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I got a chance to interview Florida state Sen. Anthony C. "Tony" Hill Sr. before Hillary Clinton's speech. Tony was an early supporter of Barack Obama. And because Florida is a key swing state, the Florida delegation is seated a few feet from the stage. ...
Tony gave me his take on Clinton's speech:
I think that, again, Senator Obama has taken the high road. He has accommodated Clinton's historical run. It's just like in sports: someone wins, someone loses.
So tonight, Senator Clinton will take another milestone. It's not where you came from it's only where you're going. There's not a talent deficit, there's an opportunity deficit.
Tony had high expectations for Clinton:Tonight, she will seal the deal as it relates to her supporters and people who feel they're been alienated or disrespected.Clinton was introduced by her daughter Chelsea, who also narrated a brief video. Chelsea said her mother "had reached for the stars."
When Clinton walked out on stage, she was treated like a rock star. There was wild applause, cries of "we love you" and a more than five-minute standing ovation. After prefatory remarks, Clinton said the words that Obama supporters have been waiting for:
Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines...Clinton's words of unity were greeted with thunderous applause. Did she seal the deal with the "sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits?" Only time will tell.
Barack Obama is my candidate. And he must be our President.
Many Clinton supporters are still angry about the mainstream media's sexist coverage of her campaign. They take pride that the National Party Platform denounces sexism and gender bias in the political process.
At the same time, the Obama camp badly underestimated Clinton's supporters' passion and enthusiasm for a woman who was "reaching for the stars." And for some, that passion and emotion cannot be turned off in the name of party unity.
Comments: (18)
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By: BETTYEJ on 8/27/2008 2:23AM
I have never cared for the Clinton's and will be the first one to say the Hillary did a great job at the DNC. She lay it out for the world to see. And if you are a real true Democrat, you will stand behind your party and vote for Senator Obama.She was a true class act and now we will get to see just how real are her supporters.
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By: Wanda on 8/27/2008 2:52AM
Hillary's speech was right on time. The call for party unity is exactly what was needed. I was angered to see that some people still don't get it ,though. I watched her speech on CNN and right after Suzanne Malveaux interviewed a Black female supporter of Senator Clinton's that was sadly delusional and just didn't seem to get the message of the speech at all. She was all about how Clinton represented advances for women,but just didn't seem to get that Barack Obama represents advances for ALL Black people regardless of whether they are male or female.
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By: Pearl on 8/27/2008 2:53AM
To Clinton supporters, Obama cannot be blamed for sexism anymore than Hillary can be blamed for racism. If you are angry because Hillary was subjected to sexism during the primary (and I agree) then remember that sexism and racism have been a huge part of the social fiber of American social history. Also remember the struggle of the many Blacks for Civil Rights which opened the way for more social equality. Everyone has benefited from the Civil Rights act of 1964 which was originally conceived to help Blacks and was amended to help all Americans. If you take the time and read about it you will learned that there are many unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement who are dead or faced the mauling of dogs, the lash of the billy club and the hosing of skin off of their bodies. This was their sacrifice to gain such rights. How do you think that African Americans feel after all of this struggle to have a Sean Bell case? The struggle for social justice and social equality continues. Hillary can always run again!
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By: Cecil Jones on 8/27/2008 4:29AM
All the good that Hillary did was washed away in 2 minutes by Bill. There's a theme in this campaign about Brand X and Y. If Brand X makes you sick, common sense tells you to buy Brand Y. Bill Clinton is shedding doubts on Brand Y leaving us no clear choice. If Brand X is tainted, but it didn't kill us...should we risk the unknown Brand Y? Why? Clinton is using fear to defend the status quo. We hope Brand Y is better. We know Brand X is tainted. What we are afraid of is why. What's in Brand X that is making us sick? We need to find the truth in Brand X. We knew more than they told us about 9-11. This truth will make us all sick when we find out.
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By: Anutha Brutha on 8/27/2008 5:15AM
As much as I admire Sen. Obama, the fact remains that his election will not change one blessed thing for the average black family.
Unless we STAY IN SCHOOL and encourage our children to become educated, we will continue to be shackled by the chains of ignorance and poverty.
