Keep going, keep going--2012 is only four years away

My take: Hillary did what was required of her but I saw plenty traces of a 2012 campaign in her speech. The CNN coverage (it’s all they show here in the press tent) focuses on how incredibly gracious she was – but I didn’t see it. Unsurprisingly, she told people to vote for Barack Obama but I felt she was going through the motions. It was more “hold your nose and vote Obama” plus a few mild attacks at her “friend” John McCain. As for her future, what really jumped out at me was the bit in her speech where she quoted Harriet Tubman’s advice to fleeing slaves:

“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they're shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going…. We’re Americans and we don’t quit…we don’t have a moment to lose or a moment to spare”.

Keep going, keep going…. She’s used this a few times before, but hardly a mantra for what was supposed to be a final curtain call, handing the torch to her erstwhile rival. Rather it was like the “I’ll be back” motif associated with the Governor of California. Hillary is only 60, and I suspect she’ll want to keep her fans together for an as-yet-undecided project. The Obama campaign have just released a statement saying how Obama – who is still not at the convention and watched all this with some family in Montana - called to thank Hillary after the speech. Team Obama is desperately trying to close down the split story that is threatening to be the main story of the convention. And it will not die after her speech tonight. Hillary’s habit of giving speeches which mention Obama either obliquely or not at all will continue to feed the narrative of a Hillary-Obama split. Expect to read about it right up to election day.