Your chance to vote: Should Hillary Clinton quit now or stay the course?

A growing number of people, mostly her opponents, are publicly calling for Sen. Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the Democratic presidential contest and cede victory to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. He leads in both total delegates and the popular votes of past primaries but has yet to gain the number required to win nomination.

This would, of course, essentially render meaningless the votes of Democrats in a bundle of upcoming primary states including Indiana, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Clinton has vowed to continue her struggle, which is her right but could produce a long-term damaging stalemate with accumulating bitterness among Obama supporters, even if she did somehow ultimately win. She's recently talked about taking the fight over disallowed primaries and their delegates in Florida and Michigan to a credentials committee fight in Denver at the national convention.

This strategy effectively consumes valuable general election preparation time and financial resources from whichever Democrat ultimately wins, as the Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, is already campaigning to unify his party, raise money (he's way behind) and set the scope of his personal campaign narrative.

Or put it this way: If the New York Giants had given up well before the....

end of regulation time in this year's Super Bowl, the overwhelmingly-favored New England Patriots would have gone undefeated. Instead, they're playing off-season golf these days and muttering unprintable things to themselves.

What's your opinion? Should Clinton give up now?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[S.J. Abrahams,San Fran.]

As an Independent voter;Obama/Clinton, please keep your eyes on The Price. Keep the war mongers, Republicans out of the Oval Office. Pleeeeeaaassseeee.

[Mindy Kaputnik]

To get a truer picture of public opinion you should remove
all the votes coming in from moove on dot org...that vile
and spiritual pestilence spreading G. Soros 5 Th column.

[Ron]

Love ya Hill, but you can't win, and you're campaign is hurting the country. Thank you for your continued service. We'll see you in 2016.

[Greg]

Obama is not playing fair by refusing a revote in MI and FL. He knows he is vulnerable there. How is this behaviour unifying? How is this behaviour hopeful?

His campaign cries of change, unity, hope are hypocritical.

Let ALL the voters vote.......it is unAmerican and unconstitutional to deprive citizens of their vote.

[tom davis]

I voted for Obama in the Callifornia primary, but now that I've learned more about him I wish I could take back my vote. Senator Obama publicly decries anti-Semitism, yet at the same he gives tacit approval with a wink and a nod by continuing to belong to an organization that gave a lifetime achievement award to a man (Louis Farrakhan) who openly and publicly refers to Jews as "bloodsuckers." What kind of an organization honors someone who hates Jews? And why would a man running for President belong to such an organization?

[San Ying]

Do Americans want a president and spouse who are pathological liars? Even after she was caught red handed by CBS cameras, Hillary did not have the courage to say, "I am sorry. I lied."
Another lie was that her father named her after Sir Edmund Hillary. Sir Edmund was totally unknown and had not climbed Everest until years after Mrs Clinton was born.
Her silver haired spouse has a silver-tongued talent too for 'misspeaking' and getting away with the most outrageous untruths.
Do American really want this pair of proven liars in their Whitehouse? Again?

[tokonoma]

March Madness reminds me of the current madness in the Democratic party. Should a team who is down by 10 points with 10 minutes left in the game (a fair analogy) simply forfeit? Clearly, not only does Hillary have the right to stay in the race (trailing only Obama only slightly - ~130 delegates), she has an obligation to see that every Democratic voter has a chance to cast a ballot before the convention.

Face it, even if Obama won every remaining vote (not just primary or caucus, but every vote cast) he would still not have enough pledged delegates to win the nomination outright. Super Delegates exist to insure the Party selects the most viable candidate - finish the primaries and let the Super Delegates decide.

[California democrat]

Why can we just let the process work? Voters in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Oregon, etc. are interested in being part of the process. All of these calls to withdraw seem so unfair. Approximately half the voters in the Democratic primaries have voted for Hillary Clinton. They don't want to see the process short changed. To say that she can't win is disingenous. She's about 130 delegates behind with all the states left to go plus the uncommitted superdelegates. Let's let her have a chance and if she loses, then her supporters will feel that she was given an equal chance.

[Debbie Miller]

I used to be loyal to the Clintons, but after the last few weeks, I know I was wrong. Shame on you Bill and Hillary!

A fews weeks ago, I would have never thought I could support Obama, but now I will (even if it feels a little strange!).

We can not continue to divide ourselves and let Bush win again!

Hillary, I know is doesn't feel right to you to exit this race, but the time has come. We need to support the party majority. Please support Obama and let us all move ahead.

-dm

[Lois]

Hillary Clinton has never been afraid to fight for what she cared about. A quality
I admire in a candidate running for president. We need more than change. We need solutions for American. We need to strengthen the middle class, providing affordable and accessible health care, improving our schools, support parents and caring for children, a champion for women, end the war in Iraq, fulfilling our promise to veterans energy independent and global warming, and restoring American’s standing in the world.
Not God damn America…God Bless America!

[tokonoma]

San Ying asked, "Do Americans want a president and spouse who are pathological liars? "

All politicians engage in hyperbole - have you ever known ONE who allowed the truth to stand in the way of a good narrative. I would take Hillary or Obama any day over the liar who occupies the White House now. If Hillary "lied" about being shot at, at least she didn't tell lies that have our troops being shot at.

Bush sent Colin Powell to the UN with fabricated evidence and a lie about weapons of mass destruction. The war in Iraq has waged for five years (four years since Bush declared "Mission Accomplished") and the administration hasn't produced one weapon of mass destruction. Bush is desperate enough that even if he had found a can of Saddam's hairspray he would have declared it a chemical weapon.

I will accept Hillary's little white lie over George Bush's bloody red one anytime.

[Jim Angone]

I am a big Hillary supporter. I am fed up with Barack Obama and the democratic party with even the suggestion that a serious contender with half the votes and imminent winner of two more big states, that Hillary should quit.

i have voted Democratic since 1972. If the Democrats keep pressuring hillary or if Barack Obama is the nominee, then I will be voting Republican and for john McCain.

For those pundits that say that voters like me will come around for Obama, I just say watch me and my family. We are switching parties.

[Hal]

Should Hillary quit now? Doing so would be a magnanimous, not to mention constructive, gesture. It would enhance her image and restore her standing with many of us who have been so disappointed in the destructiveness of the Clintons' (plural!) campaign. It would rehabilitate Bill somewhat, too. She will NOT quit, though. In which case, she and Bill should concentrate exclusively (as should Barack) on beating McCain, while treating her (his) Democratic adversary with new respect and constructive esteem. Hillary needs to find her best self. It's time to start taking back the acrimony.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

The sad fact is Hillary would do no better running the country than she does running her own campaign. Her continued presence is polarizing Democrats. For the good of the Democratic party , for the good of the country, it is time for Hillary to step down. From this point on, she can only damage the Democratic party.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

I wouldn't put a great deal of emphasis on this poll unless they also display the number of votes originating from the same ip address.

[JST]

Let the people vote!!! First Obama blocks the voters in Florida and Michigan from having their votes counted through a re-vote. Now his supporters are saying that the voters in Pennsylvania and the other remaining states should similarly be denied a say in the nomination. And no wonder, Obama LOST California, New York, Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, he is on track to lose Pennsylvania, and he likely would have lost Florida and Michigan if they were allowed to vote. Even if winds up ahead in the final count, he got there by suppressing democracy. He should change his slogan to Yes I Can! because he seems to think that with his charm he can get away with anything.

[Matt]

Hillary should stay in as long as it takes to cast her family legacy down the well.

[Steve]

The time is now to unite democrats.

The stakes are too high, and if the path is definite, lets get it on with McCain,

Scenario #1: The frontrunner is prez, the other is vp, and dems control the senate and presidency, and their goals which are 99% the SAME, get accomplished with compromise.
Scenario #2: 2 unelectable candidates, a split party, and repubs with a veto power control the presidency, and NOTHING gets accomplished, more war, and economy is destroyed, full depression enters the economy.

WE can make this happen or we can continue to make this a bad episode of the Jerry Springer edition of american idol. We can be immature or we can wise up and see that democrats are losing and pursuing it further, though you might think you are right, your opinion is nil to nothing compared to experts who have experienced this before, studied it for years, and know all the inside and outs. ... while you are new to this game.

Candidates need to wise up. SO DO WE, IF WE CARE ABOUT THE ISSUES: If we claim to care about the issues we will deal with the results of this race, and force our opinions on our candidates. It's over and we should accept it, experts say the same thing. The time is now, if we all snooze, we ALL LOSE.

[Jim]

Andrew Malcolm:

your analogy of Obama vs Hillary and "What if the NY Giants called it quits before Superbowl against the NE Patriots" is misleading. You should know better than to be sleep-deprived and typing your analogies at 3 a.m.

It's not at the beginning of Superbowl now: that was IOWA. It's about 3 minutes to go and it's now just Garbage Time as Chick Hearns used to say. Game's over, the jello's jiggling, and it's time to call off the starters and save Kobe (Obama) for the Championship game against McCain.

[mona]

Hillary should stay in this race until the first person to reach 2025 wins. As for your poll, you know Obama is going to win. The majority of Obama supporters are under 30 and are internet savy. Hillary supporters are over 60 and I'm sure not as internet savy. All these internet polls where Obama wins by a big margin. Come on, who are you kidding, the kids think his hip, so Im sure there is a high percentage of children who don't even vote who fill out these surveys.

[Demento Maximus]

To : N.E.. Bodybuthillary
So you have the hots for a guy who cant even tell the
difference between the Gospel and racist hate speech.
The guy also promisses to tax you into poverty if,God
forbid,you are earning the scandalous amount of 75k or
more . I dont aspire to martyrdom and want a chance to
vote for a first class lady who is admired universally and
is ready to take your guy under supervision as her VP
and possibly lift him enough to be a credible successor.
Have a heart, as you obviously lack any sense of fair
play.

[pmc]

Why is this country in such a hurry about everything? We were in a hurry to go to war. We are in a hurry for everyone to forget why we went to war. We are in a hurry to 'get on' with the nomination process, even though not everyone has voted. What if YOU hadn't voted yet, and were told your vote didn't count because OB has a mire 130 delegates ahead of Clinton. Which the fact is HE doesn't even have enough to put him in the drivers seat. I wonder is everyone in OB's camp afraid if we have more time to find out more about this junior senator we might be in a hurry to forget about him? It used to be the convention was actually watched because no one KNEW until that night who WOULD get the nomination. It was actually a event of suspense. Now, if what I read by the media driven polls- everyone has figured out not only who will win, but by how much before the votes are all cast. I do recall the media has the bad history of calling elections in the past too early. Perhaps we need to learn to slow down.

[tonyd]

I've said it before but here goes again. With Clinton on the Democratic ticket, more will vote Republican just to stop her getting to the White House. With Obama on the Democratic ticket then McCain has far less chance of winning; so America, do you want another lame duck Republican or a genuine chance to change political direction?

[Romeo Yere]

I definitely concur that Hillary should step down. I don't want another Clinton presidency. Enough with the Bushes and the Clintons. Let some other family occupy the WH. Old Sen. LEahy really laid it down the line and told the bitter truth.

[Obama_HATES_Whites_and_Jews]

Why on earth should Clinton withdraw?! Obama is the one who is a disgrace to the human race--his TWENTY YEAR association with the hatemongering Jeremiah Wright proves that. Aside from the fact that Obama has absolutely NOTHING to point to as qualifications for the office of president of the US, he's a shameful, hateful, racist man who should disappear back into the woodwork where he belongs. Hillary withdraw? DEFINITELY NOT. Obama withdraw? ASAP!!

[Mary]

I'm an independent. I'm apalled at the grandiose embellishment of Clinton's resume, then again, historically I have felt for years that Clintons took credit for things that occured while they were in office that they did not influence. The creation of jobs, most of all. They did not create tech jobs developing SUN, Oracle, Windows, etc. systems...or the (.)com market. There was a boon in the economy and they were able to redistribute wealth. George Sr. had already started reducing defense spending - closing big bases. The Clintons gutted our intel budget and Al-Qaeda attacked us four times on their watch, before 9/11. Four times? She is more experienced to answer the phone at 3am?

[john]

I heard it's Obama's camp that is spreading the lies suggesting the heavyweights are telling Hillary to step down and getting the media to suggest, no demand that Hillary should quit. This is all hype people, just like Obama's lies about Nafta were, just like Obama's lies about his pastor were. How gullable is everyone??? All the media, these attacks are coming from the Obama camp at a time when Hillary was at her strongest and Obama was at his lowest after his racism was exposed and his pastor was found otu....by the way, isn't everyone wondering why the good pastor is quiet about Obama all of a sudden? Aren't you wondering how much Obama's people had to pay the pastor to keep him quiet. Ahh many people like sheep to the slaughter buy into all his lies, over and over again. It seems people don't learn from their mistakes.

[Obama is not blocking MI and FL re-votes. The ACLU, joe-citizen and the federal court blocked it.]

I don't know where this idea is coming from that Obama blocked re-votes in Michigan and Florida, but it's not Obama. Separate groups have gone in front of Federal judges in both states. Since Michigan was an open primary, voters did not have to vote with their registered party. Some democrats voted on a republican ballot, because their candidate (Edwards or Obama) were not on the ballot. For a re-vote, the Michigan had to be certain that anyone participating in a re-vote had not previously voted in a republican ballot. They wanted the list of voters and registration party affiliation The ACLU argued releasing that info to only DEMS and REPUBS was unfair to other party groups. It's also illegal. The state democratic chair said without the list they cannot assure the re-vote would bar anyone that had voted on a republican ballot.

Florida federal judge threw out a lawsuit from a voter - claiming the DNC disenfranchised his vote. The judge argued the DNC did not do so and were within their right to sanction the state for violting party rules. State legislators and governors were warned repeatedly and well in advance of the sanctions and moved the date up anyway. Federal judged that the DNC has the right to make those rules and that the state legislators disenfranchised his vote, not the DNC.

This isn't Obama that is blocking votes - these rogue legislators in Florida and Michigan jumped the deadline to protest and have a say in the nomination of candidates and for it, they may have had the opposite effect.

[Mary DeVaul]

Hillary Clinton is the best qualified candidate of all three running. Why is she being held to higher standard than McCain -- remember the the S&L Keating Five scandal-- or Obama, who has very little track record legislatively or administratively? She has been active in public life for longer than Obama has been an adult, and what she has stood for and worked on has been positive and admirable. Not all of her efforts have been successful, but if you don't foul on occasion you aren't playing. Most of us would be quite proud of such a record: support for positive but realistic international relations, veterans affairs, economic self-sufficiency through eco-friendly development, education, responsible government oversight, etc.
So why is she vilified? Is it because she is a moderate, hard-working senator who has done much for her constituency, or a First Lady who tried to reform health care and speak out for women and children around the world, or a lawyer who often labored for organizations like the Children's Defense League in addition to working hard in her profession, or is it because she frightens people who see her, a women, as a real threat to their entrenched status? She is accused of being a pragmatist, a fighter, too focused and over achieving, unemotional (or overly emotional, depending), and savvy about stuff inside the beltway -- all of which would be tremendous assets in a president. Think about it, if she were male, these traits would be considered great pluses in a presidential candidate.

[ekwii]

Let me just state upfront, I am an Obama support. That said, only Hillary can decide when it's time for Hillary to get out. Mathematically, it's improbable, not impossible, that she will clinch the nomination. The question is, at what cost? It seems to me Hillary is putting the prospect of becoming the first female president ahead of the nation's interest. The negative campaigning is what gets to me; it speaks to her character and the character of her supporters. If she continues down the negative path and eventually loses the nomination, she is going to have a tough time revamping her image. So, I do not think she should exit, but how she plays it from this point on will be critical to how history will judge her (and her family).

[Paul M. J. Suchecki]

The Michigan and Florida pirmaries were held in defiance of the Democratic National Committee. I didn't hear Hillary Clinton complaining about them being disqualified until after she fell behind. She expected to be coronated on Super Tuesda. Instead it's time for her to concede and put her skills behind Obama. John McCain should be attacked early and often for his Neaderthal like perspective on national security. Instead the Democrats are doing their best to throw away an election that should be easy to win.

