Inside Hillary Clinton's decision to quit: The 5 hidden emotional stages

Since it's pretty clear this morning that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is not going to withdraw from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in the face of Sen. Hillary Clinton's admirably annoying tenacity, it falls to the New York senator to adjust to a harsh political reality that a year ago today was absolutely unthinkable: She lost.

Whatever your personal feelings are toward Clinton -- and the Ticket's Comment boards reveal a rude intensity on both sides -- or toward any of the other losers in either party who gave up the electoral marathon weeks or months ago, running for office like this requires a profound commitment by the candidate, his/her family and those around them who invest up to 20-hour days for very little pay over what now spans nearly two years.

This nation's chief executive weeding-out process is brutal, as it should be to force only the most qualified, savvy, lucky, smart to the top.

But we don't have to bring out the violins for any of the....

...White House wannabes to acknowledge that, political theater and personal ambition aside, these campaigns are personally grueling affairs, as energetic and even joyous as the rallies and speeches seem in the bright lights of the TV cameras.

Like pro hockey teams after a tough game, candidates and their entourages spend a good chunk of many nights moving on to the next city, arriving late and rising early to consult the little printed staff

schedules slipped under their hotel door that remind them what city they're starting in for that next 18-20 hour day.

Only two people know for certain how long Hillary Clinton has been dreaming, planning, organizing her presidential bid -- eight years, 10, 16, more? Last year she sure looked like she knew victory was inevitable.

And when it starts to slip away, it's even harder. Walter Mondale has said he knew the moment Ronald Reagan made that famous age quip that his campaign would lose. Yet he campaigned on. Likewise, President Bush I has confided that he knew two weeks before election day in 1992 that his was a hopeless cause.

So when did Hillary Clinton get the first hint? When she kept losing caucuses? When she hadn't wrapped up the super prize by Feb. 5 as envisioned? When the Obama money machine kept churning out millions?

In the last many weeks as Obama's delegate totals moved closer to the magic majority, many have watched in fascination as Clinton seemed to move through the same five stages of grief that Elisabeth Kubler-Ross described in "On Death and Dying." Except it was Clinton's campaign and White House dream that was dying.

The first stage is Denial: This isn't happening. How could this be happening when she was to inherit the political mantle of her once-again popular husband, the only Democratic president elected twice since Franklin Delano Roosevelt? How could this Illinois nobody with no credentials and few accomplishments other than a golden tongue move in so easily?

The second stage is Anger: "Shame on you, Barack Obama!" Remember those angry outbursts a few hours after the kissy we're-all-Democrats-in-this-together-it's-an-honor-to-compete-against-Sen.-Obama stuff at the debates?

The third stage is Bargaining: That's less visible to observers, more internal. If only I work harder, things will work out. No one can doubt her determination and grit despite internal campaign turmoil, overspending and controversies with her overpaid consultant who was working both sides of the Colombian trade deal.

And in recent weeks when so many thought her effort was hopeless, she sure didn't show hopelessness. And her loyalists responded to that fighting spirit with overwhelming victories in crucial places like Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

The fourth stage is Depression: This can manifest itself in many ways, possibly in a stubborn refusal to accept the inevitable delegate math. And so often the Clintons' political careers have been saved by last-minute salvations if only they hung on long enough in the face of what others saw as hopeless adversity.

Gennifer Flowers didn't derail Bill in 1992's New Hampshire primary; he only took second, but declared victory and folks remember him winning. How similar that Hillary was holding what looked like a victory rally in Texas while Obama won some more states elsewhere. Or what was an actual victory rally for herself in Florida, after a vote that wasn't supposed to count.

The same could be said of her Tuesday night speech when so many convinced themselves she would concede despite contrary signals from her aides. So many commentators didn't like her tone. No submission. No contrition. No magnanimity.

She said she was going to take a few days to decide her future path. There's a momentum and life force to major national campaigns. You can't turn off the machine and the candidate's adrenalin and emotional commitment like a light switch. It winds down.

The defeat must sink in.

And besides, what's the rush over a few days? Clearly, in a strange way the victorious Obama camp ends up needing the losing Clintonites much more than they need him.

Which brings us to stage 5, Acceptance: That might have come to her over the next week or so. But Wednesday's pre-dawn joint statement by Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and who's-its, the West Virginia governor, sped up that process. They set a Friday deadline for uncommitted superdelegates to make their calls, which forces Hillary's hand.

Still, she said nothing about surrender in Wednesday morning staff meetings. It wasn't until her afternoon phone call with Congressional colleagues that she, well, accepted their message that it was over. And needed to end quickly. And she made the decision to pull the plug.

Friday she'll have a celebration with some supporters and word will no doubt leak from there that at another Saturday "celebration" (how did that word get in here?), she'll formally suspend her campaign and endorse Obama, as previously promised.

From St. Paul yesterday afternoon, Matt Burns, communications director for the Republican National Convention, fired off an e-mail to the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder reporting they'd received numerous calls from Clinton supporters offering to work for McCain.

With up to 40% of Clinton primary voters vowing to exit-pollsters that they'd opt for the GOP over Obama, that's not too surprising.

Nor would it be surprising if somewhere in the recesses of that mind that now publicly accepts her defeat and will officially do so with an Obama endorsement, there resides a residual pocket of hope about the future.

As Jay Leno said in his monologue earlier this week, "The good news is that the whole voting process ended tonight. It's all over as of tonight. The bad news: The 2012 Democratic primaries start on Thursday."

That's today!

Now, the first stage of grieving is Denial....

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credits: AP

Comments

[TASH]

That "photo" of Clinton glaring at Obama is a cheap shot. How juvenile.

[Tim]

"RE: (I have to tell you that you're reading it backwards. It's Obama who's the senator from Illinois, not Clinton.)

Senator Clinton was born and raised in Illinois. The author should be clearer about whom he is talking about. "

KL, I thought she was raised in Scranton, Pa. At least that is what she told us in the PA primary. She lived in the woods and shot guns all day long. Or maybe that was another sniper fire type comment.

[Tom Boston]

As long as the point spread is within lower than 160 on the delegate count, with over 400 remaining uncommitted, it would have been a fool to give up the U.S. Presidency. Period. You can say you're a quitter, but you'd never make it in politics; perhaps that's why you're forcing pop-psych theory onto adult decision making. And you don't really understand Kubler-Ross, because grief doesn't set in until the crisis. Now that Hillary has quit, she would begin step 1 of the grieving process.
It was apparent to most women and all gays that Barack is no more than another male suit in politics. Same as Bill Clinton and most politicians, Kennedy's included (within their own family ironically), he aligned himself with crooks and fat cash benefactors to begin his career. Then he shed himself of them and their reputations. He is evangelical, even in his church. He is a preacher type with lots of high moral words, little to back it up in tactical plans, or proven negotiation. He calls women reporters, "Sweetie." He promotes gay-hating speakers to pander to his black rallies.
He's a man in politics. That would be something original to write about, not stretching a grief theory into Hillary's successful run to the end of the primaries. She had a successful run, until Barack got the final one delegate vote.

[Lucia Sarlo]

The statement, 'How could this Illinois nobody with no credentials, few accomplishments other than a golden tongue move in so easily?' is obviously referring to Obama. While discussing Denial, the article shifts to a possible thought of Clinton's, from her point of view. Therefore, the statement is about Obama.

[DOUGLAS JONES ROMERO,MHS]

I love the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Our history,the good the bad the ugly and the beautifull, continues to re-inforce my believe in our country. We DEMOCRATS, are blessed with the AMAZING efforts of that great lady, HILLARY R. CLINTON. Please remember Mrs. Clinton, what you represent as an American Classical Personality, far superseeds any higher office you will achieve in the future, or have achieved in the past. Do not allowe THIS OPPORTUNITY to further solitify your  greatnes, be lost.. You are stronger, wiser and more visionary than those around you!

