President Bill Clinton Addresses the crowd at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
(Photo by David L. Roberts / Afro-American Newspapers) Click here to enlarge photo
By Zenitha Prince
Washington Bureau Chief
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DENVER (August 27, 2008) - In his speech before the Democratic Convention Wednesday night, former President Bill Clinton immediately squashed any doubts about his unwillingness to support his wife’s former rival. “I am here, first, to support Barack Obama,” Clinton declared. “Last night, Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she’ll do everything she can to elect Barack. That makes the two of us.” Appealing to Sen. Clinton’s supporters, he skillfully added, “Actually, that makes 18 million of us—because, like Hillary, I want all of you who supported her to vote for Barack Obama in November.”
Bill Clinton remains extremely popular among Democrats. That was clearly evident when the flag-waving crowd enthusiastically welcomed him with sustained applause, forcing him to delay his speech until the applause subsided.
A sea of American flags greeted Bill Clinton the instant he appeared on stage. Clinton continues to be a Democratic party “rock star”.
(Photos by J. Oliver / Afro-American Newspapers) Click here to enlarge photo
Democrats cheer President Bill Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
(Photos by J. Oliver / Afro-American Newspapers)
In the weeks leading up to the convention, there was doubt about how enthusiastic Clinton might endorse Obama, if at all. But those doubts evaporated as Clinton delivered a powerful message to a powerful constituency. “Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world,” he said. “Ready to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Barack Obama is ready to be the president of the United States.”
Even though Hillary Clinton supporters had been clamoring for her to be selected as Obama vice presidential running mate, Bill Clinton praised Obama decision to pick Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. The former president said, “And in his first presidential decision, the selection of a running mate, he hit it out of the park.”
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Maryland state Sen. Verna Jones, D-Baltimore, said this was as big an opportunity for Clinton as it was for Obama. “I think this was an opportunity for him to make amends for areas that he hasn’t been diplomatic about in the past few months and an opportunity for him to show what a good soldier he is,” she said.
And as only Clinton can, he connected with his adoring audience. “Look at the example the Republicans have set: …declining wages, less than one-fourth as many new jobs as in the previous eight years, smaller health care benefits, rising poverty…war on unions and unlimited favors for the well connected…Katrina and cronyism,” Clinton said. “America can do better than that and Obama will do better than that.”
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| (Photo by J. Oliver / Afro-American Newspapers) |
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Ronald Walters, a political science professor at the University of Maryland, said Clinton did a “masterful” job of suppressing any leftover bitterness, using his cache as a popular president to promote Obama and essentially passing on the baton to a new generation of Democratic leadership. “He did a good job by comparing Barack Obama to himself as a young man when people said he couldn’t govern and yet he went on to lead this country to a time of great prosperity.”
In a rallying call to action Clinton said: “Together we prevailed in a campaign in which the Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be commander-in-chief. Sound familiar?” he said. “It didn’t work in 1992 because we were on the right side of history. And it will not work in 2008 because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.”
Clinton’s unflinching support [of Obama] also went a long way towards healing the breach between the former president and the African-American community.
Paul Moreno, a delegate from Texas, who just a day before had added his motorized scooter to the hundreds of feet that marched in support of Sen. Clinton, said the president could not have done a better job. “His words comforted us that we were on the road to victory with a good man,” Moreno said. “I know he was hurting but he knows a Democrat is better than a Republican any time.”
Clinton’s unflinching support also went a long way towards healing the breach between the former president and the African-American community, who turned away from the campaign after he made comments many interpreted as racist and belittling. Actor Wendell Pierce, known for his role on HBO’s crime drama, “The Wire,” said for Clinton to regain the trust of the Black community, “he needs to do everything in his power to help Barack Obama become president.” If he didn’t, and if the recalcitrance of Clinton supporters resulted in Obama’s loss come November, Pierce added, “I’ll lead the march of African Americans away from this party because we have been loyal members of the Democratic Party for decades, even when we weren’t wanted.”
Betty Cleckley, an Obama delegate from Huntington, W.V., said she had needed to hear and see that show of support from President Clinton. “The relationship was greatly damaged,” said Cleckley, referring to the ties between African Americans and the man once considered as the country’s “first Black president.” “And I was concerned about if they could really support Barack Obama. Now, I don’t have a question any longer.”
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Democrats cheer President Bill Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
(Photo by J. Oliver / Afro-American Newspapers) Click here to enlarge photo