http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080624/ap_o n_el_pr/obama_president_clinton Today, President Bill Clinton has released through a spokesman, Matt McKenna, that he "is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States." This means an endorsement is nigh. This is a great thing for unity, and will further bring the party together.

"This isn't the party I planned but I sure like the company," Hillary said as she opened her concession speech at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

Speaking to the "18 million...all walks of life," who voted for her, Hillary congratulated and endorsed Barack Obama, stating:

"The way, the way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passions, our strengths and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States."

Right now, we have rampant speculation as to whether Sen. Clinton will ever endorse and support Sen. Obama.  Diaries, such as this one on the front page and others are demanding that she do so immediately, and unconditionally.  Others are speculating that she is demanding help with her campaign debts, or a VP slot, or a prime speaking slot at the convention.

Please!

She has no obligation to endorse Sen. Obama unconditionally and immediately.  

In fact, she has a moral obligation to negotiate an endorsement with Sen. Obama.  And if you dont like that, you are welcome to carry on without her support (which you insist is dwindling anyways).  Consider this:

(a) Many of her black supporters are being targeted by their consituents ~ she has an obligation to them, and I hope she will insist on their wellbeing in any negotiatiosn with Sen. Obama.

(b) Many of her "hard workin white voters" are being denigrated as racists.  This situation is simply unacceptable to me.  I hope she negotiates hard on behalf of their concerns, and the concerns of millions of those who rejected Sen. Obama ~ I would lose respect for her if she did not.

(c) And finally, I hope she negotiates for an agreement to reform the primary process starting in 2012 (yes, even if Pres. Obama were running for reelection in 2012).  This reform should include the elimination of all caucuses, and for all other idiocies that marred the primaries in this cycle.  

I am confident that she will, eventually, endorse Sen. Obama.  I am confident that she will, eventually, campaign for him.  And I am confident that those who are associating various nefarious reasons to her non-endorsement will end up looking really foolish !!

I'm going to do it anyway. I sent this to my candidate today:

Dear Senator Clinton,

I have been reading today that you will hold a rally in NY tomorrow night that will be a pivotal moment in your campaign. There are many rumors circulating and much speculation about what will occur. I understand if you are going to suspend your campaign. I will be elated if you continue your campaign. I would like to ask you to consider the following, however. As a feminist and a woman with two daughters I would ask you not to endorse Senator Obama.

I realize that as a Democrat the conventional wisdom is that you must endorse him to be seen as a team player. The fact is that your team has benched you. Your supporters see this and we are appalled. We have watched as the media and the pundits and your own opponent, a fellow Democrat for crying out loud, have insulted and belittled you time and again. We have watched as the leaders of your party remained silent in the face of the most egregious misogyny. The excuse given when cries of sexism erupted was always "it's not about women, it's about her," as if that made it ok.

The fact is that when Senator Obama dismissed a female reporter with his "sweetie" comment and the boyz with him snickered he showed his true colors, and demonstrated once and for all that the "it's just Hillary" argument is false. I am extremely worried about the fall out of this campaign in terms of what will now be acceptable behavior toward women who compete in traditionally male arenas.

My daughter, as the only natural born citizen in our Canadian immigrant family always used to say "I'm the only one in the family who can be President. I guess I'll have to do it." It was adorable to hear her say that when she was four and five years old and I never doubted that if that was what she wanted, that was what she could do. I doubt it now.

If you choose to fight this all the way, I am behind you. I will be happy to spend the summer fighting the good fight here in Washington state or wherever I would be effective. What I will not do is cast a vote for Senator Obama, period. I will also not cast a vote for anyone who has endorsed him. I will happily go to the polls and vote for any downballot Democrat who has endorsed you. I will write in your name on my ballot if that is allowed in my state, but I will never tick the box next to the name of a man who has condoned and benefitted from the demeaning and subdugation of American women.

Sincerely,

(me)

Louisiana Democratic Party Chair and Automatic Delegate Chris Whittington endorsed Hillary Clinton for President Monday:

"Hillary Clinton has what it takes to turn around our economy and rebuild the middle class," Whittington said. "There is no question that she is the strongest Democrat to go toe-to-toe with John McCain in a general election. It is our responsibility as automatic delegates to choose the candidate we believe best fit to beat Senator McCain. That candidate is Senator Clinton."  (emphasis added)

Whittington was elected Chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party in January 2006, after serving as the Party's Legal Counsel, as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee and as a member of the Democratic Party Executive Committee.

