Howard Dean: Obama Or Clinton Must Drop Out In June

WASHINGTON — Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said Monday that either Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama will know when it's time to drop out of the nomination race after the end of the primaries in early June.

"We want the voters to have their say. That's over on June 3," he said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Dean, saying he was speaking from experience as a candidate for president in 2004, said he won't have to force anyone from the race.

"Either of these candidates, if it's time for them to go, they'll know it and they will go," he said. "They don't need any pushing from me. You know when to get in and you know when to get out. That's just part of the deal."

"This is not about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama," Dean added. "This is about our country. It's about a better course for our country. ... We've got to move on and win the presidency."

Obama has more delegates and popular votes than Clinton, but she also is fresh off a big-state win in Pennsylvania.

Indiana and North Carolina hold primaries on May 6.

Dean also said that while party rules say superdelegates can wait until the August convention to make up their minds, that would be too late to unify the party and defeat the presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain.

"We really can't have a divided convention. If we do it's going to be very hard to heal the party afterwards," Dean said. "So we'll know who the nominee is and that'll give us an extra 2 1/2 months to get our party together, heal the wounds of having a very closely divided race and take on Senator McCain."

Comments

[Bluesue]

June???? How about now. Those superdelegates should declare now. I think they're being wimpy because they don't want to face Hillary's wrath if she steals the nomination. And I don't want to hear about disenfranchising the voters in the remaining states. What do you think would have happened if Hillary had done what she and others expected on Super Tuesday. She wouldn't be wringing her hands about disenfranchised voters then.

Meanwhile, John McCain has begun his campaign and he's campaigning against Obama. If Hillary keeps this going to the convention, there really isn't any time to launch a campaign against McCain.

2012 here comes Hillary again.

[speakingtruth2power]

Attacking Howard Dean only diminishes the small bit of self respect the Clintonites might have.

[Sonny James]

i hope this one does not sting too much.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/34931.html

[ThunderclapNewman]

An excellent editorial.

[DoubleAbsolut]

True. Clinton has a history of failure. She blamed the GOP for her failure to deliver jobs to NY, which she promised in her Senate campaign.
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/4/10/225623.

[EvoMan]

It's a good question and one I've been asking for a long time.

How about it, Clinton supporters. Given her inept campaign, so poorly run that she has had to resort to mud-slinging rather than focus on the issues, why do you think she'll run the country any better?

[zerocoma]

Unless the bitterness and fighting inside the Democratic Party stops once a nominee is named.. we'll all be saying preznitwit McClame next January.

[THEhillbilly]

"All"? No. Only the lamest of the lame and the retardates among the retarded would parrot such infantile nonsense.

[lornejl1]

If After the last 8 years the dems can't beat an old neo con fart like McCain, so be it.

[haboob]

the activists are working on it

[iPolitics]

If Obama loses to McCain, Hillary will pay an unmatched price in the history books. unmatched.

[brooksmf224]

I have figured it out!
I went to a website called "The SuperDelegate Transparency Project" where all of the primary elections are broken down by congressional district for each state. If we say that a superdelegate for any given congressional district should vote with their constituency - and if we also say that any statewide office superdelegate should vote as their state voted, then Senator Obama would be leading Senator Clinton by over 200 delegates. What I did as I was analysing this data was to commit any uncommitted superdelegates including state add-on's. I also corrected any current endorsements to follow the rules above. Using this logic, Senator Clinton would have 1671 delegates (pledged and super) and Senator Obama would have 1883 delegates (pledged and super).
This scenario is a true representation of the people's vote.
So, you can have superdelegates vote as the people voted or you can have them vote "what is best for the party" (which may or may not be what is best "for the people").

[SaintZak]

She's gonna run as an independant, mark my words.

[RanTheMan]

Nah.In the end, she'll stay faithful to the Democratic Party and endorse Obama.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Without any real conviction, of course.

[morticia]

that`s the right thing to do, we`ll see if she does it

[JuneCleaversBeaver]

Not possible. Most large (elector-wise) states have "sore loser" laws. You can not run as an independent in the General Election if your name has appeared on a party primary ballot the same year.

[donttasemebro]

That would be political suicide.

[MsLourdes]

I believe that. She will split the Dems, McSenile will be elected and then she wil run again on 2012. She is despicable.

[DirtyDawg]

The more I read this crap...the longer this thing goes on with the billarybunch ready to do some 'scorched earth' on the way out the door...the more that same bunch tries to take it out on Howard just because he won't kiss your ass like everybody else that you have on your team...the more I'm convinced that I want the Clintons out of my life and my government almost as much as want the bushes. Hell, billary may be as bad as rush always said you were.

As for those posting here against Howard and Barack, we just might be able to do without your butts this November, but we'll damn sure be able to do without you for the future. Just join the Repug party and get it over with.

