Lika Starr

In what many are saying is Hillary Clinton’s best speech of all time was delivered Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, the DNC, in Denver. It was amazing and I would agree this may have been her best. Clinton was truly a class act, professional and hit every mark without missing a beat. Her speech was presidential in itself. It was certainly the most important speech at the DNC so far and possibly of the entire convention. Without her full support and call to the 18 million who voted for, Barack will have a difficult time pulling ahead of the neck to neck race against McCain.

Clinton’s message was intended to deliver from the heart her full support of Barack Obama and that her relentless supporters should too. It was a strong and passionate call for unity with a hint of democratic duty. Clinton asked her supporters if they voted for her or for the people who need a president in office that will help these people. It was a question designed to hit home on what’s really important right now, not three months ago.

Democrats are calling her speech a fastball, a homerun, a major success. But republicans are seeing it differently, perhaps predictably so. They are saying what she didn’t say is more important. What she didn’t say is that Barack is ready to lead in terms of experience. They are also condemning Barack for not choosing Clinton as a running mate. In a new commercial the McCain campaign gives its opinion as to why she wasn’t chosen. The ad says that she told the truth about Obama’s experience during her run for candidacy and Obama didn’t like it.

I think Hillary’s speech was a smashing success and probably will be the most important of the DNC. But I also think that Barack needs to at least match her speech on Thursday. Most importantly, he needs to bring the call of unity full circle by boldly asking Clinton supporters for their votes while acknowledging her accomplishments.

There are several reasons why Clinton didn’t speak of Obama’s experience to lead our country as president. In my opinion, she can’t. This is because that was one of the main tactics she used to run against him. To turn on her own campaign now would be like digging a grave for her future chances at the presidency. For her it’s just best left unsaid at this point. Another reason is her speech was not about Obama’s abilities. It was about bringing the democrats together and asking them emphatically to unite. It was also about publicly stating that she and Obama agree on the same principles and a valiant attempt to blur the line of their differences.

Personally I think it would have been great if Obama and Clinton were on the same ticket. We don’t know why Obama didn’t choose Clinton to run along side him. They’re not telling and probably never will, though it will probably leach someday. Until then we can only speculate.

My theory is that he probably did ask her but she declined. Neither of them would ever admit to that for obvious reasons. I’m pretty sure that Clinton plans to run again for president. Being Obam’s running mate could possibly be the worst thing for her longterm goal to be elected president. If she were to run with him and they lost against McCain her chances at running in a future election would be slim to none. If they won and things didn’t improve fast enough then again her chances are lost. If they won and things went well, she’d still be looked upon as second in command to a younger more robust president. That wouldn’t go over too well in a competition against a strong republican candidate.

On the other hand if Obama loses against McCain then Clinton has another shot at the presidency in just four years. If he wins, then democrats have the opportunity of having their candidates in the White House for the next 16 years.

The bottom line is that when Hillary Clinton runs for president she needs to be the top dog in the race. Then there’s the whole Clinton dynasty thing. A Clinton could never be second fiddle without embarrassment. I’m not saying anything bad about them but in this country for the last 20 years it’s been the Clinton’s and the Bush’s. Royalty doesn’t accept 2nd place.