Looking for the answer on Dem unity: Hillary’s speech
You could say that the entire Democratic Convention comes down to tonight’s speech by Hillary and tomorrow’s potential shocker from Bill; two nights at a convention again dominated by the Clintons, even when both aren’t even close to being on the winning Dem ticket. The wild stories of PUMA’s and threats of disruption from bitter Hillary supporters may be overblown to a degree, but tonight’s speech from their leader will be the moment that is most vital to the success of Barack Obama this November.
Hillary will be speaking to her own fan base but also the moderates out there, the swing voters enamored with the successful economies under Bill in the ’90’s yet unsure about this new Democratic face leading the ticket this time around. Throw out any implications concerning her voters and how they will leverage their support and Hillary’s moment tonight is still a moment that allows Obama’s message to be delivered to independents, moderate and women who admire her for what she is (even though she is to the left of Obama on lots of issues) and what she has done - and see Obama as a candidate who brings them not comfort, only questions. Hillary can speak to them and help soothe those fears.
But Hillary will mainly be directing her moment at those aforementioned PUMA’s, the supporters - like the moderates and Rust Belters who seem to control the fate of this election - who don’t want anything to do with the Obama campaign, whether out of spite or uncontrollable disappointment or real concerns about issues and character.
But don’t look for any sign of how Hillary will handle her fan base or how she wants to remembered from this campaign and for her entire political career from the actual contents of her speech. The speech itself will be spot-on and everything any good Democrat or Obama adviser (Axelrod calls Hillary’s speech “perfect” after seeing and advanced copy) is desperate to see after a summer of party rancor. She will bash McCain and praise Obama and tell her 18 million that the future is what matters now . And she will acknowledge that those 18 million votes command respect and emanate success for her and her campaign. But it won’t mar the solid message of the text of her speech.
The text. Only that is a sure-thing at this moment. The spoken words will be “perfect.” The tone? Well…
It will be a pundit’s dream to parse Hillary’s body language, her facial expressions, the timing if her applause line…that very important tone. Those are the factors that will define the speech. Those are the indicators being looked at by her delegates, by those 18 million that apparently still love her enough to abandon their party (and, the Obama campaign will say, their future). It’s a form of code that will express what we all like to think are Hillary’s true wishes.
How much does she emphasize her primary success? Will she make particularly forceful intonations as she encourages her supporters to be active in their embrace of Obama? Will she do what it takes to convince us all that she is truly authentic in her appeals for order and unity within the party? Will she…
It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for.
M.P. Â
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Her speech was PERFECT!!!! Tone, content, attitude, sincerity — all perfect.
The more cynical respond would have been, HIllary (& Bill), if you do not whole heartedly support Obama’s candidacy and Obama loses in November, you will NOT have the support of the Democratic Party behind you in 2012 nor 2016 and your political legacy will be more like a footnote in the history books…… so you’d better get out there and kick some political azz or your azz will really be grass…..