Unless we GET A JOB (and actually keep it), we will continue to be crushed under the thumb of the white man's charity.
Until we STOP MAKING BABIES WE CAN'T AFFORD TO SUPPORT, we will continue to doom our children to lives of neglect and imprisonment.
Until we TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OWN BEHAVIORS, we will continue to be held in contempt by every civilized culture on the planet.
Unless we STOP MAKING EXCUSES, we will forever remain our own worst enemy.
Obama/Biden '08
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By: BLESSEDNTX on 8/27/2008 10:49AM
Early on I was 100% behind Hillary. During the negative comments from Bill (whom I have loved, even during Monica Lewinsky) I started looking at Barack Obama and realized that his message is about ALL people. Clinton's moment seemed to only focus on women. And while the women's movement is extremely important we cannot afford to leave anyone behind at this juncture. And if the HRC supporters don't come out and VOTE they will hurt all Americans who are already suffering under the BUSH administration. It will be more of the same under McBush if they stay home. And that will be linked to HRC and her supporters.
Obama/Biden 08'
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By: MzChea on 8/27/2008 8:37AM
For everyone that questioned Barack Obama decision to allow Hillary to speak at the DNC including myself now we know why, Hillary is a force to be reckoned with she made all of the democratics proud and really unified our party. Way to go Hillary!!
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By: Pearl on 8/27/2008 8:41AM
To Anutha Brutha, please be mindful that at times making excuses and analyzing a situation based on the social realities of racism are two entirely different things. You should also be aware that all of the education in the world does not guarantee a job for a Black person if discrimination still exists. In my own family my grandparents were both college educated persons who were forced to do menial labor due to Jim Crow laws. Things improved for Blacks not because of individual initiatives but a mass movement for social change to dismantle Jim Crow laws.
In NYC where I live, the schools that are in the Black community are inferior despite the millions of dollars the community spends on Lotto. I am happy to say that I have learned of a couple of groups of concerned parents who are demanding that their children receive a decent education and Mr. Obama intends to support the Harlem Children's Zone which has an excellent educational program by installing these programs in different communities nation wide.
The major point I am making is that although we have personal responsibility for defining and determining our individual destinies, we also have the responsibility to make sure that barriers that are impeding growth are extinguished.
As to human flaws in character which are universal to all of humanity, Blacks as a group are not responsible for universal human character flaws which every other group is subject to. Doesn't everyone manifest the behaviors of greed, envy, lying, deceit, etc.? Or are white people perfect in their behaviors?
I would like to end this with a quote from a poem I wrote, "I'm Tired"
“I thought that part of the battle was for us to be judged by the content of our character, as individuals, and not by the color of our skin.
Are we to say that no other group should be chastised? So, everyone else is perfect?
I am so tired of everyone chastising the Black Community, especially the Black Community…”
The Struggle Continues.
PS, if you get the opportunity, read some of Dr. Joy Leary's work on post traumatic slave syndrome to gain insight to the psychological and sociological after effects of slavery on the Black psyche. Some of us have recovered from social oppression better than others.
Pearl
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By: Highlyblessed on 8/27/2008 8:40AM
I didn't vote for Hillary, never really cared for her much. But her speech last night moved me to tears, when she mention Harriet Tubman. She was wonderful last night and she looked great. I wish she had talked more about what kind of person Obama is, but I know she can only do so much and to try and pretend like they're best buds, would've made her speech seem artificial. So I give her two thumbs up. Now Obama and Biden have to convince the bitter Hillary supporters that he's the candidate for them. Let's hope Bill doesn't undo the great and spirited work Hillary did last night.
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By: amanda on 8/27/2008 11:59AM
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HILLARY SUPPORTER, SHE FOUGHT FOR US ,SO I THOUGHT. SHE HAS CAUSED THIS RIFT BETWEEN DEMOCRATS. SO IF OBAMA LOSES I CAN ONLY BLAME HER. IF SHE RUNS IN 2012 I WILL VOTE REPUBLICAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE. CLEARLY HILLARY AND BILL FOOLED ME.
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