nice sentiment.

i salute you, pollbuster.

beautiful my friend and you earn a rec from the X man.

rec'd

And I've really enjoyed talking to you as an opponent; I'm sure it will be even better to talk as friends.  I really love this sentence:

One side has won, and the other has lost, but we are all democrats, so in a way we all have won, and we all have lost.

It's sentiment like this that is going to carry us to victory in November.

we'd have to conclude that issues actually matter and effect the lives of real people?  ;)

Ultimately, the best of the supporters of any of the Democratic candidates were shooting for pretty much the same thing.  Of course when we hang those hopes on a person, a public figure, we get deeply invested in that person.  But as passionately as I supported Obama, my daughters matter to me more than Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.    As caught up in the emotions of the race I got I couldn't have allowed Hillary to lose to McShame and jeopardize the future of my girls.

I've found the worries about Hillary's supporters going en masse to McCain, not so worrisome.  I've always had faith that people like you would carry the day.  That the differences that divide us are nothing compared to the values that unite us.  (guess who I stole that from)

Thanks for putting this so well and a tip of my hat to another Democrat who worked their butt off in this campaign.  No way in hell can they stop us this year.  

...cross-posted on DKos--if you're into doing that type of thing--noting its source blog, too!

If you don't have and account there, I'll do it for you (if you don't have the time to open one up there now).

Kudos for a great post!

Rec'd!

Yes we can, thanks to diaries like these.

Rec's, and a Salute.

I'll drink to that, and a toast to Hillary Clinton and all of her loyal, hard-working supporters, too.

I was just thinking--imagine how the race this year would have been different if only Clinton or Obama had been running.

If only Clinton had run, the race would probably also have quickly come down to Hillary vs. one other person, most likely John Edwards, because without Obama, Edwards would have won Iowa.

If Edwards had run the same early course as Obama and run 11 wins in a row, I think Hillary would have dropped out. Edwards being our previous VP nominee would have been the one person who could make an honest claim to be "ready" more than Hillary, and there would have been a lot more pressure from the party for her to drop out. Conversely, if Edwards had not been able to hold on through Super Tuesday, Hillary probably could have buried him with fundraising and put him away early.

On the other hand, say only Obama had been running this year. If he and Edwards finished 1-2 in Iowa, it also would probably have quickly come down to those two, with Edwards likely coming much closer in SC, and probably winning NV on the basis of his labor support. That race might also have gone on for a while, but having seen Obama's amazing ground game in later states, I don't think Edwards had the same kind of team, and if he couldn't put Obama away early I think he would have faded.

But here's the difference--
If it had been one of them vs. Edwards (or vs Joe Biden), even if the primary went all the way, the dynamics between the two candidates would have been different. Both Obama and Edwards represented "change" constituencies. Both Clinton and Biden were "experience" candidates. Only Clinton and Obama, though, each presented a truly historic candidacy.

So, to cut this short, what I'm trying to say is the only reason things got so deeply divided is that both candidates represented something that so deeply inspired people.

And while only one can be president, I hope that once people realise exactly how much each campaign achieved in strengthening the base of this party, they will see just how unstoppable we will be in November, if we work together.

I think we will all be quite pleased with the platform Obama lays out soon. Between Edwards and Clinton, he HAS to adopt one of their universal healthcare plans, and I would hope he'll pull on a couple of other key ideas that they want him to push as well.

Mojo for unity.

It's been nice to see so much coalescence around the nominee in just a couple of days. I believe more than ever that after Saturday and Clinton's endorsement of Obama, the number of voters threatening to jump to McCain will plummet. Sure, some will hold out and come back later. Some will never come back. But the majority of those not sold on Obama yet will come over very soon.

Beautiful diary. I commend you.

Mojo'd.

Let's beat McSame's ass.

In honor of the recently departed Harvey Korman and his wonderful role as Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles I will just say......

Harumph!

Give the governor a Harumph!

Bravo, bravo, bravo!

Great diary, and a pleasure to rec.

"this election was never about Hillary Clinton, and it was never about Barack Obama, but it was about all the people."

I'll sign up for that. Bush/Cheney is all BC. Looking forward to AD, anno Democrats.

I sincerely hope that Hillary suspends her campaign, not quit totally. Where she still retains her delegates. She won more votes than Obama. She certainly earned her delegates. And most of her supporters, me included, want to have a strong part in the future of our Democratic Party.

A lot can change in 3 months of GOP attacks till the convention.

I originally supported Obama but switched to Hillary last fall after observing a number of the debates.  I am proud of that choice. Obama is a great candidate and I think he can be a good President.  I will vote for him in November because I am a loyal Democrat that has always pulled the lever for the party's nominees.

My level of support for his campaign will depend on the kind of judgment he shows in uniting the party and picking a VP.  

