Choleric

She needs to drop out and stop dividing the party, so they can focus their efforts on the GOP and McCain.

Curb Zone

 

450SEL6.9

Jeff, have you gone barking mad? Hil needs to drop out and stop the division? That's something a celeb-obsessed, first-time voting, John Kerry cheering, Facebook Liberal would say!

I'm not singling you out because I know many Democrats want to see the same thing. However, if she is told she needs to go (after all that the Clintons have done for the party), anyone is going to feel seriously insulted. If they are forced out and they pick up their bags and go home (for good), the party will be in the sh*t. Her fervent supporters (many are rural) can easily go McCain or sit out.

I don't think it's her dividing the party, no more than it is Barack dividing it. It's just that the Dems and their voters are playing these stupid party dividing games again. The manner and massive numbers in which African-Americans are rejecting the Clintons is I think very divisive.

I used to be a Reagan Democrat, until I realized how dumb (the internal policies, rules and nominating proceeds) and fractured the party always is.

Choleric

HaHa.

Yes they're both guilty of dividing the party, and never said they should tell her to drop out, it just seems inevitable now. As you said if she doesn't win a state next week she is done, if not then definitely March 4th if she loses either TX or OH.

It would be much better for the party if either conceded and backed the other. It seems now that it should be Hillary backing Obama, hell maybe nominate Bill for VP , or at least John Edwards or Mark Warner.

450SEL6.9

I think all of this division could have been avoided. A party does not need two ground-breaking candidates running against each other for the nomination. It's just unnecessary. Any one of Edwards, Bayh, Gore, and this would never have happened. However this race ends, one star Democrat's presidential ambitions will be incinerated forever! And for what? To prove a point that Dems are very tolerant?

I know you didn't say that she should be told to drop out, but I know you get the idea. If there is a general feeling amongst voters that she needs to go, I just think the Clintons reaction may not be very kind.

Of course she will prove me wrong and stop it before it goes to the convention floor.

Choleric

Yeah, you've been rooting for Gore the whole time, I remember, it sure would have been nice if he ran...

Edwards could have been great but I think he just came off as too much of a insincere lawyer to much of the public.

And I always kinda wanted Hillary, just because it would be cool to see Bill just kickin' it on the white house lawn in pajama pants.

Gravel or Biden were my ideal Presidents, too bad neither of em got much love.

Harry Plopper

It really looks like HC is all abandoned. Hilarious!

It would be fair - OK, let's wait till March 4th - she suspends the campaign, and let Obama win the nomination. By such act she will emerge as a lady of honor & unity, and gaining some popularity again.

But ... Oh, Obama. Still flying high. Flying high - dropping low? He is a great speaker & motivator, no doubt. But ... there are other skills needed than just being a great speaker. Eg. in some tough situation making a right & quick decision.

Yes, USA is again taking chances. Good luck! You have done this with GWB as well. And look what you've done.

Still waiting to hear more detailed plans from any candidate how to improve the economy, how to deal with Iraq, how to restore USA reputation in the world, how to deal with crisis points around the world, where to get money for the health care etc. All just BSing. Pure advertising.

I'm really concerned since lately politicians are elected (all around the world) based on pure advertising, not based on their opus, skills, records etc.

The era of "consumer politics" ...

Mikael

Currently looks like Obama would have better chance than Hillary against McCain:

Harry Plopper

^

Now it's February, elections are in November. In 9 months.

Do you recall Hillary's lead in polls over Obama 9 months ago?




The only relevant poll is the one done directly before election day. All the others are just a guessing.

So, in nine months Obama can lead McCain by 30 points, or vice versa.

This "electability" factor is pure guessing, and a tool for manipulation & spin.

Although I'm sure Hillary is less popular among Republicans than Obama (at the moment). Yet I'm not sure what the percentage will be when Obama liberal records will be fully revealed to average Joe and Mary.

Mind that Hillary has nothing more to hide, while we don't know anything dirty about Obama yet. And I'm sure he is not a saint. He better start preparing a strong defense case, not just using a phrase "Those attacks are old politics' tricks, a part of the past not the future."

Imagine such quotes being use by defense at court: "Oh, those allegations by prosecutors are just the old justice's tricks. A part of past not the future. We won't play this game."

450SEL6.9

The more relevant polls are the ones in battleground states. There have been a few released in Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania. McCain runs ahead in Ohio and Missouri and slightly behind in Penn. Mac has a much better chance of winning Penn than Bush, who narrowly lost it twice. If a Dem loses Penn., it's over. Like EnI said, too early to put stock in any of these.

Obama does have some things that are, shall we say, "inconvenient" for a man who runs on change and all that jazz.

If he keeps saying these attacks are old politics, the Republicans can counter by arguing, "Well, your past record doesn't suggest you are about new politics and that's why you are running from it faster than a homeowner from a sub-prime mortgage. Aside from being more Liberal than Hillary, maybe you two are not too different. He won't talk about his past record because he knows it will make his "change the future" message sound very disingenuous."

Whether the media will even give the Republicans time to make that argument is up to date. Like EnI said, the celebrity-mad world today seems bent on electing the more "marketable" candidates. It is possible (probably likely) that the media will help Obama promote his "That's all in the past and I'm about the future!" defense.

450SEL6.9

Uh-oh, Hillary gets destroyed in Wisconsin. Her lead is shrinking in Texas and Ohio. She needs to win them both by large margins. She won't hold them both because Obama has broken into her support base. It's nearly over. Obama has an 80% chance of getting the nomination, says the Intrade betters.

Obama will be the nominee. March 4 will be the day it ends.

Curb Zone