By Damozel | Hillary pulled out all the stops for Obama at their first 'Unity' rally. Obama said, 'She rocks.' Well, for once in quite awhile, he's actually right. Anyway, I'm glad they're going to pull together. I'm not so sure they'll be able to pull the divided party together, but here's hoping they can:
The Washington Post has the 'U-N-I-T-Y' story by Jeff Zelezny.
“Unity is not only a beautiful place, it’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it?” Mrs. Clinton said. “I know what we start here in this field of unity will end on the steps of the Capitol when Barack Obama takes the oath of office.”
Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton strode onto an outdoor stage here, arm-in-arm, waving to a friendly crowd. Their messages complemented one another, as did his blue tie and her blue pantsuit.
“For sixteen months, Senator Clinton and I have shared the stage as rivals,” Mr. Obama said. “But today, I couldn’t be happier and more honored that we’re sharing it as allies in the effort to bring this country a new and better day.”...
“If you like the direction the country is going, then vote for Senator McCain, but if you think we need a new course, a new agenda, vote for Barack Obama,” Mrs. Clinton told the crowd. “To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Senator McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider.”
I am kind of wondering at the moment just how much difference it would make which one wins, since Obama seems intent on following the Hillary-beating strategy of tracking McCain closely in his statements on policy. But then I remind myself: Judges! Veto power! FISA powers! Etc.
There was lots love going back and forth.
Mr. Obama implored Mrs. Clinton’s supporters to join the Democratic campaign. He praised the Clintons, saying: “I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and a country.” Echoing a line he heard from the crowd, he added, “She rocks. She rocks.” (WaPo)
Even Terry McAuliffe is feeling the Obama love.
Awwwww.
There was also some stirring rhetoric about the brotherly and sisterly love that Democrats should feel for one another. I am not saying that's a bad thing; I used to feel that way too.
"We may have started on separate paths ... today our hearts are set on the same destination for America ... to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States," Clinton said.
"We are one party; we are one America," she added.
The two Democrats walked onstage together to U2's song "Beautiful Day" as an enthusiastic crowd chanted: "Yes, we can!" (CNN)
As the article points out, all this fraternal love might not exactly belie the tense negotiations those of us who read the news are perfectly well aware have been going on in the background. (WaPo)
Howard Fineman attended a meeting of big donors, after which he mused:
I know this is supposed to be a marriage, but behind the scenes, it feels more like a divorce.
There's a lot of sadness and hurt between the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton camps, with both sides fighting over money and loyalty.
I ask myself how much I care about the wounded feelings of wealthy insiders or the employees of the two campaigns. Answer: Not a lot. Unlike the group of Hillary supporters who are still fighting the battle after the General herself has declared the war over, I love Hillary, but not at the expense of my wish to see the Dems in power and the GOP righteously rebuked (I hope by a landslide Obama victory, though the recent polls aren't promising). These squabbles between insiders over their hurt feelings don't mean jack to me. If she's cut a deal with Obama that she's satisfied with, I'm satisfied too.
Unit. Yeah: unity. Huzzah! Obama is not the candidate I would have wished for, but he's the candidate the Democratic party --- more conservative on the whole than I am --- has given me.
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