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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's Best Speech

Hillary Clinton’s speech at the Democratic Party Convention was presidential and bittersweet. She should have been the party’s nominee for president, but through strategic mistakes of her own and big media’s love affair with Barack Obama, her time was not this time.

Her speech was her best yet and belongs in the pantheon of American political speeches. She displayed grace, wit, gravitas, stateswomanship, leadership, authority that not even the party’s iconic Edward Kennedy has ever enjoyed. She commanded every line and by the time she said these words:

This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.
How do we give this country back to them?
By following the example of a brave New Yorker , a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad.
And on that path to freedom, Harriett Tubman had one piece of advice.
If you hear the dogs, keep going.
If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
If they're shouting after you, keep going.
Don't ever stop. Keep going.
If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going.
I’ve seen it in you. I’ve seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military – you always keep going

She was no longer speaking, she was singing and the convention hall was swept off its feet. Finally, Hillary Clinton has arrived. Sadly, Hillary Clinton has just left the stage.

Now progressive voters are left with the tepid ticket of Obama and Joe Biden, a reactionary coupling that instead of forging ahead with the message of change, reclines in more of the same. Michelle Obama could have delivered a rousing speech that highlighted her accomplishments, but instead she offered the safe I am a mom and wife dance that sounded eerily similar to Laura Bush.

The time for strong women to be leaders is not here. Not this time. That fire is next time. One hopes.