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Why Should Obama Apoligize to Bill and Hillary?
While I respect and at one point, cared a great deal about President Bill Clinton (I still have two of his pictures hanging in my office), I resent what he and Hillary are doing with respects to Senator Barack Obama and his campaign.
They played ‘chicken’ and it appears they may have won.
Hillary held back enthusiastic actions toward Obama’s campaign and Bill refused to even speak to Obama. They said to Obama, you ‘come to us’ and ask for help – WE are the leaders of this Party, not YOU. They want Party members to see Obama ‘come to them’. Kneeling before them like a great admirer.
It’s like having a fight with a loved one. One always backs down. One stands their ground. Hillary and Bill made sure that Barack Obama was the one backing down.
The Clintons seem to think that Barack Obama owes them an apology for winning the Democratic Party’s primary.
They don’t like it one bit. They along with their supporters, think the Obama team cheated in some way. They feel like they’ve been mistreated and that Obama needs to say he’s sorry and that he ‘owes’ them big time.
May I ask, what about Obama, his team and his supporters? They too feel like they were stepped on and abused during this campaign. Why shouldn’t we be demanding Hillary and Bill apologize to us for ‘their’ actions during their campaign?
Barack Obama, a relatively unknown Senator, along with his team and supporters, were able to manage their campaign in such a way to have outsmarted the two well established, well connected, experienced candidates and their campaign advisors; Simple fact.
Both teams did things they shouldn’t have; but the last thing Barack Obama should be ask to do is ‘beg’ for anything. He WON! And just like any other campaign, the winner takes all. Losers don’t go demanding apologies and money to pay off their debts for having mishandled their financial affairs.
While I would have been just as sadden and angry for awhile, if Hillary had won, in the end, I would have ended up voting for her because I believe 'more' in the Democrat’s principles then any Republican ones.
I would not have ‘used’my vote as a ‘payback’, as some are saying they will now do. Anyone that does that, are thinking about themselves and not the country as a whole.
It’s just been announced that Barack Obama ended up calling Bill Clinton today. For that, I am one Democrat that will never trust or respect Bill or Hillary Clinton ever again. They've gone beyond that wall for me.
Comments (13)
I think one of the truly beautiful things about Obama is that he doesn't let his ego get in the way very often. It is only a put down if the person who it might be aimed at feels put down. I just think that Barack doesn't allow himself to feel put down so he is able to pick up the phone and call without there being any cost. That is really an inspiration to me. We all have egos and we have to deal with them, but he deals with his better than most of us. I think he'd really find it more helpful if I tried to deal with mine in a similar fashion. Therefore, I choose not to feel offended. And ya know what? It works. I feel good.
June 26, 2008 10:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well said. Obama's mantra is to be positive and this is a sterling example.
June 27, 2008 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I just wish he would have just held back awhile longer -- he needed to let THEM know that HE was in charge now.
While we all respect Bill for what he did for us during his 8 years, he's no longer in charge of the Party. He and Hillary FAILED to manage their campaign - even to the point of paying all their own bills. While I understand if you can't get ENOUGH voters to like you, they also failed in their campaign strategy -- Obama beat them at their own game.
It's THEIR turn to kneel.
June 26, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
When do we stop making excuses for Obama's weak responses? He caved on the FISA issue. We made excuses. He caved on the 2nd amendment ruling, trying to straddle the issues. We make excuses. Today he caved in to the Clintons. We make excuses. It is hard to imagine him not caving in to the Republicans in the next 4 months, then perhaps caving in to the militant Israelis, to the oil companies, etc. I won't be making excuses for him.
June 26, 2008 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I understand how you feel, Connie, but I think you also have bear in mind that it's a whole lot easier to be magnanimous when you won than when you got done...
;-)
Cheer yourself up thinking that the Clintons need to get on board (for their future in the party & in public perceptions) just as much as Obama needs them on board. And he did make one huge gaffe (I think) by announcing Doyle as the VEEP C-o-S before the unity bandwagon had got going. It seems fair enough to me that her passionate supporters make him pay a little for that.
I view all this from the prespective of knowing that had she won, it would have taken me months to get over it. (Actually I probably never would have. )
The only reason I don't totally loathe and despise her now is that sh didn't win!
Yaknow... the old adage... walk a mile in their shoes
June 26, 2008 11:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
except i don't think obama needs them. look how well he's doing without them.
they may help at the margins, but i don't think he needs them as much as people seem to think he does. the clintons just aren't that important anymore.
June 27, 2008 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama has a lot more to gain from the Clintons, at this point, than the Clintons have to gain from Obama. This gives the Clintons a certain degree of (additional) power. As with any advantage, the Clintons - being intelligent, ambitious people - will use it to improve their situation. Could you honestly expect anything different? :-)
June 27, 2008 2:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your post lacks any sort of historic perspective. What you are seeing now is the same thing that has happened after every hard fought primary battle. In contests that were not as nearly as close the winner has always gone to the loser and made concessions to win their support.
Mondale went to Hart to mend fences and Hart's response was not as effusive as Hillary's. Nor was that contest as close.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950074,00.html?promoid=googlep
Bradley didn't endorse Gore when he conceded, it took months after he conceded before he gave an endorsement.
ROUSSAKOFF (3/10/00):Bradley withdrew from the campaign much as he entered it almost 15 months ago, invoking a "new politics," and making clear his dissatisfaction with Vice President Gore. He vowed to support Gore strongly against the Republicans, who he said represent "the opposite of where our country should be headed."
But when asked his feelings about Gore's campaign, Bradley was unforgiving. "I thought that there were distortions and negativity," he said. "I hope that he'll run a better campaign in the general election."
The former New Jersey senator said he would "support" Gore, and campaign for him, but pointedly did not use the word "endorse." Asked why, he told reporters, "It's your call.”
SEELYE (7/14/00): Bill Bradley emerged from months of political seclusion today to endorse Al Gore, his erstwhile primary foe, and to help the vice president appeal to independent voters here in the Midwest.
June 27, 2008 4:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who cares anymore? Just leave it the fuck alone already. Please.
June 27, 2008 6:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Roo__p - moving forward.
June 27, 2008 9:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
It would be nice if some of you could refrain from using profanity to make your point.
June 27, 2008 7:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Politically, Obama has to do some butt-kissing. That's the game.
But objectively, ethically, morally? I agree with you, he doesn't owe the Clintons an apology.
June 27, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Connie, Take a deep breath, in and out. Get over it. Please, this is getting old and not reflecting well on you. It's over. Obama won. Lets move on. Get over it. Please?
June 27, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
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