Why Barack Obama fears a sudden end to Hillary Clinton's campaign

"The Democratic race now moves to West Virginia," Jay Leno noted during his monologue Thursday night on "The Tonight Show." "Today, Hillary Clinton claimed she always wanted to be a coal miner. But those dreams were dashed when she was forced to attend Wellesley and Yale."

The political focus now does, indeed, shift to the Mountaineer State for its primary there next Tuesday. And then Kentucky and Oregon and Puerto Rico down to the very end in Montana on June 3 when springtime there is just weeks away.

The Times' not-so-old political pro, Mark Z. Barabak, had an interesting conversation with another not-so-old political pro, Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist who cut his presidential political teeth in the 1980 Jimmy Carter campaign. Later he worked in the unsuccessful presidential efforts of Al Gore and John Kerry. Devine is not involved with any candidate this time around.

But the way he sees the inevitable delegate math in favor of Barack Obama and the current Democratic race ending is, counterintuitively, the worst thing that could happen to the Illinois senator in....

this marathon and often bitter struggle between the two Democratic survivors is what so many party members are already unthinkingly clamoring for: Clinton to drop out right now. ASAP.

Why?

Because with her name still on the ballots, she'd be very likely to go on and win in West Virginia anyway, even as a dropout. And maybe Kentucky too, given the demographics in both places. And possibly Puerto Rico as well.

How would that look if at the end of the Democratic race the winning candidate with clearly the most delegates and popular votes went down to defeat against a candidate who isn't even in the contest anymore? Ouch! That would tend to overshadow his expected wins in Oregon and Montana.

In fact, although little noticed because the Republican race had long been over, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, won his Pennsylvania primary with 73% of the vote. To be sure, thousands of Republicans crossed over to vote in the more interesting Democratic contest for whatever reason.

But put another way, the surefire Republican nominee lost about 27% of his own party's vote to a candidate who had long since dropped out (ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee) and a Republican rebel who never really had any chance of winning (Rep. Ron Paul).

"If [Obama] lost to a candidate who's withdrawn, that would hurt him a lot," says Devine. "And there's a good chance that could happen."

Better, he figures, for the former first lady to remain in the race a couple more weeks at least, as long as she recalibrates her rhetorical cannons at McCain and President Bush, instead of her party's new presumptive presidential candidate.

That would, of course, require at least a tacit admission of defeat by Clinton. Let's all hold our breath for that to happen.

Obama seems to recognize this. At a fundraiser in Washington's Union Station last night with cheese and crackers and fruits for a minimum $1,000, he told supporters, "The nomination doesn't take place in August -- it takes place until August."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: AP

Comments

[John]

Hillary must get out of the race sooner than later to save her face and the Clinton legacy. Enough of this prolonged distractions and divisions with the Democratic Party. The Democrats must now unite with Obama!

[sweets]

Will the Republican Candidate, Senator McCain be and his party be smart enough to run the former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate of Mr. Global Warming himself as their own Vice Presidential Candidate to pick up Clinton supporters/voters after Obama nomination?

[dave]

though immensely moderate, without a modicum of modesty, preliminary quasi-modo-nominee by vice or virtue of decree - mccain aka the presumptuous... and then there is, running for PRESIDENT, RON PAUL, wise 'rock of ages,' young at heart, and brilliant mind.
in looking for betterment, it makes sense not to repeat the negative examples, but look for positive solutions;
and it makes one wonder, how long will a hundred million educated people, at behest of nebulous 'authority,' stop to count at THREE - when clearly there are FOUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES left in the race? and who's to say you're not free to assess in depth what each one of them is up to, and then - vote your conscience and the future of your country, and the freedom of your mind? in the end, it's up to you.

[maz hess]

Hillary owes to her backers and investors to stay in this race till to the convention. On the other hand her first steps in national politics were campaigning for George McGovern in 1972. He lost the election under her eyes in the end because he was forced before to fight till to the convention. The earliest memories are the dearest. That is why I would bet that she will not going on fighting to the convention. Because in doing so she would betray the young idealistic woman she once had been. That was also what McGovern yesterday tried to tell her. But she didn't get to the phone.

[Jake]

This article doesn't make sense. Hillary can't overcome Obama unless she wins 75% of every remaining primary. That's not going to happen. Get over it.

[wilma miller]

As a Scottish woman who was in Chicago for my son's graduation last year I saw the first debates in which all the candidates took part. Hillary Clinton was by far the most able and articulate and Mr Obama was really nowhere.Watching from this side of the world it all reminds me of past Democratic campaigns where they were it seems determined to pick a candidate who wouldn't win the election. The media in this country have also gone overboard for Obama and dismissed Clinton for weeks/months. It all looks quite sad to me though I hope it won't end that way and that he will somehow get those votes in the end. Maybe if she becomes vice presidential candidate?

[phil]

The central thesis of this piece is wrong. Democrats would not continue voting for Hillary in large numbers if she dropped out- certainly not in large enough numbers to let her win. Look at Indiana, where she was supposed to be strong... she won by barely 2%, and she was still in the race.

This piece and the conclusions it draws are wrong.

[IG]

Interesting point. But Hillary was again making remarks about how low income white voters won't vote for Obama and Bill Clinton going around telling people who knows what. I think that leaves more permanent damage to Obama in the general election than embarrassment from losing to an absent candidate now.

[Robert]

As you all must know - Hillary supporters, I being one of them, will NEVER EVER vote for Obama or back him. Wait and see how the liberal messiah is crusified if and when he gets the nomination. Republicans are going to eat him alive and it will be televised.

[Alex]

Sweets, I am encouraged by your suggestion that John McCain should employ Al Gore as his vice-presidential nominee. Can you imagine how desperate and hopeless republicans must be to 1) seriously consider that and 2) think that Al Gore would ever do such a thing.

Hillary Clinton can stay in the race as long as she wants as long as she is no longer ripping apart Obama, her only chance of getting back to the White House.

With the recent congressional wins for democrats in historically very conservative districts across our land, I think we all feel what is coming, CHANGE.

[How Hillary Will Beat Obama and WIN]

News Flash- Clinton drops the DNC, runs for President as an Independent, beats Obama and McCain in the general election. Obama cannot win without her supporters. McCain loses because his stance on war. The United States Economy is saved. GO HILLARY.

[Kelley Ritchey]

This argument makes some sense. We at Political Roads expect the recent primaries to severely restrict the inflow of cash to fund the campaign. But otherwise there is nothing inherently wrong with Clinton staying in the race- particularly if the attacks on Obama are muted.

The gain for the Democrats under such a scenario is more Democratic voters in the Fall without the decisiveness that has surfaced at times.

[Cynic]

Well then, Robert... you and your ilk my well be responsible for four more years of Bush policies and a Supreme Court filled with Neanderthals. Hillary will not win the nomination; her chances are virtually nil. But she will be part of the administration. So vote for a different direction, and hope for a change, or vote for GWB3 and more of the same.

[Technocrat]

"As you all must know - Hillary supporters, I being one of them, will NEVER EVER vote for Obama or back him. Wait and see how the liberal messiah is crusified if and when he gets the nomination. Republicans are going to eat him alive and it will be televised.

Posted by: Robert | May 09, 2008 at 05:03 AM "

So you'd rather have four more years of Republican rule, 100 more years in Iraq, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran" and a faltering economy still far too dependent on oil to dig its way out of a recession coupled with a president who is in the pocket of oil interests than Obama who shares about 90% of the same views as Clinton?

I ask this with all seriousness: Are you peeved because Clinton got out-manned, out-funded, out-organized, and many times out-classed? I don't understand why hardline Clinton Democrats hate Obama unless it is a case of sour grapes.

[Roger Bruce Feinman, J.D.]

I've been expressing similar sentiments both online and off since Wednesday. Clinton's last best hope is to suspend her campaign, keep her pledged delegates in line, and leave the field entirely to Obama for the next three to three-and-one-half months.

First, she's already made her argument that generational and ethnic divides make Obama's electability in the general questionable, and there's little reason to throw good money after bad to hammer away repeatedly at that same point.

Second, leaving the field to Obama will subject him to the kind of media scrutiny he hasn't had to face during her presence as a foil.

Finally, the public and the superdelegates will be better able to gauge Obama's strength (or weakness), and how he stacks up in their minds against McCain, with Clinton effectively out of the race.

