The big topic of discussion on the campaign trial yesterday was whether Hillary Clinton should stay in the race until the bitter end or whether she should drop out for the good of the party.
For his part, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy said she should drop out now:
(Host) Will a protracted battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination hurt the Party’s chances of winning the November election?
Senator Patrick Leahy, who supports Obama, says the answer is yes, and he thinks Clinton should drop out of the race.
(…)
(Leahy) “I am very concerned. John McCain, who has been making one gaffe after another, is getting a free ride on it because Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have to fight with each other. I think that her criticism is hurting him more than anything John McCain has said. I think that’s unfortunate.”
(Kinzel) Leahy says it’s virtually impossible for Clinton to win more elected delegates than Obama, and as a result, he thinks it’s time for her to accept defeat:
(Leahy) “There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that’s a decision that only she can make. Frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate.”
Clinton, though, is saying she’ll stay in until the bitter end:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton pushed back hard yesterday against calls for her to withdraw from the presidential race, with aides saying she remains more determined than ever to remain in the contest until the end of the primary season.
(…)
To counter the impression that Clinton is prolonging the race, her campaign has begun describing what they say is a pattern of trying to force her to “the sidelines” every time she appears on the verge of victory. In an e-mail to her supporters, Clinton asked: “Have you noticed the pattern?”
“Every time our campaign demonstrates its strength and resilience, people start to suggest we should end our pursuit of the Democratic nomination,” she wrote. “Those anxious to force us to the sidelines aren’t doing it because they think we’re going to lose the upcoming primaries. The fact is, they’re reading the same polls we are, and they know we are in a position to win.”
In other words, she’s not getting out and she’s not giving up. This is going all the way until Denver.
March 29th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Given the fact that counting Florida and Michigan ( we can all count cant we?) Obama only has a 61 delegate lead which will be cut at least in half after Pa,( and maybe wiped out altogther if she gets 65% of the vote) and given that she is on track to win Indiana, Ky, and Puerto Rico, it is probable that she will end the primary season with the TRUE delegate lead and the popular vote. Pretty stupid conversation to be having about her dropping out isnt it although I can see why these jelly spined Obama supporters would like her to drop out. They see the handwriting on the wall. And the handwriting is this: After what happened in 2000 if you think super delegates are sending out a nominee who is there only because votes werent counted in Florida then you are face down in the Kool Aid punch bowl.
Florida and Michigan will count either by super delegates or the rules committee. By the way, if the Democrats didnt have this moronic apportionment system ( the only way to choose a nominee is the same way we choose a President, winner take all) which is completely inequitable to primary winners, and it was a winner take all primary, the delegate count now would be, Clinton, 2041, Obama 782. Another good reason for her to drop out, right?
March 29th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Lessee . . . the world is small and flat, the moon is made out of green cheese . . . and hillary is demonstrating great political acumen for all to see and adore. Jeez, why aren’t we all as smart as the woman who married the guy who was impeached because he couldn’t keep his . . . oh, nevermind. I’m sure she’ll make a great . . . uh . . . whatever. With a track record like her’s, I’m sure she knows what she’s doing, right? And if the republicans who are voting for her in the primaries can’t have Anne Coulter & Rush Limbaugh in the whitehouse, I’m sure that she’ll quit and let John McCain win in the general election, too.