Reporter's Notebook: Gwen Ifill Previews Clinton's Convention Speech

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TOPIC: Politics

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Vote 2008: Presidential Election Coverage

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Presidential Race

By Politics Desk on August 26, 2008

TAGS: democratic convention, new york

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner will step into the national spotlight Tuesday night to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, the same honor given to the Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama in 2004.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama’s rival in the Democratic primary, will speak after Warner as the party tries to unite her supporters behind Obama.

“Hillary Clinton is nothing if not a completely dedicated and disciplined campaigner. And if she knows she has to get up there tonight and tell everybody why Barack Obama is great, she’ll deliver it,” said Ifill. “I’ve never seen Hillary Clinton fail to knock the ball over the plate when it really counted, when she knows all eyes are on her. And all eyes are definitely on her tonight.”

Comments

Posted:
08/26/08 at
08:11 PM

Schofer : Coverage of the Democratic Convention by the NewsHour is great. I watched the whole thing and learned. Thank you.
Posted:
08/26/08 at
08:18 PM

wondering why : Just wondering why neither Caroline Kennedy nor Senator Ted Kennedy opted to give Hillary Clinton any credit in their speeches for her Health Care efforts. Sen. Clinton has made far more effort to reconcile differences than the Obama camp has.
Posted:
08/26/08 at
09:52 PM

Religion Prof : I really enjoyed the interview with President Carter last night by the panel. It would have been great to have had Ted Kennedy in the booth as well. Any chance we'll hear from other older Democratic warhorses like Walter Mondale?
Posted:
08/26/08 at
10:59 PM

curious : Is there any precedent for the comments of a former President to be delayed in the way the DNC will delay Clinton's broadcast tomorrow evening? What is the commentary there?? Sad.
Posted:
08/26/08 at
11:19 PM

Merry Librarian : I was a strong Hillary supporter and felt terribly disappointed about the outcome. However, it is unfathomable to me how anyone who supported Hillary could now turn to the McCain camp. PBS coverage is excellent as always.
Posted:
08/27/08 at
12:03 AM

nelly : I agree. Hillary is gracious beyond hope, at least publicly, which is what really matters in influencing voters generally. I wonder what the expectation would have been had the roles been reversed. Would the Obamas have been 'there' for her? Would his supporters have been a titch 'cranky'? After all, he was the one who, in his successful bid, split the party. Grow up, everyone and don't let the pundits tell you what to think.
Posted:
08/27/08 at
12:14 AM

GLO : Thank you for giving Hillary Kudos! I'm so disgusted with CNN msnbc& foxS' pundits they are worse than the politicians they criticize.People are tuning them out! Go Cspan go PbS
Posted:
08/27/08 at
12:18 AM

Kathy P. : I hope Hillary will point to the ads the Republicans started already using her primary ads which were to indicate she was more ready than Obama to be president. I hope Hillary will say, "See how they are already trying to divide us, let us stand together and not let that happen. Let John McCain and his Karl Rove-trained Campaign leader be shown up by their tactics, and let Obama shine because of his ethics. I'm grateful for Hillary, I hope she gets an important job in Obama's cabinet if she wants that instead of the Senate. The democrats can unite and they must.
Posted:
08/27/08 at
12:48 AM

kate : Ditto Merry Librarian! I was a strong Hillary supporter and felt terribly disappointed about the outcome. It is unfathomable to me how anyone who supported Hillary could now turn to the McCain camp. Don't they realize that another round of failed Bush policies and activities is so very dangerous for our country??
Posted:
08/27/08 at
01:03 AM

Marie G : Hillary is more than capable of being the first woman President. The way the Super Delegates were "forced" to take back their vote for her is the most shameful tactic I have seen the Democratic Party Leadership do. Rather than vote for McCain, a good many of us are going to write-in Hillary's name on the ballot in Nov. Obama has brought change alright. He has divided the Party like no one else ever has. Hillary is being forced to ask her 18 million supporters to vote for Obama but many of us will not vote for him regardless.
Posted:
08/27/08 at
02:32 AM

Tracy : I just walked in ... has Hillary spoken yet?
Posted:
08/27/08 at
02:57 AM

neclark : I have one answer for "wondering why"'s question: "...why neither Caroline Kennedy nor Senator Ted Kennedy opted to give Hillary Clinton any credit in their speeches for her Health Care efforts[?]" Many of us feel that Ms. Clinton badly mis-handled the National Health Care issue - and not only crippled the initiative then, but gave the opposition a durable "handle" with which to hold back current and future progress; every opponent of so-called "Socialized Medicine" points to the Clinton mess as "proof" that National Health Care is suspect.
Posted:
08/27/08 at
04:53 AM

AustinVoter : I'm an Obama supporter who was very moved and impressed by Sen. Clinton's speech tonight. Her directness, "Are you in it for me, or are you in it for them?" spoke directly to any holdouts, but just as directly to everyone who heard her. Thanks for the inspiration, Hillary!


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