Hillary Clinton Deluged With Calls For Her Withdrawal

Washington Post:

In her most definitive comments to date on the subject, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton sought Saturday to put to rest any notion that she will drop out of the presidential race, pledging in an interview to not only compete in all the remaining primaries but also continue until there is a resolution of the disqualified results in Florida and Michigan.

A day after Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean urged the candidates to end the race by July 1, Clinton defied that call by declaring that she will take her campaign all the way to the Aug. 25-28 convention if necessary, potentially setting up the prolonged and divisive contest that party leaders are increasingly anxious to avoid...

...Her remarks come as Clinton faces a mounting drumbeat, driven by the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and his backers, for her to bow out and avert a party crisis. Obama's supporters argue that he is too far ahead in pledged delegates for Clinton to catch up; Clinton counters by saying that neither of them has secured the 2,024 delegates needed for the nomination.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[kdjoins]

Obama could have this thing wrapped up now...all he has to do is get the supers delegates to back him...but he hasn't. He's already given the supers more than three times as much money as Clinton has...

If ending the race is so important to the party, why haven't the supers just decided to end it? What are they waiting for?

...it's what we're all waiting for....the unknowns about Obama.

[kevenseven]

Obama has been drawing Supers at a vastly faster rate over the last six weeks than has Clinton. Infact, she has been losing Supers.

Right now the Supers are split roughly evenly, Clinton (slight advantage), Obama, (down by 30) and uncommitted.

[Aleka]

If you want to just make up reasons, how about this one? They've all been threatened by Hillary's backers and Carville, and are hoping they don't have to make a public stand. Since we have a documented letter where they ARE threatening, mine is actually more plausible. However, I recognise that I am just guessing.

And tell me, would your "vague fears of unknown" really be there if he was a white guy named Joe Smith? If you were honest, you would admit that a black guy with a scary name makes you a bit uneasy, deep deep down. I am white, and not racist, and I can admit this to myself. This is why the use of "hussien" is so effective, it totally plays into american fears on a very deep level.

The difference appears to be that I can intellectually realize that this is so, step back and realize that he's been more transparent than Clinton, and I am able to accept him for what he is - a fine candidate. I hope that when you consider things, you can realize it is this fear that Hillary is playing into - and even stoking.

[accountability]

YIPES!

Since we are making judgments about others who we know nothing about:

Most people in sociology and academia who work with Race, Class and Gender studies would differ with you I think. In fact I think they would say you are deluded by announcing so stridently that you are not a racist.
I for one don't believe you. I don't believe anyone who would make that announcement. It is ignorant given that you have been raised in a culture that is systemically racist as someone who is inherently privileged. As a member of the dominant culture in a racist society you will have orientations and attitudes and perspectives that are so deeply ingrained as to be invisible to you. It would indeed be a rare and emotionally, spiritually and intellectually gifted person to not have any racist tendencies given our culture.
You are not any of those as the ignorance of your comment has shown. By your frightened attacks on Hillary Clinton it is apparent that you buy into everything negative the media and the Hill Haters say about her (though I am sure you only buy the positive on Barack) so you have a non objective and intellectually dishonest argument.

[accountability]

I sometimes wonder if Hillary isn't getting out because she knows something that she assumes will eventually come out.
Just a thought. I have them now and then.

This is one I had the other day:
When I heard Bill saying something positive about McC it hit me that he is undermining McCain not Obama! The Far Right hate the Clintons and they aren't too fond of McCain. Bill, by saying that McC is liberal on several issues, and naming them out loud...iss­ues that the far right and even not so far have no tolerance for are listening to this and fuming that they are stuck with McC, and many aren't going to vote.. I don't know why it didn't dawn on me before. Every one says how sly Clinton is, how committed to the Democratic party, yet they seem to want to believe that he is not at the same time. The media have been insane with the twists and turns they are taking in covering Bill. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so fricking painful to watch!

[accountability]

PS

Anyway I think the real reason she doesn't quit is because she is just so much not a quitter. This is who she is deep down, she was raised that way, She absolutely must give it her all and I don't think she sees it in terms of being humiliated or anything else. I think she really believes this is what she should do even if she is not going to win. This is what should be done, this is how people/she must comport herself and if she quit she would be very disappointed in herself and feel she let people down.
Oh, I know what the haters say but I don't buy it. No one is that evil and calculating. Besides I've been studying her for the last few months, going back into her history. She is pretty amazing.
I don't think She is tearing the party apart. I think the divisiveness by the supporters is far more destructive than anything the candidates have done...(I also don't see Obama as mr. Innocent though I support him (and Her!)

