Obama supporters on DU .... honest question.

Yeah, I'm not happy tonight. Depressed almost. I wanted to see Hillary come closer in NC .... but I do expect her to win Indiana.

My question is this ...... IF Obama gets the nomination how do you plan (if any) to reach out the Hillary supporters?

I think the answer to that is a resounding NO.

your response makes no sense - the OP is asking HOW - if you respond no, you must qualify the response

I seriously doubt, from what I've seen today, that there will be any reaching out. So I can't say HOW they will, because it's clear they WON'T.

If they need more than that after 8 years of bush then I want to know why?

What sort of "outreach" do Clinton supporters see as needed?

Obama will have my vote. But working together with these people....fucking doubtful.

But people have to realize that beating McCain is more important than who is the Democratic nominee right now.

Sorry, my friend. :loveya:

They did what they had to do to get their guy elected. They beat my candidate and they beat yours. It's on us to suck it up and get a Democrat into the White House.

I think we're going to have to follow Obama's lead there. :shrug:

I'm talking about DU. DU at one point WAS a community. It's not anymore. Oh, I don't let this place dictate ANYMORE how I feel about the nominee. That's changed. And this ALSO goes to Clinton supporters that have been total assholes if Clinton were to get the nomination.

For the past year, I don't feel a part of this what was once a community. I've been told to go to hell, I'm "not a Democrat" the list goes on.

I don't expect you to LOVE Obama...

...but I do expect you to vote for him in November.

OK?

of mind wherein anonymous message board posters influence my vote?" I find it bizarre, but then it might just be me. :)

n/t

:hi:

All Hillary supporters are welcome to go canvassing with me in IL, IN, WI, and MO.

We will also share our booze and pretzels ;)

who actually ENCOURAGED her to go on with such fucked up, destructive behavior to reach out to Obama supporters.

thank you for your responce.

I don't agree, but that's ok.

not Hillary though.

gladly come on over. Right now, we have two good democrats running, and once we have one compared to mccain, it makes them seem all the better.

educate yourself and vote YOUR conscience

:eyes:

must we do EVERYTHING FOR you?

Thank you for response.

Condescending as it is. But I'm glad you responded.

I know what you're saying, but really, why is the onus on Obama supporters? Isn't it just clear as day that Dems need to support whoever the nominee is? Otherwise you're just supporting Son of Cain, even if you don't vote at all.

We're all adults here. Time to just suck it up and get behind the nominee whoever it is. I would do that for Clinton even though I loathe her and her most avid supporters. I wouldn't expect her supporters to have to come comfort me and talk me into it. It's too important and it's not about me.

Thanks for your honesty.

with pie! :)

Pie!!!!!

after Edwards dropped out, I needed time to heal/adjust.

Then by only posting positive things about Obama to let you decide on your own if you want to come around.

whites w'out a college degree like Hillary so much more than Obama. If I knew the "why" to that I may be able to figure out how to reach out to them.

Fin.

And I'd hope that Obama will work with Hillary to find a great, meaningful place in the party.

see why it is incumbant upon Obama supporters to "reach out" to Clinton supporters. It should go without saying that a Democrat will support the nominee. I could go further, but that is enough. No point in continuing to stir-up problems that should be behind us now.

whites w'out a college degree like Hillary so much more than Obama. If I knew the "why" to that I may be able to figure out how to reach out to them.

On your own. Take a look at McCain. Take a look at Obama. Than decide who you'd rather see in office for 4 years.

Its not our job to reach out to you. We've both been extremely rude to each other over the past 3 months.

We welcome you with open arms and be extremely respectful but you have to decide what in your heart is the right thing to do.

I have tried to be respectful of Hillary supporters all along. I am friends with many both here and in the real world. I am sorry you are having an unhappy time.

I meant it then, still mean it now.

He seems pretty confident that the wounds will heal as the desire to secure power is mobilized behind the nominee.

It ain't my job to reach out to the Clinton fans, but I would use some LDC type surrogates to round up the masses. And feminists....

I'm sorry to hear that your bummed out bro. Take care and peace and low stress...

For me, that would be every single one of them, including Obama. :shrug:

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

:loveya:

A pissy question deserves a pissy answer

come November, after McCain has droned on and on about appointing more conservative judges, staying in Iraq, doing nothing for big oil profits and high gas, I hope you won't look at it as an "Obama" thing but as a Democratic thing.

:hide: I KID! People like you I will embrace, and there are quite a few who have remained civil. I have tried to remain civil to those who deserve it; I don't anticipate a problem. We will heal! :hug:

:loveya:

You may want to avoid the forum on that week. But after that I plan to be friendly.

