CARL JEFFERS: Whose Job Is It Anyway? Clinton or Obama

Enough already. All through the weekend and throughout the first day of the Democratic convention, we seem to have heard nothing but commentary on "What Hillary has to do in her speech" and "What Bill Clinton has to do in his speech" and how much pressure is on Hillary and what they (Hillary and Bill) HAVE to do in their speeches. Excuse me -- who is running here?

How about what Barack Obama has to do in his speech on Thursday -- could we focus just a bit on that and not what the Clintons have to do on Tuesday and Wednesday. Obama is the candidate, and it is his convention -- and all those voters and supporters of other candidates are out there waiting and prepared for him to win them over -- not for someone else to just hand them over.

And frankly, in this case, I believe the media and general punditry industry is as much responsible for the "perceived" trouble and tension and the focus on the "problem" as the actual participants -- not to mention that I defy anyone out there to actually show me a single quote, video sound bite or reference from Hillary Clinton since she withdrew from the race that in any way criticized Senator Obama, indicated she would not support him, or indicated she was angry with him or his message. Without any actual evidence of specific negative attitudes about Senator Obama being expressed by the Clintons, or specific statements indicating they would not support him, everything else is pure speculation.

Yet, the media coverage frames the debate as if the supposition premise of the Clintons not supporting fully Barack Obama becomes the "given" that then launches the discussion pro or con. It is an arrogant assumption that is not fair, not productive, and not professional -- but it does help keep stories alive and drive ratings -- based on intelligently phrased speculation.

Well here's some information that is not speculation. As CNN and other networks reported on Monday, 66% of Clinton supporters now support Barack Obama. But that number was at 75% back in June. In other words, since Clinton withdrew and has thrown her full support behind Barack Obama, his support among Clinton voters has gone down -- not up.

SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-jeffers/whose-job-is-it-anyway-cl_b_121549.html

needed a 'catharsis' caused them to think they shouldn't be so eager to transfer their support...