06/27/2008
Come Together: Obama and Clinton Strike Unified Chord in NH
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made a much-anticipated joint appearance today at a rousing event in Unity, NH.
Said Clinton: "We are one party, we are one America, and we are not going to rest until we take back our country and put it once again on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress in the 21st century....To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Sen. (John) McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider."
Said Obama: "I want to start by saying a few words about the woman you just heard from. For sixteen months, Senator Clinton and I have shared the stage as rivals. 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."
Highlights from the event, courtesy of Talking Points Memo, AFTER THE JUMP...
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 5:38 PM EST by Andy in Barack Obama, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, New Hampshire, News | Permalink
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Any 'Democrat' who would rather vote for McCain because they're sore Clinton lost was never a Democrat to begin with.
Posted by: Juan Juan | Jun 27, 2008 5:55:41 PM
Juan Juan - with that attitude Obama can surely lose the election.
It is not about attracting core audience. Its about expanding voter base to take Republican votes.
Posted by: Landis | Jun 27, 2008 6:11:39 PM
I'm sick of the lot of them.
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT!
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jun 27, 2008 6:16:23 PM
they are wonderful together! go baby go!
Obama/Clinton 08
Posted by: the queen | Jun 27, 2008 6:18:37 PM
Smooth move by the styelists with the matching blues.
Obama leading the crowd in chanting "Hillary" was cool. His bringing up "bias" was a peaceful way to address the "sexism" issue.
Hillary was cool with the jokes, and you could tell she was totaly loving it. Her smile at times was totaly beaming from ear to ear.
Obama/ Clinton 08
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 6:20:01 PM
Which he started doing long ago, Landis. During the Democratic primary we kept hearing about these registered Republicans who switched parties to vote for him. They did the same for Hillary, but to a lesser extent.
I really can't imagine anyone who considers themselves a die hard Democrat (and not a Dixiecrat) voting for McCain or not voting at all. This is about way more than Barack Obama. When people talk about "change", it's not just referring to him or hiss race: it's about the economy, the Supreme Court, the war(s), our reputation in the world, our culture(s), and our future. Don't vote for Barack Obama if you don't want to. Vote for change.
Posted by: Chas | Jun 27, 2008 6:22:09 PM
Chas:
If I were an American, then yes I will vote for Obama. I am not disgreeing with you on that.
This has been so much sexism - the media establishment practically blessed Obama every day with their highly one-sided and favoured coverage. I just find it disgusting. So it is bad to be a racist, but its ok to be a chauvinist. Its terrible.
Jimmy:
I do think however that Hiliary has learned from this process and enjoyed the grassroots side of politics. So good on her for that.
And if you believe this is not choreographed, you're dreaming. I have to say tho I am a bit taken aback by how American "seemed" to have embraced Obama at this point. We'll see.
Posted by: Landis | Jun 27, 2008 6:32:44 PM
Landis
Much of it was scripted. Hello....the matching blues. I know they are both profesional politcos, but I also believe that both are minimaly sincere humans and not completly fake robots.
I can't wait for that $10 canadian we have going on that bet of ours. :-)
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 6:50:41 PM
Landis- your interpretation that the media "blessed" Obama and was one-sided due to sexism is certainly not yours alone, but it is definitely misinformed.
Every Obama supporter, including those big names in the media, was and is a would-be Hillary supporter. If there was no Barack Obama, all of us would be hard-core, 100% Hillary fans. Surely we can agree on that.
Unfortunately for her, Hillary got her ass whooped. No, it was no close election. For a man named Barack Obama to get even close, let alone to win, a Presidential primary against Hillary Clinton, is simply astounding. He whooped her silly in nearly every regard.
He was, and is, simply the far, far superior candidate. No sexism needed. If you can't believe that coming from, again, people who would otherwise be working their butts off for her, then you're not going to believe it anyway.
Let's come together now for our whole country. I mean, John McCain? REALLY?!
Posted by: JeffRob | Jun 27, 2008 6:51:36 PM
LANDIS: Do you live in America or are you seeing all this from afar?
JEFFROB: 100% with you on that. While I wouldn't say I'd be a die hard Hillary supporter, I would DEFINITELY be behind her against McCain or any of the other Republican front runners. If Barack decides she's the right running mate for him I will happily accept that.
Posted by: Chas | Jun 27, 2008 7:08:29 PM
PLEASE let this be a foreshadowing of things to come!
Obama/Clinton '08
Posted by: Jon | Jun 27, 2008 7:10:02 PM
As all who know me here have heard me say, I was a Hillary supporter who would back the nominee, that is Obama. He has my full support, unless he listens to those who say he should pick Sam Nunn as VP. He'll still get my vote, just not my money or support.
