Hillary's Fond Farewell

[DeepModem Mom]

TIME: Hillary's Fond Farewell
By JAY NEWTON-SMALL/WASHINGTON
Saturday, Jun. 07, 2008


Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters at the National Building Museum, June 7, 2008 in Washington, DC, where she endorsed Barack Obama for president. (Mark Wilson/Getty)

....Clinton encouraged her fans to move on. "I want to say to my supporters: When you hear people saying or think to yourself, 'If only,' or, 'What if,' I say, please, don't go there. Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward," she said, her voice echoing throughout the cavernous room, just blocks from the White House. "Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been."

Clinton launched her bid for the White House on Jan. 20, 2007, promising to fight for many of the same things she named in her speech today: universal healthcare, retirement security and a vibrant economy. She made history as the only former First Lady to ever run for her husband's office. Today, Clinton for the first time openly spoke about the historic nature of her candidacy and the importance of continuing the struggle for equality of the sexes. "It would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours," Clinton said to a crowd that was easily two-thirds women. "To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and their mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect."

Clinton also started the process of rebuilding her husband's legacy, a man whose missteps on the campaign trail have been controversial. "In the last 40 years, our country has voted 10 times for President. Democrats won only three of those times, and the man who won two of those elections is with us today," Clinton said, gesturing to her right where Bill sat in a dark grey suit. "We made tremendous progress during the '90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world."

It is a cliche in politics that sometimes concession speeches are so good, folks wonder why they hadn't seen this candidate all along. Think back to Al Gore in 2000 or John Kerry in 2004. On the campaign trail Clinton often got wonky; in Pennsylvania a staffer remarked to me that, though boring to reporters, this was the secret to her success with the middle class. Indeed, audiences, especially those who were economically depressed, paid rapt attention to her lists of proposed legislative acts. In leaving the race, Clinton left the lists at home and her rhetoric soared as high as any Obama speech, at times rousing the crowd and then quieting them down during poetic and poignant moments.

There's been a lot of speculation about what Clinton will do now. One task she has before her: helping to unify the Democratic Party and bring back into the fold supporters like (Linda) Mahoney and (Edith) Miller. Clinton made it clear she's not going anywhere. "I've had every opportunity and blessing in my own life, and I want the same for all Americans. And until that day comes, you'll always find me on the front lines of democracy, fighting for the future," she said, drawing one of the longest ovations of the speech. First Lady to New York Senator to presidential candidate, this is not the last we'll hear from Hillary Rodham Clinton.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1812634,00.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

[mitchtv]

1. even Tweety was gushing

after trashing her for 6 months

[Skittles]

3. look how many DUers are doing that

now that she has been "put in her place"

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[aquart]

4. Oh, look, they tossed in a gratuitous Bill insult.

Gosh, now that we're absolutely sure she won't be president, we're noticing how really really good she is. But that's her fault, of course. All hers. Not the media slant. Not the blatant sexism. Nuh uh.

Pull the other one.