Hillary Spokesperson: She Is Not Conceding
Hillary spokesperson Mo Elleithee, on the campaign plane today, says she isn't going anywhere, thank you very much:
"I think its pretty clear that she is not conceding." Elleithee said, "I think its pretty clear that she is staying in this race. She is going, in the coming days, to be aggressively courting uncommitted superdelegates aggressively courting unpledged delegates, making the case to them that she is a candidate best ready to take on John McCain."When asked directly when Clinton will step aside, Elietthee told reporters, "as she has said dozens and dozens of times she is in this race until we have a nominee...Until there is a nominee she is going to try to win support."
If Obama doesn't clinch the nomination Tuesday night, people close to Hillary expect that she will want to make at least one more round of pitches to the super-dels to win as many as she can to her side before Obama officially wins it.
Even if catching Obama in the delegate count is out of reach, there's no reason (from her point of view) for her not to press on and pad out her delegate numbers as best she can, both to make the loss look closer and to increase her own leverage to whatever degree she can.
And the superdelegates will say, "No thank you, Senator Clinton."
June 2, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those guys couldn't put together a consistent campaign message if their life depended on it.
June 2, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, you know you're going to make a lot of readers upset with this post, don't you?
People? Of course she's not going to concede. She won't concede until the convention.
This isn't surprising news.
And she can go ahead and try to get unpledged whatevers. That's the game.
June 2, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Plus, they have to say this because of the leaks from their camp. It's to keep their supporters in line for the polls in South Dakota and Montana.
We may hear a valedictory speech from Clinton on Tuesday night, and then she'll work hard to lobby the superdelegates until it's clear Obama has the majority of them, and then she'll 'suspend' her campaign.
June 2, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's all superfluous nonsense. The SD tidal wave is coming. She'll suspend and endorse as soon as it hits. I'm betting it officially happens on Thursday.
Tuesday - Intital SD wave 2 Obama wins, Clinton veiled "farewell" speech.
Wednesday - Crushing SD tidal wave, "private" meetings.
Thursday - Joint appearance with concession and endorsement.
June 2, 2008 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree w/you, Walter. It could even happen sooner.
June 2, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Earlier today I read that there will be no imminent tidal wave as some super-dels - most specifically, fellow Senators - were going to hold back a few days in order to ease the blow on HRC.
Reading this, though, I wonder if it will change their minds. The longer the super-dels hold out, the longer they enable her belief that she will be the nominee.
June 2, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
That thing is, it won't ease anything. Slowly peal the bandage off and string her along... or rip the damn bandage off and let the sting and the healing begin?
June 2, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Roger that, Lestat.
These superdels need to wake up pretty darned soon. You don't ease a person's delusions by enabling them to continue. You have to make a good Thorazine slap-shot to the wrist so she will stop ranting, and allow those who share those mathematic delusions to let the first couple of stages of grief play out.
Of course, since those first two stages are denial and anger, it's pretty hard to say that they are not already suffering from them. But enabling that denial -- letting her and her followers believe she has not already crushed any hope of electability for her in the fall -- only prolongs the healing necessary.
It needs time to play out -- so the bandage MUST be ripped, hard and fast.
June 2, 2008 7:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama may not win South Dakota, according to ARG, unfortunately. Bill has been campaigning there non-stop sliming Obama per Josh
June 2, 2008 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You wont have Bill Clinton to kick around any more, and you should only believe about half of what I say, and I only said much of it because I have to go home to HIllary.
Watch him say it:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/06/02/sot.bill.clinton.last.cnn
June 2, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like Nixon in '62?
June 2, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is just happy talk for popular consumption. Why trudge through to the end only to throw in the towel the day before the last primary? She knows the score. The SD's and party leaders have given her a lot of latitude to run until the last primary, but they've also made it quite clear they're not going to have a food fight at the convention. I expect they'll give her a day or two after Tuesday to go out on her own terms and if she doesn't the SD's will announce in number and put an end to it.
June 2, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
The only rational reason for her to stay in until the end is if she wants to somehow make a case that she should be the VP pick because of the massive support she has had. If that is her motivation she will likely stay in until every last superdelegate has formally committed.
On the other hand it's possible she is simply out of her God damned mind.
June 2, 2008 7:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is distressing that she got two superdelegates today...
June 2, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goes to show that you don't have to be smart to be a superdelegate!
June 2, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stick in the fork, she's done.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/02/clinton-summons-top-donor_n_104715.html
June 2, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Hillary were to have her swan song on Tuesday, she could go out in grand style. Positive, upbeat, gracious, happy.
