Senator Leahy To Clinton: Drop Out

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Obama-backing Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) has become among the most senior Democrats to explicitly call for Sen. Hillary Clinton to drop out of the race:

In an interview on Vermont Public Radio, said "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."

Leahy said he was fretting about the impact of the protracted Democratic race.

"I am very concerned," he said. "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."

UPDATE: Leahy has released a new statement phrasing the issue in a softer tone (and without a call for Clinton to drop out):

Any clear-eyed appraisal of the campaign at this stage adds up to two conclusions:

The bottom line is that, first, Senator Obama continues to hold a lead that appears to be insurmountable, and recent indications are that more and more unpledged delegates have begun to add their support to his column.

And second, John McCain, who has been making one mistake after another, is getting a free ride on those gaffes, because the Democratic candidates have to focus not on him but on each other.

Senator Casey's endorsement of Senator Obama in Pennsylvania is the latest sign of how the race is going.

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A Democratic victory in November is important to the future and to the change in course that the American people want and deserve. The last thing the American people need is for Senator McCain to continue a third term for President Bush.

Senator Clinton has every right, but not a very good reason, to remain a candidate for as long as she wants to. As far as the delegate count and the interests of a Democratic victory in November go, there is not a very good reason for drawing this out. But as I have said before, that is a decision that only she can make.

Senator Clinton has begun a tremendous career in the Senate, and she has a bright future ahead of her. She faces difficult decisions ahead, and I wish her the best.

Also, the Clinton campaign released statements from their top Pennsylvania supporters:

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell: 'To call for an end to this race before the people of Pennsylvania have had a chance to make their views known is wrong and a disservice to millions of Democrats.' "I respect Senator Leahy and like him very much but as the governor of one of America's largest states, I am disappointed in his comments. By virtually every measure, this race is neck and neck with less than 1% of the more than 27 million votes cast forming the difference between the two candidates. To call for an end to this race before the people of Pennsylvania have had a chance to make their views known is wrong and a disservice to millions of Democrats." [Statement from Gov. Ed Rendell, thepage.time.com, 3/28/08]

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter: 'What [Sen. Leahy's] proposing would be like calling a baseball game in the 7th inning. Let's play this out... I think it's important not only that our concerns be discussed, but that our voices be heard and our votes be counted. "While I appreciate the loyalty Senator Leahy feels to Senator Obama and the concern he may have about his candidate's ability to win, what he's proposing would be like calling a baseball game in the 7th inning. Let's play this out. We have yet to have a real discussion about the issues at stake in cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton and I think it's important not only that our concerns be discussed, but that our voices be heard and our votes be counted. That's democracy. There is no reason whatsoever to disenfranchise Philadelphians and deprive them of their right to participate in our democratic process." [Statement from Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, 3/28/08]

Comments

[Dvmx]

Back to the subject: Leahy is right. Hillary can only become the most hated democrat by her further shenanigans. Nader wants her to stay in. That should tell you something.

[Cybersquirt]

I'm glad he toned it down a notch but he's still off.

"John McCain, who has been making one mistake after another, is getting a free ride on those gaffes, because the Democratic candidates have to focus not on him but on each other."

Uhm, no, they do not HAVE to focus on each other...

[mickyx65it]

It is not wise to end the campaign now, because what is needed is a winner. The campaign should finish on May 6th at midnight, right after the polls close in North Carolina and Indiana. The best thing for Obama is to end up as the GREAT WINNER against the Status Quo, lobby ridden Hillary. Obama can, and Obama will win big if he wins all the way.

[F150]

Can a Democrat please explain something to me. Why aren't you all outraged that your nominee is going to be selected by committee? Let's face it, neither candidate will have enough delegates. And if a super delegate has to respect the voters' will, then doesn't Ted Kennedy (super duper delegate) have to take back his endorsement of Obama since Hillary won Mass.? Just wondering.

[kevenseven]

Thanks for the leading question. I personally assume that Obama will have a lead of 145 or more pledged at the end of the primaries and that he will get the needed extra supers to put him over the top. These rules have been in place for decades, and while I may not be wild about them, I do not find them onerous either.

And the super delegates may vote any way they wish. In the case of congressmen whose districts vote 3 to 1 for a particular candidate, it is sensible for good relations with the constituency to respect that vote. In the event of, say, a governor, whose state favored one over the other by less than 2000 votes, there is no clear mandate to consider.

Ted Kennedy is free, as is any other super, to take into consideration all the ramifications of his vote. I have a little secret for you: Ted is going to win re-election regardless of who he votes for.

That's it for today, class. Read chapter 14 and give me a one page essay on the responsibilities of party leaders to the welfare of the party at the next class.

[mounthoodliberal]

nicely said. somehow these screwy clinton backers with their magical thinking believe that *all* the superdelegates from a state that hillary won, no matter how narrowly, must fall in line for her. they truly follow their leaders, who are telling them the pledged delegates are going to switch. lots of fantasy, very little reality.

[kevenseven]

Wait for it....

[zippywpinhead]

pledged delegates have to respect the voter's will, super delegates may do what they wish, which is why more and more of them seem to be endorsing Obama.

[DesertLight]

Better tell that to Teddy and Bill then. It seems that the rules do not apply to them.

[joje]

F150, it is confusing to us mere mortal voters. The Democratic Party started this mess by making some very short-sighted rules. They also continually contradict themselves. During the 2000 election they argued that Florida's election law was less important than making sure that "every vote counted." The party then claimed that holding to the strict letter of the law was tantamount to disenfranchisement. Now , the party is purporting that mere party rules in 2008 are more important than its own constituencies' "voter intent" . They are astonishingly comfortable with disenfranchising about 2.3 million voters in Florida and Michigan.
So, my question to Sen. Leahy is ,"Why If "voter intent" was more important than the strict letter of the law in 2000, shouldn't voter intent also trump mere party rules 2008?

