Democrats should unite behind one candidate
Tweet
In an effort to unite the Democratic Party, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., officially released her delegates Wednesday.
Finally.
At long last, Clinton took her hard-earned delegates aside, thanked them, and for the first time, encouraged them to vote for and work to elect Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who will presumably accept his official nomination tonight.
Clinton releasing her delegates obviously was a good move — one that will unify the party while still solidifying Clinton’s stature as a future presidential hopeful — but waiting until the last moment has caused some problems. For one thing, not all of Clinton’s newly released delegates are planning on voting for Obama; they’re still voting for Clinton.
The State News reported this week that she still had a responsibility to represent her delegation, and that means voting for Clinton at the convention.
This is nothing short of childish. Disunity this late in the game does nothing more than weaken the Democratic Party. Since Clinton officially supported Obama, the Democrats have had three months to get behind their candidate. And Clinton’s supporters are not helping anyone by being defiant.
Obama’s acceptance of the nomination tonight will be nothing more than a formality. The primary elections were over months ago, as were Clinton’s hopes for being elected president in 2008. In other words, as the primaries ended, so did Clinton’s delegates’ responsibilities to vote for her.
In her highly-publicized speech Tuesday night, Clinton challenged her own delegates, asking if they were in the race for her or for the ideals that she stood for. MSU students who are still avid Clinton supporters would do well to listen to her words and channel their energies toward electing Obama.
For instance, the creation of an American Opportunity Tax Credit to aid students in their first year of college — something all college students should be interested in — is something both Clinton and Obama avidly support.
If anything, Clinton’s delegates are doing her, as well as the entire Democratic Party, a disservice. Undecided voters will not be persuaded by a fragmented and split party. Besides, if Clinton officially supports Obama and his positions, shouldn’t her delegates, by simple employment of the transitive property, support Obama?
Which begs the question: Clinton officially endorsed Obama way back in June, so why wait until the convention to release her delegates? She could have released them at any time, and the sooner she released them, the better off the Democratic Party may have been.
Clinton’s insistence on staying in the race and refusal to liberate her delegates only hurts her chances in the future. If the Democrats lose the presidency in November, Clinton could be seen as being divisive. Instead of showing the party that she can be a team player, Clinton has only brought more attention to her attempts to stay in the limelight for as long as possible.
Obama’s acceptance of the nomination tonight has the potential to be a historic moment in our country’s history. It would be a shame if that moment was tarnished by the stubbornness of Clinton’s supporters.






Commentary
Add your $0.02, go to the comment form or follow the comment feed
Bill Lumberg
(08/28/08 8:15am)Report
For all the new students at MSU, please read this opinion and understand that your “independent voice” is really just another cog in the ( D ) machine.
And “the creation of an American Opportunity Tax Credit to aid students in their first year of college — something all college students should be interested in”; why should all college students be interested in having someone else pay their way, why can’t some college students be interested in working hard and earning what they get?
GPM
(08/28/08 9:00am)Report
As some who has worked hard and earned everything they have, I can wholeheartedly say that college would’ve been a whole hell of a lot more fun if someone else financed it. There’s plenty of time to be under stress about money and paying for things in life. There’s certainly not a poverty of it.
haveaheart?
(08/28/08 9:16am)Report
GPM-
Read Barak Hussein Obama’s book “The Arrogance of Entitlement”
Joe
(08/28/08 9:27am)Report
Yeah, I’m sure Barack Obama, as a black man growing up in a period of racial strife in our country and someone who worked his way through Harvard Law school, knows first hand of America’s “entitlement.” Unlike John McCain, a legacy of Admirals who had his education paid for by US tax dollars at the Naval Academy and took advantage of his entitlement by screwing around and graduating 5th from the bottom of his class.
arr
(08/28/08 9:27am)Report
“The State News reported this week that she still had a responsibility to represent her delegation, and that means voting for Clinton at the convention.”
That sentence makes no sense.
“Which begs the question: Clinton officially endorsed Obama way back in June, so why wait until the convention to release her delegates?”
Please please please stop misusing the phrase “beg the question.”
Also, during the roll call vote (a procedure that happens at every Democratic Convention), Clinton moved to suspend the process and vote for Obama by acclamation. I’m not really sure how much more you expect her to do. And any “Clinton supporter” who is now threatening to vote for McCain was obviously only supporting her because she is a woman.
arr2
(08/28/08 9:31am)Report
Beg the question
omg
(08/28/08 11:07am)Report
arr – If there’s anything more annoying than playing the race card, its playing the gender card! Stop making excuses!
