Grace versus Gauche

Hillary Clinton showed her true colors tonight, and it wasn't pretty. With all Democrats readily conceding that Barack Obama has won the nomination, Hillary refused to do the right thing by conceding to reality and throwing her support to Obama. She missed an opportunity to heal the deep divisions that formed as a natural consequence of the primary battles. She failed to heed the words of the famous Tammany Hall politician, George Washington Plunkett, who said, "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em." She could have healed her party and been a leader.

With one gracious act, she could have boosted the candidacy of the Democratic candidate. Instead, what we saw was her dung colored ego demanding more television time, more newspaper ink, and more aggravation. She asked her supporters to write to her website with their opinion on her next course of action. How craven! What an incredible lack of leadership and sense of party.

Barack Obama's speech stood in very sharp contrast to Hillary's. Obama was able to articulate an overarching concept of his vision of the United States and the goals of his administration. I don't think I've heard a better speech since Ronald Reagan was in office, as Obama echoed Lincoln and King. As I always say, if you are going to steal, steal from the best, and Obama did.

Everyone will surely note that approximately forty years since Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, since Freedom Riders rode through the south, since Dr. King marched in Selma and had a dream in Washington, and since Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1964, a black American is the candidate of a major political party. We have witnessed history.


Now people will press for Obama to offer Hillary the VP slot on the ticket. There are so many reasons for not doing this: Hillary is the Washington insider and change opponent that Barack is running against; Hillary is still one of the most polarizing figures on the political scene; Hillary will not deliver one state more than John Kerry won in 2004; and certainly, Hillary kept her campaign open when she could have resolved all outstanding issues by withdrawing, thus committing an ultimate egotistical and selfish act. Don't do it Barack.