Saturday, June 7, 2008

The Best Speech of Her Life

Today Hillary Clinton redeemed herself and assured herself a lasting place of leadership in the democratic party. It was the speech she should have given the night Barack achieved the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, but better late than never. She has again promised to campaign her heart out for his victory in November. It was a moving, powerful speech. If she had congratulated Barack Obama every time he won a primary state, she might not have had to give this speech today. It was her lack of grace throughout this long primary season that alienated me. I am her demographic, and I am not alone in having abandoned her because of her behavior throughout the campaign season. There are niceties to be observed. Small gestures to make at every loss, every win. It was this absence of graciousness that alienated me and many other women.

One of the problems with her campaign was a massive dismissal and diminution of Senator Obama's achievements and accomplishments throughout his life. It was her giving the republicans the ads they will use against him in the general election that made me so angry at her. She put herself side by side with John McCain, and Senator Obama on the other, as if he had no stature, no right to challenge them. Experience versus Change. Well, it all depends on the kind of experience and the kind of change, doesn't it?

Her judgement has been a problem for me all along. It was her failure to work collegially to give us universal health care when she first had the chance to make that a reality. It was her vote for the Iraq war resolution without reading the intelligence reports that made me question her competence to govern. It was her justification and rationalization for that vote that made me wonder if she wasn't the wrong person to lead us forward. It was the lies, and her dismissal of her lies when she was called on them, that made me question not just her judgement, but her integrity, her respect for us, the electorate, that finally made me dislike her on a visceral level.

But today she gave a speech that just might rehabilitate her career as a leader to be respected again. I'll watch with hope, and wish her well.

27 comments:

Vigilante said...

Yeah, Utah. I'm glad to hear that my heart wasn't the only one she thawed out a little today. I was a little disappointed in myself until I read your column. I won't feel too anxious about my warm feelings toward Hillary as long as I know I'm not the only one!

Utah Savage said...

Vig, so glad to see you stopping by. Still not completely thawed myself, but I'm hopeful at least. It's a start.

Naj said...

I beg to differ!

this speech too was self serving; bitter, blaming the sexism on her failure, and pushing herself to be an important figure.

Again she was inauthentic!

Her speech shifted like a loose goose trying to act on a theater stage!

It took her too long to get to congratulatory part. It also took her very little to draw attention to the qualities of Obama! again, she just congratulated HERSELF and blamed her loss on MEN!

Utah Savage said...

Yes, Naj, I too harbor anger and I trying to keep it in check for now. I want her working her ass off for him in the places she can help. He will now choose her for Veep. She made that impossible with her shabby, stupid behavior Tuesday night. But she has a huge following and he will need them. So, now is the time for some diplomacy. I haven't sold out completely, just wanting a little party unity for a change. After he wins, then we'll see where she goes--I'm betting back to the Senate.

Naj said...

party unity will be good; but I don't understand how a person as selfish as this creature of a woman bring any unity to anything.

If she wanted to bring UNITY, she would not be running on the platform of "I am a WOMAN", I am the underdog, WOMEN, white collar workers, racists come vote for me.

To have her as VP is like having Cheney; it's like housing a snake in one's sleeve. It devalues Obama's campaign. But again, maybe for the gullible racist fool, it is not too bad to have her as VP; and make sure she stays within her traditional perimeters! Obama's proven he is not pushed and shoved too easily, and I cannot hate him for his diplomacy; it has a very polite oriental serenity to it, which has been missing from the dog-fighting politics i have observed in North America to date.

But for Obama's sake, I wish he choose a VP who is wise and experienced; who can counter McCain's militarism and speak arms language to his supporters. I still like Jim Webb better! :)

Hillary's had the fortune to be married to a charismatic president; she has run on his credit to date; and as we saw, she seems to suffer so many inferior complexities about her womanhood that she even speaks at a deeper voice tone to sound like a man!

If a woman wants to break the glass of political ceiling, she needs to behave like a woman, with the nurishing, generous, warmth, calm, and wisdom of a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter; not to fill her pants with nuclear dicks, if you know what I mean!

Utah Savage said...

Naj, I know exactly what you mean, and I'd make a wager with anyone that she won't be Veep. She made that impossible with her embarrassing performance last Tuesday night. She cannot bully this man, she has promised over and over to campaign for him, to help insure his election. If he fails, she really has no future. Maybe none of us has a future, since McCain seems so fond of threatening to make war on Iran. He is a wounded old warrior who finds himself with a nomination that can't succeed. His connection to Bush's policies make him unelectable. He is old and not very bright. He is owned by the lobbyists he claims to disavow.

I'm so glad you care so passionately. I share your passion that we get it right. That we become a nation we can be proud of again.

Yellow Dog said...

On the day Hillary Clinton endorsed his historic run for president, Barack Obama acknowledged Clinton’s own historic campaign, saying she

shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere....Our party and our country are stronger because of the work she has done throughout her life, and I’m a better candidate for having had the privilege of competing with her in the campaign.

Clinton comes off as a winner.

Mauigirl said...

Very well said. You put into words my own feelings about Hillary all through this campaign - and I agree, she finally did the right thing. Let's hope she can help unite the Democratic Party so that we can beat McCain in November.

Fran said...