Certainly Whittington's endorsement sends a strong signal that NOT ALL automatic delegates buy into the message being pushed by Media, some DNC elite, and Camp Obama that we should all automatically "unite" behind Obama, that the race is over.  Apparently it is NOT over.  If so, why would any Superdelegate still be announcing support for Senator Clinton?  Why not just stay quiet, or wait until the convention?

UPDATE: New York Superdelegate Delegate Endorses Hillary!

Tompkins County Democratic Committee Chair and New York automatic delegate Irene Stein announced her support for Hillary Clinton today.

Wow -- 2 superdelegates for Senator Clinton on the eve of Obama's supposed "victory party?"  I guess not everyone is prepared to hop on board the Unity Express just yet...

Congratulations, Senator Clinton!

Source: HillaryClinton

Congratulations, Hillary!

South Dakota's largest newspaper, the Argus Leader, went on record today in support of Hillary Rodham Clinton for President.

Editorial: Clinton is top candidate for Dems

Excerpts from the endorsement:

(Clinton's) resilience and determination never should be questioned. She has met or overcome every challenge or roadblock in her way, and there have been many. Her determination to carry the nomination process through to its real conclusion has perhaps earned her a grudging respect from those who would never support her.

Obama is justifiably credited as a powerful speaker, but Clinton holds her own easily. As those who have attended her South Dakota rallies can attest, she is quick on her feet and energetic. She frames her ideas clearly in speeches and answers questions with genuine directness.

Clinton is the strongest Democratic candidate for South Dakota.

Her mastery of complex policy detail is broad and deep, and her experience as a senator and former first lady matches that.

Clinton's energy policy is forward thinking and wise. She advocates a broad federal research initiative to help solve our looming oil crisis. It's a plan that would join university researchers, private industry and individual inventors behind a common goal...Is ethanol part of the answer? Clinton believes it is but not necessarily corn ethanol...That is not precisely the answer South Dakota wants to hear. Corn-based ethanol has been a boon for farmers here. But the simple fact is that she probably is correct...

Clinton has demonstrated a real commitment to Native American issues and will have visited several South Dakota reservations before the race is over. Clinton is precisely correct when she says that people outside the region have a poor understanding of the troubling trends on our reservations...

Her truly universal health care plan would be welcomed by thousands of South Dakotans. Even on reservations, where health care is nominally universal already, such a plan would be welcome. The federal government would never be allowed to subject everyday Americans to the kind of care Native Americans living on reservations routinely receive.

(emphasis added)

The endorsement is especially gratifying to Clinton supporters given the extreme overreaction to a reference she made to RFK in the Argus Leader interview -- an incident which was shamefully exploited by Barack Obama's campaign.

And, the Argus Leader endorsement is gratifying in light of furious efforts by party elites to end the nomination process before the convention, even though neither candidate will have enough pledged delegates by then.

Thank you, Argus Leader, for confirming what 18 million people already know:  Hillary Clinton is the best Democrat to be President!

Cross posted at TexasDarlin

Puerto Rican mega rock star and international humanitarian Ricky Martin endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

"These elections will have historic repercussions both in the United States and the world. Senator Clinton has always been consistent in her commitment with the needs of the Latino community. Whether fighting for better education, universal health care and social well-being, as First Lady and Senator from New York -- representing millions of Latinos --she has always fought for what is most important for our families," said the 5-time Grammy award winning artist.

Accepting Martin's endorsement, Hillary said:

"I am honored to have Ricky Martin's support," said Senator Clinton. "In addition to his great talent, Ricky is committed to improving the world through his philanthropic work, and I am grateful for his support. He is a very important voice in the Latino community and together we will work to improve the lives of families and children across the country."

It seems that Puerto Ricans -- just like West Virginians and Kentuckians -- didn't get the DNC memo that this race is over.

Viva la Hillary!

Cross posted at TexasDarlin

As the endorsements continue coming in from the excitement of Hillary's big wins, so too are they coming in from the states in next months primaries.

Today Kalispell Mayor Pam Kennedy announces her endorsement of Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nominee to be President.