[Jaap den Haan]

Edmund Hillary was the first to reach the top of the Mount Everest. A Tibetan woman has carried the Olympic torch to the top of the world, while at the same time Hillary Clinton who was named after the above admittedly seems to have lost the Democratic presidential nomination in the U.S.

[Jack Straw]

It really doesn't matter when HRC drops out. Obama will never be elected in November. I, like many of the HRC supporters, will never vote for Obama. How can he win w/o FL, MI, OH & PA. Good luck Barry - you'll need it.

[Joyce]

Let me ask you one question;
If the shoe were on the other foot and Obama had Hillary’s numbers – would anyone tell him to drop out? Would all hell break lose if we didn’t count the Michigan and Florida voters for him? Is this Political fear of the black backlash? Are we going to elect a President based on fear or competency?
And speaking of AUDACITY - I can't believe that he plans to CLAIM THE NOMINATION on MAy 20th, this is just shows again how arrogant he is. He can certainly give a good speech but it ends there and ends for the Democrats if he is the nominee
He won't get my vote!

[Judy Brown]

Arrogance is an amazing thing. This Democratic Primary Campaign has produced behavior in adults usually seen in children. To see this behavior, all one must do is wear a Hillary pin, cap, shirt or display a bumper sticker on your car.
The first time I was flipped off I was surprised, same thing the first time another driver cut me off or wouldn't let me merge. I've actually had drivers endanger many of us, to cut in front of me. Then there was the guy @ Costco that screamed LOSER at the sight of my Hillary T-shirt. There are many more incidents. That however, is not the point--the point is all these happenings draw more attention to the supporters of this candidate that has listened to his pastor damn America, associate with William Ayers, and marry a woman who only recently became proud of OUR country. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States, and anyone that believes the patriotic hardworking Americans will elect this man to be our next President are not paying attention.

[Karen chadwick]

Yes we would continue to vote for her, because she is the only person that is running that we trust. So Obama has a lot to fear. Even if obama wins, i will vote for Hillary. Any man that goes to a church for 20 year, based on hatred of our country, is not going to come on with a big smile, and say he didnt know anything. That is bull, and a lot to fear, and i am not living as an american under his reign. NO thank you.

[Mediator]

I think that the polls show that more Hillary supporters would not vote for Obama than the reverse speaks to the level of reason and awareness of the Obama supporter to realize that the direction of the country with a Democrat in the White House is more important than personal differences of the candidates. It is an amazing paradox that those in ignorance about this fact do not see that their stoic backing of HIllary to the point of not voting for the Democrat, are the same people who will be amazed when nothing is solved in Congress, or in the country, simply because leaders won't be flexible.

This has been one of my main attractive qualities of Obama. He is able to relate to a great many people, though he may have differing opinions then they do. He truly seems to strive to understand their motivations, in an effort to find common ground. I think it's a lesson that all of us could learn, and grow from as an example.

One other thing. I feel Obama is a true leader, even without the backing of the win just yet. I have yet to see Hillary have a definitive speech debated across the land, that may live far beyond this election cycle, about any of her supposed drawbacks (Bosnia, Shooting as a child, etc). But Obama commanded the national stage that day when he first addressed Rev. Wright and the racial divide in this country. That is true leadership, regardless of delegate counts, and IMO deserves the office, and the chance to inspire all of us to get along and better ourselves, the nation, and the free world.

[Gloria Cordova, Ph.D.]

It continues to amaze me that journalists and others seem to take to themselves the right to predict what is and what is not the inevitable! The people who are waiting to vote and to have their voices heard determine what is! Let them be heard and let them vote! That is their right!

[mkreyns]

Conversely Obama will have a disatrous end to his campaign due to his scandals. This will all backfire on him.

[charleschaplin]

The talking-heads were as giddy like apes! Oh, my goodness─ this “madness” or the “frenzy” that seized the media people after Sen. Obama’s win in North Carolina reminds me of the same madness and the flag-waving frenzy that seized us as we marched into Baghdad. It’s sobering to remember these are the same media people who cheered us into the quagmire in Iraq, now doing the same song and dance thing for Sen. Obama. Some of it Sen. Obama deserves but most of it done with such vulgarity and such gaudiness, if I were Sen. Obama I would cringe, for their poor taste for one, and secondly, believe me you don’t want some of these people to be on your side. But on the whole, I am afraid for sake of our country, when I think what’s ahead for us! What I fear is when people are acting so irrational and when their reasoning and logic is so lopsided, usually there’s a big let down or a tragedy around the corner! The American media has become a fertile ground for most irrational observers. They do a spectacularly poor job of interpreting the meaning and significance of events. They are not skillful independent observers who are trying to inform and educate the public, so that we in the public make informed choices. But these people are doing their political hatchet work, masquerading as reporters, observers, and commentators. I don’t know where the news organizations find these people. You don’t know what their qualifications are for what they are entrusted to do where they were educated and what they studied. The way they spin things! Some of them even lack the basic skills observing event and making a right kind of inference, like a doctor making a diagnosis! While they themselves spin out of control, they forget there are several sides to an issue or an event. Soberness and good judgment has gone out of fashion and replaced by fantasy and image consciousness. What a prescription for a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions! The irrationality of our media is a terrible misfortune for our whole country. If Sen. Obama wants to clean up “Washington politics” first of all Sen. Obama should try to convince the big media establishment to do some house cleaning. Since the media is supporting him, I don’t think Sen. Obama thinks there’s anything wrong with the media. That why Rev. Wright called Sen. Obama “a politician.” Sen. Obama knows that he has some ways to go to secure his nomination by getting the necessary number of delegates, which he has not been able to accomplish so far. He needs super delegates as much as Sen. Clinton does. And long before the contest was even half-way over one talking-head after another in the media started demanding Sen. Clinton to drop out! Sen. Obama’s win in North Carolina gave him a chance to look good in the aftermath of a long losing streak of most important states like Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania. It was obvious that N. Carolina vote was primarily along the racial lines. 92% of Black Americans voting for Sen. Obama but 40% white voters. But I am astonished by the rather vulgar exaggerations and hype of the media to make it look like the nomination race was over, when Sen. Obama has not even reached the needed number of delegates! They go to extremes to illustrate their points! For example Lee Cowen of NBC upgraded “North Carolina” to the category of a major battle-ground state! But obviously Sen. Obama again lost the Reagan Democrats, elderly voters, working Americans, women and so on. And without them he can’t obviously win the White House, even if he’s the nominee. That’s how desperate these media people are to promote and prop up Sen. Barack Obama, and spin even a rather many sided event into “a big deal” for Sen. Obama. And at the same time even big deal for Sen. Clinton get slighted and dismissed. All Democrats should support Sen. Clinton just to demonstrate the fact we don’t tolerate such unfairness in a democracy such as ours! Remember these are the same people who took us over the cliff in Iraq. I like to invite the readers to go to Real Clear Politics. com and do their own research and find out what’s really going on. On one on one, if you take major battle ground states, such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan Sen. Clinton is doing much better against John McCain than Sen. Obama. Sen. Obama may have some delegate lead, but he’s not doing as well as the media wants you to believe. And of course DNC is full of spectacular losers like John Kerry, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, Bill Richardson, and Joe Andrew and many, many others who helped the Republicans to stay in power and devastate our country in their own special and creative ways. They just might do it again! They just might do it again, and help facilitate George Bush's 3rd term by nominating Sen. Obama. In the last analysis, I think, that's why the media is supporting and overwhelmingly cheering for Sen. Obama and trying rid of Sen. Clinton as soon as possible; they know that Sen. Clinton is the real threat to the Republicans. They know Sen. Obama can’t win the big race.

[Ron]

Hey Robert.... The good thing about the internet is there is such a thing as spell check.... you might want to start using it. I would like to think that you are a Democrat, but I don't think so. If you belonged to our Party you would know that the most important decision that the next President will make is appointing Supreme Court judges. If you still want to vote for McCain, you have no understanding of the political system.... so you must be a Republican pretending to be a Democrat, as long as no one can see you.

[Jackie]

Hillary should not quit just because Obama supporters say so. If they are so sure of him; why are they afraid of her? I am also one of the million Hillary supporters that will never vote for Obama because he is not Presidential quality or maybe he is. He is a lying, underhanded candidate, and I wouldn't elect him if he was the last man standing.
Obama Lies - Updated to reflect new dishonesties 04/02/2008
Posted by adminMarch 31, 2008OBAMA LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES ( 67 lies and counting
as of April 02, 2008)
1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961
- Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth,
who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most
corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila
Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election
in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat
prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity
wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from
which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and
so is Obama.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you
were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife
made you change, so you could run for office.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim
there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own
book).
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the
language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - LIAR, you
were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What
did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and
the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the
planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion - LIAR, you were quite
content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of
struggle to identify - your classmates said you were just fine.
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office - LIAR, Ebony has yet to find
the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life - LIAR, Life has yet to
find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 - LIAR, here you are, despite
saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you
are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois - LIAR, they are common for YOU, but
not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted - LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats,
did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill - LIAR, you didn’t write
it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass - LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to
finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill - LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own
party for its pandering and lack of all regulation - mainly because of your
Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records - LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you
sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special
interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess - LIAR, you were part of a
large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone
else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America - LIAR, your 111 economic policies were
just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your
own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois - LIAR, even your own supporters
claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year - LIAR, they were not YOUR bills,
but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist
you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA - LIAR, the Candian Government issued
the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism - LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on
terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet - LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead
terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and
he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida - LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12
times per day for two weeks - and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan - LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada - LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count - LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide - LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote,
confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows
of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate - LIAR, you passed 26, most of which
you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend - LIAR, that friend is threatening to
sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics - LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate
Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money - LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists - LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad - LIAR, your own campaign
worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace - LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued
a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words - LIAR, you inspire people with other
people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate - LIAR, you have passed A BILL in
the U.S. Senate - for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote
against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who
seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your
departure date - AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care - LIAR, your plan leaves us
all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail - LIAR, both
companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record
of any such letter ever being created or sent.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone - LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t
put your hand over your heart during the Anthem.
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country - LIAR, your
wife’s words follow lock-step in the vein of Wright and Farrahkan, in relation
to their contempt and hatred of America.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support - LIAR, your wife has received
nearly a quater of a million dollars through Treehouse, which is connected to
Wal-Mart.
51.) Treehouse Is A Small Company - LIAR, the CEO of Treehouse last year, made
more than the CEO of Wal-Mart, according to public records.
52.) University Of Chicago Hospital Pay Is Fair - LIAR, your wife’s pay raise
was nearly 150% her already bloated rate and the hospital is a Non-Profit
Hospital, which made $100,000,000 in the last 3 years. They overcharge blacks VS
whites for services, and overcharge everyone in general by 538%!
53.)I Barely Know Rezko - Only 5 Billed Hours - LIAR, you have known him for 17
years, and decided to do a real estate deal with him during a time when he was
proven to be under investigation. Despite this, you divided your property and
had them take off $300K before the mortgage problems started. Then Rezko’s wife
buys the lot beside it that you can’t afford, saving you $625,000.
54.) My Donations Have Been Checked Thoroughly - LIAR, you only gave back Hsu
($72K) and Rezko (first $66K, then when caught lying $86K, then when caught
lying again $150K and now caught lying YET AGAIN OBAMA, it’s $250k) their money
when publically called on their involvement in your campaigns.
55.) My Church Is Like Any Other Christian Church - LIAR, your church is so
extreme, the pastor who married you, Rev. Wright, just got done blaming the US
for 9/11 and named Louis Farrahkan their person of the year.
56.) I Disagree With My Church All The Time - LIAR, you still have yet to
repudiate Wright, who married you and your wife, and you still donate large sums
of money to assist the church in furthering its message - hatred and revenge.
You donated in 2006 alone, $22,500 to the church that you so terribly disagree
with. That is nearly $500 PER WEEK - that sure is disagreement, Senator Obama.
57.) I Have Clean Connections Despite Rezko - LIAR, you are not only connected
to Exelon and Rezko, you are also connected to Hillary PAC supporter Mr. Hsu,
AND an Iraqi Billionaire of ill repute, Nadhmi Auchi, who ripped off people in
the Food For Oil, Iraqi deal. Seems Mr. Auchi may have helped Obama buy his
million dollar property long before Obama had millions of dollars. Wonder what
favors Mr. Auchi expects, when Obama leaves Iraq free to be taken over by
special interests such as him.
58.) I never heard sermons like Rev. Wright’s, that have been in videos all day,
You Tube - LIAR! 3 days later during your Mea Culpa BS speech you said “Did I
hear controversial statements while I sat in that church? Yes I did.”
59.) The Passport Invasion is a conspiracy to find dirt on me! - LIAR. Your own
Campaign Foreign Policy Advisor is the CEO of the company that looked into your
records. PS - You had them look into yours to hide the fact you looked into
Clinton’s and McCain’s more than a year before!
60.) Rev. Meeks has nothing to do with my campaigning - LIAR. Rev. Meeks
appeared in ads for your Senate Campaign, donated to you, and helped raise
money, then AND NOW. PS - He also seems to despise America.
61.) My wife didn’t mean America is ignorant, she was just using a phrase -
LIAR. Again, MicHELLe’s comments perfectly sync with Wright’s, Meeks’, and
Farrakhans, both in language, anger, and direction.
62.) I am very Anti-Terror - LIAR. [03/30/2008] One of your good pals is long
time radical and terrorist William Ayers, with whom you have been seen in the
last 12 months and who has helped the now jailed khalidi, Professor at Columbia
who invited Ahmadinejad to the University, to raise money for Palestinian
terrorism attacks against Israel. PS - Your church published a pro Hamas
Manifesto - guess you weren’t there on THAT Sunday either? How lucky for you.
63.) I have the best plan to cure the Mortgage Crisis - LIAR. [03/30/2008] You
and your campaign buddy Penny SubPrime Bank Collapse Prizker have had your
little fingers full of subprime cash - Obama has taken $1,180,103 from the top
issuers of subprime loans: Obama received $266,907 from Lehman, $5395 from GMAC,
$150,850 from Credit Suisse First Boston, $11,250 from Countrywide, $9052 from
Washington Mutual, $161,850 from Citigroup, $4600 from CBASS, $170,050 from
Morgan Stanley, $1150 from Centex, and last but certainly NOT LEAST - Obama
received $351,900 from Goldman Sachs. I am sure that cash all came from folks
who knew the subprime loan they had was a dream, eh?
64) I played greater role in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death
penalty and abortion - LIAR - [03/31/2008] It was found that Obama — the day
after sitting for the interview — filed an amended version of the questionnaire,
which appears to contain Obama’s own handwritten notes added to one answer. Read
Obama had greater role on liberal survey
65) I did NOT play the race card: - LIAR - [03/31/2008] Obama was the first to
play the race card. According to Phialdelphia Inquirer, Quietly, the storm over
the hateful views expressed by Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah
Wright, has blown away the most insidious myth of the Democratic primary
campaign. Obama and his surrogates have charged that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
has deliberately and cleverly played the race card in order to label Obama the
“black” candidate. Read more here
66) I did not take money from oil companies: - LIAR - [03/31/2008]
THE FACTS: True enough, Obama does not take money from oil companies. No
candidate does. It is illegal for corporations to give money to politicians.
Corporations, however, do have political action committees that collect
voluntary donations from employees and then donate them to candidates. Obama
doesn’t take money from PACs. He also doesn’t take money from lobbyists.
But he does accept money from executives and other employees of oil companies
and two of his fundraisers are oil company executives. As of Feb. 29, Obama’s
presidential campaign had received nearly $214,000 from oil and gas industry
employees and their families, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center
for Responsive Politics. Clinton had received nearly $307,000 from industry
workers and their families and Republican Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP
presidential nominee, received nearly $394,000, according to the center’s
totals.
Two of Obama’s fundraisers are Robert Cavnar, the chairman and chief executive
of Houston-based Mission Resources Corp., and George Kaiser, the president and
CEO of Tulsa-based Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. Source: Associated press via Yahoo
News
67) “I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial,” Obama said
at a community meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, earlier this month. - LIAR - But
yesterday, he told a different story. “Did I ever hear him make remarks that
could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes,” he said in his
speech yesterday in Philadelphia.
Source: ABC News: Buried in Eloquence, Obama Contradictions About Pastor
This is the LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES. Updated to reflect new dishonesties.
The media knows all about this controversy yet they aare determined to make him thenominee
The same media who has already destroyed a good candidate in Howard Dean, John
Kerry and the latest John Edwards. the same media who also tried to destroy the
legacy of Bill Clinton and now wants to destroy Hillary. The same media who
promoted and helped to win the presidency of a charming, lovable, visionary and
a UNITER candidate named George Bush.
Even his supporters are rude check out the reply a Clinton supporter received :

From: Donna Brazile @brazileassociates.com>

Subject: RE: Switching to Republican Party - I'm a Hillary supporter

Date: May 7, 2008 7:48 PM

Honestly, this is the 9th email today, so I believe you're ready to not only
destroy Roe versus Wade, voting rights, civil liberties and civil rights.
Perhaps adding trillions more to the deficits through non stop tax cuts to
the wealthy and 100 more years in Iraq.