[robertell]

Next Week:

It's tax time, Clinton style, as in they didn't pay much!

I predict Google's #1 search within one hour of the Clinton tax records release will be "Tax Shelters"

[jbage007]

Ain't it interesting how Leahy refers to Senators Obama and Clinton as "Senator Obama" and "Senator Clinton" but then refers to Senator McCain as simply John McCain.

Somewhat disrespectful of your fellow Senator, isn't it Pat Leahy?

[dikhedbush]

clinton to senator leahy..."DROP DEAD!"

[alm123]

TWO WORDS to Leahy, Screw you!

[kevenseven]

A very mature reaction.

[kevenseven]

She is demolishing the party's prospects in the fall. Get a hold of yourself.

[kevenseven]

It's over. Come to terms with reality.

[nick1936]

Yes Kenny and Kerry along with the Gov. of mass should respect the peoples vote like Richardson who didn't honor the people choise also the problem with the Dem's is they have a bunch of old men with no balls wanting folks to quit before the race is over .They got themselves elected in 2006 to change things in washington but all they did was continue to kiss The Chimp's ass

[BKLYNBROAD]

WATCH IT, ALM123: YOU'RE INTELLIGENCE IS SHOWING...NOT!!!

[Grunty1]

Looked like a pretty accurate barometer to me :-)

[pupbayer]

1. People in PA and IN would like to vote

2. Clinton doesn't back losers and Obama will be a loser in the general election. She'll back him when she absolutely has to and has no other choice but not until then because he cannot win against McCain.

[kevenseven]

1. There is nothing unusual or odd about a primary campaign ending before the last primary, it is in fact the norm. If you don't like our primary system, I recommend that you learn about the reform proposals, Wikipedia has a good overview. Start there.

2. She cannot end this thing with more pledged delegates than him. It is hard to imagine that he will have less than 145 more pledged delegates than her.

3. Her attacks on him will be used directly in commercials against Obama. Film of Clinton bashing Obama and a narrator asking "If Obama is too liberal for Hillary, he is too liberal for America".

4. Obama is going to crush McBomb.

[RButler]

5. He won't meet the 2024 threshold to win. So, it's up to the supers and they don't have to vote for him. It's the rules.

[Farfennugen]

Maybe his message was not clear enough. That the Clintons on one hand want to have every vote count but to win this then they have say don't count the votes and give us the nomination. Which way do they want this?

[mounthoodliberal]

selective reasoning....you forgot NC...they're going to vote too and obama has a huge lead there. this particular state will be final act for the clintons.

your second point contradicts itself and doesn't make much sense. from what I gather you think hillary is as sore a loser as you are, but she will back obama...that's party politics... now if she could only get bill to shut up and stop supporting mccain.

[Skyhawk]

At long last Hillary, have no sense of decency?

[iPolitics]

When Hillary Clinton supporter (and Pennsylvania Congressman) Joe Sestak was asked whether his candidate's continued challenge to Barack Obama will hurt the Democrats, he had to correct himself mid-sentence:

Senator Obama is truly the man he says he is, I believe, and if he is not the presidential candidate at the convention, he will turn to his followers and say, 'Support her.' And I have no question that Senator Clinton will turn to her followers and say, 'Support me.' Er, 'him.' "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-k5GS8jm3U

[ME08]

Has Darth Cheney EVER been right about anything?

I guess he was about Leahy...hey Pat...tell that to people from all the states who haven't voted yet, the multimillions of people who have more of a right to decide who will be nominee than you do.

[BKLYNBROAD]

GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. ALL HILLARY KNOWS IS 'ME, 'ME, AND MORE ME" AND "ENOUGH ABOUT YOU...LET'S TALK ABOUT ME".

[Grunty1]

Right the first time. I'm sure that Obama will tell his supporters to support Hillary if the impossible happens. Hillary will tell her supporters to vote McCain in exchange for a VP spot.

[mounthoodliberal]

right on the first point, wrong on the second. just yesterday, hillary clearly said that she and obama are very different that mccain, and that folks need to stick with the party.

[IkeChicago]

Hillary knows that her path to the nomination is over, so now she chooses to play a game and only she and Bill Clinton know what the game is. I also believe that Bill Clinton has devised this complex situation.

Option 1.. Have John McCain beat Barack Obama by mortally wounding him like Ronald Reagan did Jerry Ford in 1976. Reagan returned to run and win in 1980 and Hillary could return to run in 2012.

Option 2 A John McCain / Hillary Clinton ticket.

Option 3. A Barack Obama / Hillary Clinton ticket. Being VP would position her better for the 2016 run as Hillary would be 68 to 69 by then.

Which Option do you choose to argue for.

[pkrishna]

Later, Sen. Leahy plans to ask all teams in the NCAA Tournament to concede, if they are not leading, with five minutes left in the game.

[Grunty1]

But what about those who are 20 points back at the 5 minute mark?

[ktowntennesseedem]

If Sen. Clinton's campaign had not adopted the "kitchen sink" strategy and gone so negative, I would agree that this needs to play out. For me its not so much, "drop out, you can't win," but "drop out if you're not going to play nice." And Nutter's baseball comment is just wrong. In baseball a team can come from behind no matter how large the deficit and no matter how late the inning. Better to use a basketball analogy: there's only a couple of minutes to play, Hillary's down by 20, and has no choice but to keep fouling. Outside chance for a last second comeback, but not likely.

[gaydem]

Thank you, Sen. Leahy. Mark Penn: are ya listenin'?

[Dap]

Penn ain't giving up the cash cow.

[FastMovingCloud]

An apt choice of words!

[recruitgal]

Not much cash left by the sound of things...

[ymax]

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!