Either way I'm glad to see Hillary and him on the same stage and page. She and Bill will work 100% to make it happen, her star has risen from this campaign, 18 million votes is not much of an ass whooping for a woman who has been vilified by the GOP and the MSM for years.
I'm sure that he has her in mind for something like the Supreme Court or I hope the Majority Leader. Reid has been as bad as Pelosi. Either way congrats to him and all his supporters, he ran a smart race.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Jun 27, 2008 7:10:31 PM
jeffrob
I am with PatrickNYC on this one. 18 mill votes is not an ass whooping. Lke Obama said "36 mill voted for change" from bushco
Obama also aknowledged at least a minimum amount of sexism was present with his "bias" comments.
Of course what happens all depends on Obama and Hillary but my preferences run
1- VP
2- ambasadore to Un segwaying into 1st female sec general of UN
3- Senate majority leader because Reid has NO backbone. Though the senate is so into senirotiy that the fossils probably won't let her jump ahead of others despite having 18 mill voters backing her
4- supreme court justice and totaly putting the intelectual smack down on scalia and the othe neandrthals
Obama/ Clinton 08
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 7:28:22 PM
PS
patricknyc
Obama wuld have to have had a stroke before nunn was vp. I just do not think he is even anywhere near the top of the list
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 7:30:20 PM
JeffRob: I am really honestly sick and tired of the idea that Obama beating HIllary was so amazing because god, she clearly was going to win. I was a die hard Hillary supporter from the day she entered the Senate. I think she is an amazing woman and public servant. I tend to ignore the personal attacks made on her because they are honestly just based in some form of misogyny in that a woman with any umf, any power, any influence is clearly a bitch, a cunt, a lesbian or one of the many other slanders against her you hear on a regular basis. But the notion that she had this in the bag is absurd. As so many Obama supporters have said, she is one the most polarizing figures in American politics today. Her campaign was going to have a tough hill to climb the day she started running for President. MANY Democrats, especially I have found those who are too young to really remember the Bill Clinton presidency wanted something other than the Clintons/Bush dynasty to choose.
Obama did not win this because of who he is but because of who she is. Just like he will win in November because my cat could beat McCain in a general election.
There is nothing amazing to him. He's someone you don't hate, so he's better than Hillary.
If you recall, she came in 3rd in Iowa. Without Obama in the picture, it is far very likely that Edwards would have beat her. It was only once she won New Hampshire that those of us who supported her and sensed that this would be a horse race decided to get emotional about it. But don't fool yourself...she was never going to have an easy victory simply because of who SHE is.
Posted by: Banne | Jun 27, 2008 7:46:18 PM
Jimmy: Yeah yeah... We'll see. I'll contact you through towleroad or something. I have a fake email on it right now.
JeffRob: Obama is NOT a FAR FAR superior candidate. Because if he had, Omama would have won a higher percentage of votes. It was pretty much dead even. Obama edged out Hiliary. Emphasis on "edge".
Chas: I am Canadian. I watch American television newscast and read American newspaper. If you are new to the blog, then you would not know that I have been following the Obama/Hiliary story on this blog for awhile.
I might as well be American. I had a friend who went to Virginia or something, and was asked where was he from by a local. He replied "Canada". The other guy said, "Oh, I thought we annexed Canada already."
On the flip side, if Canada becomes part of America, America will instantly become a Democratic controlled country - congress, senate, and presidency.
Ok... back to work...
Posted by: Landis | Jun 27, 2008 7:48:48 PM
Jimmy: My we'll see comment was referring to McCain potentially winning, not referring to whether I will pay you.
Posted by: Landis | Jun 27, 2008 7:51:22 PM
I'm glad to see them unite, I'm all for the future contributions and involvement from both, Senator and President Clinton, but I did not get any V.P. vibe from this event or from the Obama camp. I could always be wrong.
Posted by: Rafael | Jun 27, 2008 7:53:18 PM
It's time for all of us to play Follow Our LeaderS. If you were an Obama supporter; be happy AND gracious. If you were a Hillary supporter—like me—it's time to celebrate that the first serious woman candidate for President is now linked arm-in-arm, figuratively and literally, with the first serious black candidate for President to keep McShame out of the White House and America from moving backwards 30 years for the NEXT 30 years with whatever Troglodytes he would appoint to the Supreme Court! VOTE DEMOCRATIC IN NOVEMBER!