[shirlin]

Hillary will not quit. But Pennsylvania can turn the page and save our beloved republic. The Clinton dynasty machine will do anything, throw the kitchen sink, kneecap, lie, slime, smear, destroy the Democratic Party, to return Bill and Hill to the WH for an unconstitutional 8 more years. We are on the brink of transformation, into a banana republic owned by a few super-rich, by lobbyists and by Middle Eastern and Eastern European despotic donors to the Clinton Presidential Library. Hillary has not been vetted, else why not release her tax returns, why the thousands of blacked out pages on her WH record, why the emergence of her outrageous lies of coming under sniper fire? There is a ton of corruption held in that pantsuit beside the history of Bill lying under oath that is captured on camera. Turn the page for all of US.

[vote4thebest]

Obama is the one who should withdraw from the race since we cannot afford to have a president who is anti-white and anti-american.

[Kenya Ruiz]

Let the Senator Clinton run, who the hell are you idiots to tell her what to do? give her fair chance? McCain is gonna win at the end anyways

[Jim]

The longer Hillary stays in, the better the chance she'll be so reviled she'll never have any future as a presidential candidate. Not in 2016, not in 2020, not ever.

Keep on fightin' to the bitter end until your name is forever mud, Billary!!

[Figgins]

Stick with it Hillary. The only poll that counts is the one on Election Day.

Then again, I'm not voting for you even if you pay me.

[kk]

Not going inside into what all CLINTONS SPINNED so long on Obama, She has no chances even considering next round of Kitchen sinks, race sinks etc. She might pick up couple of states and long shot get some more Supers but every step she is making from now on is ruining CLINTONS FAME and DYNASTY built over decades. I suggest her to drop that 2012 PLAN "ATLEAST".

[Eric Taylor]

It doesn't matter what the voters think, Hillary isn't going to give up, no matter how damaging her decision would be.

It would be lovely if Obama would just offer her the VP spot now, proving himself the better human again.

Hillary would make a good VP, doing the detail / negotiation work on issues she cares about like health care.

She would also be a small check on Obama. And this may help ensure we don't get a repeat of Kennedy's mistake of having advisers that are too eager to agree with their charismatic president (leading to some bad decisions).

It seems the best route out of this conflict. I'm sure Obama was not planning to name a VP so early and may not consider Hillary his first choice. But she would be a fine choice and offering the VP spot is often the way to get party members "out of the way" in a campaign.

[anna5]

all these people who call the clintons liars should get a close look at Obama. what about his "positioning" with nafta.
supposedly never knew what his pastor really was about by sitting over 20 years in the church. giving over 30000$ to the church in 2006 and probably a lot more in 2007 (taxes not published). taking him the pastor into the campaign to distance himself now after you tube caught on, does not look like honesty to me.
and his strategy of the 50 states which has now turned into the strategy of 48 states, getting his lawyers to work against a re-vote in michigan and florida. that shows what his thinking about democracy is and what his compassion is. he claims how he can bring young people into the democratic party, and then no interest in talking to people in michigan and florida. they like to have a say and see the candidates. obama complains that there are some people who voted republican and could not vote in a re-vote. so since these few are disenfranchised have all the democratic voters in michigan disenfranchised according to obama. we know he is afraid that hillary could pick up some delegates there. better not have them voteit could hurt obama. and his supporters call for hillary to quit (obama does not stop them), it could hurt obama.
now anybody tell me how this is honest and reflects all the noble traits obama likes to associate with himself.

[Jester of the Apocalypse]

It's tragic and funny to see the Democratic party destroy itself during a grand moment of weakness in their rivals.

Let me taste the sweet sweet salty tears off of your cheeks when you lose the election to a geriatric, jingoistic relic of a politician!

Suckers!

[Jerry Mander]

As a Republican friend of mine laughs,
"HillBillary is The Greatest Show on Earth."
Hillary went to my high school, she was
always a little prima donna, even then.
Study her roots. Study the all white
Republican suburb she grew up in.
Some of the greatest financial con
artists came out of Park Ridge, IL,
and she is no different. You can see
the greed on their bloated red faces.
She will bring out 100% of the Republican
Army ... even 10% of those who are dead.

[Summer]

Boys will be boys. Their fear of women is unbelievable. It's a pity so many women do not realize this.

[Erik]

Mindy Kaputnik says “"To get a truer picture of public opinion you should remove all the votes coming in from moove on dot org...that vile and spiritual pestilence spreading G. Soros 5 Th column.

Yeah, because members of MoveOn.org are not really Americans. Their opinions don’t count.

Greg says "Obama is not playing fair by refusing a revote in MI and FL. He knows he is vulnerable there. How is this behaviour unifying? How is this behaviour hopeful? His campaign cries of change, unity, hope are hypocritical."

The legislatures in Michigan and Florida each turned down another primary. What does that have to do with Obama?

tom davis says “"I voted for Obama in the Callifornia primary, but now that I've learned more about him I wish I could take back my vote. Senator Obama publicly decries anti-Semitism, yet at the same he gives tacit approval with a wink and a nod by continuing to belong to an organization that gave a lifetime achievement award to a man (Louis Farrakhan) who openly and publicly refers to Jews as "bloodsuckers."

By “organization” you mean Trinity United Church of Christ? Do you expect Obama to agree with everything Reverend Wright said or agree with everything the Church has done? I think it says something about Obama that he didn't simply throw Wright under the bus because of this episode. If you attend a church do you want to be held responsible for everything your church has done?

California democrat says "To say that she can't win is disingenous. She's about 130 delegates behind with all the states left to go plus the uncommitted superdelegates. Let's let her have a chance and if she loses, then her supporters will feel that she was given an equal chance."

Yes, all the states left to go, which is about 10. There have been 40+ contests already. Even Clinton campaign officials put her chance of winning the nomination at 10%, so yes, it is possible, but let's be serious now...

Lois says "Not God damn America…God Bless America!"

Well, Obama never said these words, so it's a non-issue, right?

Jim Angone says " If the Democrats keep pressuring hillary or if Barack Obama is the nominee, then I will be voting Republican and for john McCain. For those pundits that say that voters like me will come around for Obama, I just say watch me and my family. We are switching parties."

Voting out of spite! What better way to show you care about the future of your country! I doubt you are a big Hillary supporter because it would mean you share many of her positions, and if that's the case you would not be supporting McCain... ok, except the Iraq War. If that’s the only issue that matters to you, McCain won’t let you down when he aims for Iran.

I guarantee you this Obama supporter will be voting for Clinton if she is the Democratic nominee because that’s what true Democrats do.

JST says "Let the people vote!!! First Obama blocks the voters in Florida and Michigan from having their votes counted through a re-vote. "

How did Obama "block the voters in Florida and Michigan"? Explain this to me.

mona says “The majority of Obama supporters are under 30 and are internet savy. Hillary supporters are over 60 and I'm sure not as internet savy."

Evidently, Hillary supports over 60 also have trouble finding facts on the internet.

Demento Maximus says " The guy also promisses to tax you into poverty if,God forbid,you are earning the scandalous amount of 75k or more . I dont aspire to martyrdom and want a chance to vote for a first class lady who is admired universally and is ready to take your guy under supervision as her VP and possibly lift him enough to be a credible successor. "

What is the difference between Clinton on Obama when it comes to taxes? Not much. Regarding experience, it’s true Obama did not negotiate peace treaties in Ireland or avoid sniper fire in Bosnia. I understand Hillary Clinton also single-handedly ended the Cold War. I believe it. She won WWII too.

[tokonoma]

Andrew Malcolm wrote:
your analogy of Obama vs Hillary and "What if the NY Giants called it quits before Superbowl against the NE Patriots" is misleading. You should know better than to be sleep-deprived and typing your analogies at 3 a.m.

UMM you must be oxygen deprived- March Madness refers to the NCAA Basketball tournament, not the Superbowl. Also, I never mentioned teams in my post. The analogy simply suggests that you play until the end of the game, especially when the game is close. A lead of 130 delegates with no possibility of securing the nomination with remaining primaries means Hillary stays in the game and fights.

You need to wake up, both physically and metaphorically.

[SimpleRep]

I for one would love Hillary to continue. Not that I even like her or what she brings to the table, but so she finally understands that she can't have everything her way.

To prolong her course that will end in eventual defeat is much more satifying then an early exit. Limp on Hillary but pretend to believe you still have to fight for what is right. You know, like your husband not inhaling, that he "really" didn't have sex with Monica, or your battle scars in Bosnia. Oooops, you've been there and done that haven't you?

[Mitchg]

Before the Pa primary vote, which Clinton is expected to win, the popular vote is now 13,355,239 49.5% for Obama, and 12,637,963 46.9% for Clinton.

Hey, that's hardly a runaway for Obama. It would be like suggesting that a baseball team that is losing by a 13 to 12 score should quit in the 7th inning.

The fans of the team that's ahead can, understandably, come up with all kinds of logic for the opposition to quit.

[Dolly]

If Hillary chooses to weaken and divide the Democrats by remaining in the race, then she is only hurting herself and her party. Her support of McCain says that she puts her need for power over the needs of the party. Threatening super delegates and changing the rules are not hallmarks of a decent leader. I've lost all respect for the Clintons but still pray they do the honorable thing and bow out. I know I know, Fat chance.

[joeysky]

We don't care about this online poll. We don't care what the pundit says. We will take this race all the way to the finish line. Saddle up and stick with the fight. If you can't stand the heat, go quit yourself.

[jeqal]

The lines are already drawn. We have an overqualified white woman over 40 and an underqualified black man close to 50 Add to that MSNBC-Obama Headquarters and the Obamagate things going on. Obama's grandma was censured for stating some fear over a black panhandler who approached her when she rode the bus home one day, which caused her to stop riding that bus OVER an NOI minister, who we get to hear damning america over and over and over again. Here is a clue for those of you not familar with the KKK, if you know someone who has gone to the church, its a bit extreme and scary but you can chalk it up to curiousity...if they have their children baptized there you can say they are Klansman. NObama 08 ..... If you can't do it for Hillary do it for your grandma

[Jenna]

Asking Hillary to bow out is premature given how many races are left. Obama does not have a mandate yet. She should not give up just because Obama did well in caucus states. Last I checked the general election is a secret ballot and the obamatons won't be able to pressure people in the voting booth.

[Nancy]

Obama should be the one to get out of the race!

It's Anti-Americanism, Stupid!

The Wright, Rezko, Ayers associations/controversies are not just about racism and poor judgment. They are also about anti-Americanism!

http://obamanation.homestead.com/index.html

Also at the link below are just a few of Obama's documented lies and deceptions:

http://nocache.homestead.com/obamalies/index.html

Please pass the links along.

Obama should drop out of the presidential race. He has too many questionable "friends" and confidante's.

If he were president, he would have to swear to protect and defend the constitution from all enemies, both foreign & DOMESTIC, which he cannot do with associates and possible beliefs like Wright and others present.

[Alessandro Machi]

The only reason Obama has a "lead" is because of the rigged caucus voting. In all states that had "normal" voting hours and held primaries, Hillary leads Obama in the Delegate race AND is trouncing Obama in the Electoral College race.

What the media is doing by hounding Hillary on a daily basis to quit is a travesty.

[Tex]

I wholeheartedly support Obama, but I still think the voters should decide the race. I do not agree with Obama supporters saying HRC should exit the race. (Note - Obama himself has not said it, and I don't think Obama is any more responsible for his supporters' comments then HRC is for G. Ferraro's remarks or James Carville's "Judas" comment). Obama supporters need to stop giving off the impression that they are afraid to compete with HRC in certain states. If Obama CAMPAIGNS and gets out his message to people, enough people will vote for him that he will still win. I do hope, however, that HRC will stick to the issues and stop with the silly "he wouldn't have been MY pastor" comments.

[Gretta]

If she doesn't change her campaign approach (ie. lie, distort, whine and complain) then she should get out now while maybe 15% of the US population may still like her.

I am all for a female President. Actually if she was someone I could trust for the long haul I would be the first to get behind her, vote her in, but she isn't capable of telling the truth no matter how minor the subject is. She is a huge disappoint to me, a 50 year old female CA voter. The last thing voters should think is that she is our only chance to get a woman elected. That is criminal thinking. Our children deserve a better woman for President.

[sethook]

Hang in there, Hillary. Let the folks see just how mean and divisive you can be before losing out in the end. Show them what real dirty politics is all about.

[Marie]

Obama's not running on the Democratic Party ticket. Over the months, he and his supporters have changed and they're running on their own Obama "Change" Party ticket. It's not about the party or about the people anymore. Obama's too big for that now...he's appearing to be self righteous and smug. Republicans are waiting for Obama because they know they can beat Obama, the new poster boy for black Americans and young disenchanted Americans who want to believe in Cinderella or is it Cinderfella?!

As a life long Democrat, I can't support a Cinderfella kind of guy who talks big but has no track record to speak of.

[Dolly]

Hillarites are becoming increasingly vicious and desperate. Hillary is the one caught in lies about her experience. Interesting how the Hillarites accuse everyone else of what the Clinton campaign is guilty of. Yet another reason she should step down.

[Ross C.]

Hillary leads in the primary voting. If you leave out the phony red-state caucuses which had extremely low participation and count only voters voting in polling places or by absentee, Hillary has been winning all along (except for 13 days). Hillary leads among Democrats. Hillary leads among non-republicans!

Hillary is winning a clear majority of all primary voters, a clear majority of Democrats, and a clear majority of non-republican voters in Democratic primaries.

37% of Hillary's voters won't vote for Obama, because we're against candidates who make obvious racist appeals and we're worried about what would happen if, God forbid, an elected President Obama were to be assassinated. We don't want our homes and businesses burnt to ashes.
26% of Obama supporters won't vote for Hillary Clinton, true, but guess what? They're republicans and certainly won't vote for Obama in November, either!
Hillary's winning. Obama wins only if millions of votes aren't counted. You guys lie to America, you are just a bunch of loathsome traitors to your country. This is a Democracy, for God's sake! You can add! Count the votes for yourself! (NM's 'caucus' was really a primary with voters voting in polling places and by absentee.)

[Jan]

Obama supporters want Hillary to quit. Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon and Puerto Rico voters want to vote. Florida and Michigan voters want to be counted. Hillary supporters want her to continue. Hillary says if she loses, Democrats should vote for Obama. Obama says the primary movie has been a half hour too long. Hillary likes long movies. For Democrats, the primary movie is entertaining, the cost of admission is as low as you want it to be, and the movie may yet have a happy ending.

[jeff]

You people for the most part have no more information in your memory banks than that which the constant barrage of major media soundbites has planted there. You are proposing to vote for president just who the major media pushes on you. However, this is an ELECTION, to be decided by VOTES in the prescribed fashion. Not that it will matter if your next president is McWar, or a Dem, they are all puppets of corporate lobbying. Try rationalizing why there are tens and perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars spent to push someone into an office that pays $400,000 a year!! Money spent by the corporate world. YOU did not contribute that money, and YOU will not be represented by what that money buys. WTFU and stop pretending amongst yourselves that you have some idea of what is going on with your government, until YOU have taken the time to actually read from offical documentation, learn what has actually transpired directly or indirectly as a result of action by your government representatives. You are being led to the slaughter, and you are helping the drive. You are lost, and do not realize it so it is not likely you will seek a new way. Don't believe me? Just watch yourself, see if you learn anything real about your governments activities, BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE FED BY THE MAJOR MEDIA. America is the last country on the planet that portends to care anything about personal liberties and personal freedom. The globalist see America as an impediment to world order. Get off the nightly beer and crack, get your family off it. Get real. THINK!! It is OK for you to decide that you do want freedom to decide what you want to do with your life. Understand that you do not need to be told what is "right" or "not right". You think it a good idea to be "taken care of by government"? Did you ever see a caged bird being taken care of that you felt was free to go about it's business in this world? The greatest cage ever is IGNORANCE. That which does not realize it is caged willl not seek to free itself. Yes I am pissed, yes I helped bring the situation we now enjoy, but no more. We have a maximum of about 6 years to salvage America as America was set to be by it's founders. After that, the elitist will have succeeded gutting all that guaranteed protection for personal freedoms from existence, and there will indeed be a new order, none of which will give a damn about you as an individual., and neither as a citizen of the Unite States of America, "land of the free and home of the brave"!

