Any and all doubts erased by Clinton
By ROBERT RUPP, Special to The NewsEditor's note: Robert Rupp, a political historian at West Virginia Wesleyan College, is providing a daily journal of analysis and happenings from the Democratic National Convention. Also, see Wood County Democratic chairman Walt Auvil's blog from the convention at www.newsandsentinel.com
DENVER - Democrats got a repeat performance Wednesday when former President Bill Clinton erased public doubts about his enthusiasm for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.
Hillary Clinton did that Tuesday in a dramatic call for unity in a speech U.S. Sen. John D. Rockefeller said was a "home run."
During that speech one watched in the convention hall first a sea of white Hillary signs being waved turn into a sea of blue unity banners. The banners waved by the delegates had unity printed on one side and Obama or Hillary on the other side. Putting the names together might suggest the party ticket desired by a large number of delegates.
As the delegates left the convention many carried those banners - a sign of unity for many, and perhaps remembrance for some.
Hillary's enthusiasm reminds one of the times when conventions were actually used to select presidential candidates rather than just ratify them. In at least a third of the conventions from 1832-1952 (the last time there was more than one ballot), the party nominee had to struggle through several ballots.
In the 19th century there was no opportunity for a losing candidate to address the convention. Such acts of reconciliation appeared later in staged visits.
The most famous of these was in 1880 when James Garfield was the surprise victor on the 14th ballot, defeating Ulysses Grant. The former president Grant and his supporters were reluctant to endorse much less campaign for the Ohio congressman. But in the end it was arranged for Grant to visit Garfield's home in Mentor, Ohio, on the way to New York.
And even that almost did not happen because Grant had to be persuaded to the train. He finally agreed but his visit lasted less than 20 minutes and he refrained from any campaign appearances. But for Garfield that was enough and probably a key reason he won in one of America's closest elections.
For as Gerald Ford found out in 1976 and Jimmy Carter in 1980, candidates don't win without unity.
In a sense, Bill Clinton's 20-minute speech Wednesday was like Grant's 20-minute visit in 1880 - just long enough to impact the election by symbolically making a display of unity.
The question for the remaining 10 weeks of the campaign is what Bill Clinton will be asked to do to help Obama - and if he will do it.
Perhaps the best measure for both Clintons will be the time they spend campaigning for the 2008 Obama-Biden ticket - especially in states Hillary did so well in such as West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In many ways Clinton's speech overshadowed Joe Biden's speech, for despite all the talk unity is actually more important than the vice presidency. Vice presidents may strengthen a ticket as Al Gore did Clinton, or Dick Cheney did for George W. Bush, but they do not decide it. The last time such a selection made a difference was in 1960 when Lyndon Johnson delivered Texas to John Kennedy.
Democrats in 2008 hope that Biden will promote unity by appealing to those voters that rallied to Hillary and not Obama during the long primary season. Biden also is a good campaigner who relates easily with blue collar and Catholic voters.
If Biden works well in the diners, Obama works best in the arenas - so well that he will follow John Kennedy's action and make his acceptance speech in a football stadium.
But the other news from the convention is the problem of tickets for Obama's acceptance speech tonight at Invesco field. The West Virginia delegation requested 150 tickets. Initially they were told that would be no problem. Now there may be.
As I overheard a stranger on a cell phone ask, "How can I not get tickets to a 70,000 seat arena?" One explanation circulating is that 90,000 Colorado residents have requested tickets. The irony is that initially organizers were worried about attendance and made plans to bus in supporters.
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MrAlex
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08-28-08 10:00 PM
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You all can gripe and complain and insult each other back and forth all day long for all I care, but the simple fact is that obama will be bad for the country. Not that McCain will go down in history as a "great" President, but of the two running, McCain is the better choice. obama is a joke. He's nothing but smoke and mirrors and the liberal loon media building him up to be some "star" and some great guy, but you're all being fooled. obama is nothing but a complete joke and a fabricated "made for TV" American Idol type candidate with no expericne and stupid ideas. Everyone go inflate your tires to make up for all that oil obama won't let us drill to get. Yeah, that'll help. Duh! What a great idea! He's a genius! The Messiah has spoken. Soon, he'll be raising your taxes and the gas prices will go way back up. Enjoy! McCain 08
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TJF123
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08-28-08 11:04 AM
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Anyone notice that Bill said "Obama is the man for the job"? Sounded to me like he was really implying that "Hillary is the woman (or person) for the job, but if we have to have a man then Obama's ok" Biden seems like he's made for power- I mean he cheated his way through law school, became a senator when he was 29 eventhough 30 is the minimum age, and is a CFR member. He'll fit right in.
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thatsjustme
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08-28-08 10:57 AM
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myth, That is my hope, too. We need unity desperately. I was so disillusioned by Bush, not that I voted for him, but I want a president for all the people. The Clinton's were in turmoil immediately by the repubs and agitated by there own egos. I believe the fact that Obama is black, a strong family man, an excellent lawyer and his intellectual hero is MLK may create the right environment for us all to be on the same page. Obama/Biden 08
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mythravere
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08-28-08 6:59 AM
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You know what would be nice. A candidate that could unite both parties. Maybe Obama needs to try this because there are things that need to be done to fix our country. Obama needs to try and bring everybody together to get things back on track we are one people after all.
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