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COLUMNISTS
TODAY'S STORIES
16.06.2008
Live from Motown...It's the Gore-Obama Show

I'm here at a packed Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, where Governor Jennifer Granholm just introduced her two special guests: Al Gore and Barack Obama. I've attended more than my share of live sports events before. The roar was as deafening as any I've ever heard.

One interesting note: When Granholm spoke about Senator Hillary Clinton, whom she'd supported during the primaries, the crowd gave a lusty boo and kept it up for about two minutes, completely drowning out Granholm's plea for unity. (Granholm, to her credit, gave it with a smile anyway.) By contrast, when Gore just suggested John McCain was an opponent who deserved respect, the crowd gave a cheer. It was a tepid one, but a cheer all the same.

I guess Clinton supporters aren't the only ones still bitter about the primaries.

Update: During his (lengthy) remarks tonight, Obama made his own pitch for unity--taking note of the noise the crowd had made while Granholm had been speaking and then, when one audience member began booing again, singling him (or her?) out by saying "I'm talkig to you up there." Obama repeated many of the lines he'd used before, hailing Clinton for "lifting the sights of young women across America, including my daughters." He also added one I hadn't heard before, although I suspect it's not new either: "And she's tough. That's why this race took so long. She's a fighter. And we need fighters in the Democratic Party."  

--Jonathan Cohn 

Posted: Monday, June 16, 2008 9:03 PM with 8 comment(s)

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ironyroad said:

Hey buddy -- we may be educated and full of liberal ideas about tolerance and gun control, but we can be bitter too!

June 16, 2008 9:13 PM

WoodyBombay said:

That IS weird, considering Hillary's smashing, decisive victory in the Michigan primary. Obama didn't get a single vote!

June 16, 2008 9:25 PM

williamyard said:

Those boos are certainly a slap in the face to Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, if a clam ran for President, it would have to win, because if it lost, it couldn't receive a slap in the face, because it doesn't have a face. So if, say, Obama beat a clam, and subsequently appeared onstage with Gore, and somebody mentioned the clam, and everybody started booing, they'd suddenly remember about the whole lack-of-face thing, and quickly it would get so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Talk about embarrassing!

June 17, 2008 12:18 AM

teplukhin2you said:

Mr Cohn - what's Obama's plan for savinf the US auto industry? Assume he had a few words on that for a motown audience reeling from yet more decline. thanks,

t

June 17, 2008 3:13 AM

literatehobo said:

Indeed, Tep. Any thoughts from TNR on whether Obama actually had anything useful to say, and whether it was, in fact, useful?

Don't let the Stump bleed over here.

June 17, 2008 7:46 AM

Jonathan Cohn said:

tep, literate- Yes, he did talk about it. (So did Gore. So did Granholm.) Mostly about green investment. But before I can say any more about it, I need to do some more research. I hate blogging in ignorance.

June 17, 2008 9:10 AM

Wandreycer1 said:

Yo Jonathon - any links to the hoopla?

June 17, 2008 12:18 PM

psantillana said:

Michigan is where Edwards was booed for praising her as well. They really hate her there, I'm guessing since she pushed for giving Obama no delegates and having all of hers counted as "enfranchisement".

June 17, 2008 9:34 PM