Instead, she's allowing events to control her narrative, rather than authoring her own, "happy ending".
She should declare victory, bring down the house and pack it in.
June 2, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
What on earth is going on? Is her campaign so out of control that no one is controlling the message?
Next thing you know they'll be rolling out that very scary lady Tina Flournoy to be the enforcer. That woman made me want to hide under the bed until the end of August.
June 2, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Word.
What a bizarre hearing that was -- to have campaign officials deciding their own case -- and glowering Tina and dispeptic Howard, and the crazy shouters.
Not a high point in political history.
June 2, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree. It was completely peaceful. No guns came out. No vendettas issued. No pounding on the podium with a shoe. No "we'll take the primaries, but not the caucuses." The committee moved and voted twice to follow its own rules.
It was civilized democracy in action. The loudmouths only demonstrated they do not understand their own civic system.
June 2, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nicely said.
The primary process certainly is taking a hell of a beating from some of those who didn't win. Ahem.
It's lovely to see it defended.
June 2, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
People want glitz. Committees are rarely glamorous.
Alice Huffman comes to mind. She has been widely lampooned, but again, people don't get the committee process. She advocated her position and as soon as it was voted down, she picked up and moved on immediately to advocate the new position the committee was taking. The audience missed the shift, and didn't catch up. Suddenly, SHE was the enemy.
This is how committees work. It's not disloyalty to any one point of view. It's a recognition of the will of committee, and a desire to advocate the committee's position, becuase why else did you sign up for the committee?
Because Alice wants unity in November, and Alice is a professional.
June 2, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if it made it on the air, because it was ten or fifteen minutes after the meeting ended, but a young woman who was one of the fervent Clinton supporters at the meeting came up to the committee table and was very upset at the committee members. All the cameras swung around on her as she was ranting. Alice Huffman came up to her and talked to her calmly, and a few moments later was giving her a hug. I don't know if she changed her mind at all, but it was a wonderful gesture after a long and stressful day for Huffman. I was impressed.
June 2, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
That woman made me want to hide under the bed until the end of August.
Was she as scary as the Clinton supporter now {in}famous on YouTube?
June 2, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC is reporting Rep Jim Clyburn has endorsed Obama. Howard Fineman is reporting that the remaining House members for Obama will endorse en masse Tuesday night.
June 2, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
And The Page reports:
"Obama in Waterford, Michigan press availability says he told Clinton in Sunday telephone call that he was “looking forward to meeting her at a time and place of her choosing” to talk about the way forward."
And this:
"Asked by TIME if he was feeling at all emotional about being on the precipice of the nomination, Obama says:
“Not yet — but talk to me tomorrow night.”"
June 2, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fuckin-A, bubbuh...is this really happening?
Really, she has been given wide latitude to wrap this up. It is about to be met with equally narrow confinement beginning tomorrow night.
June 2, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
“Not yet — but talk to me tomorrow night.”"
For someone who has been so careful with his words (with the possible exception of BITTERGATE!!!!!) this indicated to me that he's got the votes in hand, and they're just waiting for the appropriate moment (tomorrow night) to let them out.
On the other hand, I'm so obsessed with this damn primary process that I've completely lost any objective analytical abilities that I once had. Like back in May.
June 2, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's going to be the day after the Fair on Thursday, the strike of the primary set.
If I recall from my theater days, alchohol is called for, and not a little.
June 2, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC is also reporting a meeting now scheduled for June 16th among all 28 dem govs with Sen Obama to begin the planning process for governance.
Governance. Like music, it is!
June 2, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Want that be a refreshing change!!!
June 2, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, governance. As in actual government rather than a vast hog trough with its own military and secret police. What a concept.
June 2, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oooo
{{{SWOON}}}
June 2, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention the 17 remaining uncommitted Senators who are about to announce for Obama. The message to Hillary Clinton is pretty clear. It's like giving someone a chance to resign rather than be fired. If she doesn't concede (or suspend), the remaining SD's will take it out of her hands. She's no dummy. She knows the score. Wednesday morning.
June 2, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Such as finding a VP, and who better than a Democratic Governor?
June 2, 2008 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
you got one in mind? sibelius? napolitano? strickland? kaine? schweitzer? i still say bob graham (ex-gov, anyway)
June 2, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since you asked:
Brad Henry (D-OK)
June 2, 2008 7:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFLMAO! This has worked just great so far.
I like the aggressive part - sicc 'em, Hill - the SDs are gonna love that.
June 2, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, as long as she's going to be agressive, all this 15-month grass-roots nonsense was for nuttin! We'll just wish it away!
