BARRY NOREEN: Hillary Clinton yields to man of the moment
DENVER · You gotta know when to fold ‘em.
Hillary Clinton's angry supporters, aka the Clintonites or the Clintonians, have become the diehards of this political season.
Convinced that Hillary Clinton was robbed of a presidential nomination that was rightfully hers -ย-and theirs - the pro-Hillary forces have provided some of the best nonscripted moments of this week's Democratic National Convention.
It's hard for the Clintonians to admit, but the person of this moment is a man, not a woman, and his name is Barack Obama.
It was a tough race, but the ClinTonites lost. Now in denial, they're finding it impossible to let go.
With a street gathering followed by a march on downtown Denver, they registered their displeasure Tuesday, holding out for a roll-call vote on the convention floor. Such a move would be symbolic and mostly sentimental at a time when both major parties are moving into "just win baby" mode.
Still, their anger was palpable.
"I would vote for a cockroach before I would vote for Obama," said Daniella Taylor of Wichita, Kan.
Taylor wore a sign that said PUMA, meaning "Party Unity My Ass."" Andy Colon of Colorado Springs wore a button with Hillary Clinton's picture and the slogan, "The obvious choice."
"We got more votes,""Colon said. "Hillary won the popular vote." She got more than 18 million votes, hardly an incidental number.
That Clinton has been calling for party unity meant nothing to the Clintonians.
"She has to play the game, but we don't," said Robin Rowlinson of Wilmington, Del. "She's being strong-armed."
The march, involving about 200 supporters, began with the chant, "We want a roll call." The cliché appeals for party unity are nearly a staple every four years for Democrats, who historically seem to have more trouble uniting behind their candidates than do Republicans.
John F. Kennedy, a Catholic from the Northeast , was viewed suspiciously by the Dixiecrats. Teddy Kennedy famously challenged President Jimmy Carter.
In past years, the Democrats' self-destructive propensity for factionalism has even been the fodder for good-natured jokes.
But there was nothing good-natured about Tuesday's talk, and though party leaders have done their best to downplay the rift, it's undeniable that it is there. The question is how big the rift is and whether it can be bridged.
The demographics of the Clintonians are easy to spot. Mostly, the group consists of white or Hispanic women, ages 35-60 - the ones old enough to appreciate the struggle of the women's movement, the ones who see themselves in Hillary Clinton.
As we all know, one of the toughest things to let go of is yourself.
Their zeal and their passion are admirable, but they are not the first supporters of a candidate to have their hopes dashed. They should grow up a bit, admit defeat, knowing they and Hillary will live to fight another day.
Repeating her support for Obama several times late Tuesday, Hillary Clinton said "I am honored to be here tonight. A proud mother. A proud Democrat. A proud Democrat. And a proud supporter of Barack Obama .... Whether you voted for me or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team and none of us can sit on the sidelines."
Those were the words of someone who knows when to fold ‘em.
Contact Noreen at 636-0363 or
noreen@gazette.com. He appears every other Friday on KOAA's Comcast Channel 9 at 4 p.m.
