The Speech Of Her Life

Bob Schieffer Says, Even In Losing, Hillary Clinton Showed Us Her Best

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

---

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.

---

Finally, we note the passing of the great sportscaster Jim McKay who died at his Maryland farm at the age of 86.

As host of ABC's "Wide World of Sports," he made the phrase "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" familiar around the world, and became a powerful influence on sports and sports coverage - and the first sportscaster to win an Emmy.

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.

[fidgit2]

Anyone who is running for President has their ego playing the first role- Hillary is no exception. I too am a Hillary supporter who will still vote for Hillary in November as a write-in or will vote for McCain. I cannot vote for the slick talking Obama who has zero experience in anything. He is sadly an unknown who has support based on nothing substantive.

[jn122736]

It seems race is all Obama''''''''''''''''s supporters care about, even stooping low enough to falsely accuse the Clintons of racism! the Clintons, who have stood up for blacks and against racism for so many years! I will NEVER vote for Obama now, he and his foul minded supporters don''''''''t deserve my vote, or the votes and support of any of Hillary''''''''''''''''s supporters. Sorry Hillary, unless he chooses you for the other half of this ticket, I cannot support him even if you ask me to, can''''''''''''''''t do it.

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.
Posted by ge556 at 10:56 PM : Jun 09, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

[navigateur-2009]

I''m sorry but playing the gender card does not show your qualification to be president. It makes you a phony. The clever thing is it works for so many dumb voters who think that "a woman should be president now" regardless of how lousy she is. She was incredibly cynical in this speech to play the gender card as MUCH as she did, and it is surprising that some people didn''t seem to see just how central it was to the speech. Just listen to the speech again to listen to how many times, and how often, she plays the gender card, obviously to try to get 50%, and maybe more, of the population behind her. It failed though, because my mother (who is a woman, funnily enough) hated the speech for this very reason. It was insulting. That is why Hillary supporters basically represent dumb America. She''s EXPOSED the fact that she basically wanted to be in the history books as the first woman president, which, as I''ve said, makes her a phony, because as a motivation in itself, it has nothing to do with caring about America, it''s just for your own ego and wanting to be branded as a hero. Why she would expose that in the speech is beyond me, because she kept it quite hidden throughout the campaign, although not totally. Again, on the whole, Hillary supporters=dumb America. I''m glad this phony is out of the race. I''m not sexist by the way: the next female candidate should be qualified to be so, not a phony like Hillary.

It seems race is all Obama''''''''s supporters care about, even stooping low enough to falsely accuse the Clintons of racism! the Clintons, who have stood up for blacks and against racism for so many years! I will NEVER vote for Obama now, he and his foul minded supporters don''''t deserve my vote, or the votes and support of any of Hillary''''''''s supporters. Sorry Hillary, unless he chooses you for the other half of this ticket, I cannot support him even if you ask me to, can''''''''t do it.

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.

Starting at 8m 53 ses Schieffer asks Charlie Rangle if there are folks that will not vote for Sen Obama becaquse of his race. Yet he does not ask the question from the other end: Are there people who will vote for Senator Obama just because of his race? Either result is equally as racist.

RSB

Posted by RadfordB at 09:55 PM : Jun 09, 2008

====

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?

[radfordb-2009]

Starting at 8m 53 ses Schieffer asks Charlie Rangle if there are folks that will not vote for Sen Obama becaquse of his race. Yet he does not ask the question from the other end: Are there people who will vote for Senator Obama just because of his race? Either result is equally as racist.

RSB

[mswolfestock]

RE: Jim McKay''s passing. I grew up watching ABC''s Wide World of Sports, only in my house we called it the WILD World of Sports. McKay showed the world how much fun competitive sports could be as a spectator sport. McKay proved that competitive sports could be every bit as entertaining as anything else broadcast on TV.

[jon2012-2009]

This article by Bob Schieffer is completely false. Not once did she reason that "she had not run to be the first woman president, but had been a woman running for President". Why did you make this up as your summary of what she said? SHE PLAYED THE GENDER CARD THROUGHOUT THE SPEECH!