We can't afford John McCain in the White House. No matter how Hillary got the nomination, I was always going to vote for her. I think anyone who supported Hillary is someone who understands why it's so vital to keep John McCain away from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And I'm sorry tonight is a rough night for you. You're truly one of the good guys.

...And that is a promise.

first of all, three weeks ago CLinton wasn't even expected to win in Indiana, much less win by a convincing margin. And Obama was always going to win NC, so the only people who are pretending this is a great night for one or the other candidate are the spinners.

Secondly, Obama will probably take the nomination, but Hillary isn't bowing out, and she'll have her own North Carolina next week in West Virginia.

Thirdly, go to the Abbey, have a drink :), and talk to some real life Obama supporters. They're genuinely good people and, unlike most of the crowd here, see us all on the same team. DOn't judge Obama by his miserable supporters on DU. If people did that, we'd all end up voting for Ron Paul.

Where's the Abbey? And can we all go there?

:hi:

The rest is water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned and we will become one party once again.

but Obama will be gracious and he'll probably pick a VP that Clinton supporters like. How else is there to reach out?

Sorry you are feeling sad. :hug:

The vast majority of supporters of both candidates on DU do not really represent the majority. We get TOOOOOO fired up. We're all too emotionally invested, otherwise we wouldn't spend our days and nights here.

and purple nurples.

Like this :hug:

And this :toast:

And then another one of these :hug:

We are all one big tent -- and I would expect the same if the tides were turned. You all reached out to us Edwards supporters, and that meant a LOT. My heart was simply broken on January 30th. You all set the example for the rest of us how to treat people with grace and respect.

:hug:

Maybe he should accept some number of millions from the Oil, Pharma, and Banking lobbyists? Maybe he should threaten a Middle Eastern country with nuclear annihilation? Syria?

I doubt that bleaching his skin would help. :eyes:

Has nothing to do with the OP. Did Ronny ask Obama to move to the right? Not at all - why would he? He's about as rightist as Clinton is.

I would hope the Hill supporters would be doing the same.

When the infighting ends. And we can get back to our love fest.

I've always tried to avoid being rude to people here regardless of who they support. I'll continue doing that after the nomination process is over. Anyway, it seems that most supporters here are pretty set in their opinion and I don't see myself being able to really change anyone's mind. In real life? Not too sure about that yet. I'll let you know when I find a supporter of hers to reach out to...

They have stood with her, strongly. I have been impressed, state after state, with her steady support. I want her and you on the same team as myself.

Supporters can be abrasive, please try to see the things that Obama shares with Hillary. Most of the policy issues are the same. The need to defeat McDubya and the pukes is the same.

We need you. Please join us in fighting a third chimpy term.

Then I will ask them to defeat McCain in November by pulling the lever for Obama.

I don't think it's smart to do anything more than that. A lot of Hillary Clinton supporters will be pissed, and the most I can hope for is that it will subside enough by November for them to vote Dem. But they're all going to have to make their own decisions regarding what they feel comfortable with, and I think that breathing down their necks and telling them that they need to phone bank for Obama (or donate money, or do anything besides vote) is unhelpful.

This has been a bruising primary, for nobody more so than the supporters of both candidates. The most that Obama supporters can and should do is let Clinton supporters know that we welcome them, and then maintain a respectful distance while they heal and decide what they want to do.

if a so called Democrat can't get behind the Democratic Party nominee for President without having to hold someone's hand after all the crap the pukes have put us all through then fuck um.

Seriously.

love his humor

love his music


hey ronny would like to point out that most of us didn't come here as victors

most of us lost with previous candidates and found it very nice in Obama land

all the kool aid you can drink my friend

most in their own lives and who they think will help them achieve the goals they have...McCain or Obama...I'm leaving it up to them to decide.

:hug:

That was pretty bitter.

Then, it wasn't....

It's your choice, vote for Obama, McCain, a third party candidate or stay home. According to the exit polls nearly 50% of hillary's supporters say they won't vote for Obama. So be it.

I love ya Ronny. :loveya:

And I would listen to their concerns carefully and address each point the best I can. Also, I hope that no matter who gets the nomination, we all realize that it's better with a D in the White House than McCain and that's the most important part. :)


edited: because well, it's so heated in here I didn't want anyone to take me seriously.

We've all been passionate about our candidates and that's good. I respect you fighting hard for her. I hope you respect that we are fighting hard for Barack.