My first preference is for him to pick Hillary as VP.  She is the most qualified by far in my view. I am not conditioning my vote for Obama on that.  That wouldn't be fair to him as the nominee.  However, I am conditioning my level of enthusiastic support for him based on how he arrives at that decision.  

When Bill Clinton picked Al Gore it had a universally unifying effect on the party.  Jerry Brown led a significant number of disgruntled Democrats long after Clinton had essentially wrapped up the nomination.  Picking Gore showed that Clinton had no insecurities about choosing someone who was arguably more qualified for the job and who probably would've beaten him had Gore decided to run for President in 1992. Gore was universally regarded as a great pick from all wings of the party, and people saw Clinton in a new light.  They began to trust that this young man had the judgment to be President.

Obama has the same challenge and needs to make that kind of pick.  Clinton, Clark, Edwards, Biden, Bayh are the types of picks that can really help.  Choices like Sebelius, Napolitano, Daschle will not give confidence in his leadership.

Bravo, thank you.  

She plotted a par 72 strategy on a par 70 course. That's my view as a Hillary supporter and it's damn tough to rationalize. Forfeiting the presidency, nothing serious. Mark Penn should be airlifted, like the final scene in The Blob.

Minus Florida and Michigan it was masochistic to forge a big state agenda. It's like Tiger Woods' record in the majors, 50% dominant on par 72 layouts then dramatically worse on 71 or 70. Take away the four par 5s and he's more ordinary, his prime scoring opportunities gone. Similarly, Hillary had to know once Michigan and especially Florida were iffy at best she couldn't sidestep all those backroads states in February.

Hillary essentially birdied/eagled the par 5 states, parred the par 4s, but triple bogeyed the tiny par 3 states, and that's a losing card on a level like this.

"Well, I guess I'm an Obama girl now." That was my sister's summation via email today. She's hardly enthusiastic. Nor am I. This may be the first Democratic nominee I support minus any passion for the candidate himself. As much as I liked Obama during the early stages, his arrogance during stump speeches beginning in perhaps mid March masterfully pushed me aside. He was clearly annoyed Hillary wouldn't abandon and that impacted his facial expression and tone for 2+ months. Last night was an energetic improvement but it lacked clever and memorable phrases or themes. It starred only in comparison to get-the-hook McCain.

Obama vs. McCain will be like the old Battling Tops game from my youth, Change vs. My Friends.

What's the over/under on use of those terms, now until November? Got to be staggering.

Give me change. But with Obama I'll always feel shorted.

and arranging now through private email to pay my lost bet of a couple of months ago:

http://www.mydd.com/comments/2008/4/25/2 085/31235/141#141

I contacted JDF on Tuesday night, as soon as the results came across that Obama had crossed the finish line.

We two characters (and I hope he doesn't mind that I publicly speak of him) have exchanged friendly and understanding emails between each other both respecting the position and cheering section of the other.

We've always been on friendly terms, even as I prepare to mail off to him the $50.00 I lost on our friendly wager.

Key point I wish to make is that we are all Democrats and family. Show me one family that doesn't argue among themselves and I'll show you the script from an old movie titled, "The Stepford Wives".

To my good friend, JDF, and all you other Obama supporters congratulations on a race well run.

Please allow me a little space to elbow my new-found way into your ranks.

Both my wife and I have set aside some money for political contribution this election cycle. We doled out some to Hillary (sent another thank-you contribution to help her campaign debt tonight, as matter of fact) during the primary battle. We carefully kept the majority of our contribution money for the general election.

Hope you have done the same. This race is far from over and Barack will need even more money as this race runs down to November.

No way is John McCain going to beat Barack Obama if our humble contributions can help it.

Good luck and God bless, Barack. We're in your corner now!

While I have sore feelings as well, I am sure that the great unifier for all of us will be McCain, whose attacks on Obama will be outrageous and un-American.

I would strongly recommend that any Clinton backer (like myself) who's struggling to make the switch spend an hour or so with a couple of small-minded Conservatives.  

I did the other day -- I observed the secret-code arched eyebrow pursed lip exchange of knowing looks over  "that" Barack {Hussien}Obama -- I saw the utter flagrant detachment from and disinterest in the plight of the poor working class, the disadvantaged and those in desperate need of healthcare.

After spending some time with the TRULY bigotted, small-minded, self-congratulatory, tight-assed believers in economic natural selection, any Clinton supporter still clinging to the notion that Obama is the enemy needs their head and heart examined.

Go talk to a real conservative Republican.  Feel their disgust at a "one of them" serving as their president and then come back here.  There is an ugly element out there to fight, but they traditionally don't vote Democratic.  

Never, I will never support Obama.

is, imho, shining like a star these past few days. I am proud to be a part of this community. And it is folks like you, pollbuster, and a whole bunch of Hillary and Obama supporters who are showing how it's done...McCain should just send in his resignation right now.

