BREAKING NEWS: Dean, Pelosi, Reid set Friday deadline for superdelegates' choices, move to force end to Clinton bid

With the final primary concluded barely hours before, top Democratic Party leaders in Washington early this morning ratcheted up the pressure to force all remaining uncommitted superdelegates to make their choice of candidate known by Friday -- and thus end the now hopeless, onetime front-running campaign of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The joint statement was obviously pre-planned and timed for issue shortly after Clinton refused to concede the presidential nomination victory to Barack Obama, who's gained sufficient delegates to clinch the party's nomination.

Howard Dean, right, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, chairman of the Democratic Governors Assn., issued the brief statement for unity just minutes ago:

"The voters have spoken," they said, adding later, "Democrats must now turn our full attention to the general election. To that end, we are urging all remaining uncommitted superdelegates to make their decisions known by Friday of this week, so that our party can stand united."

The carefully worded statement, which does not urge the superdelegates to go one way or the other, is a clear step to force an end to the effort by Clinton, who said Tuesday she would take a few days to consider her options and protect the voices of the nearly 18 million voters who cast ballots for her in recent months. Her hand is now being forced by the Friday deadline.

The move is also a sly one politically, since it leaves Obama free of any appearance of forcing Clinton to quit and thus alienating her millions of supporters, whom the Illinois senator will badly need in the general election come Nov. 4.

In exit polls throughout the just-concluded primary season, an unusually high number of Clinton voters indicated they were likely to reject Obama and vote for the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

A complete text of the Democratic Party leaders' joint statement is available by clicking the "read more" line below.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: Associated Press / Manuel Bolce Ceneta

     Joint Statement by Democratic Leaders on the End of the Presidential Primary Process

"We have come to the end of an exciting primary and caucus process -- the voters have spoken.  As the Democratic leaders of the Senate, House of Representatives, the Governors and the Democratic National Committee we commend all of the participants of the 2008 primary process, especially Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, for making this such a transformational election. 

"Because of the enthusiasm our candidates have inspired, our party has brought record numbers of voters to the polls, gained millions of newly registered Democrats and now has advantages in states many thought were difficult to win.  We are grateful to the millions of Independents and Republicans who have crossed over to vote for a Democratic candidate for President.

"Democrats must now turn our full attention to the general election.  To that end, we are urging all remaining uncommitted superdelegates to make their decisions known by Friday of this week so that our party can stand united and begin our march toward reversing the eight years of failed Bush/McCain policies that have weakened our country.

"We once again congratulate all of the candidates for their leadership and dedication to providing this country with a New Direction. We look forward to working with them and with all Democrats to win the White House, congressional seats and state capitals so we can deliver the change the American people deserve and demand."

Comments

[thinkresults]

Obama has won on all counts, the only one that matters - delegates - but popular vote as well when you count all states.

There is no excuse left for HRC to not end this now, help bring the party together and move forward. The longer she delays to gain some negotiation advantage the more marginalized she becomes. She lost a great opportunity last night. Let's hope she stops the narcissistic grandstanding and quickly wraps this up - for her sake as well as the party's.

[Enigma]

I once backed Hillary and now I am more than pleased to know why my choice to switch has been validated. She is stuck on stupid and yet she says she is wanting to do what is best for the party. Honestly, if the shoe was on the other foot, this would not even be in the news (the issue of conceding). And to any other Hillary lovers, if they care that much to vote for the opposition, then that itself is just as dumb concidering our economy and the changes that are so needed. She is even more stupid than those that follow her for not taking advantage of an opportunity last night and for not doing at least some damage control for those that are die hard for her to prevent another Republican victory in November.

[sofia]

she's psycho, and clearly thinks only of herself.
thus she's more of the same. get her out of there. the mainstream press is too controlled by big biz to tell it like it is. she's despicable. obama barack is an angel compared to her lowly self. divider, conniving wrench. leave the country now hillary. we don't want you anymore. you've shown your true colors.