Our differences are few and it's time to put those differences behind us.

For us Edwards supporters . . .


Win you guys over by admitting she had some good ideas and finding ways to get that message to Barack Obama.

I didn't hear poverty as an issue for Obama supporters in January. But I see it now. I thought they had forgotten about New Orleans. But they know it now. ;-)

It's now time for the Clinton supporters to tell them your non-negotiables and let them win you over! :-)

Some ppl here are saying they are turned off by Obama supporters, not by Obama himself. Seems to me that is a bad reason to not support someone.

What can Obama do to win you over?

Seriously.. the divide is only really raw in places like this, and in the campaigns themselves. Out there in the general population this will not be terribly difficult.

(Unfortunately, I fear it would be more difficult in the other direction. The 90% + support of Obama among African Americans would have to be significantly ameliorated..)

Once you have healed, you will know what to do.

For tonight, do not worry about what Obama supporters will do.

Just take it as easy as you can

When Wes Clark dropped out and endorsed Kerry, my way of handling it was to get behind Kerry the next day. It was painful, but it had to be done. I still think it was the best thing I could have done. But you do what YOU have to do to get through.

:hug: come on over!

Seriously, if he wins then I'm just going to wait a week for people to unwind and adjust - to do so faster would risk creating a backlash as some will perceive it as gloating. After that, I guess the same way I promote Obama right now: one person at a time. Concession/victory speeches by the candidates will have a significant impact as well.

That's all we can do. There's no changing minds at this point. People will have to arrive at their own conclusions and vote their conscience.

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Locally speaking, I don't have any plans other than to offer my sympathy on their preferred candidate not making it. I've worked very hard not to push anyone away and to attempt point out how desperately we need to stay active in our state. I know how it feels to put so much into something and then not get the return you expected.

For what it's worth I'm sorry NC didn't turn out like you would have liked. However, she's holding her lead just fine in Indiana.

To help us. Not only will you need to help us reach out to you out but you will need to help squash the radical supporters and the republican plants who will be unwilling to let go.

So you have the hardest job of everyone.

But it is time to try so..... Good run Hillary I just wish it was not so negative.

I just want this to be over now. And I think - finally - it will be.

We'll rest up and come together. Not everyone, but for the most part.

And beat John McCain like the cheap drum he is.

Some of the answers are just mean spirited.... This I know to be true... Obama will need each and every Democrat to win in November... Obama supporters need to bring as many Democrats to the table as they can... Clinton supporters are hurting and now is the time to mend the wounds and heal the community...

With so many eat shit responses, I fear this is not going to happen....


Me, never supported either, I have always looked beyond to November...

If we don't all come together united as one, we will fall as many...


Best Wishes

Shawnee

Tonight I am angry. Not because Obama did great in NC, or that Obama will probably be the Nominee. I am angry because dozens of mean, nasty, venomous jerks have ruined this board, have created a divide that may never fully heal. I am angry because it has been allowed to happen.

Now they want unity. Now they want us to work with them. My very raw response to them tonight is to "Go Fuck Themselves"

is insignificant to the race, and the number of people making those kinds of posts is an insignificant subset of those numbers - but on both sides.

Don't let a few dicks on the Internet change your opinion, both sides have their share.

have pushed away Clinton supporters. There are zealots on both sides, of course, but most of us try most of the time to work for this nomination with dignity.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5830451

More then a few.

They can't even stop themselves tonight.

If Hillary were to concede tonight I couldn't even be happy for Obama or his supporters.

They have made it impossible.

I don't even care anymore.

I should probably go to bed before I get too angry to sleep.

The only one who gets to decide whether or not you are a Democrat is you. Assholes on a message board are not worth losing sleep over.

We will need your help for November, no matter who is the nominee.

clones on the Supreme Court.

It's up to Obama supporters AND Hillary supporters to come together. If you're looking to be coddled and wooed then I'm afraid there'll be little for you here. If you want to be a part of the reconciliation that is needed because of assholes on BOTH sides of this primary season then I'd love to share that with you.

Fair?

which I think would include asking her supporters to support him.

don't stereotype all DU members.

what has caused the great divide between those who support Obama and those who support Hillary.

It's not about HRC, it's not about you, it's about what is needed in this nation, it's about dems taking the White House.

If you want republicans to have the chance to put judges on SCOTUS then worry about what Obama supporters will do for you. If you care about this nation, then let yourself heal and then get over it and back the dem nominee, help keep McCain out of the White House.

HE'S THE ENEMY.

MCMANCHURIAN CANDIDATE.

