Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Clinton's speech in Kentucky

Senator Clinton spoke early tonight, around 8:15pm. it is one of her best speeches. If you get a chance, watch it. Here's the transcript from The New York Times.

She began with a discussion not of a primary victory or an electoral victory but the promise of American progress, or, in her words, "the struggle to reach American's promise.... Where we fulfill the ideals our Founders pledged their lives to defend and our nation was born to uphold." This is a good start as she taps into the history of American pragmatism in the James, Dewey, and Whitman tradition, as well as the virtues of taking care of children (the future) and appealing to fairness for all men and women (present). She connects the entire vision of an being an American in a few sentences.

She then speaks of Ted Kennedy and his legacy. (So far, this is her best speech.)

After praising Kennedy, she turns her attention to her important victory, attacks the media, praises the people for voting for her, and tells the crowd she will never give up for them. She states she is winning the popular vote and is more determined than ever to make sure every voted is counted.

She turns to Senator Obama and states they will work toward unity. She pulls out Hillary Clinton.com, and the electability argument. She talks about the issues for the fall, the failures of the GOP, and the people she meets on the campaign trail. (This will be a short speech if she is at this point.)

She draws thunderous cheers as she states she will stay in the race until the people choose a nominee, whomever "she may be." She praises Kentucky for picking the president in the past (Clinton) and states "As goes Kentucky, so goes the Nation." She continues back as to how close the race is and her electability argument to the Super Delegates: Who is ready for the economy? Who will win the swing states? Who is ready on day one? Who will win the swing states?

She begins her conclusion with a lot of thank yous followed with an appeal to her campaign workers to keep worker, keep fighting because that is what she will do. She then addresses a few special campaign workers that helped her.

Her last theme is about working to elect a Democratic president in the fall, citing the Kentucky state motto, "Together we stand, divided we fall." She returns to her intro to discuss unity during the Founding era and the struggles they faced to create a new nation. "The democrats will come together, united on common values and common cause; united in service in the hopes and dreams that know no boundaries of race or creed, gender or geography. When we do, there will be no stopping us. We won't just unite our party; we will unite our country and make sure America's best years are still ahead of us."

There are two ways to interpret this speech: The first is that she will continue until the Super Delegates select someone in June and she expects that to be that nominee. but to do this would destroy the unity of which she speaks. The second is that this is her concession speech. Even though she will win Puerto Rico, this may be her last night in the limelight as Senator Obama will cross the delegate threshold before June 1st and she will not gain the Super Delegates to catch him.

This is not her usual stump speech though and I would argue that this second interpretation is the correct one. And if it is, it is a very gracious concession speech.

If you can find this speech on You Tube, take the twenty minutes to watch the address. Even though the middle is flat (she does not have the passion during the stump speech), her introduction and conclusion are very strong. This is one of her best speeches during the campaign.

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