Come Together, Right Now

I'm ticked off. I, who have been a loyal Democrat since the wee age of 6, am royally ticked off at my party and our presumptive nominee, Barack Obama. No, no, no - it has nothing to do with the fact that I supported Hillary Clinton for the nomination. She lost, it's over and done with. I am ticked because for a bunch of politcos, the Dems and Mr. Obama are playing a seriously crappy political game. From where I sit, I see a party that is yearning for unity and healing after an incredibly bruising fight to the nomination. But instead of trying to soothe the wounds and be a real uniter, I see the party leadership and Mr. Obama seemingly ignoring those who supported Hillary Clinton instead of trying to reach out to them. Worse yet, I see John-freaking-McSame trying to bring them into his campaign!

The Dems need to get their asses in gear and their message clarified. Screw the historic nature of an Obama presidency - a Hillary presidency would also have been historic. You're not going to score points that way. They need to make it clear - especially to the PUMAs - that a vote for McCain is no better than cutting off your nose to spite your face. Obama needs to swallow his pride and honestly try to reach out to the Clinton supporters and make them feel like a necessary and vital part of his campaign and the fight for the White House. Acknowledge them and acknowledge Hillary - you've already got the nomination, genuinely acknowledging Hillary and what she stands for and what her candidacy meant to the party and the nation is not going to lessen you any. Be a gracious winner. It's still not too late to win those 18 million voters back to your side.