Happy Pride Weekend to everyone everywhere and please remember what my late friend Leonard Matlovich said in his last speech:
"I want you to look at our flag, our rainbow flag, and I want you to look at it with pride in your hearts. Because we, too, have a dream. Ours is more than an American dream, it’s a universal dream. Because in South Africa we’re black and white, in Northern Ireland we’re Protestant and Catholic, and in Israel we’re Jew and Muslim. And our mission is to reach out and teach people to love and not to hate."
Posted by: Michael Bedwell | Jun 27, 2008 7:59:06 PM
My God, Is this a dream? ..Where are the REAL Democrats??
Another blow to women everywhere…Hillary being forced by the DNC and the media- asking us to support Obama...and STILL this evening the media will have something negative to say about the way she said something or why she DIDN'T say something. Sexism is still at play here...everywhere.
Even last night, every news station:
"Breaking News- "Obama writes Hillary a check".
It's meaning? A woman CAN'T handle her finances and once again must be BAILED out by a man, “tsk tsk that Hillary, what will she get herself into next?".
Personally I don't think this "unity" is enough for a lot of gay men and women voters to get over the disgusting way the DNC treated their female democratic presidential nominee.
The DNC needs to be held responsible for the way they allowed her to be treated. This is MUCH BIGGER than the war in Iraq or the economy, where the damage is already done..this is a war RIGHT HERE in America..a war AGAINST WOMEN.
Every vote the Democratic nominee does not get is someone saying this will not be allowed anymore. 4 years of McCain is nothing we can’t handle…
As Susan B Anthony Said:
"No self respecting woman should wish for the success of a party that ignores her sex."
The women that were ignored are not stupid and certainly will not be scared by Obama supporters fear mongering attempts bringing up Roe v Wade and how McCain will overturn it..the Supreme Court could overturn it RIGHT NOW if they wanted to..but they don't..it will never be overturned..We've had George W for 2 terms and he wasn't able to do it..McCain won't be able to..and if so the state laws can always come out to protect it...
There is a lot more at stake here then just the White House for the Democrats..the DNC needs to know that our mother’s and sisters will not put up with this and ANYONE who is a true supporter of women rights will reconsider rewarding the Democratic party. We must put out COUNTRY first and our PARTY second. COUNTRY first and PARTY second.
Andy, Have a great vacation :)
Posted by: daveynyc | Jun 27, 2008 8:06:54 PM
"4 years of McCain is nothing we can’t handle…"
You're entitled to your righteous indignation, but that's bullshit. Our country is fucked for another four-plus years if things continue going the way they are. And they WILL continue exactly as they have if we hand McCain and the Republicans the government.
You're a fringe voter. You're so obsessed with whatever sexism there may or may not have been during the primary and now that you're willing to say to hell with everything else. Like I said, you're entitled to your feelings (though I question how genuine they are, as well as your motivation), but your all or nothing approach isn't going to win anyone over. Many of us here and most of the country are are still going to support Obama and the Democrats. You can go ahead and be butt hurt about it but it'll be like a drop in the ocean.
Posted by: Chas | Jun 27, 2008 8:24:08 PM
Davenyc
Taylor Marsh has reported that both clintons today wrote max checks for obama's campaign.
Obama and michelle donated the max $2,300 each to help pay off Hillary's debt which she herself and her entire campaign has said they want to pay off and would like help from obama to do. Obama did it as a symbol of his comitment to help and has even asked his top bundelers to help. Then today hillary and Bill both wrote max $2,300 each to the Obama campaign.
Obama today brought up the sexism issue in a round about way. To out and out say sexis played a part would deligitimize his being the nominee over Hillary and not mentioning it would be dismissing reality and the hurt feelings of Clinton supporters who think it played a big issue. As a pro he brought it up just enough to acknowledge it yet not deligitimize his being the nominee over Hillary
I understand you are still upset, but you are moving into out and out bitterness as vs being a critical thinker.
Seriously, I think you need to take a vacation like Hillary did and forget all about the elections for a week while siping an icey drink on a warm beach. Enjoy yourself, think of me. :-) Then take a fresh look at the elction afterward.
Landis :-) Honestly I will be happy to just be right and won't hold you to actualy sending me the $10 canadian.
Obama/ Hillary 08
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 8:35:21 PM
Davenyc
I understand your anger, as I have been telling all my Hillary supporters, as well those on blogs, but 4 years of McDouchebag is not an option. If you are like me, a Hillary supporter, you will listen to not only what she says, but what is right. We can not afford four more years of McBush.
And Jimmyboy, thanks for the props. I know we have locked horns the past few months, but I respect your views and who is now our candidate. Have a good pride sir.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Jun 27, 2008 8:55:45 PM
Jimmyboyo, you know that I think you are awesome, but do you really think that Clinton and Obama were anything less than "robots" in there appearance?! They loathe one another. This election was Hillary's to lose and she lost it!
