Retrospective: Drawing Lines in the Sand
retrospective 9:00 PM
Written Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
-----
Hillary wrote an article in the New York Daily News explaining why she continues to run, despite the increasing pressure on her to quit.
I want to talk for a minute about why we, her supporters can't quit either.
----
I'm a pretty lazy person. In tradition with people of my age group, I don't get involved with movements or trends unless I think it's worth my effort or I am completely obsessed with it. We twentysomethings are notoriously unengaged.
Nothing has been more important to me than electing Hillary as president, ever.
I dream about it. I think about it all day. I feel it in my heart, in my bones, in my soul.
I'm appalled, with due respect, that Senator Obama has the market on the theme of 'change'. I'm out of my mind with upset over the insinuation that his candidacy is in any way more historic or significant that Hillary's. I'm also put off by the media framing him in a way that makes him appear a far better candidate than he is, while making Hillary appear to be a lying, dynastic, bitchy ballbuster who is only in the race because she feels it is owed to her. That doesn't fly with me.
But let me tell you why I feel so strongly for Hillary.
She inspires me.
Many people have called her tonedeaf during this campaign, and I completely disagree. In New Hampshire, her sharp tone against Senators Obama and Edwards was her standing up against the insinuation that they stood for change and she'd been sitting on her hands for the past 35 years. On the stump, she talks about us rolling up our sleeves, going to work every day and fighting every battle small and large to make life better for our families. That really resonates with me.
To Hillary, change and hope are not about music to the ears. They're not abstract principles that we can achieve by holding our breath. They're not objectives that we can make happen by voting 'present' in the Senate, sitting for 20 years in a church listening to hateful rhetoric, or tactically avoiding any semblance of specificity whatsoever so as to avoid having to answer questions about our policies and ideals. To her, change is about keeping faith, yes. In fact, voters of faith have voted in favor of Clinton. But it's more about doing something. Hillary has a long track record of bipartisan coalitions to get legislation together that helps real people in real ways. The people Hillary talks about are the single mothers working two jobs so their daughters can become anything they want. The truck drivers fighting hard just to be able to fill the tank. The family that lost their home because a parent got sick and couldn't afford their medical bills. That resonates with me.
Hillary's campaign has been called dead more times than I can count. As I've blogged about many times before, the talking heads have said time and time again that she should drop out of the race if she can't stop him in this state or that state, and every time without fail, she delivers, often against incredible odds.
Remember when her campaign was dead in New Hampshire? Well, she beat him 39-36.
Then more people voted for her than him in Nevada, despite organizational support for him and a coup that gave casino votes 5x more weight than other state votes.
She beat him in Florida with more than 50% of the vote, despite being unable to say a word to Florida voters.
In Michigan, despite an organizational effort to get people to vote undeclared. Again with more than 50% of the vote.
California. New Jersey. A bunch of other Super Tuesday states despite 'a huge wave of momentum against her'.
----
But my favorite Hillary moment of all is one I'll never forget.
After a huge string of losses to Senator Obama, it was finally down to Ohio and Texas.
So long as I live I'll remember the huge rush of excitement I felt for days up to, and especially the day of those primaries.
By this point, I'd begun donating to Hillary, working email banks and talking to everyone who would listen so that they would know why we need Hillary so badly.
When the polls closed and the tallies began to come in, I got such a wave of excitement over what would happen. And soon we knew.
I was at home, on the phone with a dear friend of mine that late night when Senator Clinton took the stage in Ohio. We watched with bated breath to hear what our girl would say, and she didn't disappoint.
Perhaps the most touching words I've ever heard were framed in the context of a living-dead campaign, fought hard by a girl who refused to give up on a promise to fight for a people that she wasn't sure would even stand with her.
"For everyone here in Ohio and across America who's ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out (cheering) and for everyone who's stumbled but stood right back up (cheering) and for everyone who works hard and never gives up, this one is for YOU (even louder cheering)!"
As she spoke that night, she really really really hit home with me. Her words were a true reflection of the realities of a country in need of a strong leader. The crowd erupted with cheer time and time again, and perhaps most touching was the introduction of the Hillary chant that has now become legendary.
"Yes she will! Yes she will! Yes she will!"
It was a misty-eyed night for me, and one that has forever changed the way I look at politics, politicians, long-odds and the people who hold their ground all the way to the end. And that really really resonates with me.
----
So, I submit to you that this fight is not over.
Hillary, our champion, and us, her street fighters, must remain today as resolute and determined as we have ever been.
Why? Because we know we're right. We know that Hillary is by far the best candidate. We know she's our best shot at turning this country around in concrete and fundamental ways.
How? By continuing to win. Her 'dead campaign' won in Pennsylvania despite being outspent 4 to 1. She won a come-from-behind victory in Indiana, Obama's home turf. She won an overwhelming 2 to 1 vote margin in West Virginia, a swing state. 35 percent margin in Kentucky. And Puerto Rico will give her the popular vote under any scenario. In fact, I read just the other day that Senator Clinton already has had more primary votes cast for her than any Democratic candidate ever, including Barack Obama.
Please stand strong with me. Continue to talk to your friends and write to your elected officials to remind them why you support Senator Clinton.
I've drawn my line in the sand, and I will stand my ground as fiercely as I know how. Please stand with me! Together, we will make this happen.
"Yes She Will! Yes She Will! Yes She Will!"