LET'S KICK HIS ASS.

:bounce:

:yourock:

:headbang:

You all have been fighting about this non-stop for months now. We all suffered defeat in 2000 and in 2004. Let's suffer victory together this time.

:hi:

And I'll start right now. With you.

:hi:

Do you mean the republicans that have been voting for her as per Rush's instructions?

Because they won't vote dem in the GE no matter what.

Do you mean the ranting Obama bashers here on DU? Because there's only like 10 or 12 of those idiots.... and I say fuck them.
Because frankly I don't think the loss of a dozen votes will make much of a difference in the GE.

As for the rest, the vast majority of hillary supporters are not caustic snarky Obama haters, they just like hillary a little more than they like Obama.

They'll vote for the dem nominee...

That's my plan.

Either one gets the nod and I'll be "Go Dems!" til I die.

:woohoo:

they're hopeless.

Obama is a Democrat. If we're all Democrats, we should be voting for him no matter what.

If you're not voting, you're worse than the GOP.

I'll say that about Obama supporters who wouldn't vote for Clinton if she wins it.

:thumbsup:

... if they all of a sudden want to join a winning ticket, however. But my welcome is all that I'm offering.

I'm sure you'll find others who are much more conciliatory that I. The race-baiting and the support of obliteration really did it in for me.

that I don't have anything against Hillary supporters, never have...never will.

I can only hope that our party can come together after this tough primary.

I plan on supporting and listening, just like I have all along.

I am sorry about tonight, I would feel the same way. I will not gloat. I respect us ALL as DEMOCRATS and HUMAN BEINGS... and I always WILL. :hug:

anybody should need to reach out to anybody. Anybody who does not fall in line behind the eventual Democratic nominee wholeheartedly is not truly a Democrat, but the sort of partisan we're better off without. Period...end of story. Have a nice life.

I wanted Kucinich...I'm a hardcore veggie human-rights-supporting anti-war godless eco-leftist (In other words, they're both distasteful to me)...I'm supporting the winner. If someone can't do the same, I question whether they are in need of a good solid look in the mirror and some soul-searching. We are Democrats, we support the Democratic candidate. Unquestioningly...because we have seen the alternative and it is an ugly hawkish evil old man. I will not lose to John McCain. I will not.

Who is the real enemy: McCain or the sort of partisan who would rather see the country and the party torn apart just because they didn't get their way? I say both. Fully. Completely. Totally. I will yield no quarter to either. I will call anyone who says they will not vote for the Democratic nominee on their bullshit. They are my sworn enemy.

I know that many do not agree, but I think we have a presumptive nominee. I may not like him, but I will support him with my blood, my sweat, my tears, the soles of my feet and my money. Because I am a Democrat. Because he is the Democratic Party nominee. Because there is no other.

:hug:

Do we have a hand shake smiley?

P.S. Did you catch that speech in North Carolina? It was good....and much more. We need that, people are hungry for that.

Obama. As a long time democrat I would appeal to common sense. We are in a mess in this world and what we need is control of the congress and WH. In the end we all have a responsibility to the people of this world to support the only option we have here unless we want to continue the way we are going. I think all of us know that this world cannot take more of what has been going on. I would welcome any help I can get to accomplish the task of taking back our government. For my Terri, severely disabled daughter, for the soldiers in this damn war, for the hungry, for those losing their homes, for the environment. Come with me in November and win the first battle. Then we will work here on DU to lobby for the changes we want and there can be no more argument that we do not have the votes. Let us move on.

By not gloating when the end comes, we will leave the door open for when they wish to return to the fold. Everyone has to get over their loss in their own time frame. That's why ending it sooner, rather than later, is better for the party in the fall.

We don't simply run for the presidency, but for every office up and down the ticket.

I lost Edwards awhile back, so I know the feeling (and I'm still not entirely over it yet). :-(

I sure as hell hope the Obama folks will take a deep breath and hold their tongues, and welcome all of y'all with open arms. We have to do this together--way too much is riding on it.

Whether it's Clinton or Obama as the nominee, I think that most real Democrats will support and vote for our candidate to avoid giving the right wing a shot at getting more Supreme Court justices and more wars.

My assumption would be that Clinton supporters would rationally decide whether OBAMA is someone they would like to vote for.

What does me "reaching out" to them have to do with anything? Do they need more information? I'll try and provide it.

I thought voting was about doing what was best for the country, not about putting band aids on boo-boos.

third choice.

And when one comes within reach to shake my outstretched hand...

I'll beat 'em over the head with the olive branch.

