I thank Hillary Clinton, but after reading her blog, I do not think it worked.

[Drunken Irishman]

And it has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton. She gave an amazing speech and her call for unity was genuine. However, reading the comments from her blog, it appears many of her supporters still will not heed her call. Unfortunately, that goes against everything Clinton will be working for over the next few months.

With that said, I do not thing the bloc is big enough to throw the election to McCain. I believe these voters are a vocal minority and a large number of Clinton supporters do not hate Barack Obama -- just as a majority of Obama supporters do not hate Sen. Clinton. It's just too bad they don't care enough for Hillary Clinton to listen to her. Because I truly do not believe Hillary wants a McCain presidency and that's what some of her supporters wants.

[greenbriar]

1. her actions will move mountains

people are looking to her for a cue

I believe

[Drunken Irishman]

2. God I hope.

[Emit]

3. In time

[MidwestTransplant]

15. Yep. It will take a bit of time but I think the vast vast majority will come around.

Just like the Deaniacs did.

[Raejeanowl]

12. Yes, She Stepped To The Plate As A Role Model

A supporter who has been loyally defending her for months might need a little encouragement to let go, and I think her speech gave them "permission." That's part of the value of what she did today, and it will make all the difference between now and the GE.

I just hope her help in future is not perceived as opportunistic and unacceptable to equally loyal Obama supporters, who might think she is hot-dogging it just to "campaign" for VP.

Her role in the Obama campaign and presidency needs to be worked out between the two of them! I am sure the correct and realistic decision will be made.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

50. If she is sincere, then her own blog will get cleaned up some

the blog connected to the Clinton campaign website is a hotbed
of McCain love.

[Adelante]

4. People need a little time to work through these things

It's particularly striking because it's already June and we're antsy for the GE. But a few months earlier the same reactions would have been apparent and would have been gone by now. We'll be okay in November.

[Inspired]

18. You are correct.

It does take time. I felt the same way when Edwards dropped out. It took me a little time to heal because I was emotionally invested in his campaign and spent the last 4 plus years working on it. I was angry. I was bitter and it did nothing to help the causes that made me support Edwards in the first place. Once I realized that, I left my pity party behind.

While I still support Edwards 100%, it isn't for president any longer. I support him living a good and meaningful life.

I have no doubt that Hillary supporters will come around just like I did.

They just need some time and they need our support and encouragement.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. We must remember that it's only been a few days since Obama actually

hit the "magic" number. Feelings are still very raw, and I can't say how I'd feel if the situation were reversed. That being said, I don't visit those sites. I guess I'm kinda like Barbara Bush in that respect...."why should I pollute my beautiful mind?".

Of course there will be some HRC supporters who will, over the next five months, come around and do what's best for the party and the nation. But we can't be surprised that there are some who will never accept Obama's nomination, and who will continue to stir the pot. I'm focusing on the brilliant speech Sen. Clinton gave today, and if the knuckle draggers among us are content with the direction of this country, then so be it.

p.s.: and let's not forget that there's still some Republican trickery going on here. A lot of the comments you're reading are from Freepers who have a stake in the continuing division among Dems. Some of us have been through many contentious election cycles, and usually we manage to come back home before Election day. Just as there were Dems who voted for Bush over Kerry, there will be Dems who will vote for McCain. I just don't think there are enough to tip the election.

[Catherina]

38. Feelings may be raw but my feelings were extremely raw and bitter

If you had bet me I'd be talking nicely about Hillary Clinton today, I'd be out a FORTUNE.

The racists will never come over. Nor will the war branch of the Democratic Party. Frankly to them I say "GOOD RIDDANCE and FUCK YOU".

If the speech Hillary gave today was able to sway a bitter old cynic like myself who wanted NOTHING to do with her and never wanted to see her face or hear her name for the rest of my life and it didn't sway them, they're lost and useless because the speech wasn't for you or me.

