McCain is very lucky that Obama is his opponent for this reason. Many conservatives would have stayed home rather than to cast their votes for him. If he chooses a pro-abortion candidate or Mitt Romney a significant percentage of them will stay home so he’s not out of the woods yet.

LuckyPenny: The Stiletto believes that this is the strategy behind pro-Hillary women who do not want to support Obama. Some truly feel he isn’t seasoned enough to be president. Others want to take a page from the conservative playbook and lose the White House in order to take their party back. The next time the party has to choose between two voting blocs - in this election it was blacks and women - they will not rig the rules (i.e., turning a blind eye to allegations of caucus fraud; apportioning MI delegates to Obama who withdrew from that race; the superdelegates having disproportionate weight in the selection process) to screw women over.

I am a female American, and a very loyal Hillary Clinton supporter.

That being said, I believe, if Hillary Clinton can put her personal ambitions, and ‘feelings’ aside, and just ’suck-it-up’ and endorse Barack Obama, I think I can do the same for her sake.

Like Hillary asked, did we vote for her or for the issues and values she stands for. I too have placed Hillary on a white pedestal but we need to vote for more that just her as a person; we need to vote for the issues she holds dear and has worked so hard for.

Please don’t let the election get handed on a platter to McCain….this discord is EXACTLY what he wants in our party.

I beg you…lets vote for Hillary’s legacy and “pretend” she is the nominee. I know we’ll have a chance to vote for her as our real nominee in the future.

Lets do what we must and vote for a Democrat in November.

I am a female American, and a very loyal Hillary Clinton supporter.

That being said, I believe, if Hillary Clinton can put her personal ambitions, and ‘feelings’ aside, and just ’suck-it-up’ and endorse Barack Obama, I think I can do the same for her sake.

Like Hillary asked, did we vote for her or for the issues and values she stands for. I too have placed Hillary on a white pedestal but she is we need to vote for more that just her as a person; we need to vote for the issues she holds dear and has worked so hard for.

Please don’t let election get handed on a platter to McCain….this discord is EXACTLY what he wants in our party.

I beg you…lets vote for Hillary’s legacy and not “pretend” she is the nominee. I know we’ll have a chance to vote for her as our real nominee in the future.

Lets do what we must and vote for a Democrat in November.

I agree on most parts of your post, but suggesting as you state

“In other words, she did nothing to quell the unease that many of her supporters have with Obama’s slender credentials – giving them tacit approval to vote for McCain.”

I would have to respectfully disagree. I believe the women Clinton supporters (as well as male) got the message. It was clear Hillary is backing Obama, sure some may think of the womens movement or agenda through Hillary but superceding the Democratic Party will not push them forward in this case.

Women make a significant voting block across the board and have come a long way. If fact one can argue that the women played a significant role in Obama’s nomination.

Everyone knows Hillary is down but not out. Her turn will come in 4 or 8 years.

I think those that continue to side with Hillary are just being divisive, maybe they were more feminists then Democrats? Maybe they felt this was the only opportunity to see a woman President before they die of old age. The speculation of the Hillary supporters voting for McCain is nothing more then a scare tactic. I don’t believe it for one moment.

I think the Hillary supporters just need to be realistic, and see the big picture especially if Hillary outright supports Obama as Her next President.

Thanks for your post, it was insightful