I’m not one to heckle candidates, but if I had a really loud bullhorn and Hillary was having a rally I would probably yell at her something like “HEY (insert profanity), QUIT ALREADY, YOU ARE HURTING THE PARTY”

I have way too much time on my hands

Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination tonight
Congrats to him, his supporters and staff

And congratulations to Senator Clinton, her supporters and staff for a heated competition; you (well, 90% of you) made our party proud to know we had two candidates that could kick McCain’s ass any day of the week.

But I know that is not what you are feeling. I know what it is like being in that room that night that everyone knows its over. It was Madison, Wisconsin in 2004 and the candidate was Howard Dean. He didn’t say he would drop out of the race, but we knew he would. He was just waiting to get back to Vermont to do it.

I know what it is like to be in an office and listen to conference calls of frantic communication staff clinging to some hope, but knowing that it is over… I was in that Kerry office that last day, heard that conference call and everyone knew it was over. Kerry had already called it in.

I know what it feels like; it isn’t good.

But I also know what it is like to win. I know what it is like to hear that your governor was re-elected. I know what that feels like. So join us. And we’ll do, together, whatever we can to make sure our party has that feeling in November. With our new President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.

Update: Dammit, she won’t quit

“If we don’t end this this war by January 2009, I will”

Hillary Clinton started out her speach being cheered as if she was a god among women. Hillary! Hillary! the people shouted.

There was a rule: Only 100 signs could be in the hall for each candidate.
Well, that wasn’t the case for Hillary. Her people were giving away signs at her table, so when she walked out Hillary signs went up everywhere. Obama had no signs, his table was marked by 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of computer paper with “Obama Exploratory Committee” typed in big letters and a quickly made sheet for people to write their names down for the campaign’s contact list.

The first words:
My Name is Hillary Clinton and I am Running for President

When she first talked about how she is fighting against the war in Iraq someone in the back of the room yelled “What???”
And when she talked about bringing the troops home some protesters on the wings yelled for the senator to cut funding.

She also called for Universal Healthcare. I don’t think she mentioned single payer, but it didn’t sound like her normal plan.

She seemed to be playing to the crowd.