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Clinton 'Releases' Her Delegates

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August 27, 2008 5:23 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper reports:  Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., told her delegates this afternoon that they had been "released."  Loud boos were heard in the room when she said to the thousands of Clinton delegates that, "as part of that tradition, I am here today to release you as my delegates."

While there is no formal process of releasing delegates, since they are not bound and free to vote for whoever they want, her public urging is seen as another gesture towards forging unity.  It was also an opportunity to express her gratitude to supporters.  Clinton thanked everyone in the room many times, and oftentimes, the boisterous crowd shouted back 'thank you!'

"I want you to know that this has been a joy," Clinton said.  "Yes, we didn't make it.  But boy, did we have a good time."

A roll call vote is slated to take place around 5 p.m. ET, but it will likely be aborted.  According to Obama campaign advisors, an agreement has been made that the roll call will halt at some point and the convention will move to nominate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., by acclamation.

Clinton told the delegates that she signed her ballot for Obama this morning, but said she understood that others would 'vote with their hearts.'

"I have spoken to many of you who have expressed your questions about what you should do. Now, many of you feel a responsibility to represent the voters in your state.  And others of you, after this long journey, want the chance to vote for what’s in your heart.  Now, still others will be voting for Sen. Obama because they want to demonstrate their personal commitment for the unity of this party behind our nominee.  I am not telling you what to do.  You come here from so many different places, having made this journey and feeling in your heart what is right for you."

The crowd cheered loudly when Clinton mentioned that there would be a roll call vote.

"It is traditional that we have nominations, that we have a roll call, that we have candidates who look for ways to work to make sure that we come out of here ready to win in November," Clinton said. "At the end of today, we will nominate Barack Obama and Joe  Biden for the president and vice president of the United States."

After thanking the crowd and shaking hands, Clinton heads to the Pepsi Center for the roll call vote.

ABC News' David Chalian contributed to this report.

August 27, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (94)

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Pity.

Posted by: fact check | Aug 27, 2008 5:37:44 PM

OK, so they will have a Roll Call vote that is aborted half-way in order to delclare Obama the "winner". This is totally UNFAIR and STINKS!!!! Who the f**k do they think is fooled by this??????

Posted by: yh120952 | Aug 27, 2008 5:39:12 PM

This is great. Watching the nominating and roll call process. They roped a delegate from FL to nominate Obama. He sure likes them now.

Flip-flop-flip-flop.

Posted by: FishMonger | Aug 27, 2008 5:42:41 PM

Have you never watched a convention before? This happens all the time. Try not to take everything so personally. Obama won, Hillary has asked for party unity, and you are free to vote for whomever you choose. This is not a conspiracy. It's politics.

Posted by: obamamama | Aug 27, 2008 5:45:05 PM

obamamama - you need to adjust your selective hearing. Your candidate shouted from the top of the mountains about how he was different from politics as usual. Once again, your entire camp proves that he is an outright liar and manipulator. I have no problem with that. Because I don't support that kind of character.

Posted by: FishMonger | Aug 27, 2008 5:49:45 PM

Now tired of eating George Bush.They have turned on each other and are eating thier own. Following the example set by Keith O at msnbc. I like the story of the about the lobbiest and dems having ABC reporters arrested for covering the kickback activity in Denver. Lavish partys and gift giving for access.Dems are fools for thinking only republicans are crooks.And even more foolish thinking Obama is qualified to be pres.

Posted by: Jason | Aug 27, 2008 5:58:02 PM

After Hillary's speech I thought to myself "OK, I can go with party unity." But, that was BEFORE I knew that the roll call would be aborted and then I saw a sneak preview of the acceptance speech stage. When you add that embarrassment of a stage to the rigged nomination to a rock concert setting in a football stadium I now think to myself...."That man is seriously delusional!"

Posted by: yh120952 | Aug 27, 2008 6:00:25 PM

ahhhhhh, soooo sad.... lol

Posted by: tim | Aug 27, 2008 6:00:33 PM

Nader/Gonzalez 08!

