LatinaLista — As expected, the buzz everywhere today is about Hillary’s speech last night. Early reports from her campaign had said not to expect a concession speech — and she didn’t disappoint.
Sen. Clinton thanks everyone for their support on June 3, 2008.
(Source: CNN)
In our last post, we felt last night should have been her night to relish the last time where she would be the sole recipient of affection from her adoring supporters. She had every right to relive the last 16 months and not to concede defeat formally.
Yet, what was surprising wasn’t the fact that she said, “I will be making no decisions tonight” but that she said, “I want to hear from you. I hope you’ll go to my Web site at HillaryClinton.com and share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can.”
At first impression, the invitation seemed like one further tactic to prolong the attention but the last part — “help in any way you can” left us wondering what the heck is this about.
It wasn’t long before we had an answer.
A quick click to hillaryclinton.com revealed a pop-up soliciting visitors to “Stand with Hillary” and to contribute to her campaign.
If we are to give Sen. Clinton the benefit of the doubt, then we might assume that this is a way to start collecting money to pay the debt that her campaign racked up. After all, Clinton herself said that she only “lent” her campaign money from her personal funds. So…
Yet, an unexpected press release today sheds a whole other light on Clinton’s speech last night.
Distributed by the HillaryGrassrootsCampaign.com, the press release stated that the group has over half-million supporters who are willing to go the distance with Clinton even if she doesn’t get the Democratic nomination but will support her run as an Independent.
Calls by Latina Lista to the Hillary Grassroots Campaign have not been returned but in light of this new development, her speech makes sense.
Why else would she state that “And I want the nearly 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected, to be heard, and no longer to be invisible.”
Many pundits attributed that line to leveraging herself as the prime choice for the VP slot on Obama’s ticket.
Yet, we have to wonder.
In an email to a Clinton spokeswoman, Latina Lista asked if the Senator was considering a run as an Independent.
The response: “The Senator has said many times that she will do whatever she can to get a Dem in the White House and defeat McCain.”
Maybe or maybe she’s gauging how many supporters she already has for whom she feels a personal responsibility to go all the way to the White House, where being Commander-in-Chief she’d have an easier time of making her supporters more visible and providing the health care system that she has always envisioned.
Comment(6)
adriana
She would lose all credibility running as an independent. Do you think that Hillary Clinton wants to become the next Joe Lieberman?
Also, if you look at the policy positions of Hillary and Barack, there isn’t that much difference on many key issues. They do have differences, but they aren’t substantial enough to warrant a third-party run. What policy or alternative would she really be offering?
I really think the reason she’s leaving things open have to do with her ego and her campaign debt. The Clintons were broke when they left the WH. They probably don’t want to experience that feeling again dumping their $ from their Dubai deals, book deals, lectures, etc. into a losing cause.
habladora
Regardless of Clinton’s qualifications (I think she would make a great president), I think that her running as an independent would assure McCain’s presidency. If Nader could split the vote enough to deny Gore a win, think of how a clash of the titans like Obama vs. Clinton would do – it would split the party 50/50.
Daniel
“If Nader could split the vote enough to deny Gore a win…”
sorry, but gore lost the election. maybe he shouldve campaigned better.
nader didnt cost him anything. that logic has been dismissed.
clinton supporters cannot possibly split the party 50/50. that’s what teddy kennedy thought.
the titans are Obama and McCain.
habladora
1. Gore won the popular vote
2. If even a small fraction of Nader’s votes in Florida had gone to Gore instead, Gore would have won the presidency
3. It has been a close enough primary race to prove that either Clinton or Obama would have a chance in the general election. Let’s all just keep our fingers crossed for a Democrat in the White House.
Daniel
it’s the electoral college that counts, not the popular vote.
if gore ran a losing campaign it’s no one’s fault but his own.
anonymous
sorry, but gore lost the election. maybe he shouldve campaigned better.
nader didnt cost him anything. that logic has been dismissed.”
Oh please, gore lost the election? So by your train of thought you must believe the holocaust is just a myth. You make me sick!!!
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