Clinton, Obama Seek Unity At Convention

Former Democratic Candidate Negotiating With Obama About Her Role At Party's Convention

(CBS/ AP)  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is seeking a way for her delegates to be heard at the Democratic National Convention, telling supporters such a step will help unify a party that split between her and Sen. Barack Obama during their hard-fought contest for the presidential nod.

"I happen to believe that we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views respected. I think that is a very big part of how we actually come out unified," Clinton, D-N.Y., told supporters last week at a California fundraiser. A video clip of her remarks was posted on YouTube.

"Because I know from just what I'm hearing, that there's incredible pent up desire. And I think that people want to feel like, 'OK, it's a catharsis, we're here, we did it, and then everybody get behind Sen. Obama.' That is what most people believe is the best way to go," she said.

The former first lady did not rule out the possibility of having her name placed into nomination at the convention, being held Aug. 25-28 in Denver. But she also said no decisions had been made.

"We are trying work all this through with the (Democratic National Committee) and with the Obama campaign," said Clinton, who suspended her White House bid on June 7 and endorsed Obama, an Illinois senator.

Clinton campaign officials are negotiating with both parties to determine the full scope of her role at the convention. She is expected to deliver a prime-time address to delegates on the second night of the gathering.

Spokeswoman Kathleen Strand said Clinton believes "it's important that her supporters have a voice in some way," adding that no decisions have been made on how this would happen.

But advisers to the New York senator said she will almost certainly not ask to have her name placed in formal nomination at the convention, avoiding a divisive vote on the night Obama is expected to become the Democratic Party's first black presidential nominee.

On Wednesday night, the Clinton and Obama press offices released a joint statement.

“We are working together to make sure the fall campaign and the convention are a success," the statement said. "At the Democratic Convention, we will ensure that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected and our party will be fully unified heading into the November election."

On Thursday, Clinton told supporters in an online Web chat that she and Obama will ensure Democrats are "fully unified" going into the fall presidential campaign. (Read more about Clinton's statements in the Web chat)

For his part, Obama dismissed suggestions that the convention in Denver could be marred by tensions with Clinton's diehard supporters.

"As is true in all conventions, we're still working out the mechanics, the coordination," Obama told reporters while flying to his home in Chicago. One issue is whether there will be a roll call on Clinton's nomination, he said.

Under DNC rules, Clinton must submit a signed, written request to have her name placed in nomination, accompanied by a petition signed by at least 300 delegates. Some Clinton delegates have circulated such petitions, but the effort is meaningless without Clinton's signed request.

Delegates are not formally pledged to any candidate so Clinton does not need to "release" them to Obama. The rules also say delegates may vote for the candidate of their choice whether or not the name of such candidate was placed in nomination.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean said in an interview last month that Clinton would have the right to put her name up for a binding vote at the convention.

"That's totally up to her," he said. "She is a duly registered candidate who got a lot of votes, and she is going to do what she wants to do."

Republican strategist Ed Rollins weighed in on the possibility on CBS News' The Early Show on Thursday.

"I think that would be a foolish mistake on her part," Rollins said. "I think she's had a tremendous campaign. I think she's enhanced herself, even though she didn't win. I think if she plays any kind of havoc, and it would create havoc in a convention, it would be a detriment to her." (Watch Rollins talk about Clinton and the recent campaign ads)


Meanwhile, Democratic officials announced Wednesday that more than half of the 75,000 tickets for Obama's acceptance speech on Aug. 28, the convention's fourth and final night, will go to residents of Colorado, a battleground state critical to the party's hopes of winning the White House.

Obama will deliver his speech at Invesco Field at Mile High, home to football's Denver Broncos. Nearly two-thirds of the tickets will go to residents of the West and Southwest, including Colorado, where Democrats have made inroads in recent elections.

"You don't have to be a delegate or party insider to witness this historic moment firsthand," Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Leah Daughtry said, announcing the credentialing plans.

Ticket selection was designed "to showcase the gains the party has made in the West," she said.

Convention committee spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth declined to say how many tickets would be issued.

Last week, Obama campaign officials said they hope to turn the stadium crowd into a giant phone bank, with attendees using their cell phones to ask friends and others to register and vote.