[Bon Jovi]

So 8 years later;
An Obama Presidency
A Clinton Presidency
A McCain Presidency

What do you think?

[Aki]

No way!
I voted for her and I still think she is a better candidate among 3 candidates. She should fight on!

[joeysky]

The last time I checked, FL and MI were part of the United State of America. Let their votes count. Equal treatment under the law.

[Steve]

Hillary should stay in and let the people vote, the hell with the Democratic Party. The people have a right to vote for who they want.

[izne1home]

The Democratic Party needs to do away with the whole concept of super delegates. What you are telling your constituency is that we like you, we want your vote, but we don't trust you. We may have to override you. Some might argue that an honest assessment of the Democratic voting base might justify such an override, however, I find it offensive. If you solicit voters to your party, then listen to them. Otherwise, all you're doing is asking them to give the super delegates a proxy. As far as Florida and every vote counting, ..., be careful what you ask for. You just might get it. As intriguing as it might be, America will not elect a woman as president, nor will it elect a black man as president. At least not in 2008. But it's fun to debate in the meantime.

[Perry]

HILLLARY DOES NOT LIE!!!

She really believes it!

In her marvelous mind she was under fire in Bosnia, brought Peace to Ireland, there IS a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, all those women lied about Bill, what Monica did was NOT sex, and the definition of "is" DOES make a difference.

THAT's what's really scary.

[Chris]

I hope he uses this same method to defeat McCain if he gets the nomination, can ya see it:

(Ring Ring, ….Ring Ring)

McCain: “hello?”
Obama: “listen up old man…I’ve got just one thing to say to you…”
McCain: “look punk, who are you calling old?”
Obama: “shut up biaatch, I’m telling you, i’m up in the polls, its now October 4th and you know what is happening in a month, dontcha?”
McCain: “now look..”
Obama: “I’m telling you, you better now, I’m gonna be President, so you should just quit while you’re still able.”
McCain: “now wait a minute..”
Obama: “no, you wait a minute you typical white person. I’m Barack Obama, and I don’t remember seeing your picture on the cover of Rolling Stoned.”
McCain: “look here Sen. Oba…”
Obama: “shut it flap trap, I’m telling you what its going to be like, you see, and just drop out now so you can save some face.”
McCain: (click)
Obama: “You hang up on me! You dare hang up on me?!! But I’m Barack H Obama, boy, and I’m gonna eat your lunch”

(the above is a fictional narrative and not intended to smear anyone but Barack “I’m the fucking nominee” Obama. Any resemblance to McCain is purely fictional and presumptive on the part of the author who could care less what gimpy has to say.)

[Pete Wittlin]

Rules are established to be followed, not broken. The rule is that you don't give up or quit until the game clock expires: that is the August convention. That is why one was scheduled. Anyone who advocates throwing in the towel before the gameclock has expired doesn't deserve to be a member of the party. It is that simple. Leahy, in otherwise proposing an early Clinton exit, has acted like an idiot without loyalty to his own party or to its principles. Honest debate between the candidates makes the party stronger, not weaker. Also, anyone who insists that the super delegates must vote in the same ratio as the regular delegates strips away the purpose of the super delegates which is to save the party from its own misguided vote. It has yet to be determined whether the regular delegates majority support of Obama is misguided. The test at the convention should be "Who can best beat John McCain?" If at the convention the vote of the super delegates makes Clinton the winner, or the loser, then the party rules will have worked as intended and for the best. To deprive the super delegates now of their vote would be a travesty and make a mockery of the party rules. Simply put, Leahy should shut up.

[Humphrey]

Where is the love?

[Randy Riley]

Please drop out Billary!

[Kitty]

For those of you fortunate enough to have already voted, it is presumptuous of you to presume that the rest of us should have to follow your lead. I reside in a State yet to hold its Primary and I resent the implication that I should be disenfranchised simply because certain people are fearful of how this makes the Party look. That is an absolute absurdity. NEITHER candidate can reach the requisite number of pledged delegates and until this Primary process is over, no one can make a decision on the Nominee. The Super Delegates will decide this for either candidate and they would be doing a grave disservice to the members of this Party by making a decision before having every vote included in this process and that includes Michigan and Florida. They were not the only States to break the Primary rules, they were just the only two not granted waivers from the DNC.
The super Delegates have much to weigh in making their decision and the votes of every Democrat is critical in that process. If the Nomination process stops abruptly, then the Democratic Party risks losing far more voters than if it take its natural course. That is a risk we can hardly afford.

[glenda coovert]

let the eleephants get our country out of the mess that they created,they put us in a 9,000,000,000,000 trillion dollar debt,they put us in a war with the biggest lie of all,forget about the stain onthe blue dress,the4000 DEAD and the100,000 and more before it is over invasion of another country under FALSE,I listen to a higher power bull shit . LET THE ELEEPHANTS CLEAN UP THEIR OWN MESS WHAT I WANT ISTHE HOUSE SENATE CONGRESS CONTROL back for the people.The president is nothing but the mascara of the party any way.

[Shirley]

I am a 60 yr old white married woman who lives in Oregon and who has always voted Republician. I repectfully request the voting continue in the states that have not voted. That each state be given the courtesy of participating in the voting process. I personally plan to vote for Hilliary Clinton for many reasons. I trust Hiliary more than any of the men presently running for office. I think she is very bright, articulate and still varily young but mature enough to handle serious issues. Women for years have had to handle difficult situations and the majority of men running for office are weak kneed sivalers. I think Mr. Obama is a great speaker, but talk is cheap and I don't think he has the maturely to handle situations that might need to be handled quickly without having to call all his advisers and his life long minister friend. If Mr. Obama does win the nominations I will vote for John McCain. I'd rather have a woman as a President as very few of our past President's have really been able to follow through on their promises and have put this country in a pickle financially.

So, please stop suggesting Mrs. Clinton withdraw ........ others who are tax paying citizens would appreciate any opportunity to vote for our choice just as you have been given that chance.

[Adrienne Larkin]

No, Hillary shouldn't quit. How ridiculous. As I recall, the Notre Dame team that broke UCLA's 88 game win streak was down 11 points with 3:28 to go -- impossible odds --I guess Patrick Leahy, Chris Dodd, and Howard Dean would have phoned up Digger Phelps and told him to pull his team off the floor because the situation was hopeless...

Besides the utter absurdity of this suggestion (You better quit now while you're gaining ground!) -- one thing that the media, the Democratic Party, and Mr. Obama's supporters utterly fail to grasp is the tremendous symbolic power Hillary Clinton's candidacy has taken on for millions of women. Whether she wins or loses the nomination, she has become a heroine to us for her toughness and courage in the face of terrible, personal, relentless attacks and the good-old-boy, locker-room atmosphere that surrounds them. Her fight is now our fight. If the Democratic Party forces her out now, before all the voters have had their say, we will not forgive the Democratic Party -- and we will certainly not forgive Mr. Obama.

Let the voters decide this. Or are they afraid of what the voters will decide?

[Not Again]

Ha Ha! The Clinton and Obama operatives have dominated this blog. Some of the Clinton ones, seem particularly nasty and some are definitely playing the "race bait" game.

My voting preference is: Obama, McCain, any Cartoon Character, any Circus Clown, That's All Folks!.

[R. Penmark]

What's her face needs to pack up her corrupt, baggage and get her LYING you-know-what off the campaign trail. NOW. Her tactics are tasteless and unnecessary, and an embarrassment to the Democratic Party.
She knows she's lost the race...it's all a sneaky, underhanded ploy to play the sympathy card and shirk additional funds out of all her oblivious supporters in an effort to recoup some of that $5 Million the Clintons "loaned" themselves (from who knows where because they won't release their filthy taxes), with interest (yes, charging her own campaign interest on the money she loaned it).

