Rate Hillary's speech

[JohnCA246]

10

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I personally thought it was the best delivered speech I've seen her give.

It wasn't a ringing endorsement - but it was what many of her supporters needed basically a "it's ok, I'm ok - Obama is a better option than McCain, and Obama believes in what we believe in"

I HAD to watch FNC (since CNN Int'l doesn't have these things on a loop) and Barnes said that Hillary kept going on about the nature of her campaign being historic too. But you can't deny it - I often felt Hillary deliberately downplayed that part - so as NOT to be a token candidate - but the first serious woman candidate for the presidency IS HISTORIC. 

[Ogre Mage]

9.25.  She had a very complex assignment:  give a strong endorsement of Obama, acknowledge and thank her supporters, compel those supporters to back Obama, burnish her political future within the party and attack the Republicans.  With so many pieces to juggle she pulled the strands together with fire and grace.  The Harriet Tubman reference, wrought with historical symbolism for both African-Americans and women, was powerful.  So was this strong point for why her faithful should back Obama:

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The essence of her pitch for her voters to support Obama was based on their shared (policy) values as Democrats, to work for a better future for the country.  She did not act as a personal character witness for Obama, but she is poorly suited to that role and was wise to mostly stay away from it. 

[MODU]

Much better than Michelle's.  I would give it an 8 or 9.  Interesting that she focused only on her campaign and not Obama's though. Maybe trying to lay the ground work for her race in 2012.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

7.5 and I can't stand the Beast so that's a high number from my perspective.

Long term effect of her speech - 5 to 6.   

[Brittain33]

She didn't convince them to vote FOR Obama.  She convinced them to vote against McCain.

That's what everyone said was the lesson of the failed 2004 DNC. You need to puff up your guy AND knock down the other.

She's also smart enough to recognize that many of her voters supported her precisely because they don't believe the b.s. that belief in Barack Obama will transform the world. They--we--need other reasons. I'm a partisan Democrat anyway, so there was no doubt I'd support Obama, but when I hear members of my party go on and on about what a wonderful inspiration he is I think "that's nice, but it doesn't really matter much, we've got four years of grind ahead of us." I don't think Hillary has the chops to convince people she loves Obama in a speech, so it's less painful for the audience for her not to try. Then again, I didn't watch the speech.

Didn't McCain give a similar speech for Bush in 2000? I remember him closing on some awkward note, like "my friends, I fear for our dark future."

[Ban my account ffs!]

I thought it was a great speech.  It had energy and while a lot of it was about her, I think she tried hard to convince people to vote for Obama.

I loved the line "No way, no how, NO McCain"

8.5

[TomC]

Amazing speech. She is certainly an asset to the Democrats. The "twin cities" line was great, but the rest of the speech was e serious and a bullseye.

[Ebowed]

7.5/10

[Democratic Hawk]

She didn't convince them to vote FOR Obama.  She convinced them to vote against McCain.

And if this speech accomplishes that then its a job well done

I was a harsh critic of Bill and Hillary Clinton during the primary - but there is no doubt I'd be working my ass off for her, as I would Obama, had she won the nomination

Probably, the best speech I've ever seen Hillary deliver (9.5). It's over to Bill, Joe Biden and Barack now ...

Dave