There have been several diaries about how Clinton's attitude from this point on will make a difference in how her supporters will embrace the candidate who was voted in to represent the Democratic Party.
What we've noticed is how Obama's support of women has mostly slipped among Clinton's supporters, not women overall.
Why is that? My conclusion is that it's due to Clinton and her campaign. They've continually fueled the fire, and the media has allowed this to continue. This morning, from different media outlets, I've heard how Obama will have major work to do in order to win these women back. That's the case in most political contests, really, but more so in this primary.
Pro-Hillary, or I should say anti-Obama, websites focus on her campaign talking points. Sexism, race-baiting, Obama being less qualified, Clinton being picked on by the media, Obama's guilt by association, his bitter comments, her winning the popular vote, and they now add delegate and vote stealing by Obama.
These are all things Clinton and her surrogates have brought into this primary. They've continually raised the sexism issue. We all know sexism and racism plays a part in life, but to claim that sexism is why she's not going to be our nominee is delusional. Not once have I heard from Clinton or her surrogates that any of these claims are untrue. Instead they fuel these claims by making the claims themselves. They egg her supporters on by continuing these claims with the vote/delegate stealing being brought into the equation. Then they say Obama has a problem with winning contests, which is ludicrous.
Now we're faced with a "tainted" primary according to their latest claim of stealing the election. How on earth do you think this will help rally the base?
Never mind the fact that the vote totals are being counted by their standards and their standards alone. Never mind that specific studies have shown that Clinton fared the same as Obama as far as positive coverage in the MSM. Never mind the fact that her surrogates made racist remarks about Obama. Never mind the facts surrounding Clinton's questionable past. Never mind the fact that Obama has a highly qualified political past. Never mind the fact that their vote totals don't include several Caucus states and only Clinton winning votes in Michigan. Never mind the fact that the R&BC only voted on the proposals of Michigan and Florida and that the Obama camp aren't the ones who made the final decision. Never mind that Ickies is on this committee and helped make these rules in the first place. Never mind that the bitter comments were and still are being taken out of context.
Never mind the fact that if Clinton can't rally her supporters, McCain will win in November because they've helped create this monster by either making these claims about Obama or by not disputing the claims. They've allowed this to happen. They've instigated this. They now need to fix it by taking back all that's been said by them. How much convincing will it now take to do that? I don't know, but what I do know is that a lot depends on Clinton's behavior starting yesterday.
Question is, is she capable of doing this.