This article is posted on TPM, and I wanted to post it here because of what Hillary says.
"I just want to underscore my gratitude," she concluded. "This is bigger than me...it's about standing firm [behind] the values we share."
This last quote bothers me. I understand wanting to win the Democratic Nomination, but exactly what values will be lost if Obama is the nominee? Furthermore "bigger than me" what movement does she represent?
Hillary Holds Private Conference Call With Her Super-Dels: "I Know This Is Not Easy"
Hillary Holds Private Conference Call With Her Super-Dels: "I Know This Is Not Easy"
By Greg Sargent - May 10, 2008, 2:55PM
Hillary held a private rally-the-troops conference call with her super-delegate supporters this afternoon, urging them to believe that "this race is not over," vowing to them she'd promote Dem unity after the primary, and conceding that she knows what they and the party are going through "is not easy."
Somewhat tantalizingly, Hillary also claimed that there were back-channel talks of some kind going on between the two campaigns, possibly about how to maintain Democratic unity after the primary. Asked by a super-delegate whether there were discussions going on between the two camps about what would happen after the voting concluded, she said:
"There's a lot of communication between both of the campaigns all the time. I don't know how specific it is, but we have very open lines of communication...I know that both Senator Obama and I are committed, and the campaigns are as well, to making sure that when this is resolved" we will do everything we can to "unify the party." She didn't elaborate further.
The call -- convened for super-dels committed to supporting her -- provided a glimpse into the campaign's behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent supporters from bolting even as her prospects grow bleaker by the day.
I was able to listen to the call in its entirety.
Hillary projected a surprisingly cheerful tone despite recent events, and if she is having doubts about what's going to happen, she didn't show it on the call. "Despite what some in the media are saying, this race is not over," she said.
Hillary top adviser Harold Ickes was on the call, too. Some noteworthy tidbits from the call:
* Ickes claimed that there was no discussion internally on the campaign of the possibility that she would angle for a veep slot. "There's no talk within the Hillary campaign about that," Ickes said in response to a questioner.
* Ickes came under questioning from a super-delegate who said he would have "a problem" if she didn't win the pledged del count or the popular vote, and declined to say what she would do. Indeed, he repeatedly maintained that she would still be ahead in the popular vote at the end of the contest, Florida and Michigan included, and predicted flatly that she would be behind by less than 100 delegates at the end of the voting.
* Hillary sought to persuade supporters to hold the line by vowing to them that she would do everything she could to make sure the party unified behind the eventual nominee. "I know this is not easy," Hillary said. She added: "We will close ranks and I know we will be totally unified going forward."
"I just want to underscore my gratitude," she concluded. "This is bigger than me...it's about standing firm [behind] the values we share."