WASHINGTON, June 8, 2008
The Speech Of Her Life
Bob Schieffer Says, Even In Losing, Hillary Clinton Showed Us Her Best
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Play CBS Video Video Praise For Clinton's Speech In his political commentary, Bob Schieffer commends Hillary Clinton for a memorable speech in which she endorsed Barack Obama and suspended her historical and inspirational campaign.
Hillary Clinton made the speech of her life yesterday.
She showed a grace all too rare in modern politics, and she set the right example for the young people who worked so hard for her.
The Clintons have not had much practice at losing, and until yesterday that showed in a not-altogether-flattering way. But yesterday that changed.
Hillary Clinton offered no excuses. Instead, she said the race was over, that the time had come to unite behind her opponent for whom she said she would work her heart out.
She told her followers that she had not run to be the first woman president, but had been a woman running for President, and that the next time a woman runs it will no longer be so remarkable.
As the father of two daughters and three granddaughters, I believe she's right about that.
She lost this race, but she had advanced the cause of women everywhere.
In life, we lose more than we win, and sometimes it is losing - not winning - that brings out our best.
Yesterday, Hillary Clinton showed us her best.

When terrorists broke into the 1972 Olympics and killed 11 Israeli athletes, McKay's boss Roone Arledge left him on the air to anchor the coverage rather than hand off the mike to someone from the news department because, Arledge said, "There is just a steadiness there."
He was a model for all of us, including his son, Sean McManus, who went on to become president of CBS News and Sports. Our thoughts are with his family.
E-mail Face the Nation.
By Bob Schieffer
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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See all 22 CommentsPosted by HillaryNow at 07:09 PM : Jun 08, 2008
Why are so many of Hillary''''s supporters so hateful? I liked some things about each candidate, and I made my choice for Obama. I would be happy with either as president. But we need a Democrat, and we need a big Democratic majority in each house.
Obama is the one who kept to the high ground, in my view. Please help save America, and vote for him.
Posted by ge556 at 10:56 PM : Jun 09, 2008
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ge556;
Unfortunately there are too many people, like poster HillaryNow, whose personal biases mean more them than the good of their country and fellow Americans.
Posted by HillaryNow at 07:09 PM : Jun 08, 2008
Why are so many of Hillary''s supporters so hateful? I liked some things about each candidate, and I made my choice for Obama. I would be happy with either as president. But we need a Democrat, and we need a big Democratic majority in each house.
Obama is the one who kept to the high ground, in my view. Please help save America, and vote for him.
RSB
Posted by RadfordB at 09:55 PM : Jun 09, 2008
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I don''t think so. I don''t think it''s nearly as racist to want the barrier to be broken for the first time, as it is to be afraid of the barrier being broken.
And when someone talks like RadfordB, I wonder whether racism is behind it. I can''t tell for sure, but why else make a big deal of people wanting a big barrier to be broken?
RSB
Posted by Navigateur at 04:42 AM : Jun 09, 2008
That she played the gender card is consistent with either statement about being a woman running for president or running to be the first woman president. That was her speech so she could say which nuance to play up.
Navigateur
IS a RE-CON BIGOT
YES,IT WAS " The Speech of Her LIFE,....Why Else Did I Say ''The EXACT Same thing ,A Long Time Before this article was printed !
Some people are Just " Harsh,Poor Examples of Human beings, Navigateur IS The Prime Example of a LOSER !
The second thing is that she spend most of the speech trying to explain why she should have won (by, among other things, playing the gender card throughout), and very little time trying to persuade people about Obama. It''s wasn''t a strong speech LOOKING FORWARD and with a PURPOSE, it was MOSTLY LOOKING BACKWARDS and with regrets! It was one of the weakest speeches I have ever heard.
Posted by SamTheTVCat at 09:28 PM
Many of us are not divided. I''ve stated for over a year that I''d vote for Hillary or for Obama, whichever won the nomination. My preference was Hillary, but my mom didn''t raise no Dumb Democrat. Hillary and Obama have always had virtually identical platforms, regardless of what anyone else has said or whatever the media has stuck into your face. For me, they''re the same. I just think Hillary would have been poetic justice. But now I''m thinking that Obama might actually be the better choice in the long run. Doesn''t matter though, because Obama won the nom and that''s who I''m voting for. There are more Democrats like me than the kind who say "if Hillary doesn''t win I''m voting for McCain!" - or - equally ridiculous - "if Obama doesn''t win Im'' voting for McCain!". Such foolishness is either a republican trying to influence public opinion in order not to soil their own shorts, or people who are so nasty and ridiculous that they don''t deserve to be called Democrats.
I am united. Always have been. And I am not alone.
With regards to Hillary''s bible-belt support - Huffington Post reported about something Jim Webb had said that had gotten him into some trouble about the people of KY and WV feeling like the government hadn''t really gone out of their way to provide social programs catering to them. I think what Hillary did well is tap into their anger and tick off a laundry list of stuff they ought to have coming their way as humble Americans who have long been the backbone of the country (?) She also didn''t make them feel bad for being more traditional and less open to change (?)
As for Bill Clinton, does anybody actually think he''s racist? Couldn''t he have also possibly just been close to Hillary to assess Barack''s true level of popularity? And also desperate to try and change the narrative and frustrated that maybe the Clintons were losing their political edge? Barack won, so even if you assume the worst of Bill he''s certainly gotten his comeuppance. Maybe it IS time to celebrate all the things Bill did during his time in office (?)
As for putting Hillary on the ticket - I support the idea of all of us at least trying to make a go of that. But if it''s the difference between winning and losing, and between getting things done or getting mired in dysfunctional drama, then what would be the point? Maybe we''ll have to wait and see how they patch things up (?)
Posted by HillaryNow
Then you are not a Democrat. You and Hillary are going in two different directions. Could you tell that to her face?
I have been an admirer of Bob Schieffer for many years but for the first time in all of these years Howard Wolfson, Senator Clinton Communications Director, stunned Bob by his responses to questions about Senator Clinton''s reference to the RFK''s assissation as a reason for staying in the race through June. Bob
was in shock and awe as if to say are you kidding me this is unbelievable that you could sit here and look me in the eyes and give this kind of response. Bob tried again to get a response to his question he said you really believe that? Finally, Bob gave up confused and dumbfounded. The look on Bob Schieffer''s face suggested to me he was thinking that the very thought of you people running the government scares the hell out of me.
Senator Webb was right on the money. He knows that, and you do to, the Hard Working White People Of West Virginia and Kentucky and the Hard Working White Blue Collar Workers in those small towns in Pennsylvania and Ohio voted against Senator Obama, because he is Black, and not for Senator Clinton for her message. Please remember that these are the least educated and the most ignorant (lack of knowledge) homogenous population in the nation. They proudly call themselves Regan Democrats and I would add with no benefits. Senator Webb correctly stated that this group like low income African-Americans and others have a lot in common including culture but they over focus on what divides them rather than what is in their best interest. Don%u2019t you think it is just a little unfair to expect Senator Obama to do what even God is wrestling with?
Is Hillary going to claim she needs a rest . . . for like the next 2 or 3 months? What''s going on?
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