The first three nights of the convention will be held at the 21,000-seat Pepsi Center.

[usais11]

OBAMA = BUSH

MCCAIN = CHANGE

That is REAL.

[jedi080808]

but meanwhile, the only way the dems will have actual unity is for obama to tap clinton as his running mate. i don''''t care any more whether he does or not, i''''m just saying that genuine unity can only be had when the two candidates who split the party''''s votes almost in half, are joined together on the same ticket.


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Posted by ccfsdca

No way never happen. She is speaking on Tuesday and hasn''t been veted. The republicans would love for Obama to chose her. IT would be McCains best chance at Victory if she was the VP. Obama knows that and would never pick that horrible women.

The Clintons have had countless people offed. If she was VP, Obama would be next.

As for all you Hillary people saying she deserves it, sorry thats not the way of the world. 2nd place is the 1st loser and thats all. The only thing Bill and Hill deserve is two over sized Obama 08 t-shirts

[jedi080808]

Not going there with ya, Hillary, but I understand why you''''re doing it!

I wouldn''''t vote for the man for snake catcher!


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Posted by WellHell3

Rowdy, you are such a bitter shill! Get over it, your girl was over rated, out matched, out smarted and out campaigned and she had every advantage to start.

She is even qualifed to be a senator

[wellhell3]

Not going there with ya, Hillary, but I understand why you''re doing it!

I wouldn''t vote for the man for snake catcher!

[txgrouch2006]

THE CLINTONS HAVE LED OUR NATION TO DESTRUCTION AND THEY ARE STILL DOING SO. OUR CURRENT PROBLEMS ARE 90% CAUSED BY THE CLINTONS. No one can hold a candle to the Clintons for sheer sabotage of a nation for their own personal gain.

[txgrouch2006]

To those who would refuse to give their vote to Obama if he chooses Hillary as his running mate, consider the number who will refuse to give him their vote if he doesn''''t. McCain is looking better every day!!
Posted by sjbj2322 at 04:55 PM : Aug 07, 2008

So, what you''re saying is the die-hard Hillary camp is so ANAL that Obama doesn''t have a chance one way or the other.

Too bad the polls don''t support your threat. But you do a NICE job of sounding like a Hillary ganster.

[sjbj2322]

In another story regarding the issue of those avid Clinton supporters who still haven''t warmed up to him and may even resent him, Obama said, "We''re not talking to those people, we''re talking directly to the Clinton campaign people and staff." Such arrogance may cost him dearly as it rightly should.

[sjbj2322]

To those who would refuse to give their vote to Obama if he chooses Hillary as his running mate, consider the number who will refuse to give him their vote if he doesn''t. McCain is looking better every day!!

[txgrouch2006]

in an american century that endured the likes of joe mccarthy, george mcgovern and jesse helms, nixon and agnew, that''''s one hell of a load of sh*t.
Posted by ccfsdca at 04:40 PM : Aug 07, 2008

You left out Strom Thurmond. Had an illegitimate child with a 16 year old black girl, it was kept secret until he died.

Him and Helms started out as Democrats, then switched to Republicans when the Democrats supported civil rights.

Nixon was a choir boy compared to the Clintons. What about Ted Kennedy and his killing that girl in his car by LEAVING HER UNDER WATER while he went to sleep at his hotel.

THE CLINTONS HAVE LED OUR NATION TO DESTRUCTION AND THEY ARE STILL DOING SO. OUR CURRENT PROBLEMS ARE 90% CAUSED BY THE CLINTONS. Those others can''t hold a candle to the Clintons for sheer sabotage of a nation for their own personal gain.

[txgrouch2006]

but meanwhile, the only way the dems will have actual unity is for obama to tap clinton as his running mate.
Posted by ccfsdca at 04:37 PM : Aug 07, 2008

He does that, he loses. No way in h3ll would I give Hillary ANY CHANCE AT ALL of sitting in the Oval Office.

[wellhell3]

The DNC has IN FACT turned into the Democratic Socialists of America! In other words NAZI''S...pinko commie bastwards!

