Monday, June 09, 2008 Seares: Hillary’s exit from the race By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
IT WAS an ending she didn’t plan or work for but had to do with grace if not with joy.
While Hillary Clinton is effectively out as candidate for US president, technically she’s not. While Democrats will anoint Barack Obama, she’s still very much a part of the fight, on her former rival’s side, rooting for him.
Which is odd to Pinoy politicos who hurl words that wound, carrying grudges to the grave, not concealing mutual hate though they may be civil to one another.
Hillary didn’t say she was dropping out. She was just “suspending” her quest.
By reserving the right to wade back in gives Hillary some edge in bargaining with her party for help to wipe off some $30 million in campaign debt and to define her role in the Obama campaign.
Not coy
Much bargaining will be behind scenes, of course. But Hillary wasn’t being coy to Obama about what Clinton can do to help him: She got 18 million popular votes.
Or to history, about what she accomplished for women: Next time, she says, it will be unremarkable for a woman to seek the US presidency—”and that’s remarkable.”
She dressed up defeat to look like triumph. The event announcing her support for Obama was hoopla that pitched for what her campaign did and how it could improve Democrats’ dismal record in White House races.
The Americans have a tough act to follow. Aside from keeping brilliant speechwriters, most of their politicians have a steady eye on how history will judge them.
Hillary, an analyst said, lost because she was over-marketed and over-tested, producing a less than authentic image of one who would be president.
If only she had been as glorious in her struggle to win as she was in her acceptance of loss.
