I was less impressed with Hillary’s speech than some. I think to have done what was needed she would have had to directly rejected the poisonous memes that her campaign promulgated and which infect her followers. In particular the claim that she didn’t lose fair and square. I think Josh Green put it well for The Atlantic
“After all the breathless speculation, where does this leave Obama? My guess is: slightly better off.
A major reason why Clinton lost the nomination was her inability to fully commit to a strategy. Once she conceded, this stopped being her problem and became his: for all the talk of unity and coming together, Clinton seemed serially unwilling to commit to the idea of Obama as Democratic nominee. Thus, each outlay of dutiful public “support” was eventually marred by some tactless remark or hint of encouragement to an outraged bitter-ender that, if only they kept faith, there might still be a way. There wasn’t. And each episode brought the controversy roaring back, further imperiling the prospects of the actual nominee.
This always struck me as the behavior of someone aware of her duty yet allergic to the idea of turning away even a shred of support. Clinton obviously still wants to be president. Tonight, she swallowed the entitlement that is intrinsic to both Clintons and said the right things. She made the intellectual case for Obama. She seemed finally to accept that, at least for now, her own political future is inextricably bound to his. Most important to the Obama campaign, she explained in somewhat clinical terms why she supports him, and indicated, fairly explicitly and before an audience of diehard supporters, that everyone else must now do so too. She checked that box.
“None of us can sit on the sidelines,” Clinton said, but did not implore. “No way. No how. No McCain.” Had the message come any later, it wouldn’t have counted. Had it come with real feeling, it would have counted for much more.”
oh and more on pantsuit language:
“233 PortiaElizabeth on 08.27.08 at 7:34 am
I just found this over at Bitter Politicz:
One of Uppity Woman’s posts has a comment on the significance of the orange pantsuit. Seems that’s the color the Ukrainian revolutionaries would wear to protest the rigged selection/ not election process they were forced to endure. Ya thinkd Bill and Hillary Clinton would be smart enough to make a statement like this? Hell yes!! And it would fly right over that idiot’s head. The most incredibly classy version of flipping BO the bird we’ll ever see!”