Obama is NOT qualified to be president, has no real financial plan and just like Pelosi will have NO real impact on America. Need I point out that she has not ended the war, decreased gas prices nor anything else! Actually, gas prices were $2.18 per gallon on average when she took her position as speaker so I am just going out on a limb here and saying that she is a total failure. Did I mention that she "quietly" funded the war well beyond Bush exiting the White House? But as I have said so many times before, we elected a peanut farmer from Georgia with the same credentials, no wait, he was actually a two term governor. Obama hasn't even completed two terms. Scary!
Posted by: RB | Jun 27, 2008 9:19:27 PM
Patrick NYC
;-)
RB
I disagree. They were friends prior to the election, they are friends now though with issues. Who doesn't have issues with their friends once in a while?
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 27, 2008 9:48:08 PM
Patrick NYC - If you are paying close attention, as I think you are, you must have heard the words "censure", "impeachment", "accountability" circulate within our Congress walls. You must also have seen the reactions of Democrats in Congress, they are very telling of the state of mind of a Congress that is been cornered and put in the defensive for far too long. A range of issues, from the founding of the war, the FISA bill (retroactive immunity provision), to now the lift of the ban on offshore drilling, have kept Congress fighting back, without the opportunity of moving to the front of the issues that affect us all. Democrats in Congress have realize that it is a little too late to resolve anything with the current administration (even to impeach them), they are looking at the end of the tunnel, and as most Americans are anxious to exit it.
Sen. Obama is a vibrant politician, a shaker, filled of good ideas and proven judgment. I know he is not perfect, but he gets our sensibility of the issues, and time and time again I've seen him demonstrate his willingness to listen, to seek the wisdom of others, so that in the end he can do the best job he possibly could. Now, we seat here, with a choice to make and a leap of faith to take.
Posted by: Rafael | Jun 28, 2008 4:34:39 AM
BTW on offshore drilling, I just saw a commercial on my local station from this company promoting its new safe sonar technology to find oil in the sea, and the first thought that came to my mind was VP Cheney's new business venture! Perhaps I'm paranoid, perhaps not so much.
Posted by: Rafael | Jun 28, 2008 4:52:42 AM
Sorry Patrick NYC, I meant to address RB in my previous comment.
Posted by: Rafael | Jun 28, 2008 5:07:55 AM
Now that we’re beyond Hillary, we can look forward to the first female VP, Sarah Palin, to become the first female President of the United States in 4 years!
Posted by: Ted | Jun 28, 2008 6:07:14 AM
You should read the new article in yesterday's Boston Globe, which talks about Obama's low income housing plan. The millions he gave to private Chicago developers, who later became his campaign managers, to develop federally funded low income housing and then leaving them to rot, which were then torn down by the same developers and then funded again and rebuilt only to be unmanaged again. This is not a democratic leader.
Posted by: Peter2Paul | Jun 28, 2008 6:22:52 AM
peter2paul
A link would nice when tossing out such allegations.
A quick look at the Boston Globe web site turns up nothing.
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 28, 2008 8:06:17 AM
Peter2Pull is the same racist troll who was posting as John yesterday, wondering if the Obamas would be celebrating the 4th of July.
Posted by: 24play | Jun 28, 2008 8:39:11 AM
There was a Globe story yesterday:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/
Peter2Paul is pretty much wrong, though. And of course, the better choice is to elect a party whose entire approach is, "fuck poor people" when it comes to matters like this.
Posted by: MAJeff | Jun 28, 2008 8:59:35 AM
guys, obviously, the primary was hard fought and, as these blog postings show, it takes time and effort (Hillary and Obama have started) to heal the Party. Frankly, if Obama had lost, it would be taking me some time to get over the disappointment.
Posted by: joeinsf | Jun 28, 2008 11:55:45 AM
Obama/Clinton '08!!!
Posted by: imladris | Jun 28, 2008 12:05:59 PM
Rafael, you said, "Sen. Obama is a vibrant politician, a shaker, filled of good ideas and proven judgment."
Vibrant, how? I realize compared to Bush, he's a very well spoken eloquent politician. I wouldn't call him vibrant. His tenor is exactly the same in every speech, regardless of subject matter. It's not unappealing, but frankly isn't vibrant really at all either.
A shaker? You mean by shaking up things like supporting immunity for telecom companies who have violated our civil rights at the behest of the current Bush administration? Yep, quite the shaker. And traitor if you ask me for allowing it and supporting it. How else is he a shaker exactly? Because he's black? Well let's praise him for that since he has worked super hard on that.