[Tarheel_Dem]

45. I know these feelings you speak of. Had she given a speech like

the one she gave on Tuesday night, I would have been done with her, and anyone who supported her. But fortunately for us, and the party, she did the right thing. It'll be interesting to see how Sen. Obama uses her going forward (and Bill). I honestly think they're both as eager to heal the rifts as we are.

Bill's image took a beating among key demographics, and he knows this. He enjoyed being a popular ex-president, and I think he'll do everything in his power to make amends. That being said, I like the new Hillary.

[thoughtcrime1984]

6. The healing has just begun, it will take time

As Hillary hits the trail for Obama, it will sink in to her supporters more and more that she means it when she says we need to get Obama in the WH. Time heals *most* wounds.

[NYC_SKP]

7. Did you notice that they're all moving on to other sites?

The blog section of Hillary's official website has become a means for fans to regroup to other sites like "pumapac".

Nothing new here, it's always had links to taylormarsh, hillaryis44, talkleft and noquarter and those awful youpolls.

I agree that there's not likely a significant number posting or reading there, but it offends me that her official site is used this way.

[Bicoastal]

11. You know what Pumapac MEANS?

Party Unity My Ass Public Action Committee. I learned this from trolling Hillaryis44--disgusting.

[NYC_SKP]

20. Thanks, I didn't know but wondered.

Thought it might mean "pump up mccain" or something.

And yes, disgusting.

There is no indication that anyone intelligent or thoughtful ever posted a single thing on the official HRC blogs and this has always made me wonder.

I know that her campaign was not terribly tech savvy, but it's been really negligent about what's posted there, and it's particularly disturbing now that we have a nominee.

[psychopomp]

53. I am convinced that Hillary's site is being vigorously spammed by OpChaos'ers

Those other sites are tools of the GOP's keyboard drones as well.

[doublethink]

8. Some will need more time ... that's just the way it is .......

better this thing is over here at the beginning of June ..... one of our best assets is time now. Peace. :)

[renate]

9. time will heal a lot of wounds

One phenomenal unity speech may not have persuaded them, especially when they're still feeling so raw, but there are many months to go. And the convention is going to be AMAZING. I think they'll come around, all but a few.

[mckeown1128]

10. If they support her but won't support Obama over McCain...

all that shows is that they were supporting her for the wrong reasons. Apparently it wasn't about the issues.. it must of been because of bad reasons like gender or race.

[napi21]

13. Most will calm down in time. The emotions are still very high &

the wounds very sore. Given some time, most of even the ardent Hillary fans will vote for Barack. They may not like it, but they'll hold their nose and do it anyway.

[Guaranteed]

14. You have to give it time.

There was mutual support between Clinton and her supporters in continuing her campaign as long as she did. Now that she has bowed out, that support will become one-sided and eventually they will come to see that the Democrats have moved on to winning the General Election. Most of them will come around.

[Skwmom]

16. One speech does not fix months of damage. But I don't think

her hardcore group will hand the election to McCain.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

17. I'm sure that some of the commenters are members of Operation Chaos

and aren't even Democrats. I say ignore them. They've had their 15 minutes of fame.

[The_Casual_Observer]

19. Perhaps there are those who don't want to have Obama shoved down their

throats any more than you would want Hillary shoved down your throat. Is that hard for you to understand? Not everybody believes in Jesus either.

[ampad]

21. It is not gonna happen overnight

[uppityperson]

22. reading that blog makes me feel sick.

I am hoping that time will help, and that a bunch of those people there are trolls.

[roseBudd]

41. I read it, my take is that they are hard core infatuated AND that they are formerly apolitical

these are not people who voted for Gore or Kerry in the last 2 elections and this is strictly a fan club type idolatry phenomenon.

Most people are not glued to CSPAN on Saturday repeatedly posting to a fan site. There are and have been some Hillbots on DU that seemed to be just infatuated, but that blog is nuts.

There are 50 states in the GE & the extreme fans are not numerous enough to swing an election.

[uppityperson]

42. Checking back, there are a whole lot more multiple posts.

Hoping you are right, or a bunch of trolls trying to swing others into feeling heartbroken and vote for Mccain too.