June 2, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
See, I don't understand why they keep saying that. She's been trying to court them. Saban offered the YDA a million bucks for their supers to back Hillary. If she hasn't managed to even stay even with Obama in endorsements, why would anyone suddenly believe she's going to cause an avalanche?
June 2, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this assessment makes sense. At this point, they're broke and it's time to send people home while she attempts to win over the SD's. I cannot easily see her conceding anything. At some point she may "suspend" her campaign - but only when we're much further along in the SD count.
June 2, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do superdelegates take collect calls?
June 2, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree -- there will be no concession from Hillary, only an announcement that she's "suspending" her campaign.
There's really no tactical reason for her to concede. The superdelegates can change their mind at any time up until the convention. Who knows what may happen between now and August 25. Obama may be struck by lightning. He may get caught spitting on an American flag. He may be discovered as a serial child molester. Granted, these things are highly unlikely to happen, but you can bet Hillary will be praying for them.
Frankly, there is no tactical reason for Hillary to even "suspend" her campaign. With no more primaries, the only "campaigning" left will be to woo superdelegates (and perhaps pledged delegates), and that can be done with a skeleton crew and no field operation. Most campaign operatives are going home anyway, so there's no need to call it a suspention in order to save face.
Hillary will probably say something like:
"The primaries are over, the people have spoken, and they chose me. Now the campaign enters a new phase. Having been chosen by the people, I'm going to use the time between now and the convention to make my case to the superdelegates that they should choose me. I'll also continue to fight for a farier seating of the Michigan and Florida delegations. I look forward to seeing everyone at the convention."
June 2, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even if Hillary were to concede and Obama was "struck by lightning, it wouldn't prevent her from getting the nomination, quite the contrary.
It's like the Miss America contest. If something happens to the winner, the runner-up gets the crown.
There is no reason for Hillary to hang in there, "just in case."
June 2, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right, but logic doesn't stop her. It's more about appearances than anything else. Behind the scenes, she'll be pressing delegates - at least for a while. In public, she will continue to NOT attack Obama, and help him attack McCain. But, the distinction will be that she won't actually talk up how great Obama is. I don't think she'll cross that line.
But then, there's a lot of lines I thought she wouldn't cross, and did. So WTF do I know?
June 2, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the point that got overlooked in the "assassination" flap. If Hillary really WAS using a potential Obama assassination as an excuse to stay in the race, not only was it distasteful, but it was a bogus excuse for the reasons you point out.
June 2, 2008 7:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
And you're right that she loses nothing by conceding. If something were to happen to Obama, she will get the nomination. She got almost as many votes, almost as many delegates, her policy positions are virtually indistinguishable from Obama's -- the party would HAVE to give her the nomination. There would be no other choice. She can concede tomorrow and go on vacation to Tahiti, secure in the knowledge that if something happens to Obama, she'll get the call.
So why wouldn't she concede? Pride, perhaps. It's difference between giving up and being declared the loser. It's the "Rocky" analogy all the way -- Rocky's goal wasn't to win, it was to not get knocked out. He stayed on his feet until the very end, when the judges declared the other guy the winner.
June 2, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever, but it sure as hell isn't concern for the chances of the Democratic Party winning the White House.
June 2, 2008 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
But what of her promise to "work her heart out" for Obama if he is the nominee? Undermining him all summer by trying to turn SD's would not qualify, in my book.
And really, wouldn't that just send her into the ash bin of history as the worst Dem ever to lose a nomination? She'd totally destroy her legacy, she'd alienate the party, and of course the big one: she could never be elected in the fall after such a move. It just doesn't make sense. I think this is all face saving talk, but not at all helpful, in my opinion.
I find I am quite weary of the Clintons.
June 2, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find I am quite weary of the Clintons.
Hah! Understatement of the year.
June 2, 2008 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
He can't be the nominee until late August.
June 2, 2008 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
The fallacy of this argument would be that she would be expecting the convention to annoint her after Obama has been out there for months working to defeat McCain while she is working the cell phones to get delegates to jump ship.
Are the superdelegates really going to buy that? If they do they are mighty stupid, but it seems like as a whole they are rather cagey folks.
June 2, 2008 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
June 2, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice!
June 2, 2008 5:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Alas, Ms Clinton does not know the meaning
of Grace.
The only way she's going to try to put out the fire is with gasoline.