Filled with good ideas? Hm. You mean the exact same ideas every other Democrat running in the primary process had. Except most of their plans actually reflected some depth of knowledge on the subject and were glazed over rough copies of their opponents' plans? I actually can't think of the last time I have heard a plan on anything from Obama. Except tax the rich and bring the troops home. Um, okay.
Proven judgment? Where has it been proven? In his brief and unenthusiastic tenure in the US Senate? What legislation did he create/head up? No, not the legislation he tacked his name on in the last minute, REAL legislation he has proposed? Where is it?
I mean the only amazing thing about him is the fact that he's managed to go as far as he has with as little substance there is to him. For that I tip my hat, but not for much else.
I'm sadly very unenthusiastic about this November as the more experienced candidate has the wrong views on everything and the candidate with the right views simply copied and pasted into his speeches from all the more substantive and experienced candidates he had to railroad to get the nomination.
I have to agree...this will end up being another huge disappointment, particularly for the gay community when Obama wins and as much gets done his first term as Nancy has gotten done as the House leader the last two years.
Posted by: Lucas | Jun 28, 2008 12:34:05 PM
I'm probably one of the younger guys here, and have been following this election with interest. I would have supported either Hillary or Obama, whichever of them garnered the nomination. Obama's perceived 'lack of experience' is such a nebulous issue. My whole life I have been governed by politicians with all of the experience one could have, but who have been outwardly crooked, bigoted, and who have trafficked almost exclusively in self-interest. I am not saying Obama will break this trend if elected, nor that Hillary would have were she. What I am saying is, for the first time in my life, since I could vote, and since politics could affect my rights and livelihoods, we have two Democratic candidates that are phosphorescent with megawatt promise. It is our bad luck that we should have two such viable candidates in one year, as inevitably, otherwise rational-minded Democratic voters have been torn asunder into simpering spoilsports and losers. It utterly disgusts and discourages me, as a young man, to see the low-brow desecration of both candidates WITHIN THE PARTY. And really: choosing McCain or not voting? Give me a fucking break. But what is most maddening to me are those among us who choose to speak as though Obama has already had his presidency; not to mention those who try to use the names Pelosi, Clinton, McCain, Obama, et cetera, like tea leaves, like we could better understand any of them through their current political relation to each other. Pelosi's ineffectual stances SHOULD NOT be used as indicators of how Obama might serve, and the issue of how many votes Obama trounced Clinton by is right now wholly irrelevant. Obama is not Clinton is not Pelosi. What makes me worried for this country aren't the politicians, but rather the people, the amateur pundits who are so eager to reduce candidates to their most vivid victories and disasters, to caricature, that they rave foaming on the streets against their own party like so many who heartily oppose them. These cretins are welcome to their opinions, and have expressed them here and elsewhere; but they've blinded themselves to the bigger picture, and their self-induced myopia is quite frankly appalling to see. That said, none of this matters anyhow. Things will happen as they happen. In the meantime, is it too much to ask for a bit of decorum?
Posted by: Eric Seguy | Jun 28, 2008 9:34:01 PM
Huffpo is reporting that Newsweek is releasing a scathing report tomorrow about how Mccain has defaulted on the taxes for their beach house in CA, one of their 7 houses, for 4 years. Great economist there
Due to the report the mccains quickly paid off the back taxes yesterday (4 years worth) but still owe fines and penalities.
It is also being reported that mccain's son belongs to a country club that FORBIDS women from eating in their dining room.
Yikes. Will mccain even make it to the repub convention? Will "poor health" find mccain quickly stepping aside due to pressure from the party elite to make way for someone else?
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jun 29, 2008 1:05:15 AM
Eric Seguy: I've said this many times. For those of us (gay, black, etc) who feel Dems represent us, I think you are entited to be outraged if one of us do not vote for Dems. However, for everyday Joe's and Jane's who supported Clinton and work in a plant or Walmart, who don't care for the difference between Dems and Repubs, they might be enticed to vote Repubs. And you know well that the election is not going to be decided by us gays.
Jimmy: You know, I am surprised that Obama has gone so far with the national polls. I am happy to be wrong, you know that.
That will mean that we will renegotiate Nafta and charge Americans with premium for the oil!
Posted by: Landis | Jun 29, 2008 9:31:17 AM
Landis, I know well that gays will not decide the election. It's the insistence of my fellow gays to repeatedly shoot ourselves in the political foot that irks me. Get your shit together people, regardless of whether or not we 'win.'
Posted by: Eric Seguy | Jun 29, 2008 2:55:10 PM