Hillary Clinton, A Winning Speech, by Tom Hayden

[jefferson_dem]

Tom Hayden
Hillary Clinton, A Winning Speech

Hillary Clinton's moving and brilliant speech today cemented an independent place for herself and feminists in general in the unfolding historical drama of the 2008 presidential election.

The speech, which situated her more firmly than ever in women's history, provided a powerful endorsement for Barack Obama while at the same time reinforcing her position as virtually his equal in the Democratic primary race.

Clinton essentially empowered her audience by implying they, more than anyone, could make the historic difference by electing an African-American president on the rising, tide of the women's vote. She assured them that the two candidacies had shattered all gender and racial barriers to democracy's highest office.

Hers was not the surrender pose traditionally expected of "losers" but a redefinition of what winning ultimately means. It suggested that she will be treated as a full partner in the process, and it was a victory speech for the power of social movements.

She bravely rejected the bitter destructiveness that gnaws within all campaigns that lose closely, and held the high ground.

Characterizing her decision as a "suspension", however, still left open the prospect of hard bargaining with Obama over a range of issues, but apparently in a greater atmosphere of unity.

One wonders if she would be the nominee if she had pursued the tone of today's speech more and the advice of her advisors less. It took a year, and a string of campaign disasters, before she threw out Mark Penn, though still leaving in place a cast of male operatives like Lanny Davis who only blighted her image as an experienced, pragmatic representative of the Sixties student, antiwar and women's movements.

Her 2002 vote to authorize the Iraq War, which opened the door for Obama's candidacy, was advised as the way to prove that a woman could be commander-in-chief. So were her later comments about obliterating Iran. Her male advisers incessantly pressured the media to play up Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, race-baiting and red-baiting positions she never would have adopted in the late Sixties.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-hayden/hillary-clinton-a-winning_b_105851.html

[Booster]

1. 14 people have opened this thread but not one would comment

so it would be kicked - I will and thanks for posting. At least Tom Hayden gets it.

[uppityperson]

4. lots to read today, trying to remember to kick.

[ccharles000]

2. Wonderful.

[babylonsister]

3. Props to Sen. Clinton; I thought it was a good, necessary speech. Now

let's go get gramps! :toast:

[LonelyLRLiberal]

5. If you were a Hillary supporter, see the comments blaming her male advisors for bad decisions

Of course, Hillary didn't have to take their advice, if Hayden is right.

[Ms. Toad]

6. By all accounts I have heard,

Her speech today was brilliant.

The last two lines you quoted from Tom Hayden, however, capture precisely why I could not support Clinton for president.

>>Her 2002 vote to authorize the Iraq War, which opened the door for Obama's candidacy, was advised as the way to prove that a woman could be commander-in-chief. So were her later comments about obliterating Iran. Her male advisers incessantly pressured the media to play up Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, race-baiting and red-baiting positions she never would have adopted in the late Sixties.<<

Each of these is a perfect example of Clinton taking positions or saying what she believes (or is told) needs to be said to be elected, regardless of whether those positions or comments are consistent with her underlying beliefs. I have to wonder whether her speech today wasn't more of the same - to save her from political oblivion, her speech was calculated to say exactly what needed to be said to allow her to remain a viable political voice. Whether it was from the heart, or a cold, calculated, polital move - it was what was needed and I am grateful for that.

I hope Obama does not select her for his running mate, however, for the same reasons I could not support her for president. I do not trust her as long as traditional politics can influence her.

On the other hand, I hope Obama does name her to serve on the Supreme Court. She is brilliant, and the beauty of the Supreme Court is that once the confirmation is over you no longer have to take certain positions to maintain your job. There have been some incredible transformations of justices on the court precisely because traditional politics do not play a role in the decisions handed down. That would allow Hillary to act on her conscience, within the parameters permitted by the law. That would be a tremendous benefit to our judicial system and country.

[DUgosh]

7. Goose bumps

Thanks Ms. Toad :yourock: