« Hillary Nabs Second Super-Delegate Of The Day; Obama Gets Two More | Home | Obama And Hillary Spoke Privately On Sunday Night »
Report: For Hillary Campaign, "No Plans Beyond Wednesday"
The Hillary campaign slows to a standstill, perhaps for good:
An email went out to all advance staffers of Sen. Hillary Clinton telling them there are no events on the candidate's schedule beyond Wednesday remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference.The email told staffers this was not goodbye but there were no plans beyond Wednesday for now.
Advertisement
Well, this I refuse to believe until I don't hear it.
June 2, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check out page one at HuffPo. I guess they haven't gotten around to posting that here yet.
June 2, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
HALLELUJAH!!
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!! FOR SANITY!!!
June 2, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't get Sanity's hopes up just yet.
June 2, 2008 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Sanity Claws are here!
June 2, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Oh, you can't fool me. There's no such thing as a Sanity Claws! - Chico Marx to Groucho in "Days At the Races"
June 2, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually it was form A Night at the Opera.
June 2, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!!! FOR RON PAUL!!!!
At long last we can finally get back to knocking McCain et al.
June 2, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a lovely thought.
June 2, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Some more tea leaves that need to be read:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/02/clinton-summons-top-donor_n_104715.html
June 2, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't have a clue as to how to interpret this. Maybe publicly identifying them so that they can get a big rousing round of applause from the crowd?
June 2, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yah it looks like the curtain is finally coming down.
June 2, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe she's gonna beg for money?
June 2, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll say it again: Obama's campaign can NOT give her campaign more than $2,000. So if she is begging she'll have to go beg her supporters.
Good luck with that.
Of course, her supporters are a tad bit insane, so maybe they will give her money.
The #1 video on youtube today is of a hillary supporter blowing her freakin lid. It is kind of funny, truth to tell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KACQuZVAE3s
June 2, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Until frodo drags the evil pants lady off to Mordor and throws her into the volcano don't consider it over.
June 2, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. Screaming "MY PRESIDENCCCCCCCCYYYYYYY" as she hurtles into oblivion.
June 2, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
But . . . But . . . But . . . Where should I set the HILLARY.COM GPS to now?
Where is the next place that the road to the White House goes through?
I'm SOOOOO confused.
Whimper.
Whimper.
SOB!!!!!
Sigh.
June 2, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where should I set the HILLARY.COM GPS to now?
LOL!
June 2, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I won't believe this until Thursday.
Wasn't it just last week they were telling reporters to be ready for travel after tomorrow?
And PH, what do you make of that fundraiser summons? I don't have a clue.
June 2, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
To steal a line from "Animal House":
"Thank you, sirs and madames! May I have another?"
(Check, that is!)
June 2, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe she'll be introducing them to Barack Obama...
June 2, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
PLEASE let it be!!!!!!
June 2, 2008 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
The sick will buy meds as long as the shop remains open.
June 2, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anybody have any word or info on Pelosi, Reid and Gore's schedule for Tuesday night? That would be a sight. What a kick off for obama at the site of the republican convention.
June 2, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
SUSPEND...not endorse or withdraw...this still leaves her the option of Denver but hell this is still really good News!
Can't wait for Obama's speech tomorrow night!
June 2, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
HuffPo speculates that she may, indeed, endorse.
Check out Publicola's link, above.
June 2, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
*crosses fingers*
June 2, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could be just a head fake before she unleashes the maelstrom . . .
June 2, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Give her $5 million more dollars and she'll continue for another week guaranteed.
She's -$30 million in the hole right now.
June 2, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd give money for her to shut up at this point. No wait, no I wouldn't.
June 2, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
You don't have that kind of money.
All the shieks in Saudi Arabia don't have that kind of money.
Bill Gates wishes he had that kind of money.
June 2, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if she concedes tomorrow all I have to say is..... best night ever!
I'll get to see Obama's victory speech live and in person (which makes me feel very lucky) with Hillary conceding the obvious all in one night. Oh, how happy that would make me.
A victory either way, but man, it would be nice to put down the albatross.
June 2, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pretty cool comment on Huffpo (see below):
TIME TO GET BEHIND THE 08AMA NATION !!!
June 2, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think I like that "08AMA" thing. That "8" looks like a cross between a "B" and an "S". Don't think you want to go there.
June 2, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's how I envision the end ...
Harold Ickes: But, Hills, where will I go, what will I do?