-----
Hillary wrote an article in the New York Daily News explaining why she continues to run, despite the increasing pressure on her to quit.
I want to talk for a minute about why we, her supporters can't quit either.
----
I'm a pretty lazy person. In tradition with people of my age group, I don't get involved with movements or trends unless I think it's worth my effort or I am completely obsessed with it. We twentysomethings are notoriously unengaged.
Nothing has been more important to me than electing Hillary as president, ever.
I dream about it. I think about it all day. I feel it in my heart, in my bones, in my soul.
I'm appalled, with due respect, that Senator Obama has the market on the theme of 'change'. I'm out of my mind with upset over the insinuation that his candidacy is in any way more historic or significant that Hillary's. I'm also put off by the media framing him in a way that makes him appear a far better candidate than he is, while making Hillary appear to be a lying, dynastic, bitchy ballbuster who is only in the race because she feels it is owed to her. That doesn't fly with me.
But let me tell you why I feel so strongly for Hillary.
She inspires me.
Many people have called her tonedeaf during this campaign, and I completely disagree. In New Hampshire, her sharp tone against Senators Obama and Edwards was her standing up against the insinuation that they stood for change and she'd been sitting on her hands for the past 35 years. On the stump, she talks about us rolling up our sleeves, going to work every day and fighting every battle small and large to make life better for our families. That really resonates with me.
To Hillary, change and hope are not about music to the ears. They're not abstract principles that we can achieve by holding our breath. They're not objectives that we can make happen by voting 'present' in the Senate, sitting for 20 years in a church listening to hateful rhetoric, or tactically avoiding any semblance of specificity whatsoever so as to avoid having to answer questions about our policies and ideals. To her, change is about keeping faith, yes. In fact, voters of faith have voted in favor of Clinton. But it's more about doing something. Hillary has a long track record of bipartisan coalitions to get legislation together that helps real people in real ways. The people Hillary talks about are the single mothers working two jobs so their daughters can become anything they want. The truck drivers fighting hard just to be able to fill the tank. The family that lost their home because a parent got sick and couldn't afford their medical bills. That resonates with me.
Hillary's campaign has been called dead more times than I can count. As I've blogged about many times before, the talking heads have said time and time again that she should drop out of the race if she can't stop him in this state or that state, and every time without fail, she delivers, often against incredible odds.
Remember when her campaign was dead in New Hampshire? Well, she beat him 39-36.
Then more people voted for her than him in Nevada, despite organizational support for him and a coup that gave casino votes 5x more weight than other state votes.
She beat him in Florida with more than 50% of the vote, despite being unable to say a word to Florida voters.
In Michigan, despite an organizational effort to get people to vote undeclared. Again with more than 50% of the vote.
California. New Jersey. A bunch of other Super Tuesday states despite 'a huge wave of momentum against her'.
----
But my favorite Hillary moment of all is one I'll never forget.
After a huge string of losses to Senator Obama, it was finally down to Ohio and Texas.
So long as I live I'll remember the huge rush of excitement I felt for days up to, and especially the day of those primaries.
By this point, I'd begun donating to Hillary, working email banks and talking to everyone who would listen so that they would know why we need Hillary so badly.
When the polls closed and the tallies began to come in, I got such a wave of excitement over what would happen. And soon we knew.
I was at home, on the phone with a dear friend of mine that late night when Senator Clinton took the stage in Ohio. We watched with bated breath to hear what our girl would say, and she didn't disappoint.
Perhaps the most touching words I've ever heard were framed in the context of a living-dead campaign, fought hard by a girl who refused to give up on a promise to fight for a people that she wasn't sure would even stand with her.
"For everyone here in Ohio and across America who's ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out (cheering) and for everyone who's stumbled but stood right back up (cheering) and for everyone who works hard and never gives up, this one is for YOU (even louder cheering)!"
As she spoke that night, she really really really hit home with me. Her words were a true reflection of the realities of a country in need of a strong leader. The crowd erupted with cheer time and time again, and perhaps most touching was the introduction of the Hillary chant that has now become legendary.
"Yes she will! Yes she will! Yes she will!"
It was a misty-eyed night for me, and one that has forever changed the way I look at politics, politicians, long-odds and the people who hold their ground all the way to the end. And that really really resonates with me.
----
So, I submit to you that this fight is not over.
Hillary, our champion, and us, her street fighters, must remain today as resolute and determined as we have ever been.
Why? Because we know we're right. We know that Hillary is by far the best candidate. We know she's our best shot at turning this country around in concrete and fundamental ways.
How? By continuing to win. Her 'dead campaign' won in Pennsylvania despite being outspent 4 to 1. She won a come-from-behind victory in Indiana, Obama's home turf. She won an overwhelming 2 to 1 vote margin in West Virginia, a swing state. 35 percent margin in Kentucky. And Puerto Rico will give her the popular vote under any scenario. In fact, I read just the other day that Senator Clinton already has had more primary votes cast for her than any Democratic candidate ever, including Barack Obama.
Please stand strong with me. Continue to talk to your friends and write to your elected officials to remind them why you support Senator Clinton.
I've drawn my line in the sand, and I will stand my ground as fiercely as I know how. Please stand with me! Together, we will make this happen.
"Yes She Will! Yes She Will! Yes She Will!"
Posted by Nick Stone
on 9:00 PM.
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