Clinton concedes, endorses Obama
Clinton concedes.
So 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.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
C&L has a clip, and links to video of the entire speech.
I admit, I've been worried that she wouldn't do this; that she either wouldn't concede, or would endorse half-heartedly. But she has conceded, with eloquence and class. She's even added a support Barack Obama splash to her webpage. Obama's response is similarly classy.
Reading this, I am moved:
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
I appreciate how she linked the movements for women's rights and civil rights. For all that she and Barack Obama have been pushing and pulling at each other this in this campaign, competing against each other, it's easy to overlook that they have also been pushing and pulling the country in the same direction, together.
For Clinton in particular, the presumptive nominee a year ago, the supposed prohibitive favorite, it's easy to forget how ground-breaking... ceiling-breaking... her candidacy has been. The sexism she has faced has been real and disturbing, but at the same time, it became understood, automatic, and obvious that she was in the race, and was formidable. I think Obama has been gradually reaching the same place; the place where him having a real shot at becoming president has become old news, only startling when you stop to think about it.
Two weeks ago, I was upset with Hillary Clinton for some ill-considered remarks. Earlier this week, I was impatient with her. Now, I am grateful, to her and to Obama.
So 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.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
C&L has a clip, and links to video of the entire speech.
I admit, I've been worried that she wouldn't do this; that she either wouldn't concede, or would endorse half-heartedly. But she has conceded, with eloquence and class. She's even added a support Barack Obama splash to her webpage. Obama's response is similarly classy.
Reading this, I am moved:
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
I appreciate how she linked the movements for women's rights and civil rights. For all that she and Barack Obama have been pushing and pulling at each other this in this campaign, competing against each other, it's easy to overlook that they have also been pushing and pulling the country in the same direction, together.
For Clinton in particular, the presumptive nominee a year ago, the supposed prohibitive favorite, it's easy to forget how ground-breaking... ceiling-breaking... her candidacy has been. The sexism she has faced has been real and disturbing, but at the same time, it became understood, automatic, and obvious that she was in the race, and was formidable. I think Obama has been gradually reaching the same place; the place where him having a real shot at becoming president has become old news, only startling when you stop to think about it.
Two weeks ago, I was upset with Hillary Clinton for some ill-considered remarks. Earlier this week, I was impatient with her. Now, I am grateful, to her and to Obama.