Yes, please join Rush and McCain asap. The train has left. Catch it.

Please don't send these emails to working people like myself. Notice you
sent it to my campus address. I am a working class person. Can you find
someone who drinks latte?

Message to the base: stay home

[A. Madrid]

Fear not. Senator Clinton is not leaving the race until there is a nominee. At the end of all the primaries,the pledged delegate difference will be approximately 100 delegates. The job of the Superdelegates, is to choose the candidate with the best chance of winning in November. If they follow that criteria, they will pick Senator Clinton. If they want to protect or win the Congressional and Senatorial races,they may decide for Obama at the expense of losing the White House.

[charleychaplin]

Ted Devine is a loser, giving advise how to win?

[bruce becker]

"Losing your bearings" commonly means losing your knowledge of direction. See also, "losing your moral compass".

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+bearings

Obama was referring to how McCain previously committed to avoid negative campaigning, but now is using this Hamas smear tactic of false claim that the Palestinian government prefers one candidate over another. Losing one's bearings has nothing whatsoever to do with age. Obama is questioning McCain's lack of ethics. McCain has lost his moral compass. He threw it away when he approved waterboarding prisoners and now it is apparently easy to lie about the opponent.

[Ed Almassalkhi]

Hillary owes her coalition- all who believe she is the better candidate and would be the better president- to continue the race until the finish line.
The people votes (ALL VOTES-ALL STATES) will decide who is going to be nominated as the democratic candidate against MacCain, NOT the self proclaimed /Narcissistic pundits, or those neo messianic maniacs and lunatics who want to remake the american politics into a devoid NEW AGE FARCE...

[Joe Brown]

I think she should stay in the race. I think she has told everyone she was going to fight for everyone, not just that states which have already voted. I think Obama needs to allow all this to play out. As the presumptive nominee continuing to disenfranchise voters is wrong. Whether he wins or loses the next several primaries, it's important to give everyone a say. He put up roadblocks on Florida and Michigan to quell any momentum Clinton would have gained. Let everyone have their say. If Obama is the presumptive nominee, having to listen to the rest of the country will only help his case. Even if the majority of the states he won/will win are republican strongholds. If Obama is truly the candidate of the people, let him face every state not just the ones that were already decided.

[Jane]

I, for one, will never vote for such an arrogant pompous ass as Obama. He has no experience and for all his claims of superior leadership and judgement there is no evidence! Obama is a huge gamble for the Democratic Party. Roll the dice!

[davidjtravers]

Why doesn't everybody just shut up about "Hillary should quit now" and allow the democratic process to run its course. It's the right thing to do. Fellow Democrats, did you want Al Gore to stop the count back in 2000? Didn't think so...Fight the odds!!!

[bruce becker]

robert, it is so strange to see your comments.

What exactly about a man with no short term memory recommends McCain to you? His willingness to waterboard prisoners?

He is not the same guy he was. He is ready to appoint judges which will prevent civil rights. Clinton does not stand for those things.

He wont change the war policy. Clinton does not stand for those things.

Your threat to vote for McCain is based on what? skin color?

[Mimi]

I for one want Hillary to stay in this race- IT'S NOT OVER. Anything could happen to change peoples mind. Why should she quit now. She has tremendous backing Keep going Hillary. I will never vote for Obama.

[Julie]

I agree with Wilma from Scotland - "The media in in the U.S. have gone overboard for Obama and dismissed Clinton for weeks/months".

I am a life-long democrat, but I'm starting to get sick to my stomach at the overt brainwashing coming from Obama supporters who are funneling their unbalanced views as "journalists". The more I see through this (and there are many penetrating CNN), the more I turn to Fox News for some actual balance. Never thought I'd see the day.

[reba shimansky]

Hillary should stay in the race as long as she feel like-it is her choice.

[Jacob Freeze]

Barack Obama won the black vote in North Caralina 91-6%. Hillary Clinton won the white vote 59-36%.

If the black preference for Obama had fallen in the same range as the white preference for Clinton, she would have picked up the difference between 6% and 36%, which would have amounted to 30% of the black vote.

Since African-American voters comprised 33% of the vote in the North Carolina Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton would have received another 30% x 33%, or 10% of the total vote, and Obama would have received 10% less.

Instead of 56-40% in favor of Obama, the vote would have been 50-46% in favor of Clinton, and Hillary Clinton would have won the North Carolina Democratic primary.

[Ross C.]

PUSH NOW, or forever hold your pieces! Hillary's going to sweep the rest of the primaries and win the popular vote. That will be the end of Obama.

[Robert]

I agree that the best thing Hilary Clinton could do is to stay in the contest, but change her attacks against John McCain uniquely - and even galantly and properly promote pro-democratic party ideals without any smugness against or smear of Barack Obama. After all, this is the democratic process.
I personally believe the race is over for her to win, but a if she took this direction, a victory of turning the real issues of this campaign against their real opponents could be hers to hold. This would be the most impressive action I could attribute to her at this moment.

[Bobbi Jo Weber]

I live in Kentucky and I have never missed voting in a primary or an election. Why would anyone want Hillary to drop out before I have had a chance to vote? It is un-American for anyone to even suggest it. What would you have us do, just cancel our election in Kentucky? If I hear one more person say HRC should get out so Obama can concentrate on McCain I am going to pop! If Obama cannot focus on McCain and Clinton at the same time, perhaps he should not be running for President. I would expect that job requires the ability to juggle a few things at a time! Let the voters vote and let the process work. I appreciate the fact that Obama's backers are afraid of what might happen if the race continues and goes to the convention. We certainly want to put forth the strongest candidate to run against McCain so let's wait a few more weeks and see who is the last candidate standing!

[Andy]

The ones who want Hillary to exit now are just defeatist. Let the democratic process takes its course, let every vote be counted including Mich, Florida and the un-committed super delegates and let see how it turn out. Its only fair to her. It will not take very long to find out.

Oh yes, those Democrat bigwigs still think that Obama if nominated will go on to beat McCain ought to get real now.Its a beautiful dream they refuse to wake up from.This is as far as he can get, they should congraguate themselves for it. Obama must be happy for himself too.

[Joe Spleen]

Oh please, Hillary isn't going to back out, she has nothing to lose.
If they decide to count the MI and FL votes, she'll win. If they DON'T count those votes, in four years she'll get the nomination running on the idea that she was cheated out of it this year. (and everybody will buy it).

Assuming Obama does get the nomination this year, it's almost a physical impossibility that he'll win against McCain. Hillary knows this, and knows she's got nothing to worry about. 2012 she'll be a shoe in.

Obama knows he can't win this year - EVERYBODY knows Obama can't win against McCain. So Obama doesn't care what Hillary does, he's in this for nothing but boosting his own popularity. He'll lose the general election and go cry about how america hates black people, write a few books,and ride off into the sunset.

Over the next four years, the press will have continued convincing everybody that a republican president is evil, so Hillary CAN'T lose in 2012.

In fact, I'm willing to bet she doesn't WANT to win this year for that very reason. She knows that whatever democrat runs in 2012 has the presidency almost by default. Another 4 years of anti conservative propaganda WILL have enough effect to guarantee it.

If she were to run against McCain now, it's not so sure that she'd win, and if she lost, she'd never get another chance. I think she is willing to wait the four short years for a sure thing.