[roseBudd]

43. I was watching the usernames, they are predominantly female, repeat posters I definitely get a

low information vibe from the copy, and they certainly are very emotional but only about the object of their affection. Their support for McCain is to hasten their destiny in 2012.

Sad to say, but it really reminds me of the type of posts on the RaptureReady board only the subject of the adulation there is Jesus.

[Window]

23. Her speech was off the hook. Hopefully, all the new people Obama has

brought into the fold will offset those of her supporters and the racists who will never come around. Either way, we have our work cut out for us.


Peace:thumbsup:

[PM7nj]

24. Yikes! Some of them have even turned on Hillary herself...

some "supporters."

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. give people time. the idea of her loss is only about a month old.

people will get over it.

[barack the house]

26. There will always be the few fanatics but it worked. She did the right thing ...

cogratulate. Even if Obama conceded in reverse there would fo been the few die hards. Logical supporters will accetp her word now. It really is time to give her a break now, it was long dream for her and we should have some empathy for that.

[Warren Stupidity]

27. Well that was a disgusting detour.

I poked into the unfettered world of Clinton supporter blogs and it is pretty sad and disgusting. They are openly supporting McCain. I hope they are a vastly small and dwindling number.

[MonkeyFunk]

28. how odd...

and the Obama supporters on the net have, without exception, immediately followed his lead and have all been gracious and welcoming.


:eyes:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

48. "Fuck the hate, fuck the haters"

Every comment, every story, turns into an excuse to bash Obama supporters under your fucked up premise that it is Obama supporters always spreading hate. You are the biggest hypocrite on this board!

[chieftain]

29. Give it some time and room. And some exposure to McCain.

Not everyone will come around, but most will. Especially after the magnificent performance by Hillary, today.

[PatGund]

30. I do NOT understand Kyles like that.....

Let me get this straight. Someone is disappointed that Sen. Clinton didn't get the nomination. So in protest, they'll go against everything that Sen. Clinton stands for.

That makes NO sense at all.

[union_maid]

31. The sane Democrats will support Obama

Right now, Hillaryland has attracted Republican operatives trolling for converts and a fair amount of just plain lunatics. The normal supporters are in the process of moving on. Some of the refuseniks think they're starting a movement. That movement is going to get quieter and lonelier as time goes on and some of the last true believers will let it go, leaving only the looneytunes to carry on.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

32. Nevermind The Fringe Wackos.

Trust me, we'll be fine. We'll unite just fine. It was an amazing speech and don't so quickly let go of that amazing feeling you felt inside when listening to it. That feeling that said "We are Democrats, and we are going to KICK SOME FUCKING MCCAIN ASS!!!!!".

It will happen. Don't let the fringe wackos rob that feeling from ya so quickly. They really aren't that great enough in number to make much impact come November as you said. So fuck 'em :)

[OzarkDem]

35. You won't unite them by calling them wackos, OMC

Let them vent, show some sympathy and understanding and you'll win them over. We have to show them the Dem Party still cares about women. Other than abortion rights, it hasn't done a very good job of that.

[OzarkDem]

33. Give them time

It was a brutal primary race and Clinton's supporters were the targets of many vicious, unwarranted attacks. Not all women are as loyal to the Democratic Party. The party has never given many of them reason to feel they belonged, so their sense of betrayal is greater.

If the Democratic Party truly wants to embrace all of the women voters who supported Clinton, they need to welcome them and sympathize with them, not expect them to fall in line and do as they're told.

Use a little salesmanship, it will go a long way.

[Starry Messenger]

34. it's a co-ordinated effort

There's a thread on hillaryclintonforum.net exhorting its members to go on the official blog and take a dump on it during the speech. Pretty sad. I won't link to it.

[grantcart]

36. people writing in her blog are as representative of Senator Clinton

as people writing in GDP are as representative of Senator Obama.

[NC_Nurse]

37. Give them time. It's SO hard to back off after pouring your heart into a

candidate like they did.

If Obama had lost, I know I'd be unreachable at this point. Let them heal.