[LSC]

THIS IS CLASSIC CLINTON- ENTITELED, AND DEFIANT, WHAT A SORE LOOSER, IF SHE IS REALLY MOTIVATED TO THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRATS- BOW OUT WITH GRACE, ACCEPT THAT YOU LOST THE BID, BE GRACIOUS, AND THE NOMINEEE DO WHAT HE DEEMS FIT, AND FOR ONCE PUT THE COUNTRY/PARTY AHEAD OF HER OWN POLITICAL ASPIRATION, SHE LOST- FAIR AND SQUARE, AND ACCEPT IT.

YOUR BRAND OF THE POLITICS HAS BEEN REJECTED, AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE GUTS- RESIGN FROM THE SENATE, AND WORK FOR EMPOWERING THE 18 MILLOIN OR SO VOTERS, YOU CLAIM TO HAVE BACKING OF.

YOU HAVE LIVED OFF TAX PAYERS EXPENSE, ALL YOUR LIFE, GIVE SOME BACK, BE A VOLUNTEER FOR UNITED WAY, AND NEVER CONTEST ANY ELECTION- YOU HAVE BEEN REJECTED-ACCEPT IT.

[Richard]

Please arrange deportation of Bill Clinton to Afganistan for 8 years

[Ed]

Howard Dean is a failure and a DNC chairman, Nancy Pelosi is a failure as the Speaker of the House after having high hopes for a strong leadership, she caved into to G.W. and Harry Reid may have been an amateur boxer and is an amateur senator who can't get anything done. Where do they come off telling Hillary Clinton who is tougher than all three of them put together? Hillary will be a factor in this election and she's earned it. If the DNC stiff arms her I'll vote for McCain even if it's not what I want to do and it would be bad for the country.

[Joe]

Great selection for President this time, a liberal and an socialist. Another Jimma Carter result, God help us.

[MOJO3]

Thank you. Reel her in and let's move forward.
Hillary Clinton, has really shown her true colors. Never in my 65 years of living on this planet...have I experienced such a selfish, self-centered, insensitive, cold, hard, callous, draconian, minipulative (I could go on and on with the adjectives). woman! Has she no SHAME?

Vice President. NOT! She is destructive.

What the Clintons fail to realize is...there is a mightier, more powerful force than them. Whatever, they did/do, they cannot penetrate the wall the Almighty has placed around him. Perhaps, they should open their hearts and ask for forgiveness and be shown a new and better direction in their lives. They both need an intervention...and a tad of therapy.

...it is time for the "Clinton Dynasty," to accept the HISTORICAL event which has come to fruition. They should come out of the denial mode...began the "grieving process," and move on...with dignity.

A Concerned Black Senior

[LC]

It about time..... Clinton has been given enough time .... she needs to get out ... She is pressuring Obama to choose her as his VP ..... And with that comes all her baggage and Bill's..... She lost now she needs to go...

[Eric]

I am very much AGAINST the sentiment that Senator Clinton be on the Democratic ticket as Vice President. There are many reasons:
1) It undercuts the message of change in Washington. Hillary is part of the establishment and part of the problem.

2) The Obama campaign can win the hispanic vote WITHOUT senator Clinton. Bill Richardson is a better advocate to help win the hispanic vote than Clinton.

3)Senator Clinton showed poor managerial talent in the process of her campaign. Her campaign was wracked with internal turmoil and poor money management.

4) Senator Clinton feels entitled to a position of power. She ran a poor campaign because she assumed she was the inevitable winner. What kind of leader does that? She brazenly spent contributor's money on unneccessaries and lavished herself rather than run a positive and thorough campaign. Her campaign style is evident of her personal view of her role in politics. We have no room for Royalty in washington.

5) Including Senator Clinton on the ticket shows weakness and a willingness to cave to the establishment. If you can't stand up to the powers that be now how can you in the Whitehouse? Including Clinton on the ticket looks like capitulation. SHE DOESN'T DESERVE to be rewarded for running such a shameless campaign.

