Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - The Fall Out

I have been thinking about the fall out of the long Democratic primary race. Has this primary harmed the Democratic party and our primary system or has it helped.

I looked at this through many different angles, I talked to others in person and online, I read what others had to say and what others screamed about. Some thought Hillary Clinton was "destroying the party" by continuing in this primary long after they and some in the media thought she should drop out. Others came to the same conclusion that I did, they thought it was a good thing for the Democratic party and for politics in general in this country.

The following comes from a friend and fellow blogger.
From Associated Content

The Democratic primary, for all of its faults--such as the use of the undemocratic and under representing caucuses and the infamous super-delegates--has finally brought out two of the Democratic parties biggest base of supporters in large and vocal numbers. Women and African-Americans have finally broken into the top tier of presidential politics because of two worthy and credible candidates in Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. These two candidates have done more to energize, educate and activate the citizens of the United States to become involved in the politics of choosing the president. They have allowed more people to understand that their voice and their collective voices can and will be heard. For this, they are both winners in my book.

[snip]

These two candidates have brought out over 17 million people each to vote for them, for a combined total of over 35 million and rising. Every state that has voted in this primary cycle, has had record turnouts in activism, at rallies and on voting day. The numbers of people that have joined the democratic party is one of the highest ever if not the highest ever, with more joining the party and the process every day. The amount of money that has been raised by small donors, for each candidate, is staggering and historical. Even tho many would like to see money and its influence taken out of politics, the fact that the Democrats have been able to out raise the Republicans at all levels, is simply a huge show of support by the American people for these two candidates and the Democratic party

[snip]

... This presidential primary has reinvigorated the people and the process for the better. I believe this change will last for decades.

Thank you Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and all of their supporters. You have brought back my faith in the American people to do what is right.

More at Associated Content

After last Tuesdays (6-2-08) final primary elections, some thought Hillary Clinton should have conceded right then, I disagreed. That was not the time or the place to properly thank her thousands of volunteers and millions of supporters. It also would not have done justice to her upcoming endorsement of Barack Obama (come on, we all knew she would). She had also won one of the two states that night.

So that Saturday (6-7-08) she gave the speech and the endorsement that I knew she would give.


Read the transcript here.

Hillary Clinton showed that she is an American first, a Democrat second and always a fighter for what is just and right! In that speech she showed why this primary needed to happen. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama brought out the fight and the spirit that has been lacking in this country for much too long. We owe them our thanks and our votes!

Having been a John Edwards supporter first, I believe that it was he who first showed both Obama and Clinton that they must fight. That fight, is for the people and for our constitution.