Dartblog

Senator Hillary Clinton sure is playing her part well tonight. She almost looks content with her position there to support Obama [Michelle Obama has a far more sour look on her face]. Her reference to “No way, no how, no McCain” was poorly written, but she is calling for unity at a time when the Democrats need it. It seems that perhaps for once she can put her own feelings aside for the good of her party. I can respect that, though so far her speech sounds rather like an acceptance speech laying out her platform. She has mentioned Barack Obama two or three times, but she is focusing on her goals as she ran for president. This is necessary for the many supporters out there hoping to pay tribute to her historical campaign. At the same time, it seems that she is having trouble reconciling herself to this position. She asks, “Were you in this campaign just for me, or…were you in it for all those people in this country who feel invisible?” I think a great number were in it for her, and that is what is difficult for them.

Clinton is following a strong party line, saying that only a Democrat in the White House can bring back optimism to America. That line doesn’t play well with me when I think about the famous optimists in the Republican Party, including most famously, Ronald Reagan. It seems that this speech is saying that she is a loyal Democrat, but begrudges Obama every vote that he won. Not exactly what the party had hoped for in this speech.

Best line of the night: “To my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits”. She certainly did wear those brighly colored pantsuits, and is wearing yet another tonight. Perhaps that is the greatest tribute she has for her campaign.

Maybe it is because of the broadcast I am watching, but it seems that a lot of spectators are skeptical of this new line on Barack Obama. They are trying hard to embrace him, but he tore down their colleague and such attacks are difficult to heal. Faces show anxiety, boredom, and disappointment, rather than the inspired excitement that one might hope to have among each and every Democrat at the convention. It is the delegates, many of whom were sent to support her, who seemed most touched by her words.

Typical Democrat line is being followed now, calling McCain a continuation of the Bush years. That is patently untrue as McCain has never been constrained by a strict Bush line. Clinton has now gone on the attack with falsehoods: that the economy is not fundamentally sound, that McCain believes women should earn less for equal work, adn that he wants Americans to be without health care. I find these lines disturbing for the lies that they spread. If I, as a female, honestly believed that McCain thought I should earn less or have fewer rights than my male counterparts, he would lose my vote instantly. Clinton insults me and all Republican women by connecting the struggle for suffrage with the Democrat party, as if Republicans are sexist or wish to return to a time when women were second class citizens.

Now the pundits are on and they agree that her endorsement was “shockingly minimal” with no personal references to Barack Obama. Never once did she say that he was ready to lead, that he would be a great president. Rather, she gave a speech focusing on the historical nature of her campaign, her ideals, and in the end, her determination to support the Democrat nominee. The pundits also noted that Clinton’s description of the last eight years made America seem like Belarus. I noticed this as well, and found it shocking that she would insinuate that America is any less of a beacon for freedom and democracy around the world than it was eight years ago. We’ve faced significant challenges under the Bush administration, but America is still very much the land of the free.

The final word: Great for her, alright for Barack Obama. Typical Democrat speech devoid of great lines, passion for the nominee, and calls for support for Obama. As the McCain campaign has already said, nowhere tonight did she alter her campaign assertions that Obama was not ready to lead. He may be the Democrat, but that is all that recommends him. For once, Hillary, we agree.