Wolf Blitzer: This is an absolutely stunning and shocking development, let's see if we can go to John King down on the convention floor.
John King: Yes, Wolf, you and the millions of Americans out there have heard correctly. Hillary Clinton's supporters among the super delegates, in a surprising twist, have thrown this convention into turmoil. The Obama delegates have been caught completely off guard. Word leaking out from the Clinton campaign is that perhaps their will be a dream ticket after all. Word on the floor is that Clinton is all but certain to offer the VP slot to Obama in a bid for party unity, Wolf.
Wolf: For more on the historic political intrigue, let us now turn to the best political team on television....
Don't think it can't still happen yet?
Let's see if they toss this rabble into the protesters' penitentiary!
"Die-hard Clinton supporters to air grievances outside convention" by Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff | August 24, 2008
Outside the convention arena in Denver, some of Hillary Clinton's supporters plan to air their grievances against Obama, the party's leadership, and the national media, whose coverage of the primary battle they considered sexist. Hundreds of disaffected Democrats from around the country plan to converge in the Mile High City to hold news conferences, protests, and vigils, threatening the party's ability to present a united front against Republican John McCain.
Many Democrats say the success of the convention, and of Obama's fall campaign, depends heavily on how well the party handles the complaints of Clinton's loyalists, some of whom are still smarting from the long and bitter fight, are disappointed that she is not Obama's running mate, and are insulted by reports that she was not vetted as a possible pick or consulted about his choice.
Hold your horses, ladies. You got a better deal coming!
While many Clinton delegates say they will back Obama and do not intend to embarrass him, grass-roots activists planning protests outside the convention hope to disrupt the sense of unity party leaders are cultivating.
"This is a voter's revolt," said Darragh Murphy, who founded Puma PAC, a pro-Clinton political action committee whose acronym stands for People United Means Action.
Polls suggest Obama's narrow national lead is all but disappearing amid attacks from a newly aggressive and disciplined McCain campaign. One reason for this appears to be that barely half of Clinton's supporters plan to vote for Obama, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last week. With the last two presidential elections decided by a small number of voters in swing states, Obama needs a unified party to win in November.
John King: Wolf, I have just received word from the podium that yes, indeed, Hillary Clinton has emerged from the roll call vote of delegates with the nomination after a recount of the delegates votes. To say again, Wolf, Hillary Clinton now appears to be the Democrats' choice for nomination for the U.S. presidency. Wolf...
Wolf Blitzer: Thank you very much, John King, in this absolutely stunning development here at the Democratic convention here in Denver....
Puma PAC is among a multitude of pro-Clinton groups that formed online to protest a variety of issues, including perceived media bias and flaws in the primary process. In Denver, Murphy's group plans to show the premiere of an unfinished movie, "The Audacity of Democracy," and is cosponsoring a protest and candlelight salute to Clinton tomorrow. Another group, PUMA 08, will coordinate communication between its members and the press, and provide a home base for bloggers who support Clinton.
Let's see if the cops rough 'em up like they do the antiwar folk!
Still, on Wednesday, her name will be placed into nomination under a deal between the two campaigns after hundreds of Clinton supporters demanded it. Until 1996, losing primary candidates' names were routinely put up for a roll-call vote; in the last three conventions, however, presumptive nominees emerged early and delegates voted by unanimous acclamation.
Wolf?
But the competitiveness of this year's primaries and the tensions between the Clinton and Obama camps have heightened the drama surrounding the convention vote. Clinton has said she plans to release her delegates earlier that day, and that she herself plans to vote for Obama. She has characterized the roll-call vote as a "cathartic" moment for her supporters. Her campaign has assigned whips to each state delegation to prevent any problems.
Wolf Blitzer: Let's go to Candy Crowley for more on how this extraordinary event has occurred....
Candy Crowley: Well, Wolf, what happened was the Clinton campaign made a deft move by assigning whips to each state delegation, and thereby gaging the temperature, if you will, of selected state delegations and superdelegates. What they found, and what was evident in the votes cast by delegates, is that the Clinton campaign detected a great deal of anxiety surrounding Obama and the inability to distance himself from John McCain in the polls. The Clinton campaign tested the waters, and determined there was a movement towards her candidacy in the past few days, and the assigned whips simply confirmed the trend and encouraged the delegates to do their jobs and vote for the nominee with the best chance to beat John McCain. Wolf...
Wolf Blitzer: Thank you, Candy Crowley, for that report....
"We know she's not going to win, but this is extremely symbolic for me to cast a ballot for a woman for president," Therese Murray, president of the Massachusetts state Senate and a prominent Clinton supporter, said, adding that she plans to throw her support to Obama after that.
Don't be too sure, Therese!!! You may be elated at the result!!!!
Some, however, are concerned the roll call could send a message of fractiousness and could embarrass delegates - particularly members of Congress - by forcing them to choose between supporting Clinton and backing their party's nominee.
"She's going to get maximum political mileage out of this," said Paul Pezzella, a Clinton member of the convention rules committee. And Obama is in no position to object, he added, "because he needs her supporters."
Wolf: This breaking news just up from the convention floor. John King....
John King: Yes, Wolf, it now appears that Hillary Clinton will be offering Barack Obama the vice-presidency in a gesture of party unity. The Obama campaign has not responded yet, as I still believe they are a bit taken aback by these historic events; however, we are hearing from the Clinton camp that there has been tentative acceptance from the Obama camp. Again, not confirmed, but it would appear that Barack Obama will be Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential nominee. Wolf....
Wolf: Another stunner in a day of shockers, wouldn't you say, Jack....
But several rank-and-file Clinton delegates said they saw no chance of a revolt inside the convention. Judy Byrne Riley, a Clinton delegate from Florida, was busy last week making "Clinton Delegate and Obama Supporter" buttons.
"I know a lot of my strong women Clinton supporters from South Florida - I don't think they're quite as accepting as I am," she said. "But I haven't found any one of them who wasn't going to vote for Obama and doesn't want him to win."
This after the MSM has been running with the Hitlery's voters aren't voting for Obama (as claimed in this article)?
Mayor Thomas M. Menino, a Clinton backer, said that he while had no inside information, he doubted Clinton would go through with the roll call.
Wrong again, mayor!!!
"It doesn't do any good to come out of the convention with a split Democratic Party," he said, adding that Clinton had repeatedly told him in private conversations that she was absolutely committed to helping Obama. "She said to me: 'It's about the country. . . . I want to bring this party together.' "
Yeah, it is not like Hillary has ever lied about anything, right, mayor?
--more--"
"Madame Chairman.... "
Heard it HERE FIRST!!!