[roseBudd]

39. I just got back from reading alot of the comments on her blog.. OMG

these posters who are predominantly female and from what I gleaned formerly apolitical are insane with infatuation.


WE REMAIN YOUR LOYAL SUPPORTERS AND IF YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR VICE PRESIDENT WE WILL VOTE FOR YOU AND THE REST OF THE DEMOCRAT LEADERS BUT WE WILL LEAVE A BLANK SPOT IN THE PRESIDENT BOX.

WE MUST HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE. OUR WAY OF PROTEST WILL BE A DEMOCRAT VICE PRESIDENT, A DEMOCRAT HOUSE AND SENATE AND IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH VOTES FROM THE OBAMA CAMP FOR BO THEN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY WE WILL HAVE A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT AND A DEMOCRAT FEMALE PRESIDENT (HILLARY).

18 MILLION STRONG WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. WE MUST REFORM OUR DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND GET RID OF THE CAUCUS SYSTEM THAT CAUSED SO MUCH DIVISION !!!!!!

WE WILL BE PATIENT AND WAIT UNTIL AUGUST WITH HOPE THAT OUR CHOSEN LEADER IS NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT. IF HILLARY CHOOSES TO BE VICE PRESIDENT WE WILL GET HER ELECTED.

WE COULD END UP WITH A DEMOCRAT VICE PRESIDENT (HILLARY) AND MCCAIN AS PRESIDENT. BUT IF WE HAVE CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE THEN MCCAIN WILL HAVE TO BEHAVE LIKE A HILL DEMOCRAT.

WE DO NOT WANT THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA BUT WITH SOLE CONTROL OF THE HOUSE, SENATE AND VICE PRESIDENT POSITIONS MCCAIN WILL HAVE TO LET HIS LIBERAL SIDE FINALLY COME OUT OF THE CLOSET !!!!!!

[Skittles]

52. can you not see

that lots of those are posts from repuke trolls?

[BooScout]

40. Give it a few days.........

She just today conceded. We all don't just up and *snap* to the beat of a different drummer because you say so.

Perhaps if people would stop the harping on why they hate Clinton, her campaign or her supporters and start concentrating on hating what the Repukes have done to America the last 8 years then more people might come around.

[Willo]

44. Hillary took months crafting and cementing their thoughts in this direction.

It would take a lot of work to undo. Which can't begin until they first come to accept their loss.

In the meantime they are flocking to McCain for consolation.

Come November McCain should lose about about 75% of them.

[StevieM]

46. I think most of them will ultimately come around to my compromise--which has been mocked by Obamites

Vote for Obama in the 2008 GE, vote against him in the 2012 Democratic Primaries.

Some poeple, of course, will settle for nothing less then an acknowledgement of the messiah upon us.

Steve

[oviedodem]

47. The only problem with that is that he would be the incumbent and there

would be effectively no primary in 2012. Quite frankly NO DEMOCRAT of any substance would run against him.

[StevieM]

49. I completely and totally disagree. According to the rules of our party

anyone who wants to challenge Obama in the Primaries has the right to. And I can't imagine that he won't be such a bad president as to draw a primary challenger.

Steve

[roseBudd]

55. How did that work out when Kennedy challenged Carter, oh that's right we lost

[newmajority]

51. Why would you ask anyone to vote against an incumbent Democratic President?

Did you vote against Bill Clinton in 1996?

[4themind]

54. Given the circumstances, I'm not surprised

Which is to say that there may be more people who ferverently(enouugh to post on the internet about it) DON'T want obama to be prez than those clinton supporters that have an equal fervor that obama should be, but that's not to say that there isn't a greater number who WILL post for obama but simply don't feel compelled to post on a message board about it (it's why the majority of reviews on a product website may be negative, there may be more people who like the product, but they don't feel compelled to write about, they just use it) But whether this is true or not, I've never taken it for granted that obama is going to have to win over her supporters in his own way, as he had to start off from huge deficits to gain his coalition base.


EDIT: From re-reading the OP I get the feeling that the O.P. already understands this but I think this should stay up for anyone else who may be wondering about this.