[speakingtruth2power]

Now that the GOP has collapsed under the

weight of it's corruption and incompetence,

it is time for a major political realignment!!

Any nominations for the new names folks?

[the964kid]

Finally a little leadership. Why doesn't he tell Hillary to get out now - since Obama will still be winning in June after all the primaries have happened. Even her own campaign doesn't dispute that Obama will be ahead in pledged delegates, which is how the nomination is won. Between now and June the two candidates will spend tens of millions attacking each other, which would be far better spent attacking McCain. And instead they're giving McCain all this time to go out and build himself up. Dean was right, this is about the Dem party and giving it the best chances of winning in November: Hillary get out soon with some class and grace, even most of your supports (more then 65%) believe Obama will be the nominee. Hillary, you're just wasting time and money.

[SmellTheHorse]

Given the way the G.O.P.'s right wing is creaming its collective trousers over Hillary Clinton -- see: Karl Rove, Bill Kristol, Richard Mellon Scaife -- and given Mrs. Clinton's recent repeated statements that under her watch, the United States would intervene militarily (with "massive retaliation") if Iran dared attack Israel, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates and "completely obliterate" Iran in the process, a McCain-Clinton ticket is starting to feel like a natural fit. Given that she can't get the nomination without "completely obliterating" Sen. Obama, perhaps Mrs. Clinton should do both parties a favor and follow her natural instinct to run as a Republican.

[rocketJsquirrel]

good point. I saw no point in the obliterating Iran remark beyond pandering to those "conservative" voters who seem to want to kill everyone who isn't like them. it completely ignores the fact that most Iranians kinda like us. Why would we want to obliterate them??!!! We need all the friends we can get in the middle east, and talk like that is not helpful.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Hillary panders with alacrity and alarming regularity.

[kristin]

I sent this letter to Howard Dean. You can do the same by googling "Contact Howard Dean".

Mr. Dean,

How can you make a neutral statement that either Obama or Hillary should drop out in June. Obama has a virtually insurmountable lead, yet you make a statement that in essence campaigns for Hillary by implying an equivalency that does not exist. Hillary is continuing to campaign against all odds--harming the Democratic Party and damaging Obama’s reputation. McCain is now starting to use Hillary’s charges against Obama--that he doesn’t understand poor people. Yet you are encouraging Hillary to continue this damaging tactic by your headline making statement. I am exceedingly angry and dismayed at your supporting Hillary’s campaign when in fact she has lost. What in the world are you trying to accomplish?

[tEDDIEbear]

Just one tiny problem - neither candidate will have the total delegates to win the nomination in Denver. So what do you think will happen. We can have an old white woman or a Chicago thug. Obama needs to just drop out now and let the Dems have a chance at the W.H.

[Chad53916]

It seems the GOP has got the same idea as you. Get Obama out of the way so McCain has a better chance in November!

[Ratso]

Think back 8 years when an perfectly qualified, Al Gore, lost the election to George W. Bush. Excuses aside. The DNC screwed up, and Al Gore made a few errors of judgement. None the less, he should have won handily. Think back 4 years when Kerry , whom we perceived as a war hero, an highly experienced lost to (again) GWB. The DNC, Kerry and his "lovely" wife made some disasterous misques. So, this year we have the same DNC under ("Yahoo" Dr. Dean) running the show. We have quarreling candidates both with loudmouthed spouses. Isn't it time someone in the DNC has some stones and developed a plan. Come to the center ladies and gentlemen or the next 4 years will belong to the GOP. You can't win with just college kids and hippies votes.

[morticia]

you can`t win with old white racists either!

[morticia]

Kristin, I`m with you all the way , I also wrote to Dean, he just can`t do anything he will disenfranchise
all of Clinton supporters, that`s the white old lady`s and whatever crawls, but you know he is just as
eager to throw her BIG MOUTH out of the way as you and I .I really commend you on your letter, but not
to worry soon really soon, she is toast.

[Vantunow]

Dean's Statement about "it comes down to Electibility" smells. Maybe plans to throw Obama under the bus are already in place.

[morticia]

and the ONLY ONE who is ELECTABLE IS OBAMA, have you seen those RALLYS???wake up

[rocketJsquirrel]

anyone with an ability to read the rules and add can see that this should have been over a long time ago. june is ok, but it's a little late.

[JuneCleaversBeaver]

Vere is moose?

[CarlsV]

I'm coming Beenie Boy ...

Oh yeah, wrong cartoon.

[rocketJsquirrel]

wayback machine has taken him and mr peabody to find ways to fight sinister plots that threaten decadent American lifestyle.

[Taaj]

Obama won't drop out, he's winning. Plus too many NEW voters will drop out with him, inspite of the news media polls. don't be deceive. The GOP knows their competition, and it ain't HRC!