[Patti]

God Bless America; where everyone that has an opinion can post it, print it, call it an informed editorial opinion, and get it published for the rest of the uneducated masses to read so that they too can be as informed. Unfortunately, not everyone gets to vote under these opinions. Hillary must stay in the race, if for no other reason than to save face. She’s given her word that she would. As the only candidate that even comes close to voting what she talks, that’s worth something. At this point, you “quit talkers “are ready to tell the people of 5 states that their opinion should not even be heard. Why is that; is your opinion so much more informed because you cast your ballot before the fireworks started? Then there’s the FL/MI debacle where two states that could not change their state law to bow to the DNC, not a law making power by the way, are told by Howard Dean that their votes don't count because their REPUBLICAN governing bodies thought it would be a cool thing to disenfranchise the Democratic voters the DNC is going to go along with it and Senator Obama’s camp is ok with that. Is that inexperience, ignorance, or the “New Way”, not willing to wait their turn for the power they have not the wisdom to mantel? I wonder. Of course, this is an opinion that bears no mention from the press as it might cause an outrage. Besides, of course she’d win those races if she dropped out, have you seen how the GOP is already killing him in the press. If Mitt Romney keep this up, Obama may not be standing for the convention.

[Gorefan]

Alex - Sweets just tried to get to clever with the phasing. I think Sweets is talking about Lieberman not Gore. Either way its not going to happen, McCain is pro-life and Leiberman is pro-choice and the Republicans would implode with that scenario.

[Joshua]

What is this guy talking about? His premise is that Obama would look bad if Clinton dropped out because people would keep voting for her? The majority of people have at least a TV and would hear through the grapevine that Clinton is no longer in the race. This is why Gravel, and Edwards continued to get a few votes earlier on. Because people didn't realized they were done. This guy is a joke and it is no wonder that the two campaigns he ran on lost. Poor thinking. . .

[Mike]

Robert, and other Hillary supporters:

This may be the most important election in our lives. If you refuse to vote for Obama, and allow McCain to become president it cost thousands of Americans lives in Iraq, and maybe even Iran. We are teetering at the brink of major global economic and environmental disaster. Putin is starting the cold war. And you refuse to vote for a candidate with almost Identical policy ideas as your candiate? It doesn't make sense.

And one more point, a little reality check if you wll — although completely unfair, Hilary is one of the most vilified and polarizing figures in American politics. Conservative white men HATE her. She doesn't deserve it, but they do. Most of them don't care much for McCain, and may not support him. But they will come out in droves to vote against Hilary.

Have you ever seen a big-time college basketball team like Duke, or Kentucky play in the NCAA tournament? Their opponents will suddenly have twice as many fans as they came with, even though half of them don't know where that team is from.

That is exactly what will happen to McCain.

Personally I like Hillary. But I have never supported her in this campaign because she is so completely unelectable, especially without the black vote. This has not been a major media story, because Barack (to his credit) has never pushed these sort of negative angles.

Would she be a capable president. Absolutely. But she has no chance of getting their. I am sure another woman can and will, but not one with so much political baggage.

If you think Barack will be crucified by the right, It's nothing compared to what they could do to Hillary. It's the inevitable negative side of decades of political experience. The longer you've been around, the more there is to attack.

[Mona]

Hillary and Bill need to pack up their suitcases and go home...and stay there!

[Jonathan]

Robert - I'm interested to know what makes you support Clinton, but not Obama. Clinton and Obama have extremely similar objectives, whereas McCain is on the other side of the spectrum on almost every issue. What possible presidential policy could you favor McCain over Obama on if you were an actual Clinton supporter. Whiteness? Is there anything else?

[Bill Nahay]

Beyond all other considerations, no one should forget Vince Foster. Sen. Obama, if he chooses Mrs. Clinton as his running mate, should double security and hire food tasters.

[jc]

Puerto Rico? Why on earth is Puerto Rico involved in our political process? Last I checked there were onty 50 states, not 51!

[Valrie Sommerville]

It is a shame that reporters make opinionated statements instead of reporting facts. Hillary Clinton would make a stronger candidate against John McCain in Nov. John McCain is running a campaign that slightly resembles Hillary's positions. Some say she is more of a Republican candidate then Democrat. Taking that into consideration McCain is talking to Hillary supporters across the country sharing his beliefs. If you connect the dots that spells trouble for Obama. Hillary supporters as many as 50% have already said they will vote for McCain. Looking at the numbers if the large voter turnout of Democrats go to the polls in Nov and say at least 33% of independents, and 33% of Hillary supporters along with Republicans go to the polls McCain will when in a landslide. So if you are a McCain backer as a reporter it is in your own self interest to report Hillary's defeat. That puts McCain in an advantage to beat Obama. On the other hand Democrats are so blinded by the hero worship of Obama that they are foolishly believing they can win and that Hillary voters will go ahead and not cross party lines. But in a short history lesson look at Regan. He easily captured the democrats "Regan Democrats". Are we about to engage in a new area of "McCain Democrats". Polls suggest that this is very plausible. So if you are a Super Delegate what are you going to do in the best interest of keeping all these Hillary supporters with the Democrats? Hillary could put the Mayor of Philadelphia as her VP. That would bring a lot of Obama supporters to her side. I really believe that there has been a conspiracy to keep the Clinton name out of the Whitehouse. It all starts with the double standards of Kennedy and Kerry and Dean. Those three men are of the old party that did not reach the Whitehouse in their runs and used the Florida and Michigan to their advantage to quell gender biased opinions of their own. They have done everything in their power to not count these votes until the last minute. They have not fully considered the ramification of these disenfranchised voters who stated their preference of Hillary Clinton in record setting numbers in Florida. If a poll of Florida women were conducted reviewing voter registration party affiliation switching from Republican to Democrats it would be mind boggling. Those voters and many others who have been silenced by a Party that claims to represent all people of all classes and equality for all is disgusting. We are a nation of 48 states now in the Democratic Party. This tatic will not go unnoticed by the people of Michigan and Florida. The super delegates have been put in a very bad position because logic and polls tell them Hillary has the better support from the most crucial states but the medias biased reports have made a bad situation look worse. The media is stirring up black democrats and liberals to cry foul- she stealing the election. The party elders need to take a stand to quell this disenfranchisement and not be afraid to endorse the stronger candidate. Anyone who has been following the Chicago politics know it is very possible that the Governor of Illinois may get indited. Rezko may cooperate in exchange for information that will connect Obama to these problems. That is not good in an Election where Democrats can make a come back.

[george charles paree]

The people of this country has made a mistake it might not come back from.I khow we hated what bush has done to our morals fighting men an women have given there upmost. The insame idea of this man running our country is impostable to brlieve.Hillary is the best of either party but people are only about there guilt about what the country has done to the blacks in the pasted.I am O>K. with a black man as long as he is experience but Obama so not.

[Maria Luisa]

What happened to the democratic process? People must have a chance have their vote counted, otherwise we are not a democracy but a country run by media sources and herd mentatlities. As the country rallies around the hand picked golden boy known for for speech making and platitudes with the aid of pundints, talking heads, various newspapers, bloggers, network news, and mostly mean spirited, often ugly comments about Senator Clinton who will not quit until we have a nominee. Florida and Michigan must be seated at the convention. This is a country of 50 states and it should be a convention of 50 state delegations. Every state should be represented. Hillary won significant victories in both Florida and Michigan and the delegations from those states must to be seated.

This is probably the first time in history we just might have a Presidential nominee handpicked by network news and newscasters looking for ratings who lost their soul and objectivity in the process. People must have a chance have their vote counted, otherwise we are not a democracy but a country run by media sources and herd mentatlities.

[Jeanne]

Hey Robert...I'm a Hillary supporter and I agree with you 100%. I will NEVER vote for BO, not because I believe in Hillary so much as I am to the point that I cring when I hear BO's voice...just like I do when I hear Bush's. He is too arrogant and you are right...the GOP is just waiting to pounce on his unknowns...or they make them up and make them stick...just like with Kerry.

[Lenora]

Obama speaks of CHANGE. It is the American people that really need to change. We have allowed the media to manipulate us by emotions. Committes now tell us if our vote counts only if we vote when they tell us to. I believe if the American people want to get control back of their lives now is the time to form an INDEPENDENT PARTY. The Rep & Dem party committees now think more highly of themselves than they should. They really are having a PARTY & A HAY DAY with our lives. I think a Hillary Clinton to stop the War ticket and a Mike Huckabee rebuild the infrastructure of America ticket would be the dream ticket. The working class of the American peoples lives have been completely stripped away from us by these two parties. We need to form our own party and take back the country that we have worked to build. We have been SOLD OUT to a dollar long enough and it is OUR DOLLAR that we have WORKED HARD for that they are using to sell us out.