(whoosh)WHAT.(smack!) (whoosh)WERE.(smack!) (whoosh)YOU.(smack!) (whoosh)THINKING!!(smack!)

C'mere... let me salve that... Hey, wanna go get a drink and talk about how we're gonna kick McHundredYears' ASS?

Please let us know what you need and what you want to hear from us.

I have tried to keep a civil tone in my posts, although I do not mince words when explaining my opinions. I cannot speak for others who may have gone over the edge, but I hope many of them will offer an open hand as well. A lot was said on both sides and I hope we can mutually agree on a period of healing and reconciliation, then start over with (nearly) a clean state as we move forward to the convention and on to November.

As Howard Dean said, the candidate that doesn't get the nomination will be the most important person heading into November. I would extend that to all of you loyal Hillary supporters. YOU are the most important people heading into November. We need you and I hope many of you will come to see that we all need to come together for the good of the country. We cannot allow McCain to continue Bush's criminal Presidency.

:kick:

Hillary supporters are grown ups and should know the consequences of their actions. They shouldn't need to be reached out to. :shrug:

(contrary to 90% of what one reads in GD-P), I'd ask if Hillary's supporters were as terrified of the prospect of President McClown (100 years in Iraq, bomb bomb bomb Iran, never go to war for oil again) as I am.

If that's not reason enough I don't know what I can do.

IRL there is little of the rancor you see here.

I honestly can't see why anyone would be against him, so I'd have to find out what it is and discuss it from there.


Also, part of it would be the same argument that Clinton supporters would have had for Obama supporters: we're all Democrats and we DON'T want McCain to win.

buy them a beer after the election, and will just hope that they voted for their Democratic nominee.

Our man wants us to get along...

Let's start talking about Iraq, Iran, health care, Nafta, the fuel crisis, and THEN we could start talking again about the OJ trial and we can really fight.


:) :)

Everyone I know is either for Obama or is a Republican. Or totally apolitical (shame on them!).

There's plenty left to do to rid the country of the past eight year's scourge. While in the real world, Hillary was a candidate who represented a specific approach to the primaries, and Obama another. It doesn't make a great deal of difference in the end which flavor of Democrat is running as our candidate. We're all in this together. We all know the stakes, and I think this accounted for lots of the animosity I've seen here because the fear of four more years of war , economic destruction, rape and pillage by Oil Companies just strikes very real gripping dread in all of our hearts.

So, let's work to solve things.

peace.

can you reconcile your sense of defeat and loss with acceptance that Obama is the Democratic nominee, and the only thing standing between John McCain and the White House? Because that's what's really important. Working toward a common goal rather than in opposition brings its own reconciliation.

Hillary was a formidable candidate. Edwards was my original candidate (both times) so I have the smallest inkling of how you may be feeling right now. But it's probably not an accurate analogy, as the rancor wasn't there when Edwards dropped out. I don't know you personally, so it's hard to say what I can do to reach out to you besides be respectful to you and other Clinton supporters. To my mom, however, who is also a Clinton supporter, I plan to offer my support over the next week or so (or however long she needs it) as she comes to terms with it. She was hoping to see a woman president before she dies. In my view, there's still time for that (she's only 65), but I know this is a big loss for her.

It really sucks to have it sink in. I remember feeling that way in 2004 when the "murder-suicide" of Kerry and Gephardt took out Dean and the "scream" derailed New Hampshire for him. It was all downhill from there. He had such great ideas...it wasn't fair what they did! Dean then came out and asked that we support the nominee, and I took an honest look at Kerry...not his DLC association (which is a huge red flag for me), but his voting record. I had to admit there was a lot to get behind.

Before long, I was defending Kerry vehemently on a politically-neutral board, even putting down the Nader supporters for their intractability. Sharpening my claws on Republicans always centers me politically. I gladly placed my vote for Kerry in November, even screaming my voice hoarse at a rally here in Columbus.

This has been a tough one. I'm sorry your candidate lost (by normal metrics)....if the roles were reversed, I would be feeling belligerent right now. Very belligerent. But I would be reading...looking for something to get behind. Like me, you might be surprised. It also helps to look long and hard at McCain's voting history....a maverick he isn't!

If it is any consolation, I plan on holding Obama's feet to the fire like I would any other Democrat should he win the White House. You gotta watch them all when they get to the top, and there are a lot of problems to fix in short order.

Oh...and some Hillary and Obama supporters...no, there will be no olive branch extended to those who purposefully tore this community apart. I admit that I am humorless about such things.

Reach out? I'm just going to go forward.