[fatherof5women]

yes, exactly...­.and this is why so many people in the democratic base rally to her....the­y want someone in washington who will never quit....wh­o will relentlessly pursue the interests of the people who need their voices to be heard in washington­....people who work 2 jobs, stay up at night worrying about health care and wonder how the hell they are going to save money for college, etc.....on a gut level, they connect with hillary for the simple reason that she does not quit in the face of even very long odds....di­slike her if you want, mistrust her if you do, but be aware that her refusal to quit is a quality that rallies people to her side...and people like me who support her get more and more likely to reject obama when his supporters try to bully her out of the race....wh­atever you might think about the "math", there is a lot of time between now and august...a­nd anything could happen...

[BlueBoomer]

BINGO!

[Witchitalineman]

I don't believe Clinton's being a woman has anything to do with people not wanting to support her. Clinton has been extremely negative to the point of appearing vindictive against Obama, and has lied on national television about her arrival in Bosnia. Her truthfulness has to be questioned. Because she is a woman doesn't give her the presidency. Clinton should shut her mouth and both she and Obama need to address the urgent issues of the day namely our continued presence in Iraq which is draining and bankrupting our economy. We have many domestic issues that need to be talked about so that we can feed our families.

[BrickSykes]

You're right, Lineman,

Think about it...Here we have humans who've lived together for hundreds of generations with male dominance, more or less. Equality has been loosening up a bit for the last several generations, or so. But, how in Hell can we expect for any human who has been subjected to the kind of subservience that females have been for these centuries, to all of a sudden come into their own without a "glitch" here or there? No one can reasonably expect Hillary Clinton to act appropriately to a competitive effort with Barak Obama, can he? Or even from Barak to Hillary, right?

So, I think they're both lucky that they haven't killed each other by now. But, for the Show of the Moment, I think Ms. Clinton should call her effort a "Good Show" and step aside. The next lady who approaches the Plate will have Her experience to bank on.

Brick

[accountability]

so should she shut her mouth or should she address the issues?

She gives speeches outlining her ideas and "plans" and policies she would implement if things are how they seem without being privy to all the information. She outlines carefully with depth and breadth of the issues and the problems as she sees them... and the media doesn't cover it.
Why?
They don't give a hell about the issues they care about blood, they have said as much. They dislike the Clinton's intensely and they all have man crushes on Obama.

Russert said that "it is easier to criticize a woman than it is to criticize an AA man." Seriously! This was when they were beginning to cop to the fact that they had been ummm... lets just say uneven in their coverage.
Of course when discussing the issue they always would say "they" meaning the rest of the media, not themselves.

They also said at the time she has been around longer so its easier to criticize her.
This unbelievable for several reasons, the inherent racism, the inherent sexism the fact that because one person has been around longer she or he should be scrutinized more... when in fact logic would say the exact opposite, and the belief that criticism is their primary job rather than enlightening the public on the issues and where the candidates stand.

[BlueBoomer]

Witchita..­.

I am neither a fan of Obama nor of Hillary, but I have been pissed off all along about all the passes the media has given Obama from the beginning of this campaign, such that if he wins, we could be in for some nasty surprises (the man came out of Chicago politics, after all)...

How many people out there know that he didn't even show up to vote on the Kyl-Lieberman Iran senate resolution THAT HE CRITICIZES Hillary Clinton for, yet with no media honesty-check?

Could be that is the cause of some of Hillary's venom, doncha think... Afterall, it's one thing to contemplate losing an even-handed contest, but another altogether if the other side is being unfairly (I hate that word) protected by the referee,

[fatherof5women]

Every once in a while, I feel a need to check in here and thank all you Obama supporters for the gift of your venom.

This week, it has just been wonderful to watch all of you stridently and arrogantly demand that Hillary quit the race. Of my 5 daughters, 3 were for Hillary, 2 for Obama. Both of the Obama daughtesr switched to Hillary this week, without a word from me. Why? My youngest (22) explained: "Dad, as a woman, I'm just sick of all these men like Richardson, Dodd, and all those idiots at MSNBC who are always pushing Clinton to do what they want her to do. They must really be afraid of what might happen in Pennsyvlan­ia....Oh, and Dad, a bunch of my friends are switching too. Hillary standing up to all this has really made us respect her."