[lenorastephens]

Obama speaks of CHANGE. It is the American people that really need to change. We have allowed the media to manipulate us by emotions. Committes now tell us if our vote counts only if we vote when they tell us to. I believe if the American people want to get control back of their lives now is the time to form an INDEPENDENT PARTY. The Rep & Dem party committees now think more highly of themselves than they should. They really are having a PARTY & A HAY DAY with our lives. I think a Hillary Clinton to stop the War ticket and a Mike Huckabee rebuild the infrastructure of America ticket would be the dream ticket. The working class of the American peoples lives have been completely stripped away from us by these two parties. We need to form our own party and take back the country that we have worked to build. We have been SOLD OUT to a dollar long enough and it is OUR DOLLAR that we have WORKED HARD for that they are using to sell us out.

[jchbrock]

But, what is the will of the people?

About the pundits declaring the race is over, we think they are ignoring the fatal flaw in the Democratic nominating process. We have not read one article or heard one pundit talk about why caucuses do not necessarily reflect the will of the people. Obama owes his lead in pledged delegates to the twelve caucuses.

So, what is the problem? Caucuses disenfranchise Hillary's main voter base: older voters, working people who cannot afford baby sitters or take time off to participate in the lengthy caucus process, and, last but not least, the many women who are intimidated or feel pressured by the public aspect of caucuses. Many of these voters use absentee ballots in primary states. To prove to yourself that the caucus results do not represent the voting population of a state, compare the results of caucuses to the results of primaries (see the Map on the website election.msn.com, for example).

We call on the superdelegates to study the caucus issue and what it means in this election before the media makes the decision for them. Hillary Rodham Clinton has shown that she is the most electable Democrat based on the results in primary states.

[Anne Perretta]

I am a Senator Clinton supporter and NOT a Barack Obama hater. I like them both. I just think Senator Clinton is a far better leader. I am amazed that the press will not print that the very qualities that keep Senator Clinton in the race, are the same very qualities that this Nation needs in the Executive Office. It has been clear from the start that the Media Mauling of Senator Clinton has been done gleefully and with a certain amount of misogyny. Who needs to quit? Why, the press, of course. This woman is a LEADER and not a ROCK STAR. It is time we turned the White House over to the former and not the latter.

[america4all]

IG you won't vote for Obama. You childish wimp. You didn't win so you are a sore loser. For the better of the coutry, if you are a Democrat, you support the party's nominee. Turn in your Democrat credentials sucker. The party doesn' t need punks like you!!!

[Sharon]

I think we should all respect the nomination process and allow the voters of each state to have their say. I don't see any real benefit to kicking Senator Clinton out of the race, if anything it will just make it even more difficult for Senator Obama to court her supporters (and, as this article states, it would be embarassing for Senator Obama to lose to a candidate who has dropped out).

As for the rumors about Senator Obama coming out and declaring himself the nominee later on this month, if he does that it will just remind people of President Bush's mission accomplished fiasco. Why not wait until the convention, if he is so sure the nomination is his, why is all this posturing necessary?

[crat3]

Obama is no Presumptive nominee. Obama does not have the requisite number of delegates for the nomination; he has no presumptive lock on the nomination.

The Democratic nomination process is still in progress and concludes when all of the remaining states have voted and the superdelegates select the best qualified candidate for the presidency using their independent judgement. Sen. Clinton is the best qualified presidential candidate and she must continue fighting for the future of America.

The premature end of the nomination process is a subversion of the Democratic nomination process and will result in Obama crashing and burning in November and the Democratic Party a train wreck. I will vote for McCain. McCain will be president and it will be four more years of Bush under McCain.

[Nodrog]

Fact of the matter is, Barack Obama is the best option in any party running for president at the moment. Period.

That said, I don't believe any candididate working within the confines of The System As We Know It has the ability to make substantial, significant "change" such as Mr. Obama keeps promising. I'll vote for him in the presidential election, but I'm cynical as hell about it.

I keep thinking back to my old college political science teacher who emphatically told us (with regard to presidential politics): "Don't vote. It just encourages the bastards."

Yep.

[Suzanne]

Robert, who will NEVER EVER vote for Obama, would rather see Bush's near clone get elected and name more right wing conservatives to the Court. He would want this disastrous war to surge on. He would want wealth concentrated among the wealthiest. He would want our present failing health care system to remain unchanged. Get over it. Your candidate, and mine, worked hard and lost. Get behind the nominee.

[ada blanco]

Why should Hillary quit? Sixteen million voters have voted for her. Yes the math is not on her favor, but for us moderate democrats she is the only option. If BO thinks he can win in november with the AA and elitist liberals vote only, I suggest he looks back at what happened to Dukakis and Kerry. The Hillary democrats will leave the democratic party and vote for McCain who is someone we can respect. The media is doing a great diservice to this country by trying to shove Obama sown our throats!
The audacity of ARROGANCE!

[Olivia]

Do not push her out of the race

Hispanic, Asians, white blue collars and most women, and old people have overwellmingly voted for Hillary. Big states with large numbers of electoral delegates -crucial in November-- are on HIllary side. The exception is Illinois. All swing states are also on her side. This is a solid base.

What Barack has on his side is the African Americans (>90%), young and educated Americans. Think also that in southern states like NC, SC, GA predominatly repubicans is unlikely that the black vote will be enough to win the electoral delegates. That is not a big political base for the general election. Remember also that the Wright issue appeared after the FEb and March super Tuesdays.

If Barack wants to win in November, he better doesn't forget that almost (if no more than) half of all democrats and independents voted for Hillary when his name was in the ballot.

[Koronin]

Why not, she should stay in the race. The press for Obama will only get better and hers will get worse as everyone has seen the writing on the wall.

[Sonali]

The Reason Hillary shouldn't step down is because none of the candidate have the required number of delegates. She has won the swing states and is leading McCain in Florida which is most likely to cost democrats the vicotry if Obama is the nominee. I will not vote for Obama because his delegate count is based on undemocratic process called caucus. I am from Texas where we had both primary and caucus and I am also a delegate at Precinct level. I served on the rules committee and I know how the rules were changed after the fact to seat all Obama delegates. It is so fraudulent that I am not going to ever vote for Obama. I am disgusted with democratic party. Committee chair who was Obama supporter like most local party workers delivered a caucus victory by fraud, voter disenfrnachisment and breaking each and every rule. Why don't you reporters report that instead of giving opinions? You all are corrupt and in tank with Obama. Go Hillary! Run as independent. Ditch the corrupt party.

[Cole Swaford]

As a Ron Paul type Republican I hope more than anything Obama wins this race. He is a preacher, not a leader. He has said he will bring change but not how. Obama will not get Hillary's supporters. McCain will expose Obama for what he is. McCain is a liberal republican and will win the race. Democrats will give this country away to illegals and continue to reward people for poor decisions with public assistance. We are going bankrupt because of free handouts.

[Gorefan]

Alex
Sweets tried to be to clever with the phrasing and it is confusing. But I think Sweets means Leiberman not Gore. Either way it's not going to happen. McCain is pro-life and Leiberman is pro-choice and other then the war in Iraq, they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Besides, the republicans would implode if McCain chose Leiberman.

[Gary Anderson]

Senator Clinton has won over 15 MILLION VOTES and a number of large states. The POPULAR VOTE SPREAD IS LESS THAN 1%. Six contest remain. To most rational minds suggesting "Clinton...drop out" is premature as well as insulting. Obama, himself, said yesterday,"There's no doubt that she's qualified to be vice-president, there's NO DOUBT SHE'S QUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT." How many of you reading this blog would simply step aside because the other side ask you ?

[Edwin Nowak]

Let the election go forward.

Why is nobody asking WHERE IS FLORIDA and MICHIGAN

Would Clinton then be the front runner

YES....

Do not let drunk Kennedy and Loser Howard Dean
direct the election

[Edward Manzeer]

Obama doesn't fear an end to the Clinton campaign. It is big media that fears the Democratic competition ending. Follow the money. Obama and Clinton are raising and spending millions on media. When they stop competing the cash flow to big media will change dramatically. McCain will have a McThrifty campaign limited by his choice to take public money. Obama can spend big but will he need to? Then big media will have to count on the 2008 Swiftboaters and their half-truths to keep cash flowing to TV, radio, print, and web advertising.