Joe – yer stoopid!
arr3
(08/28/08 11:34am)Report
I should ammend my last statement to say “any Clinton supporter who is threatening to vote for McCain was only voting for her because she was a woman, or is bitter that his/her candidate lost.” Please tell me why someone who sincerely supported Clinton would vote for McCain instead of Obama.
And, omg, I wasn’t making excuses, and I didn’t play any ‘card’. gfys
Joe
(08/28/08 11:45am)Report
“omg” – good argument….
Bill Lumberg
(08/28/08 12:17pm)Report
Actually Joe omg’s argument was as good as yours was. First, no one at any point said or implied Obama did not work hard for his education. Secondly, if you think severing in Vietnam wasn’t payment enough for McCain’s education you’re an idiot. Third, do you really think that only the top of any given graduation glass should be allowed to have dreams and aspirations of succeeding in this country?
Bottom line, Joe – yer stoopid!
omg
(08/28/08 1:10pm)Report
arr3
You did play the gender card and I told you to stop making excuses.
Erudite come-back – “gfys”. That stands for God feels yer stoopid! like he does Joe. Now, don’t come back with your far-left-wing, whacko liberal jibberish about the non-existence of Gad. All you need to know about him is he feels yer stoopid!(Joe too) Go fix that!
Joe
(08/28/08 2:03pm)Report
Bill Lumberg,
Wow… First, I didn’t have an argument it was a comment. I was responding to your post and the “Arrogance of Entitlement” post which together clearly implies Obama feels people don’t need to work hard, but rather are entitled to hand outs. I was merely pointing out that Obama did work hard to not only make it into Harvard, but to also work to pay his way through school.
Second, did you forget we had a draft during Vietnam? Meaning even those (ESPECIALLY those) who’s education was not paid by US tax dollars served our country. Not to discredit McCain’s service, he’s a hero, but he at least got a free education prior to Vietnam.
Third, what about my post implies I don’t think people at the bottom of their class can’t dream? My point was merely that McCain did not take advantage of the privilege of his family’s legacy. All accounts of McCain at Annapolis are of his debauchery and overall disregard of authority. I do not believe McCain tried to succeed at the Naval Academy because I believe the man is smart enough to have graduated much higher in his class. Do you disagree?
Joe
(08/28/08 2:17pm)Report
You could say “omg’s” “argument” was a comment, too… so I apologize. Either way, “yer stoopid” is a great post worthy of intelligent discussion.
Zeke
(08/28/08 3:06pm)Report
“I was responding to your post and the “Arrogance of Entitlement” post which together clearly implies Obama feels people don’t need to work hard, but rather are entitled to hand outs.”
Huh? How did you gleam this? GPM says he/she wished someone else had paid for his/her college, and haveaheart replied with Obama’s book on how thinking one’s self to be entitled to a handout is bad. Where on earth did you make the amazing jump in logic seem to have taken? I’m still UNclear on the clearly implied suggestion that Obama favors handouts.
Bill Lumberg
(08/28/08 3:22pm)Report
To further rebut the “clearly implies Obama”, I never said anything about Obama. I took the quote from the SN editorial “the creation of an American Opportunity Tax Credit to aid students in their first year of college — something all college students should be interested in” which as I read it means the SN feels that ALL COLLEGE students should be interested in a handout. Since when does the SN = Obama? My guess, and it is just that a guess, is that Obama would say he is in favor of “free” college only for the “under privileged”. Please note that I recognize the previous sentence as pure speculation on my part so don’t come back with the Obama never said that type arguments.
unanimous
(08/28/08 3:38pm)Report
I guess it’s unanimous – Joe, yer stoopid!
Joe
(08/28/08 3:58pm)Report
I concede my overreaction to the “Arrogance of Entitlement” post caused a jump in logic and perhaps a misread of your original post, Mr. Lumberg. (And maybe that does classify me as “stoopid.”) Since it’s been clarified to me, I agree that not every college student is, or should be, interested in a handout. However, making college free for all Americans would not create an “arrogance of entitlement.” People would still need to work hard to get the grades, to prove to employers they have work ethic and committment, and succeed in the workforce.
Bill Lumberg
(08/28/08 4:16pm)Report
I will withdrawl my yer stoopid comment Joe. But I will strongly disagree with your statement “However, making college free for all Americans would not create an “arrogance of entitlement.”” Every handout adds up to a since of entitlement, in my ever humble opinion.
Bill Lumberg
(08/28/08 4:18pm)Report
sense of entitlement not since.
actually, omg...
(08/28/08 9:44pm)Report
gfys=go fuck yourself.