Clinton delivers
But will her big speech be enough?
Hillary Clinton “fell on her sword” for the Democratic Party and Barack Obama, said Rochelle Riley in the Detroit Free Press, and they owe her “in four, or eight years.” Her speech before the Democratic National Convention was “in a word, presidential.” But by “truly giving in and deferring her dream” of being president so that her party could unite behind a different dream—the first African-American president—she’s giving Obama the chance he needs.
Clinton’s speech “was so NOT what Barack Obama needed,” said Craig Crawford in CQ’s Trail Mix blog. Sure, she sounded all the right notes about unity and said Obama’s name a few times, but it was “an obligatory, boiler-plate endorsement” that said nothing about Obama's personal character and, worse, did nothing to “clean up Clinton’s earlier dismissal of Obama’s readiness to be commander in chief.”
Well, “imagine how excruciating this moment must be,” said Ruth Marcus in The Washington Post’s PostPartisan blog. “Clinton is like a jilted fiancee who not only has to go to her ex’s wedding—she has to toast the new bride.” It is to her immense credit that she gave her toast “without a hitch,” and without betraying any sign of unhappiness.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Maybe it helped that her speech wasn’t really about Obama, said Ezra Klein in The American Prospect. “It was a speech about being a Democrat, and what electing a Democrat will mean for the country.” She told her supporters that “her candidacy was about something, not someone.”
Hillary said Obama deserves to be president because he's in the same party as Bill Clinton, said Rich Lowry in National Review Online's The Corner blog. She didn't say a word that was "incompatible with what she'll want to say if Obama loses in November: 'Told you so.'"
Clinton said all the right things, said David Callaway in MarketWatch. The question is, how much will she now do to put her words into action?
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published