June 2, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
This 11th hour "is she or isn't she?" game is fraught with risk for Hillary. If she looks like she had to be forced out by her party (Clybourne, for example, was going to announce tomorrow, and I'm sure Vilsack would have preferred not to say what he said) then any efforts to sound classy and best-for-the-party minded will look even more like a total joke. But she SO wants to think that if she can pull off SD and mention "bitter" and "Hispanic problem" to a few more tender DNC souls, she'll be back in the game.
June 2, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
All Obama needs is to pick up 16 of the pledged delegates on Tuesday and 13 super delegates and she will be unable to reach the magic number.
June 2, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
"She"?!?!?!
June 2, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama gets two more FL Edwards PD's (for a total of one) - according to Green Papers.
Drip
Drip
Drip
.
.
.
June 2, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
GOD I wish they were worth whole delegates. ;)
June 2, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama supporters.. Stop perpetuating the myth that Obama can clinch. He cant clinch its impossible. He didn't get enough pledged delegates to clinch. Period. Super delegates can change their vote up until their actual vote is cast is at the convention.
The only way Obama can 'clinch it' is if you ignore that the fact that superdelegates can change their minds over the next 60 days.
June 2, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, exactly. Come convention, Hillary might have five or six SDs left.
June 2, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clinch! Clinch! Clinch! Clinch! Clinch! Clinch! Clinch!
June 2, 2008 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
My thought exactly, Tena!
June 2, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or maybe a meteorite will crash through the atmosphere and land on Obama. Don't kid yourself. The meteorite is more likely.
June 2, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Uncle Ruckeus would kindly remove the wax from his ears, and HEAR what Bill has to say today, all will become clear.
June 2, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
BK - while you're technically accurate, the political reality is that once Obama crosses that the threshold, SD's aren't going to flip flop on a whim. The only thing that would cause a switch is a major meltdown in the Obama campaign. Barring that, the game is over. Whatever uproar is going on now on the Clinton side would be outdone ten times by what would happen if the SD's suddenly switched to Obama without some new element added to the equation.
In other words, there's the fantasy world of what's possible: which includes purple elephants, sparkly fairies, and Clinton winning the nomination over Obama. Then there's hard reality: Clinton is as likely to win the nomination by wooing SD's as we are to see our first purple elephant or meet a real life Tinkerbell.
So, when we say "clinched" - for all practical purposes, we are correct. If you prefer to acknowledge reality at the end of August, so be it.
June 2, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jeez - it's like watching a poker game - Hillary has called and now the SDs have got to show their hands.
June 2, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
But, it's worse than that, because we heard earlier that she was lobbying the SuperDels to please hold off on declaring. It's like she's gone all in, and is insisting that she's got the winning hand, but is asking everyone to please not ask her to actually show her cards. Why? Because she's got nothing! Big bluff. Time for Hillary to throw her cards in and go home.
June 2, 2008 7:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just look how her campaign has handled everything so far...does anyone truly think a Hillary Clinton White House would be well run/managed?
It just keeps getting worse.
June 2, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm an Obama guy all the way, but Hillary has him by the curlies.
If she decides to take it to the convention, the tacit theme of HRC Campaign, Phase Two -- nearly three months to a floor vote -- will absolutely be Obama's illegitimate grab of delegates to which he had no right, aided and abetted by the DNC. The overt message will of course be, she can win and he can’t.
It may be that the numbers we see today of his coming defeat in the Big West states of SD and perhaps MT -- further mounting evidence of the erosion of his core constituencies -- marks the beginnnig of Obama’s decline. HRC would be nuts to get out now. Certainly, it is unarguable that she should persevere AFTER Tuesday night. If Obama goes over the top at that point in DECLARED delegates, fine. She still carries on, super delegate declarations have no standing (as we’ve seen), and a lot can change in 85 days. She seems to be getting stronger as he grows weaker, ergo she’s got to stay in the game, which ONLY need end after a decisive floor vote.
Why would she listen to Reid or Pelosi, they have no power to prevent her continuing, and crucially -- she is supported by demographic cohorts, crucial to a Democratic win in the fall? As for the rest of the party bosses, they have as much power as wind in a cave.
With respect to her presence inducing fractures in the party, it’s too late. I don’t think many in the party’s hierarchy understand that. (Or maybe they do after Saturday’s events). I think Hillary’s a good bet to win the nomination (no – Obama will NOT be the nominee on Tuesday or Wednesday) in Denver. Much as that makes me ill. The post-Bush USA is not ready for a black man as President.
The key constraint won't be political, it will be financial. But there is a money tree of life that may blossom for her in the campaign, phase II, in the form of the internet. Hers is now a guerilla campaign, and if Obama reaches the required number of declared delegates it will become a long slog of a war that most certainly CAN be won. It seems to me there is a clear line of attack here that begs to be utilized.