6) Having the Clinton machine (Bill Included) present in the Whitehouse would undercut and cause difficulties for your presidency (big egos don't play well in little spaces). Senator Clinton and former President Clinton would likely take advantage of every opportunity to upstage you as possible (probably even create some).

7) Clinton may try to have him assassinated (or at the very least scandalized out of office). What would be better than being vice president? How about 12 years as president (serving out the remainder of Obama’s term, plus an additional 2 terms of her own)? I don't trust her and neither should you.

8) He does not need Senator Clinton to win the "big" states. As we all know Democrats turned out in numbers dwarfing the Republican support during this campaign season. Senator Obama WILL win the Democratic strongholds. Senator Clinton is far from welcome in NY, don't make the assumption that she's a necessity to carry any specific constituency.

9) No one person will mobilize the conservative right-wing more than Hillary Clinton. As it stands Bob Barr will put Georgia in play, Ron Paul’s supporters may cause him to be the Ralph Nader of 2008. The electoral map will be far different with Obama vs. McCain. Include Clinton and it will be the same political map as always. The Republicans who support Obama won't likely support an Obama-Clinton ticket.

10) Her behavior is indicative of her narcissism. No matter what she says this election has never been about the American people. It’s been about her. Even now she refuses to concede the nomination. She doesn’t outwardly congratulate Senator Obama on this historic victory. She’s stubborn, conceited and petulant. She’s just like George W. Bush. Hillary Clinton DOES NOT belong on the democratic ticket

I believe that there are better Vice Presidential candidates available for Senator Obama to choose from. I feel that Senator Joe Biden and Governor Bill Richardson make much better Vice Presidential choices. Each of these two men ran much more positive campaigns and exhibit much more integrity than Senator Clinton.

The Democratic "Dream-ticket" is exactly that. A dream; but more like a NIGHTMARE than anything. Please continue the message of Change, Hope, Integrity, Vision, Judgment and Leadership that your campaign has so valiantly advocated.

Senator Obama, please DO NOT choose Hillary Clinton as your running-mate.

[Alessandro Machi]

I think it's great that Obama got the "presumptive" nominee.

But if the democrats think they can steam roller Hillary Clinton until Denver and beyond and pretend the Caucus voting was legitimate, they are probably making a foolish mistake.

That's what happens when there is a billionaire in the background pulling most if not all of the strings.

http://www.CaucusCheating.com
http://www.CaucusConfession.com
http://www.Florida-Michigan.com
http://www.Hillary-Wins.com

[mike]

I'm voting for Harrison Ford

[jill]

Pelosi must be defeated in her next election for doing all she could to ignore the voters choice and insert her own choice for President. This women should be an embarrassment to all women.

I would prefer that Hillary run as an independent rather than as VP on this losing ticket. I realize that if she ran as independent, that McCain may get the win easier but if she is not on the ticket McCain will win anyway. Also on the ever so slight chance that a Obama/Clinton ticket did win then Hillary would be held responsible for all Obama mistakes and likely end her chance to ever be elected.

Hillary 08

[jj]

This smacks of the travesty of the 2000 presidential campaign. Clinton got the majority of the popular vote and a very similar proportion of the pledged delegates as Obama but now the powers that be are throwing their weight for the candidate they think they can control. Superdelegates whether committed or uncommitted should throw their support to the candidates according to the will of their constituents. Given this, Clinton should be the choice of the Democratic party. This is consistent with the earlier comments made by Nancy Pelosi and other democratic party leaders. Unless there is a fair and open accounting of who got the votes and how this translated fairly to the final nomination process, we should all question whether the democratic nominee was really the choice of the people.

[BillyB]

I think Mrs. Clinton would be foolish to concede. Take it to the convention. Barak is most likely going to implode before then because he is not that bright and obviously surrounded by people who will bring him down.

People wake up! Barak Obama is NOT John Kennedy. This is NOT Camelot. Barak Obama is a flash in the pan and cannot win the general election.