She will squeeze every drop of blood out of her brethren, and then conveniently drop out before she has to cough up those taxes. Then she’ll play the “unification” card, and thry to make it seem like she’s taken the high road. I can just see it now…the whole thing…playing out.

[virginia Hull]

Hillary Clinton poses a threat to much of the power elite. Her Healthcare plan is all that matters to most Americans. It is Mandated and Obama's is not. This is really way too soon to even ask this question. In fact it is quite suspicious. who paid for this poll. the American Medical Association? Virgini of VIRGINIAINC

[AG]

HILLARY IS A LIAR, AND A POWERMONGER!!!
BARACK SPEAKS TRUTH< HE IS THE FUTURE!!!
BARACK FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[susan]

Obama is really dishonest, refusing to count Florida and Michigan, which would put Hillary ahead. Florida is heavily Jewish and Cuban, two of her demographics, and she does well with blue collar whites, too. Plus pretty well with African Americans, at least until Obama started branding her a racist.

He's playing dishonest lots of ways: today on the View he told Barbara Walters and the gals that judging his spiritual mentor Wright by his hateful, anti-American, anti-white rants was like picking "the five worst moments" and judging someone for them. Yet, he's been beating on Geraldine Ferraro for her ONE statement that he's benefiting from being black at this particular time in history. (just as she was from being a woman 25 years ago -- but then it was a "statement," her ticket never had a chance.)

Lots of people including Maria Shriver, Eric Garcetti locally, etc., have said they're picking Obama because he "looks like America," which means his racial mix. He himself talked about it on the View and all the time -- but if anyone else does, he calls them racist. Totally two-faced and unfair.

First he denied he ever knew about Wright's racist rants, impossible to believe since they've been so close for 20 years. Now he's admitting he did, but has that sneaky excuse which only applies to Wright, not anyone else, certainly no one white like Ferraro or the Clintons, who's proven their non-racist creds back in the years when doing so meant a risk to their careers.

the View Website has an analysis of a book by Wright,and a CBS writer describes it as anti-American and full of racial divisiveness --- the stuff we've heard. (For all his supporters and Obama try to spin it, those rants sound exactly like what Osama Bin Laden's been saying.) But NOW that book has suddenly "disappeared" from the Trinity Church website! So much "transparency."

[Peter]

Jeff -

Please! Put down the red bull and look at something other than thesecret societyconspiracy.com. You're an idiot. For "thinking people" to maximize their wealth and well being it takes a program whereby everyone succeeds. You can't rape and pillage the masses and not have your own situation implode on you. You can be stupid and try- (ie the mortgage brokers of this last credit crisis) and in the short run you may be amass a small fortune but in the long run you 'll fall like a deck of cards. Go ask your mortage broker friend how hes been doing lately. Wealthy "thinking people" know this. Ask Bill Gates if he wants evreyone to be poor. Who will buy the latest most expensive technology? You are the least educated person on this blog.

[W.B. Robinson, Antelope, CA]

The most important thing is to drop the acrimony. We need to focus on the main goal -- to elect a Democratic President that has enough of a margin of victory to help create a Senate and House with large enough majorities to start rectifying all the damage done in the past eight years. The analogy of a football game, etc., that needs to be played until the bitter end is not persuasive for this incredibly drawn out primary system that exhausts far too many resources, human and financial, if it extends, like this one has, over so many months already.

[lorax]

Hillary should quit because of the racial hatred she is using as a campaign strategy. First Bill says Obama is black, like Al Sharption. No big deal his winning SC. Then Geraldine says, Obama is black. He is like an afirmative action candidate. Then Carville, says Gov. Richardson is a Judas. [Because he is betraying the "white" team - team Hillary?] Then Hillary, herself says she wouldn't have Rev. Wright as her pastor [if she was black, like Obama?] In her desparation she keeps reminding the voters that Obama is black (duh). The aim is crass racial politics. We should be done with this. We need to be done with this. She needs to quit because all she can do to stop Obama is to demean him and classify him as the black candidate. She has a fanatic following among women who will vote for a woman no matter how dirty she plays politics. And she wants to add white racists to her coalition. This is bad to the Democratic Party, bad for democracy, and bad for the country. HILLARY QUIT NOW!

[Kathye]

Mr. Malcolm:

With all due respect, many Clinton supporters are not the type who read blogs and get caught up in the Internet thing. Mature women, older voters, etc., are not going to vote in this poll of yours. So it's not surprising that Clinton's numbers are high.

The Dems are looking more appalling by the day. Wimps, all. I've never heard of such a thing as asking a candidate who is statistically even with the frontrunner to step down. Why? Because the young people will get disenfranchised with the system? Well, welcome to the real world. Fully half the Democratic voters think Barack Obama is not ready for the Presidency, myself included.

(Well, if someone doesn't want to come vote, I can't stop them. Thank YOU for coming though!)

I'll fully support Obama if he's the nominee. But how dare these politicians (Leahy, Dodd, Pelosi, et al.) try to circumvent the process and not allow the people to decide. Let the thing proceed.

[Magdalena]

The people who are calling for Hillary to step down are harming the Party, NOT Hillary. I believe this is a deliberate strategy to harm her campaign because they see that she could possibly pull it off. They are blaming her because Obama is down against McCain, not the fact that it has to do with the Wright issue, and they are worried for their own political skins because they are backing Obama.

She should stay in the race at the very least through April. This is a historic race and people are excited to have their voices heard. Trust in the democratic process. It will damage Obama's campaign if her supporters feel that she is being bullied to leave the race when it is still this close.

For true unity we need to feel that Obama has won the nomination fair and square, not brow beat Hillary and her followers into submission.

[Randy]

First, the comment made by "Jeff" is absolutely "TRUE."

For the life of me, I can't understand what exatly is the intellectual basis of this whole thing called ObamaMania.

I've listen to his speeches at least 50 times in it's entirety. I just don't see it.

Obama is an articulate and well connected politician (Kennedy, Kerry, Dodd, Richardson) within the Washington elite. The very thing he says he is not ... he truly is. He is a contnual contradiction.

What is TRULY difference between the Clinton and Obama?

Aside from one is appears to be a black male and the other appears to be a white female there really isn't much.

Let's look a little deeper... Hillary was the First Lady while Bill Clinton was President. Does Hillary have any experiences while as First Lady within the Clinton Administration that gives her a knowledgeable edge over Barack Obama.... PROBABLY. To what extent is this important... SOMEWHAT. What are the largest issues facing our nation and it's people right now.... THE ECONOMY, SOUTHWEST ASIAN WAR, ENERGY DEPENDENCE, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION.

With ALL OF THIS on the table... Based on past experience would another Clinton Administration be the stronger to manage our Government...PROBABLY.

The reason Obama is being favored by the Main Stream Media and the Multi-national Corporations is really quite simple:

1) Obama's appeal to the youth of this country is necessary to "lead them by the nose" through "inspirational" means. Lofty ideals that cost very little and at the same time drive an economic wedge between the young and old. Thereby accomplishing the governments goal of disenfranchising social security pensions.

2) Young people are the physical and emotional energy of a society. If angered they lash out marginalize industrys ability to maximize profits... Corporations a very scared of this scenario. Corporate interests like Obama's ability to motivate the youth coupled with the fact that he is also easily manipulated by Senior members of Congress.

3) And last but not least, THE REAL REASON.... Bill Clinton was a two-term President. By performing eight consecutive years as the Cheif Executive of the United States of America gave him and his wife (Hillary Clinton) vast "knowledge or the inner workings" of the entire goverment of the United States. NOW THIS MAY SHOCK YOU ALL.... Senior Members of Congress and Fortune 500 lobbyists are "really afraid" that Hillary Clinton will not need to ask them for much of anything ... Now, you might ask yourself, Why? Because they already have relationships with every major corporate stock holder on the planet, they know every leader of every country by first name, etc, etc, etc.... Do you get my meaning?

MORE IMPORTANTLY... SENATORS Kennedy, Kerry, Speaker Pelosi, etc. aren't able to hear that sweet "Ka-Ching sound."

WAKE-UP PEOPLE... "IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY, STUPID!"