June 2, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
She might be able to wrestle the nomination but how can she win in the fall. She would lose in both PA and OH without strong turnout from African Americans.
In the battleground states of Ohio, PA, and MI the name of the game is turnout. She will get a small percentage, a smaller turnout than both Kerry and Gore amoung African Americans.
Thanks Hillary she has now damned both her chances and Obama's chances to hell.
June 2, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're an Obama supporter the same way I'm a Republican.
June 2, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, because I disagree with you about what might happen, I'm not an Obama supporter.
Is this a fan club -- or a political movement?
This guy is limping home. If he loses both Mountain states tomorrow, that makes it 7 out of 9 since mid-March. All the defeats based on RACE.
June 2, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those are big IFs, dude. The one poll that shows it close is the ARG. Others in SD show Obama ahead, and, apparently the Clinton campaign thinks so as well.
As for the "race" issue, tell me about Oregon and race.
And the "lost 7 out of 9 since mid-March". Could you define what you mean by "mid" and "March" please? Is March 12th "mid", for instance?
You're repeating Clinton talking points. I especially like the "limping home" analogy. Yes, Obama, having not campaigned barely at all in WV, Kentucky and Puerto Rico, got beat by solid margins. But he didn't campaign there, and, because of her precarious standing in the delegate hunt, Clinton was forced to campaign, and campaign hard in two states that aren't going to vote Democrat anyway in the fall, and in a territory that doesn't vote at all in the fall. Tell me who's "limping home"?
June 2, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Easy.
If Obama's in the White House, he's about as far as he can be from Oregon and still be in the continental US.
If he's a Sentor, he'll need to speed significantly more time in Illinois, which is much closer to Oregon.
So the voters in Oregon voted to keep Obaam as far away from them as possible.
June 2, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow was that pathetic.
June 2, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's called irony.
June 2, 2008 7:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"The one poll that shows it close is the ARG. Others in SD show Obama ahead,"
First, 60/34 is not close! What are you thinking?
Second, please reference the recent polls showing Obama ahead? Wishing thinking is not a poll.
June 2, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oops! This was intended for someone higher up who stated Obama was leading in other polls.
June 2, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, this is the right place! CT VOTER, PLEASE REFERENCE THE OTHER RECENT POLLS SHOWING OBAMA AHEAD IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
June 2, 2008 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now, now, no need for caps.
The last poll that I can find was conducted by Dakota Wesleyan University, March 24 to April 3 and had Obama at 46% and Clinton at 34%.
With only two polls to go on, who really knows. The first poll has 10% undecided, the second has 6% undecided. It will probably be a close vote. We're talking about 15 delegates, they'll probably split them.
In any event, we do know this: It will not change the outcome of this race.
June 2, 2008 7:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is the link to the Wesleyan poll, if anyone's interested:
www.usaelectionpolls.com
June 2, 2008 7:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
This has no bearing on the general. It's only May. The pols involved in this are beginning to relax and let down their hair because they know it's donw. Listen to Bill, I mean HEAR his words today.
Seriously, duder, it's over.
June 2, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your repeating of every one of Team Clinton's talking points clearly labels you as an "Obama guy".
June 2, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Doomsayer: You're looking for the dark lining in a silver cloud. Yes, Obama may lose SD, and he may be limping, but it's been a damned long race! He's been running against Hillary, Bill, and John McCain.
He has money, he has delegates, and he has the DNC rules on his side.
June 2, 2008 11:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is clear that the Clinton's think the American people are idiots.
What does she expect to happen if she wins the nomination this way? Let's say the superdelegates overturn Obama's pledge delegate lead.
How does she win over African Americans to win in the fall?
She will need 90% of the African Americans vote as well as high turnout of African Americans to win Ohio and PA. If she think her black surogates in PA and OH can turnout the black vote on command she is sadly mistaken.
If she think the young vote will turnout in high number after they watch the person who played by one set a rules get turned away by another set.
This is becoming sad and scary to the Democratic Party. At the beginning of the primary season I thought the religious right would divorce the Republican Party. I'm not afraid I will have to divorce the Democratic Party if Hillary is the nominee.
June 2, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Take a deep breath, and step back from that ultimatum.
You want President McCain?
Seriously?
June 2, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only will you get a President McCain you will get an end to the Democratic Party.
Remeber African Americans vote Democratic 90% of the time. A Democratic can not win in Ohio, IL, PA, MI without the 90% of the African American vote. Hillary Clinton would be Senator from NY without the African American vote.