[Renee]

Good job Ed. You can clearly admit that voting for McCain is not what you want and bad for the country but you will do it anyway to prove a point. That is exactly what the rest of us are talking about when we say that her followers are not thinking clearly. What is it you really want, a better country or to be right? I think that Hillary just wants to be right, at any cost.
If you care about the future, then do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

[lorax]

"I'll vote for McCain even if it's not what I want to do and it would be bad for the country."
___________________
That says it all. She is nuts. Her supporters are nuts. Obama would be nuts to put her on the ticket.

[Howard Ino]

I am not a Hill or Bill fan.

After 15 years enduring two dynasties in American politics, I am sick of Bush AND the Clintons!

However, Dean, Pelozi and Reid are using strong arm tactics to force her out, as they have been trying to do this for months even with primaries pending. It WILL backfire on them and the Democratic Party!

After watching the tactics of the Democratic Machine, I ask... If they will do it to Hill, what will they do to America when they have Congress AND the White House???

The Republican advantage this year is that McCain is tolerable to moderates and I will most certainly give him fair consideration!

[Darrel]

Hilldebeast and Slick (SICK) Willie will never concede defeat. It was a vast left wing consiracy. It was the media. Obama cheated. The election was stolen from the Billary's. America will be sorry say's Billary.

Darn it all, WE ARE THE CLINTONS, WE DEMAND THE NOMINATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jill]

thinkresults: SAID "popular vote as well when you count all states. " falsly still claiming that Obama won the popular vote. It is very sad to think that these young voters can't count and are so easily misled by TV fools like Matthews, Olbermann and Russert.

FACT: Hillary won the popular vote which means that more people went to the polls to vote for Hillary than Obama. Hillary is ahead by over 180,000 votes according to Real Clear Politics. THE ONLY WAY ONE CAN SPIN THE POPULAR VOTE TO PUT OBAMA IN THE LEAD IS IF YOU COUNT THE "UNCOMMITTED" VOTES IN MI KNOWING THAT THOSE VOTES WERE INTENDED FOR AT LEAST 3 CANDIDATES THAT VIOLATED THE AGREEMENT AND CAMPAIGNED FOR "UNCOMMITTED" VOTES. If we gave Obama 80% of that "uncommitted" vote, Hilary is still ahead. HILLARY WON THE POPULAR VOTE!! EVEN WHEN YOU COUNT THE FAIRY TALE NUMBERS IN THE CAUCUSES.

[Hillary Win]

ONe quick question: Everytime Hillary is mentioned - she is referred to as HRC- Hillary Rodham Clinton. How come we dont see Barack Obama's middle name mentioned anywhere. Everybody understands that it will and should not be used as a political gimmick- but why hide? Why cant his full name be used when the others are open to their names spelled out to the last "N"?

[melissa]

This article which reports that "an unusually high number of Clinton voters indicated they were likely to reject Obama and vote for the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona" has raised one qzeston in my mind :Have Clinton's supporters something against a Afro-Amrican candidate ? Are they a bit in between the republicans and the supporters of Obama?
I really hope that this willnot be the case.
How come they do not understand that with Republicans the politics they sustain would become a simple dream whereas it would be within reach and practically the same if a Dem like Obama won!

[Steve H]

The DNC has talked about how GW stole the election from Gore. Well, just what do they think they are doing for HRC. The committee shoould have given HRC all her deligates and divided up the others according to the average percentage that each of the other canidates that were to be on the ballot would have received prior to the MI primary. Obama would not have pulled that many deligates or voters. This was not a democratic process for MI. The committee took from one canidate and unlawfully lifted another. McCain will be my choice!

[FC]

Eric sums it up pretty perfectly.

[bw]

"Great selection for President this time, a liberal and an socialist. Another Jimma Carter result, God help us."

Indeed. We have a conservative in command right now. result: a war, a bigger government, a failing economy, $4+ for a gallon of gas (the list is so long)