Hillary: Frankly, Harold, I don't give a damn.
June 2, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, Howard Ickes has done a pretty good job, I think, of fighting on her behalf.
Sure, he engaged in some outright hypocrisy, and used some nasty rhetoric (hijacking, anyone) but he was effective--the person I would most like to see Hillary say "I don't give a damn" to is Mark Penn.
She has been badly served by Penn. His name brand should be crap right now, after this campaign. She was the freakin' front runner, had amazing name recognition and boat loads of money. And the other candidate is going to be the nominee.
That is a stunningly bad result for Mr. Chief Strategist Mark Penn.
But the inside-the-Beltway crowd probably won't view it that way. He'll still be consulted for campaign advice like Bob (Never won a major campaign for anyone) Shrum.
Sorry. While I have been an Obama supporter since last year, I'm still angry over the ineptitude demonstrated by the "professionals" supposedly running the Clinton campaign. She should have won the nomination, frankly. The fact that she didn't is due, in part, to the Obama campaign being able to read the mood of the country, master the caucus system, coordinate, fund raise, and, the sheer personal charisma of the candidate.
But the Clinton campaign helped, with its bad tactics and money management.
June 2, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here, here. Mark Penn totally effed up her campaign. Why does anyone hire that loser?
June 2, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure you're right. But Ickes stomp-down nastiness on Saturday is still fresh in the mind.
June 2, 2008 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
What I will say in his defense is that it's his job to argue forcefully for his candidate's interests. He's gotta take his chances, even at the risk of looking foolish, if there's a chance it will help his candidate. Ickes, Wolfson, and company have made some boneheaded statements throughout this primary season but that's because it's hard to make rational arguments favoring their candidate based on the post-February math.
June 2, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I were Clinton, Harold Ickes is exactly who I would want in just that situation.
Yeah, it wasn't fun to hear him talking about how shocking the vote was, but he's doing his job as point man for Clinton.
June 2, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
In Mark Penn's defense (I can't believe I just wrote those words), those who are frontrunners months and months before the primaries get started rarely seem to win.
In addition to good strategy, good fundraising, a compelling message, etc., the campaign has to peak at the right moment. If you're in the water too soon, you just shrivel up.
June 2, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Until the words "I concede" (or some derivative thereof) escape her lips, I won't get excited.
June 2, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
She can't just say it. She has to sign a binding contractual statement - in blood.
June 2, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also, if (and it's a big IF) she conceeds as Huffpo says or suspends her campaign- I hope their is no sobfest or lovefest.
She has run a disgraceful campaign- I don't mind seeing her exit with dignity and respect but I hope people will also remember she hurt her party and the party's nominnee. Last thing I want to see is Hillary turned into a sweet angel.
June 2, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
And as a former Hillary supporter, I'm behind you 100%. The person I voted for on Feb. 5th (Hillary) and what she became after, are two totally different candidates IMHO. I hope she saves some face on a personal level when she concedes tomorrow night (fingers crossed) but I hope her campagin and her tactics go down in flames.
June 2, 2008 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I often wonder if there had been no Sen Obama (or intertubes, for that matter) is we would ever have known how disgraceful Sen Clinton really is.
June 2, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
The answer is affirmative. See her vote on the AUMF and her co-sponsorship of the bill to make flag burning illegal.
June 2, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw comments in an article over the weekend saying Obama's advisors were indicating he would not be making a victory speech with regards to the nomination, anticipating that media coverage and analysis of primary results would be sufficient. That was all before Clinton and Obama apparently spoke last evening, so who knows what will happen on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
June 2, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Call me crazy, but I really think that she is going to show some class and end this on a positive note.
June 2, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Crazy!
June 2, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a loon.
June 2, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Than a Junebug in May !;)
June 2, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Come on... you just watch. I think it's going to happen.
June 2, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
She knows how to pivot, in a way that makes Machiavelli seem glacial. Wouldn't be surprised if she becomes Obama's #1 cheerleader.
June 2, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am starting to get the feeling that they struck a deal when talking last night. He has not rolled out the Superdelegates today to insure croosing 2118 tomorrow, she is speaking tomorrow before the polls close out west.
I think she will be allowed to suspend and endorse BEFORE he crosses the number, therefore she gets maximum credit and he and the Superdelegates avoid giving the appearance of forcing her out.
He can get the rest of the Supers between 7-10 P.M. and the voters of SD and Montana get to take creditr along with the entire DNC hieracrhy. Also Hillary will get some credit too.
Tomorrow is shaping up to be an exciting evening.
June 2, 2008 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Indeedy, on that last note. I'm gonna have to break out that clip from Scanners again pretty soon....
June 2, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd say that's a fair compromise. "Peace With Honor" (although hopefully it will work out better than it did for Nixon in Vietnam . . .)
June 2, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
She has to kill the popular vote argument in some way though. She has to concede he won it by all metrics. I don't care how she says it ("Sen. Obama squeeked out the popular vote and barely beat me," for instance). Just say it. Unity of the party needs that type of concession from her campaign. If we don't see it, I sense a guerilla war from some of her supporters who otherwise would heed those words and give up any revenge tactics, to be a possibility.
June 2, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
This makes sense. It also reminds me how confidently she said, in her speech yesterday, that no one would reach the magic number in the contest tomorrow night. Obama's call was before that speech, so maybe she already had his assurance she'd get to concede before it was officially over.
June 2, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I share the sentiments of those who say: "I'll believe it when I hear/see it."
Meanwhile, an Obama supporter (Gregg Craig?) said earlier on MSNBC that Obama will be in New York on Wed.
Please please PLEASE, Senator Obama, no clinton vp offer!
June 2, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I suspect Hillary will use the words "suspend" which is appropriate. Delagate votes now count for nothing. That is why they have a convention. This is where the autual voting occurs. Today it is merely a commitment to vote a way. Not too sutble of a difference.
As I said, not voting for McCain, but not voting for Obama either. He is ok, his supporters just simply stink.
June 2, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Suspending" will allow her to continue to fund raise to pay down her debt.
June 2, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's remarkable that you would choose your candidate based on what you think of their supporters. I don't know, maybe you ought to try choosing based on *policy.* Even Hillary says it'd be a mistake not to vote for the Democratic nominee.
June 2, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
All Obama supporters? Every last one? Did you interview them all? Or is that stink what you just pulled out of your ass?
June 2, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Reasons for not voting for Obama:
Because he's secretly a Muslim.
Because he's got a crazy pastor while he's a secret Muslim.
Because his church had a crazy guest preacher.
Because he doesn't wear a flag pin.
Because he doesn't say the pledge of allegiance.
Because he swore himself in on the Koran.
Because his supporters are rude to me on the tubes of the internets.
See? You have a whole host of handy reasons, all equally valid, for not voting for Obama.
June 2, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would also add:
Because Bill has an office in Harlem.
June 2, 2008 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe you should write in Mike Gravel, just to make your point. That'll show those snot-nosed liberal elitist Obamabots!
And if McCain wins, you can say, "don't look at me, I voted Gravel."
June 2, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
We aren't all bad. There are crazies on both sides. You don't have to like all of a candidate's supporters to support a candidate.
June 2, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's supporters are the worst! They're just unforgivably obnoxious, completely unlike any Hillary supporter I've ever met. Hillary's supporters practically redefine civility in the face of incalculable adversity. On election day, I am definitely staying home and listening to my mint condition 180g collector's vinyl pressing of Blue Oyster Cult along with the 5 other members of my local hillary campaign group. We will displays our outrage at her unfair treatment when we finally complete our most sacred pact on Nov 2.
June 2, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFL
Either great snark or profound vacancy!
June 2, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
nice. :)
June 2, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are matching sneakers and castration involved?
June 2, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see any comets predicted for Nov 2nd. Where is the mothership hiding this time?
June 2, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't you see, Hillary IS the mothership!
June 2, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, yes.
It's almost too obvious.
June 2, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're killing me!
I know nothing says RaeK, fogu2, MarkSimmons or Registered User more than this:
!!! Great snark.
June 2, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
(emphasis mine)
June 2, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
His supporters stink? Really?
watch this and tell me who's supporters stink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KACQuZVAE3s
June 2, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I were Obama I would not make her any promises unless i had a silver bullet and a stake ready.
June 2, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Her Tuesday night speech ought to consist of throwing the money owed to Mark Penn into the crowd.
June 2, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Definitely. Make him sue her for the money. Talk about a turd blossom.
June 2, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe she could throw Penn himself into the crowd and let them rough him up a little bit.
June 2, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Should be interesting to see what they might be planning. But I really have a big question I want to pose to people here.
The new ARG polls seem to be way off but I'm not a pollster. They have me worried. What is they are correct and Hillary actually pulls off a win in South Dakota and comes close in Montana?
Of course the nomination picture doesn't change but let's not put our heads in the sand and say that it doesn't matter. Obama is supposed to win these two states....especially SD considering the support he has from the state leaders like Daschle, Sen. Johnson, and Rep. Herseth.
The Clintons have been blanketing the state and are doing so again today. Obama was there Saturday and Sunday but I am totally puzzled why the heck he is in TROY, Michigan today? I know he wants to focus on the general election but he still has to win the remaining primaries. South Dakota could be really close so why in the world is he not there? He did this in Kentucky, West Virginia and Puerto Rico to very bad effect....he can't afford to do so in states he should be winning.
June 2, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keep in mind that the pols involved do not quite see it the same way. For them, this is the end of a 15-month process, and they have largely forgotten about SD and MT. The meeting on Saturday effectively ended the campaign. Super dels certainly are not interested in what happens in SD & MT.
It's only May, plenty of time to unite and defeat Sen McCain.
June 2, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Four words: Trust Obama and Axelrod.
June 2, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
He is in MI today because the general election has begun, and MI, unlike MT and SD, will be critical in November.
June 2, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Four words: Trust Obama and Axelrod.
June 2, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can say that again.
June 2, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
A loss in SD will be embarrassing for Obama, but quickly forgotten if indeed Hillary concedes tomorrow. That said, I would like to see Obama wrap things up on a high note with 2 more wins.
June 2, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
ARG has been absolutely all over the place. Two weeks before the PA primary they had Clinton up 20 pts. A week before it was even. The weekend before she was up 20 again. They must use dartboards.
June 2, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
They have a highly sophisticated method of divining the truth from the grease stains on the pizza boxes delivered to their offices while they play WOW online.
June 2, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
As to Kentucky, West Virginia and PR, its better to lose a state you have not campaigned in, than it is to lose one you fought for, from an MSM optics standpoint anyway.
June 2, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, after Tuesday, where exactly would she be "campaigning"...?
Her last gasp is to flip/strong-arm supers, which does not require a campaign apparatus per se.
June 2, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
True, but if she were to win the nomination through intimidation of Superdelegates wouldn't she need a staff (and a husband to campaign for her) in the fall General Election.
All signs are she is shutting down for good. I believe Bubba was allowed the honor of giving the first public hint.
June 2, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can you really win over superdelegates by not campaigning at all, though, while your primary opponent is on the campaign trail for the entire summer?
June 2, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
What I am saying is, you don't need campaign staff to "campaign" (i.e. beg/twist arms) for supers.
June 2, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry guys, Hillary will find some way to disappoint you. Again.
June 2, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hindsight being 20/20, Bill Clinton should not have been so assertively "campaigning" for Hillary Clinton. Not because he shouldn't have been a vocal advocate for her, but because it made her appear like a member of a "doubles team" rather than an independent leader standing on her own merits. A past president should not ever attack a presidential candidate of his/her own party. That in itself is inherently divisive, and therefore inappropriate and destructive, and especially so when the ex-president is speaking on behalf of and defending his wife. When Bill Clinton began attacking Obama supporters and or Obama himself, rather than just being Hillary's cheerleader, he crossed a line that he shouldn't have. At that point, not only was he devisely and destructively attacking another Democratic candidate, he was an ex-president defending his wife with a passion that went beyond Democratic political propriety and became very, very "personal". When it became "personal" for Bill and Hillary Clinton rather than "political", they opened a pandora's box of blaming and pointing fingers at fellow Democrats that ultimately lead to their rejection. Whether they intended to or not, they both started sounding more like Rove Republican politicians rather than we the people Democrats. Hillary Clinton would have won the nomination if the people running Obama's campaign had run hers, and if Bill Clinton had been a supportive husband instead of a confrontational ex-president.
June 2, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ayuh, and as a result, he's scared away any Veep spot, though his title of Vice Vice President works with an alternate definition of "vice".
June 2, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think there is near universal agreement that Bill's campaigning style and strategy was a negative for Hillary. South Carolina is Exhibit A.
He has lowered himself significantly through this process and damaged the Clinton name and legacy in the process. If he and Hillary can swallow their pride and accept that this is now Obama's party (I know a BIG IF), I think they can help Obama tremendously in the general election and help restore some of what was lost during this primary battle. That is, of course, only if they stay on message with Obama and don't go off into left field like Bill was prone to do.
June 2, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I want to give Bill the benefit of the doubt and ascribe his missteps in this campaign to the very thing you identify there: his passionate loyalty to Hillary clouded his usually very astute political judgment.
June 2, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are putting the cart before the horse.
At the start of the campaign, Bill Clinton was considered a huge asset:
a) about 1/3 of the people who voted (or intented to vote) for Hillary were doing so because they wanted Bill back in the White House
b) Hillary pushed the two-fer idea over and over again.
The fact remains that as the name-brand/frontrunner candidate, Hillary had an opportunity to set the tone, get the issues out there and be lightyears ahead of any competitor that was struggling for simple name recognition.
The Clintons ran a fundamentally flawed campaign -- they bankrolled everything on their being inevitable. They believed that all the sycophants around them represented the country at large.
June 2, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I said it before and will do so again. She lost her nomination chances in October of 2003 when she voted for the Iraq War Resolution.
June 2, 2008 6:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
What will the Trolls do now?
June 2, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
hopefully, change their avatars and join us if they are true liberals and Democrats. If not, then we'll then we blast them for being Mavericky McSame Floons.
June 2, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
They'll be shilling for McCain. What else?
June 2, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Paint the underside of the bridge?
June 2, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary is not going to concede this week. Stop hoping it not going to happen.
She will 'deliver' her delegates at the Convention under the glare and spotlight. And with that the 90 day Unity tour will begin culminating in a Democratic beat down in November.
Provided Obama doesn't fuck it up between now and the convention...
June 2, 2008 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's she going to do between this week and the convention, though? It seems like the summer is an ideal time to begin this Unity tour.
June 2, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uncle Ruckus didn't hear Bill today...
June 2, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's going to be my question to you, every time you post:
Tell me again how David Patterson has never held elected office, will you?
June 2, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
CTvoter,
I guess you count the 648 Democratic committee members that voted him in orginally to replace a deceased state senator?
Once 'selected' by the committee, running as an incumbent with Pary backing is pretty easy. It helps that this was the same district his pops represented.
So my bad, he hass 'won' an election.
June 2, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's see. He was elected in 1985, and remained in that office until becoming lieutenant governor.
And you're going to tell me with a straight face that all those elections between 1985 and 2006 (what, must be about 10) somehow don't count because he was an incumbent?
June 2, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
yet the clinton campaign still insists they won't concede even if obama reaches 2118.
so they don't have any plans after tuesday, but they're not conceding the race.
so what the hell does that mean? she'll "suspend" her campaign and keep the party from unifying behind its nominee?
June 2, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
It means she's not a quitter, dammit!
I honestly don't know when Hillary will finally get with the program. However, keep in mind that candidates never, ever say "oh, I might drop out in a week or two", because their campaign would be over the moment they said that.
So basically you can't judge whether and when Hillary might drop out based on what she says.
June 2, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jeez, I hope this is reality! Because if it is, then that's worrisome because her campaign has no perception of reality!
June 2, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can only hope that Obama's campaign is seeing better numbers than ARG. I know that in terms of delegates and the final results SD and MT don't matter but media narrative does.
Obama could possibly have a good night tomorrow....two wins, a Hillary concession, and enough supers to get the nomination. He will have an enormous crowd in St. Paul and the nation will be watching to see what he says. But one thing can mess up the this perfect scenario....losing. My problem is there is no reason for him to be losing. I know everyone might think a loss in SD would be overlooked but really it does not look good at all that in the weeks leading up to his clinching the nomination he lost by enormous margins in KY, WV, Puerto Rico and possibly SD. He needs to present the image of a winner not limp into the fall battle.
June 2, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I completely agree. Here's something I posted elsewhere earlier:
I'm one of those Obama supporters who worry about his rather shabby ending. A 20 point loss in South Dakota, regardless of its effect on the final outcome, would get VERY BIG MSM notice on the night Obama is suppose to win the nomination. It would be like a long distance runner beating out his closest competitor by a couple of strides only to fall flat on his face across the finish line. It will sour the whole tone of the evening and give further pause to those who are uncertain about his chances in the Fall. It would not be good.
June 2, 2008 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Then again, "suspend" is really nothing more than her keeping her campaign on the downlow. This does NOT mean she's conceding or dropping out. She's waiting for something to happen - quite possibly going Independent this summer. After Saturday, she's pissed off enough at her own party to not make that such a crazy idea!
