Please check your spine at the door please, this is the US Senate. It's good practice for Hillary to start ignoring Leahy now - as President it's practically obligatory.

I worry that these calls for Hillary's resignation will backfire. Hillary has consistently done well in the role of the beleaguered victim of the media and the party--as demonstrated in both NH and TX/OH.

I think for Senator Clinton to stay in this nomination any longer requires a "willful suspension of disbelief" on her behalf.

"I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate"....hint hint from Leahy....drop out soon and that is true. Keep going and that will not be true.

This will embolden others. Not sure how that genie gets put back in the bottle.

As irrational and frustrating as it is, that is my concern too. And there's no sign she's not going to brazen it out and keep fighting kneecapping for all she's worth.

Since when did the Clintons care anything about the Democratic Party? They'll just turn this around as Obama's people calling on an end to the democratic process while Hillary is committed to having every voice heard, or some such nonsense.

"I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate"....hint hint from Leahy....drop out soon and that is true. Keep going and that will not be true.

That's how I read that, too.

I thought something was going on. I think I was right.

I agree with Leahy except for this line: "Frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate."

Given the polling data showing the number of defections of supporters of each candidate if the other gets the nomination, like it or not, or even hate it or not, Obama needs Hillary to be the VP.

Snowball? Avalanche.

Or, maybe, Judas - icing on the wuss cake (seeing as how it's now, somehow, become impolitic to pick a side).

...and Hillary's recent concessional tone in affirming Obama and herself and asking her supporters not to vote for McCain... seems another indicator of party insider talk reaching her regarding a desire to resolve this before it gets uglier. I don't believe she came to that out of the goodness of her heart, but because someone has begun to give her realism about the consequences (for her career) of fomenting party civil war.

The more I think about this, the more I think that this has to play itself out until close to the end of the primary season. Clinton supporters will be angry and disaffected if it looks like the supers forced her out of the race early, as Obama supporters would if supers forced him out of the race. It doesn't matter that Clinton doesn't have a real shot. As long as there is a widespread perception that she still has a chance, her supporters will feel that she was forced out early. After PA, NC, IN, it should be pretty clear to everyone that Hillary cannot win the popular vote and cannot win the pledged delegates, and at that point, I think the superdelegates can safely end the race.

and at that point, I think the superdelegates can safely end the race.

I think that will happen - they are all talking the first of July for a finish for this - just prior to the convention to keep it from becoming a floor brawl that has people walking out.

And I think that's true -it needs to end before there is a big war on the floor of the convention. That does nothing but tear the party apart and insure the McCain is the next president.

She's not going anywhere, she is delighted to be the center of attention . . .

My concern hasn't been about continuing the process, it's been the nastiness. I would love to see this go all the way to the convention, so long as neither side took jabs at the other on anything other than policy grounds. I think three more months of "we're both great candidates, but I'm better," would be fantastic. But all the kneecapping is waste.

My suggestion is that the higher lights of the party put together a "conditions" document on which they assert they'll withdraw their support from any campaign that crosses the line on race, gender, etc., etc. That is, when a candidate or a candidate's officials start attacking on personal, not policy, grounds. Basically, it'd be some sort of commitment to force Howard Wolfson to shut his bald face. And, really, wouldn't that make a better world for all of us?

can Clinton do the gracious thing and drop out? it will be a test of her character ... sorry for the cynical take, but I predict "failure": she will only go when forced, and it does seem like the "forcing" has begun. Good. Some people are clueless and stubborn and just never take the hint.

Hey, hey, hey! Don't be hating on the Krugman! I say this as a serious Obama fan. He was the one solid voice we Bush derangement syndrome suffers could read in the MSM for years, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for that.

Do anyone thinks she will listen? Yeah, just what I thought...she won't.

I'd love for Clinton to be Obama's running mate - I would.

Don't go there. Not even in your imagination.

Clintons is a magnet for MSM sniper fire.
Huge downside. No upside.
Only Bush and Cheney have higher negs.

She has way too many lies caught on tape.

This line spoken with such glib authority:

"I don't remember anyone offering me tea on the tarmac."

She is not a confirmed phony.
She'll be lucky to get reelected in the Senate.

Hillary will see the light after she loses to Obama in Pennsylvania 51-49%.
You can take that to the bank.

First, Leahy is relating what he thinks not calling for to step down-though I'm sure that is irrelevant for Clinton supporter purposes. Second, circumstances may force her to resign. That circumstance is money.

Ok Ok - I take it back about Clinton being Obama's running mate.

I have rethought in light of the overwhelming response!

LOL!

I just want to see us get back to the business of kicking Repug asses, hard. I'm so ready for that -

Call for w and cheney to resign.
Posted by gotalife

Exactly! If they'd just follow Hillary's lead on this... oh, wait...

One Helluva Negative Pregnant

There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate." Leahy

Pregnant with the negative that if she doesn't go quietly, she won't have much of a Senate career left either

These are Obama supporters calling for her to drop out. When her supporters do it will be time. As for her not being relected to the Senate in NY state that's really dumb, she'll be relected by a higher margin than last time. Hillary works hard which women always seem to do often harder than men and has done so for our state and delivered.

I dont see any reason for her to drop out. Whether or not she has a good chance of winning, she owes it to her (large number of) supporters to keep going until it's clear there is no chance of winning at all, or there is so much pressure from inside the party that she thinks it's better for her carrier or future to drop out.