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.

[neobrian-2009]

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 !

[navigateur-2009]

This article by Bob Schieffer is completely false. Not once did she reason that "she had not run to be the first woman president, but had been a woman running for President". Why did you make this up as your summary of what she said? SHE PLAYED THE GENDER CARD THROUGHOUT THE SPEECH! (Listen to the speech again!). 50% of people in America are women. That is not a glass ceiling in an electoral process!

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.

[irliberal]

Ugh, this Dem divide is stressing me out.

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.

[samthetvcat]

Ugh, this Dem divide is stressing me out. I hear what everybody''s saying, maybe another take might be:

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 (?)

[o_nolan1]

Sorry Hillary, unless he chooses you for the other half of this ticket, I cannot support him even if you ask me to, can''''''''t do it.

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?

[hillarynow]

It seems race is all Obama''''s supporters care about, even stooping low enough to falsely accuse the Clintons of racism! the Clintons, who have stood up for blacks and against racism for so many years! I will NEVER vote for Obama now, he and his foul minded supporters don''t deserve my vote, or the votes and support of any of Hillary''''s supporters. Sorry Hillary, unless he chooses you for the other half of this ticket, I cannot support him even if you ask me to, can''''t do it.

[mudcatii]

Last weeks The End Is Nigh
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.

[mudcatii]

Well Mr. Schieffer what a difference a week makes. Howard was more relaxed today than he was last Sunday. Last week he stonewalled your questions to the point that you were so astonished that you responded, %u201Cdo you really believe that?%u201D

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?

[mudcatii]

After Senator Clinton extolled her accomplishments and her virtues she finally acknowledged that Senator Obama was the Presumptive Democratic Party Nominee. Notwithstanding this observation I would Caution you to be careful not to go out too far on that Clinton limb with praise because it maybe sawed off. Remember, when deception and duplicity are an integral part of your character you become like a leopard and its spots, you cannot change irrespective of the demands that Mr. Rangel makes. Mr. Schieffer, lets be a little cautious and let this one play out because time will tell whether Senator Clinton has undergone a character modification or a survival renovation. If indeed she has changed and grace, self denial, unselfishness, and taking responsibility for her actions have been internalized and her needs and ambitions have been subordinated to those of her country and party have been made paramount that would be a revelation. WOW!

[airjackie]

Thank you for speaking up for all Woman, most men don''t. I''m an African American supporter of the only qualified Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Bob she did win after all. Hillary got move votes from the voters then any other candidate in history. The DNC decided to use the Super Delegates to pick the Democratic nominee. Facts don''t change and history was made in more ways then one. I haven''t decided yet to support Obama because my reasons are still the same. I lived during the Civil Rights struggle and when the Civil Rights Bill was passed. Dr. King never said vote for a black or follow what the DNC says. He fought for Freedom of choice and equality. I watched African American reporters who were in the back pocket of the White House and attacked Obama from day one. Now their talking like they were for Obama all along. I don''t know what the future will bring but I do know our Government and the American people will need the Clinton''s help as we did during the Katrina Storm. When people give from their hearts without looking for something in return God rewards them. Obama used his color to get black votes and his Mother to talk up white votes and it worked. Now the DNC played poker with fixing the nomination so let''s see if they win this hand.

[irliberal]

Right on the money, Bob! Hillary is a great lady and an unprecedented success, even though she lost the nomination itself. It is refreshing to see the opinions of those that aren''t hung up on hatred of strong women in positions of power. Thanks!

[samthetvcat]

You think guys like Charlie Rangel could urge the two of them to meet more regularly? Has Hillary ditched the idea of using her ''18 million votes'' as ''leverage'' to continue to push her mandated healthcare idea, the one that got rejected by voters when you include the say of those 4 extra caucus states and don''t assume that Barack didn''t get any votes in Michigan?

Is Hillary going to claim she needs a rest . . . for like the next 2 or 3 months? What''s going on?