I was glad to hear Hillary sign off. I don;t think it was a fantastic speech- but it was short & included the right stuff. I wrote more of my thoughts on my blog. Basically Hill need not look further than her own words & actions to figure out what went wrong with her campaign.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Was it a perfect speech? No. But it was a hell of a lot better than the one that Ted Kennedy NEVER gave in 1980. Come on, folks, enough of this Hillary bashing, O.K.? It's over. Try and win with some dignity.

enigma4ever said...

yeah...I was relieved...and yeah,...she did make up for alot that she did...is it enough...time will tell...but yeah....she pretty much crapped on the niceties- over and over...it's about manners...and having some graces...and yeah, as a woman I was kinda embarrassed by her..today she did what she should have done tuesday....and during the season..is it too late- I have no idea...time will tell...

thanks for always speaking the Truth....

Petrosexual said...

I kept looking for Marc Rich and Monica Lewinsky to show up. I'm sure they were stopped at the door.

Yellow Dog said...

Petro-Shock, The next concession speech you hear will be John McCain's. Just so you'll be prepared!

Unknown said...

What Naj said..both times. :)

what bothers me that Hillary supporters say we are bashing her by holding the views that we do of her.

My response? so fucking what? I am a mixed race female and if that doesn't give me the right to speak my mind about her and her bullshittery..nothing does.

I personally did not expect her to toss in the towel and concede Tuesday night..nope, I didn't. So I wasn't one of those that got my fucking fruit of the looms in a god damn wad over her inability to say..ok dude..ya won, congrats and all that shit.

I have actually blasted assholes on other blogs that refer to her as a bitch, and god fucking knows I ain't no fan of Hillary..but I am a supporter and protector of other women and she belongs to that club too.

How dare anyone give me a ration of shit for telling it as I see it. My perception IS my reality and I have every right to feel as I do towards Hillary Clinton and her shitty campaign for the office of President of ALL the United States..not just the white ones, or the old ones or the uneducated ones.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I'm not a Hillary "supporter", Dusty. My point was that compared to Rockefeller in '64, Reagan in '76, and Kennedy in '80, Hillary's "concession" came a hell of a lot earlier and with a hell of a lot more grace than their's did. Just trying to be fair (not a common thing in the partisan blogosphere, I gather).

Unknown said...

Did I name you in my comment dude? seems to me your taking umbrage at something I said in general..but if the flipflop fits..by all means..wear it! ;p

To skewer Hamlet, Act3 Scene2:

I think thou dost protest too much.

Billie Greenwood said...

Although I haven't seen the speech, Utah, I'm her/your demographic also and what you posted names exactly how I feel about the campaign. I sure hope that she has the resolve to turn things around. If you think so, then I'm relieved.

anita said...

while someone here quoted shakespeare with "thou dost protest too much" ... i always want to give hillary the benefit of the doubt (although she pisses me off in major ways) i am thinking perhaps that she "dost try too hard" ... meaning she tried every-which-way and beyond. while she might have compromised herself in certain respects (what politician doesn't?) in the end, i was quite, quite pleased with the manner in which she shut down her operations and gave her support to her rival without throwing her supporters under the bus.

three cheers i say.

Utah Savage said...

Right you are Anita. I just wanted her to mellow out a little faster. But I guess with the mighty machine going full steam ahead, it's hard to stop on a dime.

Soros' Proxy said...

Hey! Hey! There was another speech made yesterday!

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I think I'm the only one, Dust, who used the term, "bashing", in this line (I'm just saying). P.S. I protest just the right amount.

Unknown said...

Whatever floats yer boat Will. ;p

Have a fine Sunday afternoon..okey dokey?

Ghost Dansing said...

thank God Hillary is doing the correct thing..... union

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

Wow, despite propaganda to the contrary ... Utah is not completely populated with savages. Interesting. So, my input on this rambunctious set of commentary... one of Hill's biggest problems was the baggage she carried into this race. Because, lacking that baggage, many of us would be lauding the great battle she, a woman, waged for the top job in our land. She pressed on, she didn't give up, she was ballsy ... she was, in fact, nearly manly. She forged ahead and gained new ground for women who will come next. She handled her exit well, maybe not on the timetable we wished, but personally and in hindsight, I think she earned those extra 3 days. I was disappointed at her lack of recognition of Obama's feat on Tuesday, but it surely isn't the end of the world.

Now, as far as those so-called Clinton supporters who claim they will vote for McCain? who are limping around, wounded? well, IMO, no self-respecting Democrat would ever vote for such a schlub ... particularly with the amazing option presented by Obama. So McCain is welcome to their traitorous hides, and may the door hit them as they slink out. and hard.

Oh and U.S. (hmm, nice one, that) ...stop by when you're in the mood for mocking a little frenchy talk.

Linda-Sama said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Linda-Sama said...

Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune wrote a great column about Hillary, about why she stayed in 'til the very end...and I totally agree with her...check it out in my latest post at Ageless Hippie Chick....

however, I am NOT one of these knucklehead Democrats who will vote for McCain -- frankly, those Dems are brain-dead and should not even be allowed to vote.

how are ya, lady? :)

Vigilante said...

Je Ne Regrette Rien: T’est nulle mais tu restes.