I'm crying for Hillary Clinton.

[justgamma]

I've never said a bad word about any of our candidates and I don't want to start now. I just have to get this of my chest.
I was an avid Edwards supporter. I loved his message and his health care plan. I loved his family.

I've met all the candidates. I've looked each one in the eye and asked questions. After he dropped out. I could not make up my mind who to support. Clinton with her toughness and tenacity or Obama with his message of hope and change?

I was proud of all our candidates. What a supurb group of people! Anyone of them would have made me proud. Every yard sign I saw for any candidate made me puff up with pride in our Dems.

When Hillary showed some emotion, it endeared her to me even more. Then came her speech about the clouds opening up and the sun comming out. I thought, "Hillary, please don't make fun of Obama's supporters". I let it go.

Then came the experience comparison. "Obama just had a speech." I thought, "Hillary, what are you doing??"

Then she started dissing the caucus' , the activists, and most Obama supporters. I thought that I just could not support a Dem that would show that little of respect for other Dems. That's when I picked Obama, but...

I still thought that Hillary would do the right thing. No matter what anybody said, I was sure that when it was clear that Obama would win, she would keep campaigning and start to go after McCain. I was wrong.

Last night I eagerly awaited her speech. Even after all this time, I thought that she would do the right thing. She didn't have to concede, but she should have said something, anything, to try to unify the party. I was wrong.

I loved her speech. It was the perfect campaign speech, but this campaign is over. She was reciting all the things that she was fighting for and said that she didn't want her supporters to be invisible. I didn't understand what she meant by that.

All I could think of was that those are all the things that Obama and his supporters are fighting for. All of us want the same things.

I'm crying because of what could have been. I'm crying because I've believed in the Clintons for so long and I was wrong.

[helderheid]

1. K&R. I'm just baffled.

[polpilot]

26. Pro-War Hillary & Bimbo Bangin' Bubba display no class at all...

Sorry guys, I've been wathing The Clinton Show since the mid 80's. No surprise here. None. What the hell kind of love does Hillary get if not from the 'voters'.

[trickydix2000]

2. It's ok

We are all in this together, come on board we need change in 08

[Clark2008]

3. I just wish I had a candidate I believed in that fully this year.

2008 was a great let-down for me.

I will vote for the Dem, never you worry, but I really don't hold much swag with any of them. :(

[Kittycat]

9. Cute Baby :)

If you were closer, I'd invite you over so we could take our little ones (my youngest is almost 16m) to the park and talk about it. On the way back - we could knock on a few doors to help GOTV for the party.

In the end, we're in this together... Just part of the excitement I have is taking the party back from the Bush & McCain types. And maybe changing things around so it's easier to help our neighbors and rebuild surrounding communities.

[Clark2008]

22. It'd think the suburbs of Chicago will not have any problem

coming out for Obama.

My immediate neighborhood won't either, but everything surrounding my tiny oasis of liberalism (it's one of three "liberal" areas in my city) will not go for Obama (or Hillary or any Democrat). My county drowns in a sea of red, no matter how bad it gets or how useless Republicans are to the average joe's pocketbook.

P.S. And thank you for complimenting my daughter. She will be a 1-year-old this Sunday. :)

[Window]

4. K/R. I've followed that same path.

:kick:

[derby378]

5. Wow...

Your post really knocked me for a loop. I feel for you.

I honestly think Hillary needs a vacation where she can recharge her batteries and get herself centered again.

She fought hard, and she gave Obama a real run for his money.

Hang in there. :hug:

[justgamma]

41. Thank you, derby

I don't understand myself this morning. Last night, I was elated for Obama and this morning I'm just feeling so bad for Hillary. God, I'm a mess.

[derby378]

47. A lot of people were emotionally invested in the Clinton campaign

I understand. I've been there. Howard Dean was the reason I finally became a full-blown Democrat in 2004. Even after he dropped out of the race, I still voted for him and even caucused for him at the precinct convention on Election Night. Needless to say, I got some bemused looks from the Kerry crowd. But I was following Molly Ivins' old adage of dancin' with them that brung ya.

Still, I threw myself into the Kerry campaign withmore energy than I ever expended for any other candidate. I believed in the concept of unity, and I knew how high the stakes were. It was important to get behind the nominee and get him in the White House.

And I would have supported Hillary if she was the nominee. She wouldn't have been my first choice, but I'd still have her back.

[Condem]

6. Goot post, gamma

A shout out from a fellow Iowan.

[glowing]

7. So, are a lot of Obama people going to her Web Site and letting her

know what they'd like her to do? Or are her rabid supporters, repigs doing chaos, going to convince her to take this to the convention.

[TornadoTN]

10. I sent my thoughts to her, if that matters

As clearly and respectfully as I could muster, I wrote out my thoughts as she requested. As an Obama supporter, it was very tough for me to write it out without sounding angry, so I sat it aside and came back to it this morning. Oddly enough, I'm even more angry now than I was last night. So I sent what I had written last night to add to undoubtedly large number of e-mails that are coming in from people just like me.

[boobooday]

14. When you go to her home page

The comment function is set up so that you are de facto agreeing with a message of support that has been provided for you already. Then you can add your comments to that.

So anybody who comments could be counted, in Clinton math, as a supporter.

[Coexist]

17. I started to go to her "contact us" and fill out the form, but thenI realized

that she would count me as part of her "large mailing list" she will use to use as part of her twisted argument, and thought better.

[Tinksrival]

19. Exactly right!

It is not set up for just comment. It appears your just auto counted as supporting her.

[bdamomma]

8. I am tired of going towards that iceberg, and I am sure the rest of

world is tired too.

[SeaLyons]

11. You know Hillary will unify the party....you

absolutely know that.

[chascarrillo]

21. Yeah, she did a great job of it last night.

Sigh.