You can count on me in the fight to beat McCain.

Hillary Clinton was my first choice, Obama was my 3rd or 4th... but I am a lifelong Democrat. Period.

UNITY!

any enthusiasm for Obama.  Maybe when the media hype slows down a bit.  Still don't think he's qualified but my hope is that he will pick competent people to help run the country as he did to run his campaign.  Very very disappointed that Hillary lost the nomination.  Will vote for Obama because the thought of John McCain or any republican for that matter in office is terrifying.  But as I've been saying to the numerous people from the Obama campaign who have be phoning to solicit votes, he has my vote but not going to give him any money.

Hillary Clinton is still the New York state Senator. And there's a good chance she'll be taking on new and important roles in the future. Barack Obama will carrying our ideas and values to the Whitehouse. We are all Obama and Clinton supporters.

the part where he said he wanted to give affordable health insurance to everyone who wants it.  

This is no joke.  I honestly had a smile on my face the entire speech, and was taking two steps forward towards supporting him now that Hillary is out, when I heard that, cringed, and took one step back.

I'll still vote for the guy, but his healthcare platform, which I find to be the most important election issue, just drives me nuts.  

People are irresponsible.  Millions of them only have car insurance because it is against the law not to.  Millions of Americans only have enough money to eat and have a roof over there heads as seniors because the government forced them to save for social security.  If Obama doesn't make health insurance mandatory, I will be paying out of my own pocket for some asshole who spends all his money on cigarettes and lottery tickets, while I'm busting my ass and being responsible.

i'm an obama supporter so obviously I like any of these types of diaries but I have to say you really captured his message.  

I give respect to Obama for giving the message but lots of respect to you for making it your own and delivering at just as eloquently.  

Kudos.

I cannot express my disappointment, it is too great.

But, I am working towards getting on board with putting Obama in the White House.

It is just going to be a slow migration over to his side for me.  I don't like what went down during this campaign in regards to Hillary.

But, I will come around.

nicely done. rec'd.

Thanks for writing it. You know, if the shoe had been on the other foot I would have gladly worked for and voted for Sen. Clinton. No matter what my differences there's no way on earth I would want to be part part of dooming millions to McCain.

Life isn't perfect and neither is Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton but both are 1000% better than McCain. Now it's time for all Dems to crush the GOP, put Sen. Obama in office as president and start to change our country for the better. It won't be easy, mistakes will get made, but if we're all vigilant the end result will be a better USA.

I wish I could join in your enthusiasm, but I'm a bit tired of the media-created, blog-driven politician of new.

Barack Obama will NOT get my support in November, but neither will McCain.  I liked McCain back in 2000, but now he's just a shell of the man he once was.  

Perhaps, if he gets the energy he had back then and pulls in the moderate conservatives, Republicans and Independents, he will give Obama run for his money.

I believe all this "negative" press around McCain and the Republican Party is a ruse to lull Obama followers and some Democrats into complacency or at the very least, delusions of grandeur.  But like many, many women, I done with the Democratic Party.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_c ontent/political_commentary/commentary_b y_froma_harrop/white_women_take_the_glov es_off

And it's about time.  

Unifying the party is the responsibility of Obama. So far he hasn't tried. We'll see if he does try.

great diary.  

You know, i was a huge obama supporter from day one.  I got an obama button before he even threw his hat in the race, for chrissakes!

However, if hillary (or any of the others) had won the primary, i would still have busted my ass to get them elected.  Kerry was not my top choice, and in retrospect, he was probably not the smartest candidate to run in 2004.  BUT, even though he didn't initially light my fire, i worked my ass off for him.  And by November, boy i was fired up and ready to go!

now's the time to unite the party.  we can quibble among ourselves about the details (the candidates), but when push comes to shove, we're fighting for the same things.  Time to show a united front.  

Down with Bush-McCain!

Actually over the last month or two, I am starting to agree with you that the Long Campaign helped us.  If it had gone to Denver, then no, but since it ended now, I'd say it worked very very well.  It raised excitement.  It brought out new voters.  But even better, it made BOTH of our candidates better.  Obama improved as a campaigner and debater as we went on.  I'd say he has probably been fully vetted now and he learned how to handle a political shitstorm, such as Kerry faced with the Swifties.  He learned how to hit his opponent and keep the opponent on the defensive.

If Hillary had won, she would have learned from this as well.  She learned how humanize herself as the campaign went on.  She became a better more strategic campaigner later in the game as well (over the last two months especially.)  She learned to change on the fly and adapt instead of staying rigid.  Honestly, had she learned this faster, there is a good chance she would have won this thing.  

Personally, I think McCain is going to be beat... badly this fall.