Bill doesn't deserve her! How could he have cheated on someone who is so intelligent, passionate and composed? If only we had a female politician with half of her ability in this country!?! Forget the critics. Obama needed Hillary to deliver a ringing endorsement of his Presidential nomination and she delivered it in spades. The speech was a barnstorming, thunderous delivery of her support for him and should, should if her supporters are genuine Democrats, deliver her votes to him. It was a far ranging speech and touched all the bases of women's rights to gay rights, the American economy to the war in Iraq and her husband's time as President to a gracious recognition of team Obama - his wife, Michelle and the VP nominee and his wife. Consider the context - Hillary was trying to build the family's political dynasty with her Presidential nomination. She also deeply appreciated the historical significance of what she was trying to do - breaking the glass ceiling of opportunities for women in America and women everywhere. Imagine the feeling of desolation and disappointment that she must have felt when the prize slipped from her grasp, particularly when nine months ago, she was a dead cert for the nomination. So near, yet so far!!! In this context, Hillary's speech was more supportive than Obama could have expected. It also confirmed Hillary as the most important female politican in America and perhaps in the world. If not the king, she has become the kingmaker - perhaps an even more influential political role.
And now its over to her husband to give a ringing endorsement of Obama's nomination and over to Obama himself. He needs to do three things if he is to garner widespread national support:-
1. Less rhetoric and ephemeral calls for change. Be specific! Obama needs to give brief but concrete examples of his policies on the American economy and the ending of the war in Iraq.
2. To do so, he needs to appoint a well respected military man such as Wesley Clark to be his Secretary of War.
3. He needs to expound upon a BIG idea, i.e. his plans to provide universal healthcare free at the point of delivery for the poor and dispossessed.
Suffice to say, Obama will be giving the most important speech of his life and if it goes well and he does indeed become the President of the United States, it should be heralded as one of the greatest political speeches of the 20th century because he has to do two things: transcend his colour in a nation that is still deeply divided over colour and to offer renewed hope for millions of Americans. He will need to take inspiration from Roosevelt and JFK. If he fails, history will not be kind to him and it will be another generation (or two) when another serious candidate of colour will emerge to contest the nost powerful position on earth (that is until China takes over in about 100 years!).
Dexter
You sound starry eyed about Hilary Clinton. Those of us who take a deeper interest in American politics note that this was the speech of political chameleon.She made that speech because he can't afford to piss off the party elders.Already, she's looking at 2012.
Hilary Clinton has always been a ruthless opportunist, who will say anything to further her career.
She supported the creation Palestinian state in the 1990s,even kissing Yasir Arafat's wife in the White House.By 2000, when running for the Senate in New York, she labelled him a terrorist. Why? She needed the Jewish vote to get elected.
When rumours of Bill's philandering affairs emerged in 1992,Hilary made it plain that she would destroy any woman that went public.Any woman who came forward would be labelled a liar or a whore.Some feminist icon!!We know that Gennifer Flowers was telling the truth, as was Kathleen Willey, as was Monica Lewinsky, as was Paula Jones.This was a career woman who knew that her and Bill's destinies were inextricably linked.The sisterhood was not even a factor.
Forgot to mention, the war in Iraq. She voted for that idiotic war. She calculated that with George Bush's popularity sky high post 9/11, she could not afford to be labelled un patriotic.That was not principle, but politcal calculation.
The Clinton White House was the most poll driven in recent memory.Nothing was done unless or until, the Clintonistas looked at the numbers.
By the way, she's a wooden speaker.