[Gary]

Neither of the Senators from Illinois, (one who is currently residing in New York unfortunately), have accomplished much in their careers. The younger one has even less experience but is gifted with a golden tongue. The kind of tongue that can talk little old lady's into investing their savings into some sort of to good to be true land deal..

[Matt]

KL: He *is* describing Obama. Read the sentence again, carefully.

[lute]

This was a thrown election.

There was a hatchet job on 2 states.

She won the majority of votes. DNC over-rode the voters and selected their own choice.

Delegates were intimidated or bribed. (Edwards got a windfall in his charity bank accounts for his early endorsement)

Right wing cable news, like CNN were trying to throw elections. The day of the SD election, they announced Clinton was conceding that night. They then corrected this but said Clinton was trying to be his vice president.

The worst for me was how the key progressive blogs were hijacked. The proprietors were paid off by Obama insiders to let operatives hate monger against Clinton.
Clinton supporters were thrown out, or harassed with profanity until they left.

This gave the media the impression that "the blogosphere was uniformly for Obama" it also brainwashed the young people that Clinton was evil. Because they did not have a chance to read otherwise.

The election was stolen, and there is no healing process.

The democratic party is so corrupt, I am going independent.

[m]

What a garbage pile of excuses. Candidates drop out of races all the time without ridiculously clinging on. Why are you making all these psychoanalytical excuses for Hillary Clinton?
She lost, and she's a clinging shrew, so she can't accept the idea. "How could they not want ME????"

Grieving? Acceptance? God. If she's that thin-skinned and unstable it's a good thing she didn't win.

[John]

In a related story, Bill Belicheck will now concede that New York won the Super Bowl.

How do you concede something you've already lost?!?

[A Woman]

It is good that Clinton didn’t become the first woman to be a serious contender for the presidency. She in fact doesn’t represent the women. She is not self made. She is just a person who gained popularity because of her name. Obama did the more daring thing: with his skin color and his middle name he dared to put himself a candidate. Clinton didn’t do it 16 years ago. Instead she chose to put forward her husband and to stay in his shadow. She chose the easy path. She went for the presidency at a moment when all the polls were in her favor. This is not the type of woman all these female activists actually want.
I hope when the first woman president is elected her name is not Clinton, or Kennedy, or Obama or Bush.
I hope she will really be a fighter who is not afraid of challenges and doesn’t take the easy road. I hope also that she would dare to go for the big price and not take it easy step by vice step.

[Bill]

> This nation's chief executive weeding-out process is
> brutal, as it should be to force only the most qualified,
> savvy, lucky, smart to the top.

The people that run for office.. and eventually get
elected, are by NO means the smartest, most qualified, or savvy people in the country.

They are, instead "the people that are foolish enough to want the job".

[MF Main]

What gets me is they talk about "Hillary's" emotions and Obama's race, we don't talk about what leads old white men to run for office or motivate them!

I can't believe how much media buys into sterotypes and frankly not only contributes to them, but encourages them. I beginning to believe the only racists sexists folks left out there are the media.

[obiwan1250]

Excellent article,Andrew Malcolm. I read political articles all the time, and then wade through a lot of the comments, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, but it always cracks me up when people are so deep into the forest that they cannot see the trees.

You are describing reality. And someone feels compelled to try and destroy the truth, to tear you down in order to build themselves, and perhaps their candidate up. Fortunately, truth and reason will always prevail in the end.

Personally, I've known since November 10th, after the Iowa J-J Dinner which I attended, that Barack would ultimately prevail. His "movement" is real. His PASSION to become President more heartfelt. We saw it in his speech vs. hers.

She's a great woman but with a lust for power that routinely clouds her thinking. I truly hope that on Saturday, she has Barack Obama come on the "stage", wherever she is giving this concession speech. In fact, I hope she has ALL of the Democratic candidates come on the stage -- every last one.

That's what we need now. The whole group to come out in support of Barack -- not just Hillary, but John, Bill, Joe, Chris, Dennis, and Mike, too! It's time for a "kumbaya moment" which so many seem to despise. That is the primary action that must take place in order for us to win -- or at least to WIN BIG! in November.