Posted by: ttw | Aug 27, 2008 6:02:02 PM

im writing in either keith olberman or jaes carville... havent decided yet
both are sooooo brilliant!

Posted by: tim | Aug 27, 2008 6:03:43 PM

We need to 'Keep going.'

Remember this is not about Hillary it's about you and you must recognize that whatever McCain stands for is not worth supporting just because Hillary lost. It's worth rejecting because if you don't then YOU LOSE.

Posted by: nancy | Aug 27, 2008 6:22:10 PM

We aare going to "Keep going."

Right to the polls to vote John McCain in for president.

PUMA!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 27, 2008 6:26:50 PM

Are you people for real? I mean, get a grip. If you are for Hillary or Obama, aren't we all DEMOCRATS? For heaven's sake they ran on virtually IDENTICAL platforms. One person won the nomincation FAIRLY by winning the majority of delegates (yes, even including the contested Mich and Florida delegates). There was no conspiricy -- that is the way the democratic primaries work -- they work this way EVERY 4 years! There is NOTHING unusual about the way this convention is being conducted except the immature way the press and the public are acting.

Posted by: jules | Aug 27, 2008 6:27:02 PM

every other convention had a full vote where delegates voted AS PLEDGED... then they were released.

OBAMA SUCKS

Posted by: trettion | Aug 27, 2008 6:29:20 PM

It is clear that the DNC is corrupt and with this roll-call, they have sounded the death-knell for Obama.

We will not forget and we will vote accordingly.

PUMA!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 27, 2008 6:31:34 PM

Here's my take on the whole ordeal: Democrats LOVE to act like elect McCain would be the end of the world. If I am correct, they said the same thing about George Bush in 2000 and in 2004. Look what happened--the country still exists. And, guess what? Even if McCain does win in November, it will still exist. The President CANNOT effectuate that much change on his won. He NEEDS the cooperation of the Congress and the Court. As far as the Congress goes, if McCain wins, and he does not attempt to reach across the aisles to get his agenda accomplished, not much is going to happen. The Democrats control Congress now and cannot get anything done. The Court is not going to change over night either. Most of those people will die on the bench; very few people actually follow the model of Sandra Day O'Connor and retire early. In essence, what I am trying to say is: cut out the stupid doomsday predictions--it makes you lookk DESPERATE!

Posted by: Niko_in_Oakland | Aug 27, 2008 6:32:25 PM

PUMA = A closet Republican pretending to be a HRC supporter.

Oh, and trettion, you are wrong. Sorry, thanks for playing.

Posted by: jules | Aug 27, 2008 6:33:35 PM

jules - What you call us do not matter. We are still going to vote for McCain and when we do, we will cancell out enough of Obama's Supporters votes to give John McCain a victory.

Say heyyyyyyyyyy! to President McCain.

PUMA!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 27, 2008 6:37:29 PM

Yes, Lee Lee 07. I would expect that a lot of Republicans, like you, will vote for John McCain. I would expect that a true Democrat who believes in the Democratic platform will vote for their party's candidate. That's usually how it works. If you want to pretend you are just a HRC supporter who is "too mad" to vote for Obama, good for you. But people (like me), who supported HRC based on her platform, will now vote for Obama. His platform is virtually identical to hers...they share the same goals and the same urgent desire to rid the country of the corruption and hate that has been the hallmark of the last 8 years of the Bush Presidency. Any person who calls themself a Democrat and puts the needs of the country ahead of their own disappointment over their candidate not winning will vote Obama.

Posted by: jules | Aug 27, 2008 6:42:36 PM

A "true democrat" would not have treated a fellow democrat in the manner Hillary Clinton was treated.

A "true democrat" would not have called a fellow democrat racist and worse because of a disagreement in candidate choices.

Shut up about "true democrats". You don't know what a "true democrat" is.

PUMA!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 27, 2008 6:50:25 PM

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