If she wrestles this away from Obama there will not be enough open Supreme Courts or Wars to start for the Democratic Party to win back the African American vote.
June 2, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't tell if you're serious or not.
This:
I'm not afraid I will have to divorce the Democratic Party if Hillary is the nominee.
If you mean you're going to divorce the Democratic Party if she's the nominee, then that's what I was referring to. Take a deep breath, and contemplate John McCain as President before you start divorcing the Democratic Party.
June 2, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Hillary is the Democratic nominee. I and many African Americans will divorce the Democratic party.
McCain isn't some bogey man you can scare up voted with. If Hillary is the nominee losing the 2008 election will be the best ting that ever happen to the party.
June 2, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Adam,
Great points. I think if she does go the Vietcong route, she loses in November by double digits.
All I'm saying is that this isn't basketball, where the magic number is 21. In sports, a point/run/goal is a point/run/goal. In this case, the delegate count is a set of current "opinions" on whom to support. That can change radically by Denver.
I bet she goes scorched earth. She will love to play the pants-suited Che Guevara. And ti just might be fun. (Since Obama is slowly shifting to the right.)
June 2, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barack:
Exactly...
and perfectly prosed as usual:
The house rocks tomorrow.
June 2, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dick Morris has an interesting read on what happened Saturday.
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2008/05/31/the-clinton-domination-of-the-democratic-party-ended-this-weekend/#more-349
Basically, the Clinton's lock on the Democratic Party is broken. If so there will be a flood of supers moving towards Obama in coming days.
Before anyone complains: Love him or hate him, Dick Morris is a pro and his analysis here sounds like the pro talking as opposed to pushing some political agenda of his own.
June 2, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whoa. That's stunning.
we did it.
June 2, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP was likewise immolated by this raging fire.
June 2, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
To which I'll add: The grip of the DLC is also broken. Not that they were necessarily always a bad thing. I think that in 1992 a DLC/Clinton candidate was the only thing that was going to beat Bush I. Half a loaf is better than none. But this is now 16 years later and the landscape is completely different.
June 2, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course it's broken or we wouldn't be in control - finally.
They knew what was coming or should have - phase 1 was getting Howard elected.
:)
Phase 2 - win and we did in '06.
:)
w00t!
June 2, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
dude.
Do you really think we're that gullible. No aren't an "Obama guy" so don't bother.
What coming defeat? Have you seen the polls out of those states?
Dreams are nice; y'all are getting delirious.
June 2, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
To "increase her own leverage" with whom and for what? She's racking up more sore loser miles than she's gaining in delegates. In the end what benefit does she get out of that?
June 2, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get excited whenever Obama displays his ability to lead...like the meeting with the governors. He shows tremendous skills and our country will be benefit as well as the world. There is a reason to celebrate his victory and Iknow I will be having a few Black russians in his honor and listen to every word of his speech. As Tena often says...he is winning by being honest with us and treating us as actual adults and human beings!
"Oh Happy fucking days ahead"
June 2, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Oh Happy fucking days ahead"
{{{{{Happy Dance!}}}}}}}
June 2, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorry dude...FUCK OFF!
not this time...never again!
June 2, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
that last post of mine was for Mitchum
June 2, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really hope the supers don't let the clintons steal obama's moment. He won. Let him relish in it. It's been a long and hard fight with tough street fighters, but let him sieze the moment and launch his campaign to take back the white house for the dems. He freaking won and the dem party needs him to launch properly, not coddle the clintons bruised egos. They freaking lost when they had everything going for them.
June 2, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am so not worried all of a sudden!
It's going to rock the country tomorrow night!!!!!!!!
I know where I want to be on inauguration day - I'd like to see dancing in the streets in Oak Cliff cause I'd sure join in!
June 2, 2008 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope your right. You are always spot on with your comments. I was where you are a couple of days ago, but I guess I am a worrier.
I want to be in that sea of people in January when he takes the oath of office. It is the most amazing sight to behold in dc. It is this massive sea of people. It really is unbelievable and television does not do it justice. I went to bush I's inauguration and I will never forget it. (I actually kind of liked the guy before he did a 180 during his presidency). I can foresee for obama's that they will have stadiums set up throughout the country with live video feed for everyone to experience it. It's going to be an amazing day, hopefully.
June 2, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
to make the loss look closer and to increase her own leverage to whatever degree she can.
it is all about her. no party.
June 2, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm planning on being in DC for the inauguration day! I want to be there to hear him speak to us and to the world!