Bingo.

Of course, Obama fans want her to quit before Pennsylvan­ia...but guess what? She won't.

This is going all the way to Denver and, by that time, it will be so clear that Obama, nice fellow that he is, is not up to being President.­.or running even a credible race against McCain.

Come the summer, the pressure will be on Obama to quit...and I will check in here MUCH more often. THAT will be fun.

[Aleka]

So, do you sell your fiction also, or just post it on blogs?

[Nochnoi]

Isn't he nice to grace us with his pleasing words... yech!

[BrickSykes]

Hey...You'­re just pissed because YOU'VE fathered FIVE of "Them"!! Is that Obama's fault? And, you're wrong about "Obama's fans", too. Its not "Obama's fans", Ma'am. Its AMERICA'S FANS who wish that Ms. Clinton would bow out gracefully before she makes a COMPLETE Fool of Herself! (Oh, yeah...and­, what's your spin on that Bosnia "Lie", Lady?)

Brick

[presto]

Why are you so angry about that post? It was his story, his opinion. Why attack him?

[mnmm]

"AMERICA'S FANS" - lol.

over 60% of Americans WANT Hillary to stay in. And even the majority of Obama supporters want her to stay in - only 22% of Obama supporters want Hillary to drop out.

[3billis811]

What a wonderful threat you've posted! Say, when Hillary bow's out of the race ungracefully, will you be as gleeful in your threats as you are no? Gosh, that's just to bad pumpkin! So let me ask you this then, when you were up all night looking in the bathroom mirror, doing all your best "evil sneers" did you ever once stop to think that Venom might POSSIBLY be directed less at Hillary and more at people like yourself, muffin?

[presto]

Wow - you're pretty wound up. What threats did he make? I didn't see any. Why can't he be a Hillary supporter if he wants to be?

[Nochnoi]

I went and read your profile, and your previous comments here.....

You have been here almost everyday this month, and all your posts have been venomous towards supporters of Senator Obama....

My conclusion is that you are no more than a hack for Hillary...­. hopefully others will see this as well...

[presto]

I read his profile too...I thought maybe he had stumbled into the wrong place by mistake. I didn't see any venom. He is not an Obama supporter but he does not call him names or make stuff up. He has a lot of facts, makes reference to a lot of statistics and trends but venom?....­No, I don't see it.

And what exactly is a "hack for Hillary"? Does that mean supporter? Is that what you are hoping others will see? I just don't get it.

[fatherof5women]

see...ther­e you go--"hack for hillary"..­.i said nothing nasty about obama in my post...you folks for obama have to understand that many of us democrats who are for hillary are going to vote for mccain in the fall if clinton is not the nominee...­that doesn't make us republicans or hacks...it means we are not liberals..­.to some os us, it means that we are offended at the venom of many obama supporters­...somehow­, many of you on this site seem to equate liberal and democrat..­.bill clinton was the last democrat elected president and he was not a liberal...­the last democrat before him to be elected was jimmy carter, also not a liberal...­the last before him was lyndon johnson, definitely not a liberal..b­efore that, john kennedy, also not a liberal...­.and truman before that...in fact, you have to go back more than 70 years to FDR to find a bona fide liberal democrat to be elected president.­...but you can find a lot of liberal democratic nominees who were wiped out in the general election---kerry, dukakis, mcgovern, mondale, etc...the point here is that many of us moderate democrats think that an ultra-liberal like obama will be swamped by mccain....­it would be nice is these posts could be about ideas, and not personal venom...

[cheneyhasawarmachine]

your daughters aren't very smart. they are changing their votes because some people are mean to Hillary? wow that is a great reason to support somebody.

[JiminNC]

One more - Drop out Senator Clinton.

[julescator]

I have a question: If the shoe were on the other foot and HIllary was leading in states, in delegates and in the popular vote, how many of your acutally believe that HIllary would be calling from Florida and Michigan to vote or for Obama to stay in until the convention? Be honest. I don't hink Hillary is honest, I think she will say or do anything to win and I am very disappointed in her behavior in this campaign.

[BardEric]

ANd likewisw, if BHO had won the popular vote in FL, and had had the cojones to leave his name on the MI ballot(and won) he would be fighting every bit as hard to have those delegates seated..He is no different than any other politician in that he will seek to accomplish what aids him, and try to counter any action which would not.

[3billis811]

Those primaries didn't count. Hillary even agreed they wouldn't count. Why can't you just accept that? What about all the other candidates that were in the race?You sound like a broken record.

[Aleka]

For the life of me I cannot figure out how Clinton managed to turn Obama rightfully taking his name off the ballot, as some kind of cowardly act/desertion. It just defies reason.

[Aleka]

We all know that if the shoe was on the other foot Clinton would have demanded he concede a month ago, and he would have done so.

[cheneyhasawarmachine]

if the shoe were on the other foot obama would look silly in pumps

[Oldtt]

You're saying that if the shoe were on the other foot, and Clinton was doing the same thing then that Obama is doing now, that Clinton would be wrong. But Obama isn't wrong, right? So Clinton must be right, right? Or do Clinton rules apply?

[presto]

So she would do what he is doing? And you would interpret that as "she will say or do anything to win"? There is a connect-the-dots exercise in there if you want to try it.

[jsinclair]

Honestly? If Obama had a very different message from the frontrunner (and inevitable choice), I might think he should keep going to broaden and deepen dialogue on issues....­maybe affect the Dem. platform..­..maybe keep building name recognition for next time.

But, looking dispassionately, none of that applies to Hillary. Her most vibrant message seems to be "Obama's flawed! I'm so much better!" "McCain is good, too!" So, yeah, to her I have to say, "Bye-bye".

[HumeSkeptic]

McBomb's message: "A noun, a verb, and surge"

[VcKrc]

Hillary should stay in the race. It's driving Obama supporters, like me, nuts, but if it were the other way around I would want him to stay in until the end. She is going push this FL and MI primary stuff to the limit. Count on her trying to get the courts involved.
Her agrument that Obama can't carry the "big" states makes no sense. There is going to be a huge difference in that race, one candidate will be a republican and the other a democrat.

[presto]

No one has to get the courts involved. I'm sure FLorida and Michigan will be counted in some way once the problem is turned over to the credential committee. No reason not to.

[jsinclair]

If it were the other way around, unless he was offering something VERY different (like, an end to a war that she favored), I'd hope he'd quit (that's what most of the candidates I like have to do, long before the convention. It's the way it goes).

Quitting graciously, campaigning wholeheartedly for the nominee, and (if you want) getting something back along the way (VP, Cabinet post, support for your next campaign).­....that's the way to go. The Republicans have quite a surprising winner with McCain, but everyone's been very gracious about it (well, except Bush's tepid "endorsement").

I wish "gracious loser" described Hillary. But it doesnt' and it never will. Clintons. Don't. Lose. She'll have to be forced out by numbers or insiders.

[HumeSkeptic]

It is completely unfair of Obama to have won more pledged delegates. It just goes to show that he'd do anything just to win. Shameful.

He even ran a better campaign and has more money. Awful. The guy is a creep.

[butchie65]

Must be some good stuff your smoking there ,Hume !

[Nochnoi]

I agree.... how dare he win all those delegates!!! Are we really expected to believe he raised $55 million dollars last month? How about Hillary not paying her bills because she can not her supporters to pony up the cash.... sheesh.... and all those lies... I just can't believe she isn't wining as she is soooooo swell!

[kevenseven]

There is something fishy there, to be sure. The man has over two million doners. That can't be right!

[JohnKemp]

Yeah, a real shame & a total disappointment to Obama's cult that he raised $55 million; libs decry the influence of money in politics.

By the way, considering Tony Rezko, how much of the $55 million did Obama keep "in reserve?" You know, just in case he has to return the funds?

Oh, that's right, Obama "returned" Rezko's money, and Shrillary "returned" Hsu's money; it's a beautiful thing.

Did anybody ever verify this "return?" Were there records for the "returns?" Or are we just supposed to take Obama & Hillary's word for their restitution?

[kevenseven]

And that business of having an effective message! Just not fair! If only Hillary had known that having an effective message was helpful in winning primary contests, she might have had a chance!

I'm with you Hume. He's using his good looks, rascal's smile, oratorical skills, and superior message to win an election! It is just not right!

Why, the last time I saw a Democrat succeed with such a vile collection of skill was in 1992.