But that's not the case right now. She's been more restrained in her rhetoric lately (as i think it got pretty out of control). And I think she's positioning herself to be able to bow out gracefully if she doesnt have a great showing in PA

If he has supers lined up, I think he should roll them out until they are effectively tied in super-endorsements. If she rolls out a few more, he should follow suit. (He should ignore this advice if he wouldn't be able to follow suit)
That would make it seem more like this is a voter-delegate race, which it is, and emphasize his lead.

"The reaction of Obama supporters here is a stunning example of why Clinton supporters will not under any circumstances support Obama."

It's not only because of the attitude of Obama supporters but more importantly the attitude of Obama himself which will make it impossible for many to support, or vote, for Obama.

I have really tried to understand where people like Sens. Leahy, Kennedy and Kerry are coming from, but it is beyond me. I cannot fathom why they are supporting Obama, since I can see no possible way he can win the GE. Maybe they enjoy whining and they need to lose ??

Quite honestly, the way Senator Obama is running his campaign - everyone on message 24/7, immediately out if you step out of the campaign line - I don't see him wanting the Clintonians in his party at this point. They have all, except Chelsea, shown themselves unwilling to submit to discipline, even their own.

If Obama is going to beat McCain, not only does he have to go on being temperate, terrifyingly bright, capable, open minded, charming, handsome, reasonable and charismatic, but he also has to maintain rigorous campaign discipline.

If I were he, I'd want the Clintons to exit gracefully and stay as far away as possible, keep their heads down and mouths zipped.

And do it in such a way that their pack of followers, especially the women of my generation, the boomers, are reconciled to his candidacy. If he can get the early women's lib generations to follow him, the blue-collar men won't matter.

"...he [Howard Dean] also said that it is very important for the supporters of both candidates to feel like the race has been concluded in a way that was fair to everyone."

There is so much more entertainment to come. And I do look forward to the spectacle of Good Doctor Dean(in the guise of Fred Rogers) ducking flying vases, liquor bottles and smashing mirrors as he wades onto the set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Bill & Hillary in full Burton & Taylor fury) later on this spring, talking softly about how special we all are, encouraging everyone to make nice and play fair.
Easily as entertaining as a mud season variety show.

I would hope elf's comments are satire. But I doubt it. They once again support the notion that Obama and his supporters are not about unifying but dividing.

Obama - The Great Deceiver, becomes
Obama - The Great Divider

Time to start taking a closer look at McCain.

Democrats, Hillary has millions of supporters and all this hate towards her only drives us closer to McCain. You have insulted Hillary supportes for supporting her and then you expect us to support Obama? It ain't happening. I can see through Obama's facade and I will never make that mistake. McCain has the experience and the know how to navigate Washington as does Hillary. I don't understand how you think Obama is going to bring a political utopia to Washington. It ain't happening. He is going to need skill to get things done, not hope. Look at the problems his buddy Devall Patrick is having in Mass. He ran on hope sans experience, and quickly realized that it ain't that easy.

I am a Hillary supporter and I am tired of reading about people who don't support Hillary. Don't they know that they do not matter? The only support that matters is the support for Hillary Clinton. It does not matter that Obama has more delegates, states won, popular vote, and has even raised more money from ordinary Americans. At the end of the day Hillary is going to win because the only people who matter are those who support Hillary. Hillary might be at second place when all the voters are considered, but if you only count Hillary supporters, Hillary is #1. This is why Hillary is going to win the general election. For the general election we are only going to count those who support Hillary.

This campaign between Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama has degenerated into a proxy fight by supporters over each candidate's personality. I have never seen so much "drive by" pschoanalyzing as has been displayed on the various blogs. What many posters seem not to realize is that nearly as many Democrats who find Sen. Obama's personality appealing feel the same about Sen. Clinton's.
And childish name-calling or temper-tantrums because, two months before the end of the primaries, big, bad HRC won't give (yes, give) the nomination to Sen. Obama won't woo lot of Clinton supporters.
I simply do not understand why any Democrat would want the superdelegates to short-circuit the primary process. The primaries aren't over. Democratic voter registrations are up. The Democrats are out-polling the Republicans in generic and specific polls; both Democratic candidates either tie or lead the Republican candidate - before either party has officially nominated anyone. The Democrats are raking in money hand-over-fist and are leading the Republicans by huge margins.
And Sen. Clinton is "destroying" the party?
I support Sen. Clinton. I see nothing in her resume that precludes her from being an excellent president. The same applies to Sen. Obama, but I prefer Sen. Clinton. I have seen and heard nothing from Sen. Obama to change my preference.
It simply boils down to it being my opinion (and apparently the opinion of quite a few millions more Democrats). If Sen. Obama gets the nomination at the convention, I will very happily vote for him and hope that any doubts on my part will be shown to have been misplaced.
Now, how about you?

From another thread:

"The issue isn't when Hillary quits. The issue is when the country realizes that she is out of options. When her donations begin to dry up and when her staff realizes that they don't want to shut themselves out of government for the foreseeable future."

Hillary won't quit.

But we should quit Hillary. Donors, supers, voters --- do the right thing. End this now.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/03/29/how_to_avoid_a_democratic_disaster/