June 2, 2008 5:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yah, he's going to do that when we just got him the nomination and basically, took over the party from the real rightwing of it - the DLC.
w00t!
This is gonna be great.
June 2, 2008 5:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
His comments about Cuba were worthy of Ronald Reagan. That's only one issue, but there you go.
Look, Saddam, how are you going to feel tomorrow night when the Evil Pants Suited One wins big again in SD(because of race), and at least makes it close in MT(because of race), and Obama back-ends into the Magic Number? Whoopee. Like spending New Year's Eve with your Grandma.
June 2, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I look forward to your comments tomorrow after Obama has won both S.D. and Montana.
You keep saying "race, race, race, race" the same way other Clinton trolls kept saying REZKo!
The Clinton campaign itself feels that Clinton is going to get within 10 percentage points in SD, and lose big in Montana.
You're not an Obama supporter when you keep blathering hateful shit like you are.
June 2, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please reference the "other polls" you mentioned showing Obama ahead in South Dakota. Hopefully they will be within the last two weeks
June 2, 2008 7:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Upthread.
June 2, 2008 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
...aggressively courting uncommitted superdelegates aggressively courting unpledged delegat...
Courting uncommitted and unpledged delegates, that's pretty defeatist language for the campaign of sharks who toyed in the past with the idea of fixing pledged and committed super delegates.
That says something, I think anyways.
By the way, as Bill is touring around invoking nostalgia, am I the only one who thinks he should publicly apologize to his wife for jeoperdizing her chances because of his compulsive self-centered shenanigans?
June 2, 2008 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
And she should apologize to him for having him tarnish his legacy to try to get her elected. They deserve each other.
June 2, 2008 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
kash -
that would be one narcissist apologizing to another narcissist for being a narcissist.
They know who they're married to by now. ;)
June 2, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know. I expected her to be tough as nails. Bark on the side walks as the elephant paraded through the streets, but I didn't expect him to be so cheap and a rogue (E.g. His shenanigans at the Nevada caucus). While Hillary did disservice to the party and party's nominne, Bill pretty much did service to one and all- including his wife.
June 2, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is reply to Kash about Bill Clinton self serving shenanigans.
I saw his "last time...campaign" tape and my first thought was this dude has done more damage than good for Sentor Clintons' campaign. How does he manage to do that and why? He has said some very weird things for being someone who was her biggest supporter.
June 2, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, she can't "suspend" her campaign. Given the highly charged emotions that many of her supporters are feeling (brought on by her cynical games around MI and FL and her absurd rhetoric comparing those state's gamesmanship with slavery, etc.). If she intends to ensure that McCain isn't elected, she needs to concede and then aggressively start campaigning for Senator Obama. (And she also needs to make it crystal clear that her full-throated support of Obama is in no way predicated upon any imagined Vice-Presidential nod, and that she would be more than thrilled to return to the Senate and fully support the legislative agenda of a President Obama, should the senator from Illinois opt to choose a politician other than she to be his running mate).
Anything less, and the party should invite her to leave (to go open a wire coat hanger factory, perhaps?)...
June 2, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
NO WIRE HANGERS!!!!!!
June 2, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only that, but here is a good start, which is absolutely necessary:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/in-bowing-out-what-hillar_b_104457.html
On campaigning, I would rather she went to the french riviera for a vacation, along with mr. bill, until the convention. She sucks as a campaigner and has no credibility. Get out of the way and let obama handle it, but she has to at least do what was said in this article and she has to back track on all her whining and nonsense that she has been spewing. Campaigning, fuggetaboutit.
June 2, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
jabari...you are so right here...that is exactly what she do and I wish it would happen that way.
June 2, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I wrote in another post she's going to need his help paying off that $20,000,000+ debt. She can't stay in too long or else she's stuck losing a shitload of money - her own. I think she may endorse him by the end of the week.
June 2, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's probably the key reason she won't go to Denver -- she would definitely lose millions of her own money. And one thing about the Clintons, they care about the Clintons.
I agree, she's out within a week, mostly because of the money.
June 2, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Euh, nobody every admits they're conceding until they do, so I'm not willing to take any denials seriously. Obama has effectively conveyed that he's declaring victory on Tuesday night, and Clinton can take the opportunity to have a (minimally) classy exit, or become irrelevant.
June 2, 2008 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Though more she presses, the less leverage she ends up with. SHe will NOT be the nominee, period. So the only leverage she can gain, is by bowing out gracefully and campaigning hard to rally her supporters to back Obama. That gains her leverage for her political future. Anything else will cost her.
