Day one was not what Democratic officials hoped it would be with protests, assassination plots, Ted Kennedy and Bill and Hillary Clinton dominating the news. Coverage again today shows it is still all about the Clintons
Recap.
ABC News points out yesterdays coverage was frustrating to the Democrats as story after story focused on the tension at the convention between Clinton supporters and Obama supporters, to the point where accusations have been leveled at Obama delegates, via the Chicago Tribune, claiming one called a black Clinton delegate "Uncle Tom", with reports now showing that some want that Obama supporter to step down from his Senate position.
Other accounts show that Clinton supporters chanted "caucus fraud" and referred often to Barack Obama calling a reporter "sweetie," with source after source telling media reporters of tensions, including Bill Clinton being unhappy with the speaking role he was given at the convention for Wednesday night.
Protests outside the Pepsi Center where the Democrats are holding their convention grabbed headlines as well.
On a night where Michelle Obama was to be the main focus with her speech, which can be found at New York Times, many say went well and where she was clear and concise and spoke eloquently, the headlines show she was upstaged by the news that Ted Kennedy was there and would speak, which he did. Kennedy was recently diagnosed with cancer and is recovering from treatment as the Boston Herald explains.
At a convention that Democratic officials hoped would be focused and highlighting Barack Obama, the biggest news that surrounded him was the arrest of two and subsequently two more people, claiming they were planning an assassination plot against the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Not exactly the focus the Democrats were hoping would be on Barack Obama.
The Republican National Committee and the John McCain campaign played their part in making sure the coverage did not highlight Obama in a way the convention planners had organized it to either, by releasing ad after ad showing Clinton supporters voting to John McCain, Hillary Clinton's previous words, highlighting what she implied was his inexperience.
Even that brought news of Hillary as she declared publicly, "I am Hillary Clinton and I did not approve that message".
All the coverage, story after story, and Barack Obama barely received a glance on the whole first day of the Democratic Convention which was meant to spotlight him.
Day Two.
Which brings us to today's news, which included the ABC News article above, which once again highlights..... yes, Hillary and Bill Clinton.
Hillary Clinton is slated to speak at the convention tonight.
They spotlight a new Gallup poll which says less than half of Hillary Clinton supporters say they are solidly behind Barack Obama with 23 percent saying they will back him but might change their mind and 30 percent of Clinton supporters saying they will not vote or vote for someone else, including John McCain.
Hillary Clinton continues to make it clear that she is backing Barack Obama and calling for party unity, yet even she continues to mention her "18 million votes".
One Clinton supporter, Cynthia Ruccia, who formed the group Clinton Supporters Count Too, declares "I'm thoroughly disgusted with the Democratic Party. I believe the magic of Barack Obama was his ability to turn lifelong Democrats like us into McCain supporters overnight," she continues on to add, "My vote is a protest vote. I live in Ohio, I know our votes count in a very special way because whoever wins Ohio is often the person who becomes the president of the United States. And I do not want to reward the Democratic Party with my vote. I am disgusted with them."
Clinton supporters also went after MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews, chanting "sexist pig, sexist pig" referring to a comment he made in January, to which he later apologized publicly for.
ABC news isn't the only coverage out today focusing more on the Clinton's than Barack Obama.
SFGate describes how California Hillary Clinton delegates are protesting, saying DNC rules require delegates to vote as they are elected. Pointing out that Clinton received 204 delegates pledged to her from California while Barack Obama only received 166.
One well known Clinton delegate, Gloria Allred who is a California women's lawyer, went as far as to take a napkin off the breakfast table to wear as a gag in protest of not being allowed to speak at the breakfast.
Allred states, through the gag, "I was not elected to be a potted plant."
Clinton delegate Julie Wong of Los Gatos was handing out white wrist bands to rally solidarity at the convention tonight when Clinton speaks. Hillary supporters have a march planned for today, which coincides with the anniversary of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote.
Allred said Clinton herself "doesn't have the legal power" to tell her own delegates how to vote. "She can do it, but that doesn't mean we have to do it," Allred said.
Moving right along to The Politico to a piece titled "Denver drama: Can Clintons' get over it?"
That is a three page article focused on.... you got it... the Clintons and how Bill Clinton is still bitterly angry and resentful over how he perceived the Obama campaign and the media as being unfair during the hard fought primary season.
Even papers from other countries, such as the Telegraph UK, are focused on , the Clintons, asking if "Barack Obama blown it with Bill and Hillary Clinton?"
That article points out how the Obama supporters feel the Clinton supporters just need to "get over it", then goes on to say, "But this kind of thinking is exactly how to lose to McCain. It's the Obama people who need to get over it - and quickly."
Doing a Google News search for the word Clinton shows thousands upon thousands of articles and who are they focused on?
Bill and Hillary Clinton.
While Hillary Clinton sends emails allowing people a photo spray opportunity while she tours the podium where she will be speaking tonight and Clinton supporters holding a parade and rally in Denver today, the latest controversy to which my email is full of unhappy, angry emails, informing me that after all the hard work and petitions signed to get Hillary Clinton's name placed in nomination, there is an agreement for her to end the state-by-state roll call before it is finished and hand it the official nomination to Barack Obama as MSNBC reports.
Yet as the AP reported last night, the Clinton and Obama camps have agreed to limit the roll call vote. "The deal would allow some states to cast votes for both Obama and Clinton before ending the roll call in acclamation for the Illinois senator. Clinton herself may cut off the vote and recommend unanimous nomination of Obama, according to Democratic officials involved in the negotiations."
According to the LA Times' Top of the Ticket, one DNC member says it is all up to Obama, stating, "Whether or not there will be a roll call -- and. if so, under what conditions -- is entirely up to the Obama campaign. And they have not yet decided what the roll call is going to look like."
If anyone is under any illusion that tomorrow's news coverage will be any different or will focus more on Barack Obama regarding a convention being held to spotlight him, let me remind you, Bill Clinton is slated to speak at tomorrow night's event.
Face it, the Clinton's are the show, have been the show, and now that the public and the media are tired of the "new kid on the block", they are all suffering buyers remorse.
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