I have a confession to make. Two actually. First, before the Democratic presidential primary campaign I used to adore Hillary Clinton. As with many Americans she and her husband held a special place in my heart for the great fight they fought during Bill's eight years in the White House (not to mention the unparallelled prosperity). Hillary's work on behalf of so many causes and her eight years serving the state of New York in the United States Senate have been extremely admirable. But during her campaign for the presidency I found myself recoiling at her campaign tactics, and flabbergasted at the personality traits I used to turn a blind-eye to but that showed themselves in spades in her contest against Barack Obama.
Needless to say, I was a bit anxious prior to last night's speech. Would the bitter, shrill Hillary rear her ugly head, prompting her bitter, shrill supporters to dig in and deny Obama their vote in November? Or would the Hillary I adored from 1991 to 2006 return from exile and help heal a potentially fatal split in the Democratic Party?
The answer leads me to confession #2. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton totally rocked the house last night. With a huge smile and some hearty enthusiasm she came out and by making the best speech of her entire presidential campaign handed Barack Obama a full and hearty endorsement, taking a big step toward rehabilitating herself with those of us who had become disenchanted with her these past 8 or 9 months. She still has a way to go (I want to see how she performs during the general election campaign), but last night was a tremendous step in the right direction.
Some speech highlights:
"To my Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuits...from the bottom of my heart...thank you."Suh-NAP !!
"...you haven't worked so hard over the last 18 months, or endured the last eight years, to suffer through more failed leadership. No way. No how. No McCain."
"We don't need four more years of the last eight years."
"It makes a lot of sense that next week John McCain and George Bush will be together in the Twin Cities, because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart."
Then there was the pièce de résistance...
I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?That comment was a direct challenge to those bitter PUMAs ("Party Unity My Ass"), who just can't seem to get over the fact that their candidate lost. But the comment is also at the heart of what Sen. Clinton was saying last night. This election is too important. If America makes the mistake of electing John McCain to a third consecutive Republican White House term, we may not recognize our beloved country come 2012. As it is she certainly isn't the same as she was in 2004 (let alone 2000). America - and Americans - simply can't afford a continuation of fascist rule.
And so, thank you Sen. Clinton...and congratulations. What a tremendous and extraordinary speech!
Her speech, in full, below (and if you missed it, I highly recommend you watch)...
