Clinton Support for Obama Unequivocal

BY TAYLOR MARSH

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 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.