June 2, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
"...there's no reason (from her point of view) for her not to press on and pad out her delegate numbers as best she can, both to make the loss look closer and to increase her own leverage to whatever degree she can."
Yes, because to the Clintons there is no greater cause than their own.
June 2, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary Clinton: "The Thing that wouldn't leave".
June 2, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The two operative words appear to be "suspending" (her campaign) and "conceding" (to Obama). Both words have been used in describing what may be taking place tomorrow.
She can suspend without conceding, but can she concede without suspending? Does conceding trump suspending?
Mo Eleithee firmly denies that Clinton will concede but does not deny she might suspend.
Tom Vilsack says "It's over," but does that mean suspending or conceding?
So far we have not heard "drop out," "quit," "bow out," or "surrender." My son suggested she should "resign" but I told him you don't resign as a candidate.
Words matter.
June 2, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am guessing that the assertions that Hillary will not concede are more Clintonian parsing - she's going to suspend. I think if you concede your campaign stops, rather than it being suspended... suspension means 1) you do not give up your delegates and 2) you can still fundraise (in Hillary's case, to pay off her debt.)
In any case, she's got to issue denial after denial after denial until after the polls close tomorrow, basically. Otherwise her voters won't show up to vote(she doesn't want to go out with a whimper) and, more importantly, they'll stop making donations. Got to squeeze those precious pennies out of the last of her diehard gaggle of low-information voters who really think she'll take it all the way.
June 2, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Hillary and Bill ever sang the music education song from the Sound of Music they wouldn't get beyond the third note of the scale. In fairness to them, it's not unique in the wonderful worlds of politics and business as recently been amply demonstrated by the Decider.
June 2, 2008 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
The DNC blew this election and the gop in Florida won again.
The dems will run the weaker candidate to lose three in a row.
Of course, you radicals will blame Clinton like intellectual cowards but the truth is, it will be on the DNC, his weakness on national security and his radical friends.
June 2, 2008 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're a Republican.
June 2, 2008 7:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Got lithium?
June 3, 2008 2:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
The arguement that Obama is losing these final primaries is proof of something is just plain silly. To use a sports analogy: Cards and Cubs ballgame - Cards rack up 10 runs in first 5 innings - then Cubs rally in the late innings with 8 runs - final score is still 10-8 . Does not matter which inning runs scored in - FINAL COUNT is what matters.
Obama and his team out played team Clinton - that's all there is to say.
I hope Clinton supporters wil lstep back and absorb their loss, grieve for awhile and then support the Democratic Patry candidate against McCain. We have to take our country back from the liars and war mongers.
June 2, 2008 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is the incentive for a superdelegate to fall in behind her just to shore up her numbers?
They'd rather start making nice with the winner.
June 2, 2008 7:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
DENVER!
DENVER!
June 2, 2008 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
SHA NA NA SAY HEY HEY GOODBYE!!!Time for the nameless one to Pack it in.
June 3, 2008 3:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know two types of Clinton supporters. A couple of siblings, a friend working in government lobbying, a colleague I respect. these are all rational, thoughtful people who think she'd make a better president because of her experience. They have varying levels of comfort with Obama, but all agree they will enthusiastically vote Democratic in the presidential race.
Then I know three people at work who insist they'll vote for McCain. They're basically insecure people who have gotten way too emotional about the contest. Their candidate won't win, so they'll take their ball and go home. It's also the way they perform at work. What's sad is that the Clinton campaign is pushing them in that direction, especially Bill of late. These are people who are easily led to be angry and defensive and not easily led back from the ledge. I think a number of them will vote against Obama in the GE, and the Clinton campaign will say they had nothing to do with it, see how Hillary campaigned for Obama, etc.
I worry that in a good year for Dems, this dynamic will take hold. Even in these last contests, the Clinton campaign has been playing the resentment card for all its worth - and it has some effectiveness for winning some battles after the war is lost - becasue let's face it, right now Obama doesn't want to say anything that might offend the highly sensitive Clinton campaign. Her claim of having more votes, of being more electable, etc are all highly debatable, but voters are only hearing one side right now. Let's get today over with, and move on - and hope the Clinton's haven't poisoned the water too much.
Pablo
June 3, 2008 6:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Every minute she hangs on and every minute the Supers pander to her are destructive. She has already cost him 15 points in negative ratings with all of her dust-ups. She has no compunction about continuing to wound his general election chances since she is not the nominee. She would love for him to lose, there is no other explanation for this ridiculous conceding as slowly as possible.
June 3, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink