It's everywhere. The Hillary Get Out drumbeat. Slate just launched a feature they're calling the "Hillary Death Watch" handicapping Hillary's changing chances as the graphic shows her perching atop a sinking ship. 10.3 percent ain't so good.
Meanwhile, my Sunday morning boyfriend, Tim Russert on Meet the Press had my op-ed boyfriend David Brooks on to talk about the calls for a Hillary ouster. Brooks, who said last week that Clinton "possesses the audacity of hopelessness," had a conversation bolstered in part by Sen. Patrick Leahy's comments on Friday urging her to quit and saying her attacks were hurting the party more than anything McCain had said.
But the person a Clinton plank-walk might affect most, Obama, doesn't agree! He's just said,
“My attitude is that Senator Clinton can run as long as she wants. Her name is on the ballot. She is a fierce and formidable opponent, and she obviously believes she would make the best nominee and the best president.”
Here's the burr under the saddle about the quit-brigade: this is exactly what the Democratic Party set up. The proportional delegate takes from each state, the superdelegates, it's all set up to extend the fight and give everyone a crack at choosing. Bill's even said,
“We just need to relax and let this happen. Nobody’s talking about wrecking the party. Everywhere I go, all these working people say: ‘Don’t you dare let her drop out."
I'm still seeing Hillary signs up, she's leading Obama in Pennsylvania by 10 points. What's contributing to the Hillary bloodlust? Should she quit?
Chloﾎ
Austin Reed
Azzaro
I think this campaign season is the most interesting it's been in ages. Let them go all the way to the convention!
1But then, I don't like Hillary or Obama.
had to vote for that one cuz "gross-arama" made me laugh out loud!
2keep on keepin on hillary. wear each other out and your whole party to the point of utter exhaustion. have fun
3Its just embarrassing at this point.
4I'm tired for them.
5I just don't like the sound of her voice and would prefer not to hear it anymore.
6At this point i'm more worried about elections back home.
7I hope they continue all the way to the convention, and the loser continues to snipe at the winner until the general election. I'm enjoying this in-fighting to an embarrassingly unhealthy degree.
As a bonus, I'd rather all HC's and BO's skeletons be uncloseted by a fellow Dem. It will save McCain stooping to that level.
8after attending an Obama rally in person (previously I was leaning Obama but not completely won over) I have to say that the man is truly inspiring, truly speaking the language of humans and not 100% politics, genuinely connects with the audience, and is someone I feel that i can relate to and have a conversation with and be heard. What HIllary has been doing in this primary election has been embarrassing, catty, and really hurts both of them -- and I'm not even a party voter. She's amazingly intelligent and knows policies inside and out. But she is old-school politics and is overwhelmingly competitive. we need CHANGE!
9the previous comment brought to you be informed citizens for obama.
hehe just kidding!
10Hang in there Hillary, you can't do it but I love the effects of you continuing anyway!
11I'm becoming apathetic. I'm sick of hearing about politics.
12telescopeeyes (and other Obama supporters): I have been trying--unsuccessfully--to understand why people believe that being an inspiring orator is a premier qualification for President. Can you enlighten me? I would much rather see education, intelligence, economic expertise, foreign policy / diplomacy experience, political experience. And a person who has America's best interests at heart, not a globalist.
13I want her out. Believe it or not, at the beginning of all of this I really wasn't against her and I was fully intending on voting for her. After the events of the last few months, however, and in addition to the way Obama's campaign has been run, I am going in the opposite direction. Give it up, Hill-Hill!
14I have a coworker who was all the way "Go Hillary!" when the primaries began. He went to one of her rallies and a breakfast and everything. Now, he's pretty dang sure he'll be voting for McCain come November. Sure, he's wishy-washy and that may change in 7 months, but it's a really bad sign for Democrats if their supporters leave them this early in the game. Hillary's been petty this entire primary season, and alienating people in the process.
As for me, there's no way I'd vote for her. I REALLY don't like her.
15This is what cracks me up about the media. They are very bad about planting the suggestion and then asking the question. They will suggest to us that it is going on too long for weeks then ask us if its going on too long for weeks. What better way to keep people in a furor over a story.
No it shouldn't be over because there is still a chance for her to be nominated. She is not my horse in the race and never has been but I'm all about giving her fair treatment. Back in the day the nominee was never chosen until the convention anyway. Part of the problem is that this campaign was started way too early and our society's need to rush everything instead of letting the pieces fall where they will.
16Lainetm, you are making an incorrect assumption.
I am not supporting Obama because he is a great speaker. I am voting for him because doesn't follow the same old partisan arguments, he looks for real solutions to our problems. I have been following his work very closely since 2006, and I think he has a lot of wisdom and intellegence.
"I would much rather see education, intelligence, economic expertise, foreign policy / diplomacy experience, political experience."
This is quite funny. His education involves being President of the Harvard Law Review. 6 Supreme Court Justices have been members of this group (only the top 7% at Harvard are asked to join, and he was President). He was also a professor of Consitutional Law. He co-authored the Nuclear Non-Proliferation bill that passed. He has discussed international relations and national security many, many times and his grasp of the nuance and complex details greatly impresses me.
I don't mind if people don't like Obama based on his policy or his ideas. But when they ASSUME that he stands for nothing simply because they haven't done their research, it gets a bit annoying.
17Thank you, Jillness! You have said exactly what I was thinking as I was reading these comments...
Do I think she should quit? Yes. I think she should be a good sport and let it go. Do I think she will? Nope. She's holding on with everything she's got, regardless of the cost to the Democratic party.
18Hi Jillness, not to speak for Laine, but I believe it is fair to say that you aren't the typical Obama supporter that I believe she was inferring the question to.
(And I by no means am implying that you shouldn't state what you have as I tend to learn more about Obama from you than many other sources.) In all honesty, I wish more people were educated on their candidate and policies, but it does seem that there are a large number of Obama supporters who feel his great orator qualities make him the ideal candidate and do not present further reasoning for him.
19Come on Hillary! Don't let them force you out of this. It's called a Democracy for a reason. AND this system has been set up like this for a reason. Maybe it's a stupid reason...but there you have it. It's the Democrats own fault that this is going on. If it was a winner takes all the delegates situation (like with the Republicans) this race would already be over. If everyone REALLY wants her out of the race they wouldn't say so...because every time people say that she's a goner she has an insurgence of support.
20Keep it going Hilary!!!!! YAY!!!!
21There a point that you just need to look around and realise that each day you fight isn't actually helping you, it's actually hurting the party. I hope that all of this ends soon, I know it won't.
22I don't think it's hurting the party at all, and it's good that she's still in it roughing Obama up. That way, after he gets the nomination, all the dirty Republican tactics won't be a slap in the face....and I'm talking about the Council of Conservative Citizens and friends, more so than McCain.
23What's so wrong with 'speaking the language of humans' like telescopeeyes said? I see nothing wrong with that. Most of the people that oppose Obama, it's mostly because they refuse/are scared to believe in the guy because they think they'd be let down. Guess the Obama supporters are really the ones with the guts. The man is unflappable, no temper tantrums like the old dude running on the Republican side. Trust me, 'old dude' is not my choice of words when it comes to describing McCain. I, for one, can't wait for the general election. It's time for the Republicans to feel some heat coming towards their side instead of the constant spewing of nonsense and assumed superiority we have to witness on a daily basis. Sick to death of it really.
24And I don't think Hillary should step out if she doesn't want to. I don't care if she stays or goes. I can see what the outcomes going to be, no words needed.
25Well the problem with the Republican party indielove and DearMissPriss is that they're so well behaved. Isn't that right cabacker27. LOL!
26
27Just a look at the comments here, which show how much pleasure this deathmatch is giving to the Republican opposition and how much fatigue it's giving to undecideds, shows that the race for the nomination definitely needs to be over. But she's a "fighter," and would rather stay in the race forever at the expense of party unity and a better chance at a Democratic White House, than cede the battle for the greater good.
28$
29Bump that!!!!!! This ain't over until its over. People keep saying BS like Hillary should drop out because she will destroy the Democratic party. Of course Obama's supporters are spouting that BS. Well I don't want Hillary to drop out. I want my gurl to fight for the White House. She deserves to be there. Hillary is absolutely right when she says every American has a right to choose which person they want to vote for. The remaining states deserve that. Hillary isn't that far behind Obama which is why the constant she should drop out pisses me off. No Hillary isn't dropping out and Obama isn't the clear front runner. Let the other states vote. Take Bill's advice and relax.
30syako, how do you make the present?
31Yeah, it's all the Obama supporters that want her to drop out because we're scared of her winning. No, honey...I don't think so. Can't you tell how many Republicans want her to stay in to aid in imploding the party? They're reveling in it. You probably think these people are one your side cause they're all for Hillary staying in the race. Wait and see how fast they would 'defect' if she actually won the nomination. If you watched the View last week, you would have heard Obama say that he and his campaign have been careful not to dig up too much and try to decimate Hillary because they wouldn't want that kind of negative press to be used against Hillary if she won the nomination and went on to the GE. He said that he and Hillary have been friends before the election race begun and they will be friends afterward. No matter what she's said, he lets it roll off his back and wouldn't hold it against her. Classy guy? Yes...yes, he is.
32: g i f t :
33:obama:
34"Most of the people that oppose Obama, it's mostly because they refuse/are scared to believe in the guy because they think they'd be let down." - That's me!
Oh, and also that he has Socialistic views, but really that's only second to my fears of being let down.
35aw....it didn't work. =p
36
m3
37
38"No Hillary isn't dropping out and Obama isn't the clear front runner."
Obama IS the clear front runner. She has only a 10% chance of winning, as you can see from the illustration. That means she has a 90% chance of losing, which is quite large. If the tides were turned, you KNOW they would be calling for Obama to drop out.
"Hillary is absolutely right when she says every American has a right to choose which person they want to vote for."
The way the primary system works, is that as some candidates gain strength, other candidates drop out and sometimes citizens never get a chance to vote for them. I am sure many Edwards supporters feel the same way, but the fact is they need a large amount of support to keep going. Obama has won 30 contests, most by huge margins. Even with out all 50 states voting, that is still a majority of the states. If she wasn't a part of the Clinton Machine, then she would have dropped long ago.
I don't think that anyone should try and force her out, but I think if she had any dignity, class, or respect for her party she would drop out.
39I really think that this issue of Sen. Clinton staying or dropping out is clearly being horsewhipped to stay in the headlines for as long as possible for anterior motives.
The intent of the convention is to choose a nominee for the party. This will be the first time in decades that the convention will actually get to do what it was created to do. The delegates will actually get to work instead of kick back and eat hot dogs.
Sen. Clinton is not going to drop out because she is not a quitter and for her to step aside would send a clear message that she is and a peripheral message that some would use to say that women just aren't ready.
Sounds to me like we all need to turn off our political news programing for a week and take a break from the nipple.
40Sorry alterior motives.
41AMEN hypnotix!
42I second that AMEN.
43We don't need her to quit... Let her run.
44"The intent of the convention is to choose a nominee for the party. This will be the first time in decades that the convention will actually get to do what it was created to do."
I see your point, however, the reality is that John McCain has already been the Republican nominee for a while now. By the time that we get to November, he will have had his full party's backing for DOUBLE the amount of time that the Democratic nominee will. The amount of time from the August convention to November is quite small, comparitively.
I think that many party leaders are speaking out now becasue they see the serious threat that this time line poses. They also see that Obama has a clear lead, and it would take something much larger than the Wright issue to swing this to Hillary's favor. Her chance is incredibily small. Much smaller than Romney's chance when he bowed out. But I think Romney was more of a party player than Hillary is.
45I just want them to bloody choose. (Although I'd be much happier if they choose Obama
)
46If she would be running an honest campaign, I wouldn't have an issue with her staying in. Since she has chosen to lie repeatedly, and shoot her own party in the foot, it changes things for me.
I also think it should be noted that Obama doesn't think she should drop out. Sometimes people get a candidate's supporters and the candidates themselves mixed up.
47Whatever.
Hillary is staying in the race. Deal with it. This ain't over until its over.
48Of course she is staying in the race. That isn't the question. It is whether she SHOULD stay in that is being questioned, for good reason.
Your sass is pretty silly, Love Angelina. Loosen up a bit!
49I see your point Jillness and hear you when it comes to the Clinton campaigns dirty deeds. However, this is one of those situations where as my girl Judith Scheindlind would say there are no clean hands. Everyone has a hand in making this a fiasco.
Sen. McCain may not have an immediate rival but don't underestimate the media's ability to remind him he's still on the radar and the Clinton and Obama staffers will not miss an chance to trip him up when the opportunities present themselves.
I think the majority of people have been convinced by the media that the Democratic party is some how going to implode if this goes to the convention. This is simply not the case and every thing will be sorted out in the end.
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