Please don't wake-up when it's too late....

[douglas]

A fundamental U.S. right is that everybody is entitled to a fair (ideally, transparent) process. The Superdelegates, Michigan and Florida are much messier. Hillary is following rules - Michigan and Florida flaunted them, after signing on! Pennsylvania is a big deal. If Hillary wants to stand up, be heard, and give the voters a choice - then she should do so. And EVERYONE SHOULD LET HER. If the math can never add up, then she should graciously fold her hand. And I'm an Obama supporter! By the way, how long did Huckabee stay "in the race" when it was clear he could not win? Were people this vicious to him?

[Lourdes]

Let Hillary fight till the end, she has the right to do so. She is not hurting her party. What is she doing wrong? Staying in the race? Bravo for her. She is not intimidated by the boys. To the the women and men out there who support HILLARY, good for you for sticking to your choice. To Hillary: keep on fighting, like a Commander in Chief!

As for Obama, I sure don't like this guy. He isn't loyal to his own people, and he isn't a patriot. Don't you get it? Can you see his real colors? He has probably spent endless hours in front of the mirror drilling his personification of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to such perfection that nobody has noticed.He has taken Dr. King's messages and rewritten them so cleverly, that people believe he is genuine. He is not. He is fake.

If he gets elected, I sure hope to be wrong, for the sake of our country.

[vote?]

This isn't a vote. It's just comments. If you're going to advertise a vote, let people simply vote and show the results.

[myshiba]

Obama should drop out for the good of America and Americans.

[Frannie]

Hillary is the only viable candidate.
Too many patriotic citizens will not vote for Obama. He is unpatriotic and anyway not qualified to be President. Bye, bye Barry, bye, bye.

[goldenstate]

Hillary should stay in. Rev. Wright has already destroyed Obama's chances of becoming President. There's too much animosity between Obama supporters and Hillary supporters for a Democrat to win. I think McCain will be the next President.

[skm]

Most certainly STAY and she will get to be the POTUS.

Hillary's 40 references speak loudly to her character. www.thehillaryiknow.com. It is refreshing to have a genuine public servant who has really served the country to be running.

On the other hand, the more we have seen of Barack -- Rezko, Wright, Wright's newsletter with Hamas Manifesto reprint, Auchi, Ayers, Odengo and Barrack's role in Odinga election in Kenya, Meeks and the lies about the year his parents met, the hiding of the middlename and Arab descent, sitting by hateful and anti-American sermons for 20 years, a wife who is not proud to be an American, a redefnition and narrow scoping of hope and unity --- it is all adding up to a "hope chest" without a blue print and a lot of empty rhetoric. So, the more we have seen this, the less we have liked him.

Hillary, your staying in this contest is a national service all by itself. Kudos to you for hanging in there.
I took another look at your plans and solutions in www.hillaryclinton.com/issues and they are even more relevant today. I thank you for your call to Pres. Bush to do some constructive things that you laid out in your Economic Plan for America during your talk last week; particularly appreciate your urging him to act without delay.

You have gained respect and admiration around the world through your innumerable visits and liaison activities with various dignatories.. an experience base that will be critical to building allies and bringing the war to a finish.. and transitioning responsibility to the UN/NATO led peacekeeping forces. Your plan for withdrawal in 60-days is doable IF YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT...AND WE WANT TO BRING BACK OUR SOLDIERS SOOON! Meanwhile, you have worked hard with us to help keep the soldiers safe from IED's and we appreciate that greatly.

You are ready to be COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF and ECONOMIST-IN-CHIEF. You are ready to be the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD.. and the world will view us with greater respect because you will be our leader.

Hillary, you are not only ready, you are READY ON DAY1... You are READY FOR A RUNNING START ON DAY1..

[Cung]

The contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is like the fight between "Beauty and the Beast." Eventually, Hillary, the beauty, will prevail. And she will easily knock out McCain as well. Indeed, she will be THE female president America has awaited since more than 200 years.

[Pat Broussard]

Why not ask Obama to withdraw from the race instead of asking Hillary Clinton to?

[Willy]

Stay in Hill and run the Democratic party, the party of racists and sex maniacs into the dirt. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of idiots!

[JanetP]

How dare Leahy tell the millions of people supporting Sen. Clinton that their time is up? They are supporting with their time, talent and treasure the candidate who represents their interest in this country. This is the American way and it will not be dictated by a supporter of Obama who is trying to influence the election with his sophomoric stunts.

[Anna]

Both are rotten but OBAMA is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Let Hillary run.

The USA has got to be out of it's mind putting OBAMA up for President. You cant keeo exporting your pollution, your economic greed (and global crisis) your ENRONS, your social obliivion and now THIS to the rest of the world. You just had 911 and now this??! Your own Muslim madman as President? This is the result of too much hippy sex and LSD in the 60s? More Hippy mistakes we have to suffer for? Total f'n madness. The USA has no idea what it is doing anymore. It is the BEAST. That's what we all call it now. The BEAST. No one wants to migrate there except from the 3rd world. Look at yourselves.

[Juanita]

If the primary continues --McBush will win

Clinton has been lying about her "experience" from day one. Americans cannot afford a President who lies for no reason in the White House anymore.

[vertigate]

Let's hear what the people who have worked with Hillary have to say about her qualifications.

Clinton administration veteran and Berkeley economist Bradford Delong:

"My 2 cents' worth and I think it is the 2 cents' worth of everybody who worked for the Clinton Administration health care reform effort of 1993-1994 is that Hillary Rodham Clinton needs to be kept very far away from the White House for the rest of her life.

Heading up health-care reform was the only major administrative job she has ever tried to do and she was a complete flop at it. She had neither the grasp of policy substance, the managerial skills, nor the political smarts to do the job she was then given. And she wasn't smart enough to realize that she was in over her head and had to get out of the Health Care Czar role quickly. There is no reason to think she would be anything but an abysmal president"

I find the last part particularly interesting:

"And she wasn't smart enough to realize that she was in over her head and had to get out of the Health Care Czar role quickly."

Kind of reminiscent of the current situation. She seems delusional about her own importance and abilities. Kind of like living in a dreamworld dodging sniper bullets.

[Char]

Bottomline-

Hillary can fight on as long as she wants. It is your money and her time. But you all should wake up, there is no way you can honestly think that Obama's lead in states, votes, and delegates is not going to garner him the nomination. How will they explain that to his supporters?

"Yeah he won by all parameters, but we don't trust your judgement so we the superdelegates decided to dishonor you and give it to Hilary instead."

Not likely at all. They would have no justification and half of the party super pissed off at them. If he wins it fair and square, why not be the good democrat you are and vote the way of the party? I really feel like Hillary lacks character and social skills. But if the Democrats across America chose her through popular vote and pledged delegates, I would most likely vote for her before I would vote for McCain.

But if there is something sneaky done. I and many others would not vote democrat for many elections to come. All it would do is show that Democrats don't value the voice of the people.

[Democrat]

I think democrats need to focus on winning 2/3 majority in the house and senate. McCain will easily beat Obama. Obama will never recover from 20 year alliance with Minister Wright. Obama is now unelectable. 30% or more of her supporters will not support Obama. He will lose NY,NJ, California, Ohio, Penn,Fllorida , Michigan. the Pols who endorsed him are going to live to reget it as more and more judgement and character defects in the Obama profile in opportunism emerge. Obama is beginning to remind me of Albert Speer and His lack of moral compass. Clinton, whatever her defects is a viable candidate for an electoral college win. Best to let this go to the convention. There may be a need to select a neutral, not Clinton, not Obama candidate to unite the party. Possibly Al Gore. I think it is going to be hard for many life long democrats who support Hillary to overlook Obama's record of poor choices and poor judgements. if Oprah had the good judgement to disavow Rev Wright years before, doesn't this indicatete that there was something pretty obviously wrong in that church for all to see. yes, Obama may be attracting new voters but he is driving out more voters as well. maybe we need a deadlock at the convention to save us. al gore can win and party leaders need to consider drafting him and presuade Obama to back Gore.