June 2, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't read to much into suspend vs. concede. IIRC, suspend means she keeps her delegates, while to concede releases them. This keeps her alive in the remote possibility of a political meteor hitting Obama. It also allows her to continue to fundraise to pay off the debts.
June 2, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not so fast!!!
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/clinton_aides_tomorrow_nights.php
June 2, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm telling you, she's suspending the campaign to not spend any more money, but will spend the entire summer on the phone trying to lure SD's to her side so she can claim victory in the fall.
To her belief, SD's are not locked in until the convention and therefore there is no nominee until August. By conceding, she loses that right. By suspending, she keeps the right to linger, stalk and pounce on her prey.
I cannot stand her at all, but she's got balls...maybe literally!
June 2, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Certainly it's possible the realists have triumphed and she will withdraw Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
It's also possible, given how far in debt she is, that she'll lay off the bulk of her staff, continue to campaign for superdelegates, try to reverse this weekend's MI and FL decisions, and stay in the race in the hopes of case her Sioux Falls Argus-Leader comment comes true.
I suspect Bill is screaming for the latter scenario, while others may be making the case for the former.
June 2, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
FYI, I was trying to make "the hopes of" strikethrough but I obviously didn't use the right html code.
June 2, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ben Smith at Politico.com says that Hillary has rented a large venue for Tuesday night. That doesn't sound to me like the action of a candidate about to endorse her opponent. Why draw together a big crowd of die-hard supporters in order to that when the likely result of even mentioning Obama's name would be to loud chorus of boos. As for travel plans, why would she need to travel? She can make calls to super delegates, issue press releases, hold news conference, plan a challenge at the Credentials Committee, and plot a strategy for the convention without ever leaving D.C. If I had to guess, I would say she's going to step on Obama's victory rally Tuesdays night with a defiant announcement before a large crowd that she's fighting on all the way to Denver. Why? So that all the votes are counted, the principle of democracy prevails, and the undisputed winner of the popular vote gets her just reward. Why else?
June 2, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Re: Why draw together a big crowd of die-hard supporters?
Because it's her swan song. By doing a big finale, she controls the script.
June 2, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
So her plan is to dismantle her campaign, run a shadow campaign through the summer as Obama wages the real campaign against McCain, step back into the scene in the 11th hour, claim the nomination at the convention, reassemble her campaign staff, and pick up where Obama left off?
Brilliant!!! How could this possibly fail?!?
June 2, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to WIN, silly. To RUIN. Those people are hopping mad and one way or another somebody's got to pay.
June 2, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately I think you are right, and is kinda what I am pointing out as well about no need to have an active organizing campaign staff, etc.
June 2, 2008 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait I thought she told the press to sign for travel through June 6th??
Hmmmmm......
June 2, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you really believe Armbinder?
He's really stretching what Bill said in South Dakota, IMO.
June 2, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
So her plan is to dismantle her campaign, run a shadow campaign through the summer as Obama wages the real campaign against McCain, step back into the scene in the 11th hour, claim the nomination at the convention, reassemble her campaign staff, and pick up where Obama left off?
Brilliant!!! How could this possibly fail?!?
June 2, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
This news is fantastic!
I hadn't realized how much this excruciating primary season has weighed me down. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.
Anyone else?
June 2, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not until the words cross her lips...
June 2, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ben Smith at Politico:
June 2, 2008 8:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would like to respond to Cederico and everyone who thinks that just because Hillary has picked up speed, blowing Barack out over the last 7 or 8 primaries, he has to win the last two to appear not to LIMP into the general election. I disagree!
Consider this: At the olympics, can a 100 meter specialist run the 100 metres using a 200 meter strategy? Picking up momentum and speed at the 150 meter mark? Didn't Barak picked up momentum at the 50 meter mark and won the race in Iowa?
Consider this also: While Hillary is busy running hard at the 150 meter mark in a 100 meter race, what has Barak been doing over the last few weeks?
Hasn't he been busy keeping McCain in check and doing his warm up exercise for November, fighting off personal attacks ( unpatriotic etc),
while being triple teamed by the Clintons, Republicans, Rove, Rush Limbaugh and the main stream media? What you all expect? Is he superhuman?
What we are witnessing is an individual that is currently the most strategic and skillful politician in HISTORY! The Clinton brand name is STRONG in democratic politics. Do you think a wimp could totally demolish it? Winners in democratic primaries always slow down as they transition into general election mode. Anyone care to disagree? Let's have a friendly, serious discussion on this!
June 2, 2008 9:05 PM | Reply | Permalink