According to reporters on Countdown tonight, many of the Clinton supporters were most unhappy with her speech on Tuesday night and failure to concede Obama. It was reported that several of her senior campaign staff, unspecified, asked 8 senators to intercede and ask her to end. Hows that for management style, they felt they could not tell her themselves. Or maybe they were just cowards.

Humility in Victory and Defeat
MYDD
by ASDem, Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 06:51:39 PM EST

My friends, today is a day of firsts.

Of course, we begin with the fact that the first non-white male in American history has been nominated as a major party candidate for the presidency of the United States. Of this, much has and will be written or said.

Today, also, marks my first time ever posting a diary on MyDD, or indeed any blog ever. I have been a devoted reader of this and other blogs for a long time but have never felt compelled to write anything. Today is the right day to start.

I am young, African-American, and male. And I have been a Clinton campaign staffer during this primary season.

About 20 minutes ago, I went to Facebook and signed up as a Barack Obama supporter. This shouldn't have been a big deal - I mean, it's an internet site, and all I did was click a button - but my heart was literally pounding as I did it. It is exceedingly difficult for me to acknowledge that this primary season is over, both as a political junkie and as a Clinton supporter. But acknowledge it I must. Despite whatever unfairness, prejudice, and error - real or perceived - that has occurred during this primary season, there is little doubt that it is over, and that Barack Obama has secured the number of delegates necessary to win the nomination of our party.

Now, let me make it clear, I will continue to support Senator Clinton's decision not to concede until she decides that the time is right. I would gladly cast another ballot for her if given the opportunity. And politically speaking, the theatrics of her withdrawal from the race are so important that I think it would have been malpractice to do haphazardly it last night. But the fact that she has not formally conceded does not change the fact that Obama has won and she has lost. I firmly and honestly believe that she had the right and the obligation to people like me, who have so much invested in her candidacy, to see this thing through to the end. I resisted so strongly the calls for her to exit the race prior to yesterday because the idea of a "foregone conclusion" when the race was so close and so many people left to vote is anathema to democracy. But the time for her concession is coming, and don't let the punditocracy whip you into a frenzy suggesting that it is not. That is NOT based on any inside information, but rather the reality that as of YESTERDAY (not March 4, not April 22, and not May 6), Obama crossed the threshold. The end is now.

So I write today to offer one word of advice to everyone was involved in the primary campaign: humility. To Obama supporters, but also to Clinton supporters like myself. Webster's defines humility in the negative: the absence from pride and arrogance. All of us, especially on a day like today, and especially in the blogosphere which has become so poisoned during this primary season, could use a little more of it.

To Obama supporters, you won. But remember that, even in the most generous count (excluding Florida and Michigan and using caucus estimates), you did so by about 400,000 votes out of 36 million cast. That is 1%. 50.5%-49.5%. Spare me the talk about delegates for a moment and simply realize that nearly half of the Democratic primary electorate voted for the other guy - er, gal. I say this not to disparage the victory whatsoever, only to suggest that nearly half of your friends, colleagues, ideological and political compatriots did not share your preference. To win in November, we should work to make sure that every single person in that 49.5% votes for Obama. And while much of the onus lies with the candidates themselves, it does no good - none at all - for Obama supporters to proudly and arrogantly celebrate the death of Hillary Clinton's candidacy. The hopes and dreams of a lot of people go with her. So be humble. Sympathize. Find or remember what you like about Hillary Clinton - who is, after all, a Democrat - and give it voice. Ask for the support of her voters rather than demanding it. It doesn't take much to extend the olive branch.

To Clinton supporters (especially any campaign friends of mine who might be reading this), we lost. It is okay to admit it, and it is more than okay to say that Barack Obama was not your first choice, but he is certainly now the best choice. There is a point at which devotion to your party and your country comes before devotion to your candidate and, I submit to you, that point has arrived. And particularly for those who gave, who volunteered, and who worked on behalf of Senator Clinton, there is great wisdom in the words of Teddy Roosevelt:

more

Dear _____,

I wanted you to be one of the first to know: on Saturday, I will hold an event in Washington D.C. to thank everyone who has supported my campaign. Over the course of the last 16 months, I have been privileged and touched to witness the incredible dedication and sacrifice of so many people working for our campaign. Every minute you put into helping us win, every dollar you gave to keep up the fight meant more to me than I can ever possibly tell you.

On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.

I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise.

When I decided to run for president, I knew exactly why I was getting into this race: to work hard every day for the millions of Americans who need a voice in the White House.

I made you -- and everyone who supported me -- a promise: to stand up for our shared values and to never back down. I'm going to keep that promise today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life.

I will be speaking on Saturday about how together we can rally the party behind Senator Obama. The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise.

I know as I continue my lifelong work for a stronger America and a better world, I will turn to you for the support, the strength, and the commitment that you have shown me in the past 16 months. And I will always keep faith with the issues and causes that are important to you.

In the past few days, you have shown that support once again with hundreds of thousands of messages to the campaign, and again, I am touched by your thoughtfulness and kindness.

I can never possibly express my gratitude, so let me say simply, thank you.

Sincerely,
Hillary
Hillary Rodham Clinton

John Whitesides | Washington | June 5

Reuters - Hillary Clinton will declare her strong support for Barack Obama's White House bid and rally supporters around him, she said in a letter on Thursday, drawing the curtain on a grueling 16-month nominating fight that badly split the Democratic Party.

Clinton will publicly back Obama on Saturday and pledge to work for party unity in the general-election race against Republican John McCain.

"On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy," the New York senator and former first lady said in a letter to her backers released early on Thursday morning.

"I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise."

Clinton confirmed she would hold an event in Washington on Saturday to thank everyone who had backed her campaign. The event was originally planned for Friday but the day was switched to allow more supporters to attend.

"This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans," she said in the letter.

about Hillary's Saturday speech-
here

The comparison to the "Kennedy concession to Carter speech" is interesting, as I had completely forgotten about that little Democratic flurry.

a rather rougher ride was given by Clinton backers in the comments to Juan Cole at Informed Comment

_{1."George Washington did not cross the Delaware for Capitalism," -Shmuley Boteach.
2.The Dems haven't punished the GOP enough, so you're going to reward the Republicans?}