[jeff]

Peter! Glad you felt up to responding! I offer you another suggestion. Instead of presuming you understand things that you likely know little to nothing about, such as your presuming to know about my education and even of all the others of the blog, use your energy to research some facts. Sorry, but as to your references to conspiracy dot com and redbull.., I am not up with you on those.

[hipelayne]

You have GOT to be kidding! Get over yourselves Oblama supporters! Quit drinking the kool-aid - it makes you do stupid things! With all the baggage Oblama has - his murderous cousin in kenya you know, the one he took time out of campaining in New Hampshire to go support when he was stealing his election, Rezko, Wright (nice $1.6 m house Rev!) Emil Jones, shady elections in Illinois - do you really, honestly, think that he and his racist wife are fit to live in the White House? Try drinking coffee instead of the kool-aid - it'll wake you up!

[Pete]

Even though I am an Obama supporter I don't believe that Clinton should be forced (somehow) to stop her campaign for the presidency. It is her right to try to take the nomination by a political "knife fight" at the convention. If I were in her position that is what I would try for. Unfortunately that could really hurt the party. I support Obama because I believe that undecideds/independents will be more likely to vote for Obama than for Clinton in November. I hope that this all works out OK. I also hope the ground opens up and swallows Ralph Nader. He really screwed things up for the liberals in 2000 and it looks like he's going to do it again this year.

As for Michigan and Florida they didn't play by the rules. They tried to jump to the front of the line. They just ended up shafting themselves. Actions have consequences.

[Tantirc]

Democrats sounds un democrat when they ask Hillary to withdraw, if her team was prepared she would have won the caucuses, other then caucuses where he won and Black votes, which won more than 100%, People Who are opposed to Hillary contesting democratically for her nomination are very un-democrats, who wants Power, until know If any one watch closely knows, Obama’s supporters and the media manipulating and working hard she will not won Including many Democrats, Obama Wins the nomination with his cunning, manipulation he will ruin America. There are so many Senators who are showing there color’s who really they are. All Hillary’s voters should Vote to any Worthy independent. Fight to the End Hillary, Vote Hillary. Open your Eyes, Move.org and others, Obama is Opportunist and the people who support wants there Own Way. Support Hillary

[obama 08]

To Jim Angone, you're a complete loser. You would vote for McCain if Hillary can't steal the nomination? Come on, you would vote for a candidate that said he would keep American troops in Iraq for 100 years? And, what's with the people saying that Obama is blocking votes in Michigan and Florida?

[john]

we all know if hillary gets out Mccain will win. we all know thats what bush wants he knows obama has no chance of winning no white american nor hispanic will vote for him. i am 22 years old black male i dont think i will see a black president running this country in my life time i dont think white people are ready to see a black man run this country. good luck obama i dont think you have a chance

[Dr. Jesse Kally-Williams]

On reflecting on the questions of true leadership, I am often tempted to turn to the Bible or Socrates'life or Shakespeare or Francis Bacon or Tolstoy’s depiction of Kutuzov. But we live in an age dominated by American pop culture – especially the pop philosophy and aesthetics of Hollywood. And Hilary is right to say "I love long movies". The difference is that the world is more than just a movie, notwithstanding, this is where we must begin. In our age youths no longer try to read Francis Bacon's The Essays or Tolstoy's War and Peace. People nowadays turn to fiction in films. So be it.
For me the greatest actor in our days is Anthony Hopkins, but Al Pacino could often shine brilliantly. In the climax of the film Scent Of Woman, Lt. Frank Slade, remarkably played by Al Pacino, was forced to defend truth and expose on leadership. The paradox of corrupt leadership in the film is depicted when Trask refers to Charlie, Mr. Sims, as “a cover-up artist and a liar”. And Frank Slade rightly retorts: “This is such a crock of shit!”
Hilary now assures her party: “we are going to be fine”. I don’t think so. She and her husband have destroyed the vital parts of the ship already. You do not resort to the path of calumny and then say “We are going to be fine”. What type of model are they serving their daughter, when they seek to destroy their comrade by canvassing for McCain?
In the words of Frank Slade, “…when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall”. I think that policy makers and architects of political discourse must be careful the path they use to reach their goals. Without principles, without truthfulness, integrity and even the courage to lose with grace, you’re only laying false foundations for future disasters. For these virtues are the stuff true leaders are made of. A good politician like Blair abandoned this path and chose rather to tie his wagon to a mediocre (Bush) and resorted to the path of deception and lies. History will judge Blair severely. The path is as important as the journey's end. To rephrase the words of Al Pacino, the world is telling Americans, including the Clintons, that they hold Obama’s political destiny in their hands. It promises great things for America and the world. Don't mess it up, protect and embrace it. “It's going to make you proud one day...I promise you.“

[EJLima]

The Cllinton regime has become the suicide bomb of the democratic party. The Bush regime is the suicide bomb of the USA. The voters get to
"Obama us alll"

[TR]

BECAUSE I am an Obama supporter I think, of course, Hillary should continue on. Yes, it's more messy than a dictatorship or coronation - that's why it's called democracy (see how efficient the Republicans are?) We are not installing the next King - We are not voting for Jesus. Let the nomination process continue (and, no, Barack did NOT stop FL and MI - learn why FL and MI were not counted and still not and then get back - do your homework).

Speaking to those who think Barack is just pulling the wool over our eyes and "manipulating the youth", I am a middle-aged, independent voter who's "been-there, done-that", is far past the innocence of youth and knows very well who pulls the strings in this country and am looking forward to voting for Barack again in November.

[Ray]

It is absurd to ask a candidate that is still close in popular votes and delegates to drop out. Just what are the BO supporters and the media so afraid of?

[Steve Wimer]

Anyone who thinks Hillary Clinton is going to quit simply does not know much about the woman. I want to know why Obama is not forced to quit. He sits twenty years in an anti-American racist church, and has the gall to run for office of President of the United States? As Shakespeare once wrote, "Have people lost all their reason? Are they mad?"

[Marcelo Facatutti]

Mrs Clinton is by far more prepared to be the USA president. She take chances and vote for or against. Now, Mr Barack Hussein Obama preferes "present" to avoid controversy.
Mr Hussein is the one that should quit the race.

[joseph marcucil;li]

If Obama hates whites I guess he would need to hate himself.What stupidity and complete lack of logic.He has been in office for12 years,show me one example where he voted against Israel while in the Senate.Bloomberg likened him to Lincoln.

[Josh Geller]

Either Democrat would be a disaster for the country. Pull out of Iraq now, go back within the next fifteen years. Better just to stay and finish the job.

Clinton would be a measurably worse disaster than Obama (you will purchase medical insurance, tovarisch).

McCain '08!

.

[JC]

Hillary stated that she's in this for the long run for her supporters. But given:

1) she can't win
2) drawing this out is giving the Republicans clear sailing (Obama and Hillary are spending more time and effort on each other rather than McCain)

It appears that her actions show that she's really in this for herself and not her party.

[Nic]

I'm shocked that Democratic officials such as Pelosi and Dean, Dodd and Richardson have even hinted at the idea that Clinton step down.

The rules:

No Candidate wins the nomination without 2,025 delegates

The nomination is NOT won based on a 'winner takes all' formula

should there be a 'tie' in votes between candidates, SUPERDELEGATES will be brought in and asked to decide.

If the Democratic party DID NOT have superdelegates in place, it might be fair to say 'step down Hillary' but the fact is that they ARE. Their sole purpose in this process is to act should the sort of current situation arise. To ask Hillary to step down seems to me like the most blatant, hypocritical rule breaking I have seen in this race. Only this time, it hasn't come from either candidate.

SHAME ON YOU DEMOCRATIC 'ELDERS'

[Conchita Vecchio]

Geez, then the Obama people say it's Clinton who uses Tonya Harding - like tactics? This is schoolyard bullying at its most explicit. Obviously, the fear from the Obama camp is quite palpable if they are begging her to quit. Should Hillary Clinton not get the nomination because of the illicit, Chicago-style dirty politicking used Obama and his freak show, I have no choice but to vote for Mc Cain, even if I am a life-long Democrat. As an American I have a duty to vote for an American. Obama is an indecipherable enigma when it comes to his allegiance to this country.