[Connie]

As a Clinton supporter, and a longtime Democrat, I hope she stays in until the very end, fighting all the way. Right up to the convention floor. Let the chips fall where they may.
I need to stand by the best candidate for President, and in my opinion, Hillary is that candidate. My reason for this is that I don't think Obama has such an easy victory in the National Election as many think.
We can argue about who is the most divisive candidate, Hillary or Obama. That's a matter of opinion.
I have been a long time Democrat, but some of my Republican friends say they would vote for Clinton if the choice were between Clinton and McCain...This is a revelation that I never thought would come to be. They are staunch Republicans. And stood by Bush almost to the end. They also said, that however, if Obama was the nominee, they could never vote for him.
So, his path in the National Election will be much tougher than hers. In my opinion.
Maybe the polls don't reflect this, but this is my own personal sphere of influence poll. And this is a truthful statement. No spin.
And I have many Republican and Democratic friends. They have finally,accepted the fact that she, a woman, would make the better President of the three. That was hard to admit for some of my male Republican and Democratic friends. They were resistant at first, but they have acknowledged that now,as the campaign progressed , they have gained more and more respect and admiration for her, and her capabilities. They came to like her. I think a lot of people came to know the likeable Hillary Clinton.
The delegates and super delegates are looking out for their own interests, not the interests of the United States of America .
I can see that clearly now ,as John Edwards has been on the fence so long, his wife now for Hillary, and he trying to find out where his place will be when all the dust settles. Even as late as today he will not formerly endorse Obama, although he says he voted for him! Either do it or don't do it. Make a choice. He is definitely thinking of himself, as are the other delegates. Job Security it is called. Could I be Vice-President , or maybe some other plum position? Waiting to jump on the band wagon with the perceived front runner. And they cant even make up their own minds. They wait and see what the pundits and newspapers and blogs etc. say.
But where will all the no guts Super Delegate Democrats be if McCain wins the election? If he does, they brought it on themselves.
You see, for them , its not just a simple vote of who would be able to win the National Election.
They have to consider , where will I be? It shouldn't be that way. According to what I thought, and correct me if I am wrong, the super-delegates were put there to do what was best for the Democratic Party and to select the candidate that would be best able to win in the National Election, should it come down to that. .That should be their question to themselves, Nothing else. Forget how their state voted, forget black and white, forget male or female, forget everything else. Who can win?
Maybe they don't know. They have muddled everything so much they can't extricate themselves now and make a sensible calculated decision. Plus they have no statistics to go by. There has never been a woman candidate for President or a Black candidate
So now, Kennedy,Kerry , Richardson, and Donna Brazil, Pelosi, and others to numerous to mention, have to swallow hard, stop being star struck, and/or racist or sexist , and or a Clinton Era/supporter or non supporter, and realize that a lot of people are not sexist or racist, but are realists, and are worrying about themselves and will vote for the best candidate, whom they think can win and will do the most for them, when push comes to shove. They have to be a realist. Look at the candidates. Hillary's right. It's like a job interview. Who do you want to be the President of the United States? And that depends on everyone's personal feeling and judgment. Its like going to the Casino. Noone knows where the chips may fall. It depends on the judgement of the American People. And the last time their judgement was terrible.
My bet, when you come down to the wire, is most people, in this world situation will choose experience, over hope.
But, I guess hope is all that is left for some..
In my opinion, hope will not bring change. Only hard work will.At least, that has been my experience. Change will come, but it will have to be gradual and steady., And it will take someone with experience. The Presidency shouldn't come with a manual for on the job training..We 've tried that. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't ..It certainly did not work with Bush. And we lost big time.
The United States is not in a position now to take any risks. This is a crucial election. That's my feeling.
I feel of the two Democratic candidates, Hillary is the best choice. The most tested, the most solid.
As far as the Republican Candidate, I will not speak. McCain is the nominee.
It is up to my Republican friends to decide what their choice will be in this election. And in the end they will make a choice. Maybe they will cross over, maybe they won't ... How much of a gambler should we be?
I'm not a gambler.. I personally think Hillary has better odds to win the National election. Its not going to be as easy as everyone thinks.
This is My vote. Not influenced by anyone else. I will go to work the same as always, the day after the election, no matter who becomes President. And I will rejoice because Bush will no longer be there. As a footnote, I did not vote for him. I made the right choice then, I am making the right choice now.

[John]

Alex,
I think that Sweets was referring to Al Gore's running mate, Joe Lieberman. He and McCain are quite close and Joe could help to keep McCain straight on the distinction between Shias and Sunnis.

[JerryDTX]

The fact that Senator Clinton would win these states even after dropping out proves that this is actually a very close race! What do you do when you have a virtual tie? You look at who will win the general election. Wake up Super Delegates!!.....Do you want another Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry....(interesting that Obama is a Kerry protege)...Democratic LOSS.....or....do you want a main-stream, middle of the road candidate loved by millions of older voters who can carry Florida, Michigan and Ohio? Specifically another Clinton!! Bill did it and Hillary can do it! Obama can not and he will be the pied piper that leads the Dems to a loss in November. Also Senator Clinton is the most experienced best candidate for the job. Super-delegates....you have the opportunity to do what is right for America and correct this travesty. We are not the "American Idol" nation. The Republicans who voted for Obama in the primaries to "block" Hillary will vote for McCain in the general election. Senator Hillary Clinton in 08! Let's return America to the greatness of the 90's by electing Senator Clinton as President and not roll the dice on an unknown candidate without substance.

[Patria Amor]

A very good piece of fiction...

[BJ]

Either way, IF indeed Obama is the nominee, he still faces problems.

IF she drops out, your comments above are correct.

IF she stays in, he will still be hurt, because 3 weeks is a long time in politics, and so much more can happen or break. Obama can make a major mis-step, or other items about his past may be revealed.

But no matter how you look at it, Obama still will not win in November. Clinton supporters will not accept an Obama/Clinton ticket, nor any other ticket with "Obama" on it. IF he offers her the vice-presidency, we will look upon it as a tactical move, and nothing else.

What Obama supporters fail to take into consideration is that not all Clinton supporters are poor, uneducated, white middle class Americans. Most of us have profited immensely from the Bush years. For Hillary we were willing to accept tax hikes, for a more equitable distribution of the tax burden. But we are not willing to pay for the sloths in our society.

We choose McCain because we do not trust Obama. We do not believe he will lead us to the promised land. We are not quite sure he is who he says he is, and we are just not willing to take a chance on the most important position in the world.

[sjctx]

Let me make this simple...

- Clinton supporters and MAJORITY of Demacratic voters are not fooled or swayed by the narrow mined, dishonest, and shortsighted obama campaign. Nor by the bias, insidious, bullhorn tactics of the main stream media. You are all doing the Dem party an injustice. Let me remind you that this nomination is NOT about **giving** obama the nomination. It is about Electing the BEST, most EXPERIENCED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, HONEST, AMERICAN to challenge John McCain and regain the White House. B Obama is the one tearing up the party with his race-baiting, and shoddy political methodology of DENY-DEFEND-DECEIVE. He thinks all us lower forms of life will believe his carping tripe. Well... I guess alot of them do, but not any of those with any honorable, nor realistic decency of independent thought. He has ruined the chances of any person of colour to achieve higher office. He has done this by exploiting race and half of his ancestry. Barack Obama has severe identity issues and has spent his entire lifetime being embittered, militant, and searching for a 'cause'. If he truly CARED about this country, his culture, this government, or ALL Americans, HE would bow out and ACCEPT that this ISN'T about HIM! It is about US!

Obama touts ''numbers''.... well here are a few...
*Hillary has won virtually ALL of the blue democratic voting states.
* Hillary has majority of votes from ALL demographic voting blocs and that includes albeit, small number, a number of 'thinking' blacks.
* Obama has been panicking and backpedaling since his thumping in TX, OH, RI.
* He spent 6 weeks and MILLIONS of dollars in PA and STILL lost by 10 points!
*No one expected Hillary to win NC due to the (yet again black vote. which he has exploited). Hillary won MORE counties there and improved her standing by 15 points.
*Hillary won IN; again with MORE counties and losing blocs of black vote.
*Hillary is gaining and no amount of spin can change that.
*The National numbers show that Hillary is ahead of McCain in a General Election showdown.
*Obamas 'winning' red states and shady caucus events, (there are over 2000 Challenges to improper and illegal polling & caucus violation by the obama supporters).
*Obama can't win the HEART of Democratic America. He knows this, thus the very lame and transparent propaganda continues to fly... "hillary must quit", etc ad nauseum...

