Clinton Support for Obama Unequivocal

BY TAYLOR MARSH
–updated–

There’s “release” in DNC terms, then there’s “release” in that Clinton has asked her delegates to support Obama: “And she urged them to get behind Sen. Obama and to work just as hard to elect him president.” That’s the bottom line.

Clinton has endorsed and thrown her full support behind Barack Obama. That
is clear and unequivocal. Any effort to diminish Hillary’s support for Obama
is destructive to her. I can’t say it any plainer than that.

There is much spinning in the blogosphere right now about a conference call
last night with Clinton delegates. The word “release” in a post (that has been updated) I
wrote this morning has brought emails with text run amok to my inbox. It’s counterproductive.
Emailing me about a blog headline is ridiculous. I’ve talked to people this morning, as if I wouldn’t, and whether you approve of the word “release” is like talking about “conceding” or “suspending,” it all means the same thing. Clinton is supporting Obama unequivocally and anything that hints otherwise does a disservice to her and what she wants to accomplish going forward.

If reporting or word comes in to change what I learned this morning I will post on it. Otherwise, the message is clear: Clinton is throwing her full support behind Barack Obama, which includes asking her delegates to support him as well. If you don’t like the word “release,” well, pick another one. It’s a technicality in the political world right now.

Clinton is not running for the nomination anymore. Repeat three times. So why wouldn’t she ask her delegates to support the nominee? Besides, her power exists beyond them at this point.

Nothing in my years of politics makes me sadder to write. It’s the most difficult
reality to face since Gore lost in 2000. But it’s a fact.

The other reality being missed by many Clinton supporters is that Hillary’s
power no longer lies in delegates. Again, she has endorsed and backed Obama.
Her power lies in people like me following her lead, which I’m doing without
reservation, no matter how difficult the moment.

People who are not following her and who continue to push some notion that
either Hillary wants, or it’s productive for her to “fight on in Denver,”
or hopes to get her name put in nomination, are not helping HRC at all. I’ve said it
before, but evidently it’s not getting through. I know it’s difficult now, but
anything that makes Hillary less of a uniter behind Obama hurts her. No one
should be thinking about an act of God or political collapse, but even that
wouldn’t require Hillary to need delegates to rise. She’d be the only one the
Democratic Party would turn to and I’d be right there beside her. But that’s not going to happen. We have our
nominee. It is Barack Obama.

Again, Hillary Clinton doesn’t need her delegates anymore since she’s not running for
the nomination. Her power lies in her email list, the support she’s gotten over
the last months, including all of us. We’re her power, not convention delegates.

One more time with feeling, “releasing” delegates isn’t the issue. Whether she used the word or not is a distraction, not some conspiracy against Hillary Clinton.

All this running around to try to forward some small headline that Hillary
hasn’t “released” her delegates is counterproductive to the job at hand and ignores Hillary’s request. Again, if you don’t like the word
“release,” fine, don’t use it. But again, since it’s evidently not sticking, it’s like whether you use “concede”
or “suspend” all this rhetoric is a technicality. The primary is over.
Hillary has thrown her full support behind Barack Obama.

I’m following Hillary, because she’s the leader I trust most in the Democratic
Party. That’s the best way to help Hillary. Follow her. That’s why her delegates
will do as she asks and support Barack Obama.

It’s over… this time. Denial isn’t helpful… to Hillary. That’s all that matters to me.

UPDATE II: I put in a request to the Clinton campaign for a statement about the conversations taking place, both in the conference call last night, as well as the private conversations being reported. What I received confirms the “update” below. Hillary Clinton is unequivocal in her support for Barack Obama and has asked her supporters and her delegates to support Obama and work to make him the nominee. The word “release,” as I explain below, is a DNC technicality, and the bottom line is that Hillary wants all of her supporters to work to elect Barack Obama, which means they are no longer bound by their pledge to support her at the convention, though they can *choose* to, though the important emphasis, as you will see below, is that Hillary has asked us all to work and support Obama, the nominee. End of story.

Senator Clinton thanked all of her delegates for all of their hard work and urged them all to come together behind Senator Obama. She wants to ensure that her supporters in states that have not completed the delegate process have an opportunity to go to the convention . And while we recognize that delegates are not bound to vote for anyone and can vote however they want, we’re urging her delegates to stay together if they so choose in order to keep advocating for the issues important to the 18 million voters who supported HRC. But she has been crystal clear — Barack Obama is the nominee of our party, and we all need to work hard to elect him President.

UPDATE: Mark Ambinder explores the technical meaning of “release.” However, the fact remains that Clinton’s delegates have been asked to back Obama. Their pledge isn’t to Clinton any longer, though they have the choice to do so if they wish. By very definition the pledge is moot. However, in technicalities and for DNC rules, that’s another matter. From Ambinder: “…There are other reasons related to DNC rules. In theory, states could reslate their delegations and deprive Clinton delegates of their convention experience. And more parochially, an audience full of Clinton delegates ensures that when — not if, but when — Clinton speaks at the convention, she’ll be cheered.” Clinton will be cheered regardless, because of her unqualified endorsement and historic speech this past weekend. The word “release” in DNC language means one thing, when in reality as I used the term it’s accurate as well.