I also won't presume to tell another person how to vote or for whom to vote. I make my arguments, provide additional information and research when asked, and figure that the people I talk to can make their own decision. That's one piece of democracy, as is my choice to vote for whomever I choose. Therefore, I will not have a gun held to my head to obtain my vote.
On this note, let me just add that Barack Obama has a long way to go to earn the trust and support of Hillary Clinton's supporters:
- There are not enough speeches or praise for Sen. Clinton and what she has accomplished that will ever do it.
- Putting a woman on the ticket - other than Hillary Clinton - won't do it.
- Sending out fundraising emails with words of praise about Sen. Clinton won't do it (and will probably be marked as spam in my email program).
- Getting pro-Obama blogs to lavish praise on Sen. Clinton and her supporters won't do it.
- Running guilt-trips about Roe v. Wade definitely won't do it - particularly not when it comes across as (and smacks of) a coordinated Obama "selling point" - which is the way it is coming across.
If Barack Obama wants Hillary Clinton's supporters to support and trust him, he can make a huge start by letting "his people" - surrogates and supporters alike - know that sexist commentary, name-calling, derision and dismissal of women (especially women of a "certain age") and "low information" voters must stop immediately. NO EXCUSES.
The second thing he can do is stop painting Sen. Hillary Clinton with the broad brushstroke of "failed politics of the past." As much as Barack Obama represents "change", so, too, does Sen. Clinton. And let's be clear: SHE represents real change, too...
Finally, if he didn't think about it before, he better think about it now: women want to know that Barack Obama supports pay equity, EEOC enforcement, affirmative action, Social Security and pension equity, and Title IX, to name a few. We also want to know that he isn't going to even consider privatizing Social Security or cut benefits for the millions of seniors and disabled who rely on this as their primary (and frequently only) source of income. We also want universal health care, not "universal coverage" that lets certain age groups skate.
Whatever Barack Obama does, he and the Democratic Party are on notice: Women will not be taken for granted. Not.this.time.
Besides that, I've never been a "unity" kind of person. Don't expect me to start now.
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