If he was so deserving and so confident and so SURE it was his, then WHY all the panic and arm flailing to get his opponent to leave???!! She wins. She advances. She acquires Superdelegates and endorsements. The Obvious is OBVIOUS. He is AFRAID that she WILL beat him, cause he knows she CAN. She is running very close and Barry's legs are getting tired...

Many of us wish the truth about obama's anti-American, Radical associations would be brought out by the Clinton campaign... but she is too classy and dignified. She knew that COULD tear apart the party... But it is too late for that. Obama and his thuggery supporters and biased MSM has done more damage than any thought possible; with his race-baiting, derogatory attitude to her as a woman, the juvenile and pathetic gesturing & pandering. He is a sham. A sexist. An arrogant, narcissistic pig.

The person to drop out and save face is Obama. It's pure idiocy and shortsightedness to think otherwise... But then again... You ignorant morons don't DESERVE Hillary Clinton. No, you can wallow in your smut and cry in your caves when we have another arrogant, strutting, INEPT, clown to embarrass us in the eyes of the world... ((and that clown's name ain't McCain))!

Yeah! Go America!!! Be attacked by terrorism! Fight, sacrifice, and die for terrorism! But be SURE you elect a president who is supported by, endorsed by and who befriends terrorists and who hates America so much he can't even raise his hand to salute it's flag!

You should be ashamed.

[F. Steele]

Hillary WON Indiana -- the 'tie-breaker'. It broke in HER direction. She is leading in the contest, and will be further ahead after a few more states vote -- and will be confirmed the winner after the full convention votes in August.

That's why Obama and others are trying to bluff her out now, or discourage her supporters from voting or working.

(I bet his communications to his OWN supporters don't tell them to stay home, it's all over. :-)

The selection happens in August when all the delegates, 'pledged' and Superdelegates, vote. That is the only vote or 'endorsement' that counts.

And it requires a majority -- the 'magic number'. Which apparently is 2209. If nobody gets the magic number on the first ballot, they keep debating and re-balloting till someone does get the magic number. Obama should like that fine -- it works just like a caucus.

Neither side can get enough 'pledged' delegates to win on the first ballot. So the undecided Superdelegates vote will be decisive -- and they are waiting till the last minute, in August, to see if Obama is still not in jail with Rezko. Their job is to choose the most electable candidate, not the one who has won the most votes/delegates previously.

Obama is trying, in the middle of the game, to invent new rules limiting the Supers' choice. And he is pretending that HIllary does not already have the lead among Democrats or in a 50-state count, and will soon have it even counting Obama's "Democrats for a Day".

[vote4thebest]

Obama’s win in NC proves beyond any doubt that he is a racially-based candidate. He can’t win the general election with just the blacks and the young. It would be another ‘Tsongas’ election! Clinton’s win in Indiana, by a slim margin, also raises the big question why Obama lost a state that he is supposed to win!
Clinton also started out about 23 points behind in North Carolina, and 8 or 10 points behind in Indiana. She narrowed the gap in NC, and won in Indiana. Can you imagine what would be the headlines if the situation was reversed? probably "Obama trounced Clinton with a huge 2% margin". And she did it with Obama continuing to outspend her by 3 or 4:1.
The media continues to be anti-Clinton. Her win should be presented in the proper context of the quality of each of these candidates’ electability!

The press has done its most damage to a strong campaign by being most unethical and unprofessional in declaring her win a loss and that the race is over!

[VT]

"With Clinton, though, the press seems to have almost complete disregard for the [over 16] million voters who have backed her candidacy, as well as the idea that she is their representative in this race. Instead, they treat her entire campaign as some sort of vanity exercise in which voters do not exist."--Eric Boehlert, Media Matters

It is unprecedented that a major candidate, separated by the "front-runner" by 1% of the vote, would be being asked by the MEDIA to drop out. Is this a democracy? Or is this Soviet Russia? Seriously. There are 6 states whose citizens have yet to vote.

I believe Obama's hurry is his fear something else will come out about him in the next week. Several pundits have hinted about something neither of them want to be the first to break.

Indictment for Blackwell money laundering, or Rezko? Felony conviction in Obama's past? Failure to pass top level security clearance? Trip to Kenya to campaign for his cousin, a radical who then tried to overthrow the government (and for which he was censured by the US State Dept.)? Inability to find his original birth certificate? (Yes, it is missing. Where was he actually born?)

There are SO many ways to sink Obama before August.

[Steven]

As for Indiana, Obama was up 8 points in the weeks leading up to the primary. He said he would win by 7 two weeks before. He lost by 2. This was next to his home state, and he couldn't win there. He outspent Clinton 2:1 there, and 3:1 in PA, where he was behind by 10 six weeks before the primary, and lost. The man is sinking. Even after Tuesday, he's dropped in the polls. He wants her to quit because that's the only way he can get the "presumptive" nomination before August. There are no states with large A-A populations before the end. Oregon has a large student population, but that's it.

He's a fragile candidate, and if the nominee, he's clearly going to lose in the fall.

[Ramy M]

Posted by one of 16 million voters who have voted for Hillary Clinton so far. We exist, and we matter. The general election cannot be won without us.

[votedforhillaryinoregon]

Hillary is going all the way to the convention. Don't buy the medias calls for her to quit. They have called for her to withdraw after all her victories. She has millions upon millions of dedicated supporters and she is the only candidate to beat McCain in November.

Fasten your seat belt. A lot could happen between now and August. Go Hillary!

[Susan Brackett]

I am one of the women who would never vote for Barack Obama. I have been a loyal democrat for years, but have also voted Republican when I thought the Republican was the best candidate. I am amazed after eight years with George Bush that we are now headed in the same direction. We still know nothing about Barack Obama. We know that he likes to talk about race, but anyone else who talks about race, particularly white people, are racist. What a bunch of retoric. What we should be concentrating on is the best person for the presidency, not the one who makes the best speeches. Barack says he was against the war from the start. How can voters fall for that when he never voted on it and never was privey to all of the information that the Congress was given. How can he possibly say he wouldn't have voted for the war. President Bush lied to the American people and to our Senators and Congressmen and women. Perhaps if Obama was more informed he would have made a different decision. Afterall, he has voted with Senator Clinton ever since he has been in the Senate. What would the news media have said if Bill Clinton had said, "This is the first time I've been proud of my country", as Michele Obama did. What would people thought if Hillary Clinton had a pastor who she discribed as a mentor and spiritual advisor for 20 years a man who ranted and raved anti-American hatred. And does everyone think that the 90% if African Americans that are voting for Barack Obama are voting for him because he is the best qualified to handle the issues or because he is black. Nobody dares to speak of this for fear of being called a racist. The media has given Obama a free ride and have torn apart the one candidate that is best suited to be President of the United States. Much like I said when Bush was elected President, we will be sorry if Barack Obama becomes the nominee for the Democrats. With all of his retoric about bridging the divide between blacks and whites, I think he is better suited to be a Civil Rights leader than President. The run for the top office in this country should not be about color it should be about ideas and knowledge of what this country needs for a better future and I know Hillary Clinton is that person.

[Kris]

Exactly, Andrew, let the people vote. Besides when the press can't beat up on Hillary anymore. They will surely turn to finally calling Obama out on the way he didn't approve a revote in Michigan and Florida, and stole the win. Every one is so busy discussing what if Hillary steal the win they are forgetting that this is a close race and their are just as many people upset about the race being stolen the other way.

[Greg]

Quite true.
Folks lets keep it real. The Clinton Supporters according have a higher poll rating of NOT SUPPORTING Obama when he wins. The Obama supporters aren't that strong if Hillary were to win as long as it is done in a fair manner.

With that said, they will continue to vote for her if she losses and that is almost a guarantee.

As for her owing her supporters that sounds almost like Mafia style if you ask me. Otherwise, don't all the other candidates of whatever party owe the same thing? That argument of owing is lame. I could understand early on, but not now. She is making a bad name for herself. Strong? Fighter? Give me a break. She reminds me of Tom the cat of the Tom & Jerry cartoon. LOL!

Hillary should not be VP.
You don't claim one day to unite the party no matter who wins, but the next day add to its destruction by continuing to push race as an issue.