[Lerkfish]

23. I don't think there's any evidence to support that, yet.

perhaps that will happen. Last night was her LAST opportunity to do it gracefully. Any unifying she does after this point will be less successful.

[SeaLyons]

32. Last night was for her supporters....

[Lerkfish]

35. then her supporters were the only ones who were happy.

she certainly didn't make any political friends.

[PatGund]

28. I wish I could believe that

But after her speech last night, well, it's hard to explain just how utterly disappointed I am in her.

But I'm still hoping she does the right thing

[SeaLyons]

34. Obama won....

The democratic party will win in Nov. The time for trashing Hillary is over. She is a remarkable woman and deserving of her time with her supporters.

Patience is a virtue. Work on it.

[Hola]

42. Until she concedes

It's not over. So she will be called out until that happens. It's not about 'her'. Not anymore.

[FatDave]

29. Unfortunately, I know no such thing.

She has worked her supporters into a rabid frenzy and appears to be using them to pressure Obama into giving her the VP spot. That is not unifying the party.

[SeaLyons]

43. Try having some faith in Obama....

follow his lead. He will make the decision. He is the leader now and it is up to him to unify. I'm sure he will do it.

[FatDave]

44. I do have faith in Obama, but your post said Hillary would (absolutely even) unite the party.

And I really hope she does. It would be the best thing for all of us. But the ball's really in her court on this. She can concede and support Obama or she can try to fight on to the convention. One of those choices unifies the party. One of them tears it apart. And I'm really worried about what she might decide.

[SeaLyons]

45. Worrying about that which has not happened

is a waste. Hillary and Barack will do what it takes to bring the White House in Nov. I have no doubt about that.

[Flying Dream Blues]

36. No, I don't absolutely know that. Nothing surprises me from her any more.

[justgamma]

37. I thought I knew that

now I just need to see a sign of it. She could have thrown in 1 line and I would have been satisfied. Even though I now support Obama, I ache for Senator Clinton.

[npincus]

12. great post, and very fair.

I am so disappointed in them (Hillary & Bill) but no tears here, just anger.

[closeupready]

20. I agree. They can kiss off as far as I'm concerned.

n/t

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

13. It was a wonderful campaign speech.

How unfortunate for her that she did not keep that tone during her campaign. She paid a lot of money for a lot of bad advice IMHO

[PoliticalAmazon]

25. I don't understand what was "wonderful" about her speech...

I appreciate the OP, but her speech was simply more of Hillary putting herself first before everything and everybody else on the planet.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

30. It was a positive speech about what she wanted to do for her

country. I think she lost her way a long time ago. If she had stayed positive during her campaign (and dumped Bill) , the VP spot might have been possible. Last night I could actually bear to listen to her and its been a long time since I could do that. But I have not forgotten what she has said and done.

[PoliticalAmazon]

31. I regret I cannot give her quarter when she is continuing to cause...

strife and turmoil in the Party, and weaken our chances in November.

I appreciate your magnanimous nature, but I can see where she is taking us and I simply cannot give her any quarter.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

46. I totally understand

I am feeling less magnanimous today than I felt last night - and hope that she brings this to an end gracefully very, very soon.

[AlabamaBrightBlueDot]

15. Once upon a time...

I was squarely in the Clinton camp... defended all of Bill's antics and empathized with HRC (I can't even type her name this morning as I am furious with her).

I had been under the assumption that even though HRC was a tough cookie she had style, grace and class. I was wrong.

IMO HRC threw away her last, best opportunity to help the party with her speech last night; I generally don't watch her but I had a glimmer of hope that she might do the best thing for the party so I watched- totally engrossed - waiting for the defining moment that would have restored her stature in my eyes. Once again I was wrong.

I dislike being wrong so now I view HRC with scepticism andlow expectation. Maybe one day she will suprise me... but my track record will probably stand and once again I will be wrong.

Sorry, I don't mean to create more angst but... dammit, I feel betrayed.

[TexanDem]

16. I also believed in the Clintons, didn't want them to gain presidency - but liked them. But no more.

[TomClash]

18. Don't feel bad - you're not alone

There are a long trail of experienced political people who liked and trusted both the Clintons and their surrogates and then got shafted in the end.

[liberalhistorian]

24. I so agree. I am unbelievably disappointed in

both of them, but especially her. For all the reasons you've given and so many more. I never thought I'd feel that way about her, indeed, last summer and fall I'd actually planned on voting for her. But not after all the dirty campaign tricks and all she's said and done throughout the past several months. Not to mention her arrogant hubris, her considering herself automatically entitled to the presidency, her playing of the gender and race cards, her lies and distortions, and her complete lack of class and grace. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe it. And as a woman, I'm especially chagrined.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Great post. Welcome aboard.

[babylonsister]

33. Last night was the first time I wasted time really listening to Clinton,

waiting for the much touted graciousness I've been told I missed. Prior to that, I had another candidate and couldn't be bothered.
Well, we all know how that worked out. She gave a good speech which was, sadly, all about her. I'm not crying, I'm just disappointed. I never liked her to begin with, and she proved to me why my instincts were right.

[LucyParsons]

38. I am not surprised in the slightest. nt

[Sundoggy]

39. Absolutely n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

40. i wanted to feel for her

i really did. and every time i waited for her to concede i did feel sad for her.... only to hava it dashed by her massive ego.

if she had just admitted it was over a while back, id be MORE than sympathethic to her and her supporters. its getting hard to feel that way at all now tho cause everytime i build up some emotion for her, she spits in my face.

[apocalypsehow]

48. ...

:kick:

[rhett o rick]

49. Stop crying and let's get busy. We must fight tough against McCain. Their side has the corpmedia

and lots of money. They also will do anything, even start a race war to maintain power.