Her opening night address and Senator Obama's acceptance speech will bookend addresses by Senator Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton. Senator Clinton will be the headline act on the second night of the convention, speaking on the 88th anniversary of American women winning the right to vote. The former president will take the stage on the third night to introduce the yet-to-be-named vice-presidential nominee. There is speculation Senator Clinton could allow her supporters to put her name on a nomination roll call at the convention. Such a move would be divisive and distract attention from Senator Obama in the lead-up to the November election. Senator Obama said last week he did not expect any problems. His campaign said the party platform would note that Senator Clinton was "the first woman in American history to win presidential primaries in our nation" and the Democrats were "proud that we have put 18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling".
The convention will mark a historic changing of the guard from the Clintons to the Obamas. The Illinois senator, the first African-American to lead a major US political party's White House bid, will deliver his speech on the 45th anniversary of slain civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King Jr's landmark "I Have a Dream" speech. That's why the Clinton's role at the convention particularly Hillary's role is key to the Democrats having a peaceful unified convention that highlights the Democratic Party changing of the guard as will as its progress toward change with Obama as the Democratic nominee and Hillary as the first women to win Presidential primaries.
However there are others who see Hillary's role at the convention in a different way. Some still want Hillary to be the Democratic Presidential nominee and are willing to hold rallies and have television ads in support of Hillary. While Hillary herself is not leading this movement and has not publicly made any statements against or for such as acts. It does put the Democratic Party in a shaky position that could break the unity foundation that the Democratic Party wants to have after a long, hard fought Democratic Presidential primary between Clinton and Obama.
Vocal backers of former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton say they are planning rallies and television ads during the Democratic National Convention. The moves are coming even as the Democratic senator from New York is negotiating with the party's likely nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., on a plan to unify the party and find a role for her delegates at the convention, The Hill reported Monday. The Washington newspaper said a recently formed organization called the Denver Group has filmed a pro-Clinton television commercial and is planning to run it soon. The group says response to its planned Aug. 26 reception is so good that its has booked a second room in Denver to accommodate the attendees.
Now another group called 18 Million Voices, alluding to the roughly 18 million votes Clinton received during the Democratic presidential primary elections, says it is organizing Aug. 26 marches in Denver "and nationwide to support Senator Clinton and advocate for women's rights worldwide," the group's Web site says. The Hill said Clinton believes the Democrats should adopt a strategy of recognizing her delegates at the convention because it would lead to a more unified party.
Despite all of this it is clear that Hillary's role at the convention will be pivotal in showing just how unified the Democratic Party is. Nonetheless, Obama and the Democratic Party have to show Hillary supporters some respect while at the same time avoiding chaos. Well the Convention will be centered around the Obamas and the Clintons, it will be the first major appearance of Obama's Vice Presidential candidate who many suspect will not be Hillary since Bill is speaking on the same night as the Vice Presidential nominee. It is clear that since Hillary's role at the convention has been squared away, Obama will make his major announcement as to who will be his Vice Presidential pick to his supporters at one time through text messaging and emails. Therefore Obama supporters will find out at the same time as the national media and an announcement should be coming soon after Obama's vacation in Hawaii.
It is clear that if Hillary is to be chosen as Obama's Vice Presidential choice that the Dream Ticket would be virtually unstoppable although Hillary does fit into Obama's theme for change. That's why it is likely that Indiana Senator Evan Bayh will be Obama's Vice Presidential choice since he has close ties to the Clinton machine and can deliver him the swing state of Indiana as well as Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. While Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has managerial experience, he can't deliver anything outside of Virginia and Delaware Senator Joe Biden has foreign policy experience that could help Obama's ticket but hurt Obama in swing states since Biden doesn't have swing state appeal. While Hillary would be the ideal choice for Obama to win the Presidency since she has swing state appeal, can attract white working class voters, the women vote and has some foreign policy experience from her days in the White House plus having former President Bill Clinton only makes an Obama-Clinton ticket virtually unbeatable no matter who McCain chooses as his Vice Presidential pick unless its Secretary of State Rice or Louisana Governor Jidel.
However I hate to play spoiler but Obama will not choose Hillary and will be going with a Hillary supporter, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who has everything Hillary has except for foreign policy experience but has managerial experience by being the former Governor of Indiana. While Bayh might not be able to deliver the women's vote, he can deliver the white working class and middle class vote for Obama as well as four pivotal Mid-western states that will be critical to an Obama victory in November. So get ready for an Obama-Bayh ticket. 
Obama-Bayh 08
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