Democrats: Stop It!
EJ Dionne has it exactly right in his op-ed in this morning’s Washington Post. (So did Richard Cohen, as well.)
From Dionne’s piece:
The more Obama’s victories were cast as less than real, the more passionate Clinton’s own supporters became about the injustice of her defeat. A minority of her supporters threatens trouble at the Denver convention unless Obama gives her a roll-call vote in which never-say-die Clintonites could express their loyalty one last time.
Obama has already given the Clinton forces a night for Hillary and part of a night for Bill. In truth, he has little choice in a nearly 50-50 party, but Obama’s people have to be frustrated with the Clintonites for not recognizing how far he is going to give them their due.
Yet some of the Clinton folks still think that Obama has not been respectful enough of the Clintons and their historical contributions. Bill Clinton is clearly put out. This perceptive politician has to be more aware than anyone of the mistakes he and his wife’s campaign made. That makes the whole thing harder, for him and for Obama.
All this leads you to wonder who will write the new memo that would begin with the words: “STOP IT!” Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have a lot to lose if the spirit of the rest of the memos affects her thinking now.
People have been saying this for a while. (I was late to the party, but I’m saying it now.) It’s past time for the Clintons and their supporters to STOP IT!! Just stop it. To quote Robert Barnett in his Clinton campaign email: “STOP IT!!!! … This makes me sick. This circular firing squad that is occurring is unattractive, unprofessional, unconscionable, and unacceptable … It must stop.”
Barack Obama has been bending over backwards to reach out to the Clinton supporters. It’s time for the Clintons and their supporters to put up or shut up. Either get behind your party’s nominee or go overtly declare for McCain. There is too much at stake in this election for this childish nonsense.
Obama’s supporters will be livid if he loses the presidency because of the Clintons and their supporters. Livid. Are the Clintons so power hungry as to shoot the party in the foot this fall? Do you really think that those people will forget that and vote for Hillary in 2012, giving her the nomination then? I don’t think so. Democrats are still angry at the Supreme Court for giving the election to Bush in 2000. Four years is nothing when it comes to remember elections that people feel were stolen. I’d keep that in mind, if I were the Clintons.
Deanna — like you, MANY of us Obama supporters have been patient wit the Clintons because we were on our best behavior FOR Obama.
The crazy Clinton supporters seem to have taken this as a sign as weakness – they seem to believe that we are mild mannered and helpless. Their mistake, we were just being polite and respectful – that can change in a minute if necessary.
None of us Obama supporters are going to sit and watch Obama be disrespected at the convention.
We’ve all been patient and we are sick of the hypocrisy of the Clintons.
Enough is friggin’ enough!
The Clintons are sore losers and if they don’t like that the Democratic Party has moved on and left them — well, they can move on. They can start their on darn party with the FICKLE Pumas – let’s see where that gets them.
I think enough is indeed enough. I’ll be watching … and writing. I know you will, too.
They are PUMAs hear them…roar????
http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/pumette-liberation-army-were-taking-down-obama-at-invesco-field/
I am one of the many non-PUMA Hillary supporters who want Obama to win just as she and Bill Clinton do. But the comments made in the op-ed piece and elsewhere above give a false image of the Clintons. Everything they have said and done since Hillary gave her speech in early June has been enthusiastically supporting Obama. At that initial speech Hillary asked all of us to refuse to give in to the urge to even think about what might have been and to work just as enthusiastically for Obama as we had for her. She has done everything he has asked her to do and leaves it up to him to decide what that will be. Both Clintons have written to her supporters talking about the unity they expect from all of us in support of Obama at the convention. How many times I have read vicious, false descriptions of the Clintons. I believe narcissism is at the root of much of the hatred and lies I have read about them. Certainly, fair-minded people are not encouraged to vote for Obama when they read so much hatred and falsehood from his supporters. Obama put Bill Clinton in the same category as Bush and ignored his accomplishments for a long time. Bill Clinton is not the one who objected. We did.
Theresa, thank you for commenting. I know there are many non-PUMA Hillary supporters out there. I’m irritated with the PUMAs simply because I don’t think they’re acting in their own best interests (ergo they are irrational) AND they are causing Obama problems.
I think that, as with most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle. I agree that the Clintons have done everything properly in public. I worry about what they’re doing privately, though; Bill is said to still be steaming. But we’ll see what happens next week. I’ll be watching, as will the nation.