[txgrouch2006]

In her 2002 Senate floor speech IN FAVOR of war in Iraq, Hillay perpetuated the WMD lie started in 1998 by Bill Clinton.

All lies originate with Bill Clinton.

The two Clintons together got us where we are today in Iraq.

HILLARY CLINTON MUST NOT HAVE ANY VOICE WHATSOEVER IN THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION.

She will find it very difficult to keep her Senate seat when she runs for re-election.

[wellhell3]

Posted by txgrouch2006 at 02:23 PM : Aug 07, 2008

Besides THAT, who wants to unite with a party that presented a primary process totally similar to a Chicago mafia gang bang!

Screw the whole bunch! They don''t represent democracy! The represent Barak Husssein Obscamma and screwed the voters!

PUMA!

[wellhell3]

Yah, that''''s the way to unite the party. Call each other "bigoted old goats."

Hillary is smoking the peace pipe with Obama. She has already defeated her efforts at unity by stirring up her supporters into a frenzy of divisiveness.

Hillary and Bill Clinton are THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE PHENOMENON IN US POLITICS in the past century.



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Posted by txgrouch2006 at 02:23 PM : Aug 07, 2008

Yeah, and you bigoted old goats will never get it either will ya!

Hillary''s not smoking the peace pipe with Obscamma...she will do what she had to do to support the party, but she STILL knows Obscamma is an empty suit with nobody to bring to the presidency but a speech he made in 2002 because his chief campaign fund bundler had invested in millions in nuclear power in Iraq and did NOT want war over there!

But good job, bigoted old goats! Your chickens may come to roost at convention!

[txgrouch2006]

What you bigoted old goats will never understand is that it is the PEOPLE who voted for Hillary Clinton
Posted by WellHell3 at 01:56 PM : Aug 07, 2008

Yah, that''s the way to unite the party. Call each other "bigoted old goats."

Hillary is smoking the peace pipe with Obama. She has already defeated her efforts at unity by stirring up her supporters into a frenzy of divisiveness.

Hillary and Bill Clinton are THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE PHENOMENON IN US POLITICS in the past century.

[wellhell3]

What you bigoted old goats will never understand is that it is the PEOPLE who voted for Hillary Clinton that EXPECT AND DEMAND that their votes be heard after the DNC presented a primary process that looked like the Chicago mafia!

[wellhell3]

Obscamma''s likelihood of winning the election is like you men standing pissing straight in the wind!

He has caused the total implosion of the democratic national party, and has nobody to blame but him and his scams!

He can kiss my arse 7 ways to one, pay me half a million dolars, and I''d still do my best to throw him up on his camel and tell him to ride off back to Chicago and his corrupt Muslim mafia buddies!

[txgrouch2006]

if anybody thinks that her supporters won''''t be heard, think again.
Posted by ccfsdca at 01:14 PM : Aug 07, 2008

Sounds like a SORE LOSER. Sounds like a BABY BOOMER.

[billo1409]

Hillary , please just go away.You really need to get over your loss and start worrying about your future, if any in the Democratic party.You are the definition of a sore loser.

[txgrouch2006]

SHE''''S divisive and power-mad for suggesting that her supporters should be ''''heard'''' at the convention Posted by ccfsdca at 01:07 PM : Aug 07, 2008

SHE''S the one who gave a speech declaring that Obama "WON THE VICTORY."

SHE''S the one blazing a new trail that SHE IS STILL ENTITLED TO POWER even though her opponent won the victory.

There''s only ONE nominee. It ISN''T proportional representation - funny, during the campaign she didn''t seem to understand that word, but now it''s her guiding light.

HILLARY IS POISON. SHE IS THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA. FOR HER TO DEMAND ANY ROLE AT ALL IS AN AFFRONT AND A CHALLENGE.

Hillary is the OLD politics that led us into Iraq. Her husband started the WMD lie in 1998 to avoid impeachment. She perpetuated that lie and linked it to 9/11 in her speech in 2002. LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW.

Because of SIXTEEN YEARS OF CLINTON AND BUSH BABY BOOMERS. ALL OF THEM BORN 1946-7.

Out with all of them. Time for a clean sweep.

JUST SAY NO TO HILLARY.