Clinton did the right thing today, she couldn't just tell her supporters to vote for Obama, she had to appeal to them, and she did that, with some VERY compelling arguments.

I thought her speech showed an amazing side of Hillary that I really admire. I thought her comments on how discrimination against anyone, EVER, is never ok was VERY good.

The great thing about this race is it showed that any person of race and gender can compete vigorously for the nomination. Five years ago I just didn't know this could happen.

People all around the world are AMAZED. Hillary has influenced the live of thousands of women who now believe that they too could one day run fro President, and people in Africa are just estactic that a young man whose father immigrated from Kenya could have inspired so many people.

Here was the best part that I liked from Hillary's speech:

"This election is a turning point election, and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together, or will we stall and slip backwards."

My sister went to Wellesley same as Hillary, and I always remember a favorite story about the amazing speech she gave at her Graduation Ceremony.

http://www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Commencement/1969/053169hillary.html

Here is part of that speech from Hillary:

My entrance into the world of so-called "social problems"
Must be with quiet laughter, or not at all.
The hollow men of anger and bitterness
The bountiful ladies of righteous degradation
All must be left to a bygone age.
And the purpose of history is to provide a receptacle
For all those myths and oddments
Which oddly we have acquired
And from which we would become unburdened
To create a newer world
To transform the future into the present.
We have no need of false revolutions
In a world where categories tend to tyrannize our minds
And hang our wills up on narrow pegs.
It is well at every given moment to seek the limits in our lives.
And once those limits are understood
To understand that limitations no longer exist.
Earth could be fair. And you and I must be free
Not to save the world in a glorious crusade
Not to kill ourselves with a nameless gnawing pain
But to practice with all the skill of our being
The art of making possible.

I attended the Texas State Convention in Austin where Chelsea spoke for about 20 minutes on Friday and they piped in Clinton's concession speech to the Convention Floor on Saturday. Unfortunately they suffered a technical difficulty about 2/3 of the way through and the rest of her speech wasn't shown. All of the Texas elected and party officials though dutifully toed the line on unity and coming together. The message coming from the top is the right one and it started immediately but it didn't quite have the same impact I think.  I didn't get to see the full speech until today when I got back home and I wish it had been that speech that she gave last Tuesday, but this one was the right balance IMHO and hit the right notes of acknowledging her supporters and making it clear that she was backing Sen. Obama.

The problem, as I see it, is that the support on both sides among the rank-and-file has become so hardened that it's going to take a while for some (never for others) to come over. There were many, many, many people on the floor talking about how Sen. Obama is "only" the presumptive nominee and that from now to the end of August still represents the possibility of something going wrong. They were very open about it and unrepentant while others said they just needed a little time. What is certain though from talking with several who were elected to go to the National Convention in Denver, is that they will cast their first ballot vote for her regardless.

The next steps I think to make the endorsement have weight is for her to be seen out campaigning in full force and keeping in line with the campaign's message.

Obama will not win if a large majority of Hillary's supporters do not support Obama.

This is what will decide the election, and the people who know it most are the GOP.

McCain got more small donations after Obama's nomination victory than ever before in the McCain run... Many cinton supporters have been bragging about giving $20, $50, or $100 to McCain to defeat Obama as "punishment for the DNC pushing her out and stealing the election."

Every bad thing said about Hillary only makes the problem worse. And even talking to Hillary's supporters about the serious repercussion of a McCain presidency don't seem to help....

About 70% of Hillary supporters now support Barack.. the others will follow.. they just need some time.

Jason

The speech Hillary gave on 6/3 denied Obama his chance to celebrate, and she didn't even mention the Democratic Party once in that speech... It shocked and appalled many of us.

HOWEVER, after the speech yesterday, she showed that she can still pursue the goals that she cares about most deeply, still work to make this Country better, but she could also could make the appeal to America to make the crucial step needed to protect and help our Nation by voting for Barack Obama. 

"Either we stumble and fall back, or we move forward together."

I was very impressed with Hillary's speech, it allowed me, and I am sure many other Democrats to let go... Hillary and Obama supporters alike.

As always, listening to her speak on Saturday irritated me. It ran like this: "me,me,me, SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA, me,me,me, thanks and god bless etc."

But that being wholly expected, I tried to look deeper. It was actually a rather brilliant speech. There was and is no need to bring her people into the fold overnight. She is leading them thru the stages of grieving. Not too shabby a performance actually. Let them come to Obama in their own time. He'll get them. We can help, at least that's what I'm going to try to do.

Of course, having said that, she's about 2% of her way through her double secret probation. She has a lot more community service to perform in my book. She needs to get out there and put her avowed committment in action.

I thought her speech was trite at best, and self-serving at worst. I agree with strixie. She is deeply in debt, had to cut a deal, still retained her delagates, and has no real intention of helping the country overcome its divisivness. On the flip side, she knows that she cannot go back to the senate for two reasons: 1) She is not well liked, especially after all the "stunts" she and Bill pulled during their campaign for president and 2) Everyone knows that you go to the senate to die. If she is sent back to the senate, she will be shamed; having come all that way only to be sent home w/nothing. I believe that Obama will giver her Dpt. of Health & Human Services. Her and Bill can makes lots of money with the insurance and pharmaceutical companies & pretend that she is going to give "poor people" free or affordable healthcare. I am not a fan of either Clintons, and this is not a slam, honestly-but everyone in DC knows that the Clintons have always been about power and money, at anyone's expense. If she really cared about what happens to "poor people" in this country, she would have conceded long ago. Like I said-trite at best.