It's not about Hillary any more, and truth be known, it's not about Barack, as he so eloquently stated on Tuesday night. It's about America, and that the Democrats have the best plan for America.

Let's embrace that notion for a while and put some of this power lust aside. Supporting Barack is now not only the right thing to do, it's the ONLY thing to do -- if we want to win in November.

[tradamerica]

Interesting how LA Times can report on lecture anyone about anything, considering they continue to wallow in the midst of their own smog and pollution-filled environment.

Fix the cesspool you call California before you decide to fix elections.

[tBuggR]

First off, great article. Very concise, and liklely very true. Not sure why people think it's unclear or overly sarcastic - but then I'm from the East Coast where we mix sarcasm in with our morning coffee. One has to wonder what the Hil has coming up next. Will she try to be governor of New York, will she become a republican, or will she try to force the hand of the DNC and Barack to become the VP candidate?

[Texas Jim]

KL, commenting without comprehending is worse than the spin the Clintons put out. The "golden tongue", (and Illinois Senator), as the author states, BELONGS to Obama. How could anybody mis-understand that statement?

[jill]

Congratulations to the Republicans that spent much time and money to steer the fools to nominate an empty suit.

McCain 08 Congrats

[Tc]

Wow, i thought the article was right on point !
I agree with one of the other comments...to quote :
That’s funny; I thought the delegates ended her campaign when they selected Obama!

All I see is drawn-out drama, last minute muscle flexing, and a lack of graciousness in defeat!

Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!

Get over yourself Hilary, it's time to move on and act like a grown up !

[SF]

RE: Senator Clinton was born and raised in Illinois.

I thought Clinton was born in Scranton, PA?

[Jason Morgan]

Alright people, seriously. Hillary lost, she's finally accepting it...as are her supporters.

There is still a lot of animosity between Clinton and Obama supporters, but you see, it is Barack Obama who NEEDS Clinton supporters if he he expects any chance of winning this election.

What I'm saying is...we've accepted defeat, you accept that you've won and start treating being nice to us.

This was a very well written article which expressed Clinton's stages of acceptance in a very compassionate manner.

[dharper]

It will interesting to witness the degree of sincerity that Hillary extends toward "uniting" with/behind Obama and the Democratic Party.

Should she do so it will be with an ulterior, self-serving motive since the Clinton's have NEVER extended reciprocity to anyone or any thing unless it directly benefited them in the very near future.

For whatever reason, the Clinton's have deluded themselves into believing that THEY are the annointed head of the Democratic Party and that the "lowly minions" (voters) must heed their every word and deedd without question.

That truly was her/their downfall in this process. She/they (Hill/Bill) absolutely believed their percieved regal status (their own opinion and the only one that they believe should be considered) elevated them to the "throne of the Presidency" without opposition.

NOT!

[joe subscriber]

The unfortunate thing about Hillary now is that she still remains in the Senate where she can continue to vote for the interests of the bankers and others of the monied class and against the interests of the rest of us. She is likely to continue her warmongering as a NY Senator as well. God help us all.

[E Kent]

Apparently some Clinton supporters are having trouble reading through their crocodile tears....

......"You seem to belong to Hollwood, not LA times.. Or is it LA Times that is so degenerated to carry article like yours. Are you normally cynical, or this is your way of saying that everything in this world is bad" ......
Umm, it's a blog, not an article. You know, an opinion piece. They've shown up in newspapers, oh, for the past 250 years or so.

......"Few accomplishments?? Maybe you should do a little more research in that particular area, in regards to Clinton, and then compare her so-called 'few accomplishments' to the virtually ZERO accomplishments of Obama."
Hoo boy. I don't think blogger Andrew Malcolm could have made it any clearer that he was referring to Obama. But I guess some people just see what they want to see.

[Ceebee]

"reporting they'd received numerous calls from Clinton supporters offering to work for McCain. "

What are the odds that this is McCain's camp taking advantage of the "power of suggestion" ploy as a way to recruit unhappy Hillary supporters?

This is about as sad as McCain's orating abilities.