I think there should be handicapping, like in horse races! Obama should have to wear a Nixon mask or something!

[BOBONDE]

I AGREE WITH NEWYORKNEWYORK, REMEMBER PA. DEMS, KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU DONT HAVE A PENSION PLAN WHERE YOU WORK, YOU WILL NEED SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE JUST AS MUCH AS I WILL, DONT LET THE ELECTION BE CLOSE ENOUGH SO THE NEO CONS CAN STEAL ANOTHER ONE, THEN WATCH THINGS GO TO HECK IN A HANDBASKET, DONT LET THE NEO CONS TURN THIS INTO A THIRD WORLD BANANA REPUBLIC, WE NEED TO KEEP A STRONG MIDDLE CLASS AND KEEP THIS A DEMOCRACY, MABY NEO CONS DONT LIKE PEACE AND PROSPERITY BUT I DO!

[iPolitics]

On Meet The Press this morning, David Brooks said this:

I think she should slow down the campaign, run what Mike Huckabee ran, a dignified campaign, not attacking her opponents, go through North Carolina and then get out. She really has very little opportunity to win. The Jeremiah Wright thing was big, the big scandal, the biggest thing Barack Obama's faced really in months. It didn't hurt him. We now have the polling results from poll after poll. It's clear it didn't hurt him. The voters were not shaken off him. The--Michigan and Florida are not going to revote, the superdelegates are never going to overrule the pledge delegates, so her chances are really s

[presto]

David Brooks has one take. Others have another, as I'm sure you know if you watched the rest of Meet the Press. That was cherry-picking.

[HumeSkeptic]

Obama should offer Hillary some financial help. She's broke. It is very unfair of him to be asking her to run, but offering her no money whatsoever.

Just goes to show what a bad candidate he is.

[Beowoof]

Drop out? NEVER! These states all have the right as in Florida and Michigan to have their voice heard. Just like Ohio where I stood strong against NAFTA while my opponent was shifting behind the scenes with Canadian officials. I'm so angry about this. Barack Obama meet me in Pennsylvania!

[HumeSkeptic]

Hillary, you are broke.

[kevenseven]

Gosh, Hume. I have never heard of a nomination being decide before the last primary was run, have you? And I've been doing this for 20 years.

[LaFeminazi]

The Dem's and Repugs have done such a wonderful job for the last fifty years.

I just so want to vote for both of them again.

I am moved to tears. by their awe inspiring leadership and....

Femi wept.

[Copiously I might add none of this sniffling a full blown bawl for me.]

[JohnKemp]

Well, let's see.

Greatest country in the history of civilization; record home ownership, record IRA ownership, record stock ownership, supporter of successful democratic, capitalistic societies worlwide, etc.

Doesn't seem to me that the two party system has done too badly.

By the way, I do hope that you libs read George Will's column today:

-Lib families incomes exceeds conservative families by 6% but conservative families donate 30% more to charity.

-Conservatives also donate more time & give more blood.

-People who reject the idea that "government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality" give an average of FOUR times more than people who accept that proposition.

-In 2000, Gore's charitable contributions, as a percentage of his cimcoem, were below the national average; 0.2% of his family's income. But Gore "gave at the office," by using public money to give other peoples' money to government programs, thereby being "charitabl­e."

[3billis811]

What was the % of your contributions to charity in 2000? mine was 5%.

[accountability]

LOL

Pass me a tissue please.
In fact pass the whole box!

[realitytrumpsbull]

Three words: Federal feed trough.

Oink, oink.

Bert08

[Blackstone]

I think she should stay in the race to the bitter end. Lets have no cries of 'foul' when its over. If Obama is going to be the nominee let Hillary have every chance of beating him because when he does win there can be no arguement.

[JavaCityGal]

Hear Hear!

[kroses98]

We will always have cries of "foul," because the Clintons don't know how to accept responsibility for their own failings, and they will always blame them on others! Always have, and always will!!! That is what narcissists do!!!

[CommieKazi]

68 chicago is gona be a church social compared to denver
theyre gona beat each other bloody
the 'winners' gona limp to the gen election
and pres elect MCCain is gona romp em
good goin dems!!

[jsinclair]

But Hillary will stay in to the bitter end, make a big anti-Obama DRAMA at the convention, and STILL cry "foul"! You know she will.

And dealing with that should eat up the other two months until Billary finally succeeds in getting McCain elected.