Donna Brazile Votes to Place Hillary’s Name in Nomination

by addiestan, The Media Consortium: Tue., Aug 26, 2008
Filed under: Democratic National Convention 08

DENVER–At the DNC Women’s Caucus meeting at the Colorado Convention
Center, Donna Brazile whipped the crowd into a frenzy with stirring
remarks that invoked a host of iconic African-American women leaders
in the Democratic party, and expressed respect for Hillary Clinton, as
well as pragmatic politics.

Throughout the primary season, Brazile, the CNN commentator who ran Al
Gore’s popular-vote-winning presidential campaign, remained neutral.
Many assumed a certain sympathy toward Obama, and Brazile was one of
the first to publicly object to Bill Clinton’s remarks in South
Carolina, when the former president compared Obama’s prospects in the
state to those of Jesse Jackson in 1984 — remarks Brazile called “depressing.”

At today’s gathering of Democratic women, Brazile made an announcement
that began with a bit of a fake-out. “I am honored that I had the
chance now to circulate a petition some 24 years ago to put Jesse
Jackson’s name in nomination,” she said. “Last night, I signed my name
to place Hillary Clinton’s name in nomination.” The crowed roared in
appreciation. “I did it in honor of the woman who was unbought and
unbossed: Shirley Chisholm,” Brazile continued. “I did that in honor
of the first black woman to ever deliver the keynote speech at a
Democratic National Convention: Barbara Jordan. ” And then, calling
the name of one of Hillary Clinton’s most stalwart supporters, the
late Ohio congresswoman who broke barriers of race and gender, she
added, ” I did that in honor of Stephanie Tubbs Jones.”

But always pragmatic, Brazile made a point that seemed to be directed
at the early Obama supporters in the room, saying she signed the
petition for Clinton’s nomination “because Barack Obama understands
that a united Democratic party is a victorious Democratic party in
2008.”

–Adele M. Stan
The Media Consortium