In a feat that is tantamount to David defeating two tag-teaming Goliaths, Barack Obama has now defeated Hillary (and Bill) Clinton to become the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee.
[Obama clinches Democratic presidential nomination, The iPINIONS Journal, June 4, 2008]
When Hillary Clinton refused to concede defeat on Tuesday, her political agenda was patently clear: she wanted to hold off endorsing Barack Obama until he became so solicitous for her support that he would be willing not only to pick her as his vice president but also to give her more influence over his presidency than Dick Cheney wielded over George W. Bush’s.
And for a moment there, Obama actually seemed willing to oblige. After all, it is customary for the defeated candidate to call the winner to concede. Yet reports are that it was Obama on the phone trying desperately to contact Hillary on the night when he made history as the first black to win the nomination of a major political party to become president of the United States. And, there’s a fine line between being magnanimous and looking a little too star struck….
But thank God some of Hillary’s most influential Democratic supporters, including the dean of the New York Congressional delegation, Rep. Charlie Rangel, warned her that if she did not endorse Obama without further delay, they wouldn’t support her re-election to the Senate, let alone supporting her agenda to become vice president.
And that’s the only reason why she finally cried uncle and sang Obama’s praises yesterday – like she should have done on Tuesday:
Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned…. Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.
Finally, the following bears repeating:
No matter the defiance and rage that has Hillary’s supporters (especially middle-aged white women) now vowing to vote for McCain instead of Obama, I have no doubt that they will come to their senses on election day and vote for Obama.
Moreover, I believe they will do so at the behest of their standard bearer, Hillary Clinton.
[Hillary threatens to fight on for months, but I predict she’ll cry uncle within days, The iPINIONS Journal, June 2, 2008]
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Obama clinches Democratic nomination
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Hillary Clinton concession speech
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