George McGovern Switches To Obama, Urges Clinton To Drop Out

UPDATE: Watch video of McGovern discussing his decision below.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Former Sen. George McGovern, an early supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton, urged her to drop out of the Democratic presidential race and endorsed her rival, Barack Obama.

After watching the returns from the North Carolina and Indiana primaries Tuesday night, McGovern said Wednesday it's virtually impossible for Clinton to win the nomination. The 1972 Democratic presidential nominee said he had a call in to former President Clinton to tell him of the decision, adding that he remains close friends with the Clintons.
"I will hold them in affection and admiration all of my days," he said of the Clintons.

McGovern's announcement comes a day before Clinton was scheduled to travel to South Dakota to campaign. The state holds its primary June 3 with 15 pledged delegates at stake.

McGovern said he had no regrets about endorsing Hillary Clinton months ago, even before the Iowa caucuses.

"She has run a valiant campaign. And she will remain an influential voice in the American future," he said.

But Obama has won the nomination "by any practical test" and is very close to a majority of the pledged delegates, said McGovern, who is 85. Obama moved within 200 delegates of clinching the nomination with his split decision on Tuesday of a win in North Carolina and a narrow loss in Indiana.

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It's time to unite the Democratic Party, he said.

"Hillary, of course, will make the decision as to if and when she ends her campaign. But I hope that she reaches that decision soon so that we can concentrate on a unified party capable of winning the White House next November," he said.

McGovern is not a superdelegate, one of the prominent Democrats who has a vote at the national convention.

[WATCH]

Comments

[zbearlady]

When considering the blantently obvious math of Hillary's no-win campaign, I have to wonder if this truly self-absorbed and delusional woman has ever stopped stroking her over-sized ego long enough to consider the kind of provocative change and powerful impact her newly borrowed millions could have on the truly needy -if she pulled out of the race and spent her abundant funds where it really mattered? In other words, think of all the homeless that could be housed, the starving that could be fed, the gas tanks filled, etc, etc etc...

Yet...instead, she chooses to spend her millions to stay in a race she can't possibly legitimently win -at least not without lying, cheating, and/or changing all the rules along the way. So...I wonder: where are this woman's ethics? (Oh that's right, integrity and decency were simply the flashy costumes she wore in order to get her through the door)

Hillary, it's not too late to step away from the dark side and do something truly significant with that 6.4 million dollars!

[ltfcrazy]

Amen

[sayinisayu]

DOUBLE AMEN!!!!!

by the way can u send this to her campaign staff????

[Politihal]

There was a reason George McGovern didn't become president. The guy was/is a slug.

Halli Casser-Jayne
http://www.thecjpoliticalreport.com

[ltfcrazy]

Then why do you care enough to attack him?

[luvthelaw]

Then Hillary should have denounced and rejected him when he endorsed her originally.

[hatethehype]

Politihal
Sour grapes.
McGovern has the sense to know what time of day it is, unlike your soon-to-be-footnote candidate.

[hbw3]

Since you might not know, George McGovern is not only a Democrat, he is also:

• Liberator bomber pilot
• Distinguished Service Cross
• Divinity degree and briefly a Methodist minister
• Ph.D. in history from Northwestern and History Professor
• JFK's first Food for Peace Program director
• UN Global Ambassador on World Hunger
• Two term House member
• Three term Senator
• Early and strong opponent of the Vietnam War, criticizing both Johnson and Nixon
• Instrumental in reducing the influence of party bosses and promoting the importance of primaries and caucuses, and helped establish the participation of women, African Americans and youths in the nominating process.

You may feel disappointed in your candidate's troubles but you shouldn't insult a fine American. He didn't cause it, and he is only interested in helping to elect a Democrat to the White House.

[RichLiberal]

Alright, from now on it is obligatory: everytime a super-delegate declares their support for a candidate, they are obligated to say it is time for the other candidate to drop out.

I felt that way long ago, when I voted for Hillary. There! I had cast my vote and now it was time for Obama to drop out.

Actually, since the last word last night was that Hillary won a state, Indiana, isn't it time for Obama to drop out?

Especially since the deciding votes were right there in Hammond, Indiana, right between Chicago, Ill and Gary, Ind., doesn't that show that Obama can't even win the votes in his own backyard?

[cmeans29]

Clinton lost Connecticut, which boarders NY, back in FEB. That 's her backyard.

[hatethehype]

Uh, check the stats, bub. He's winning the votes that count the most.
When will you Clinton supporters stop your mewling & fall back in rank?

[Beachrunner]

Poor Hillary. She's got more knives in her back than a porcupine has quills.

Well, there's always 2012 . . . .. . . . . .

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Painfully funny.

Obama 48.

[dawn2dusk]

Just like her vote for the war, HRC is demonstrating what bad judgement she has. She didn't even do the reading before her vote and she says she's not going to "throw her lot in with the economists" regarding the gas tax holiday. She is one of those dangerous people (when in positions of authority) who cannot admit when they are wrong! Can't say she was wrong about the war, gas tax holiday OR getting out of the race. No thanks!

[transendentilist]

This again???? She didn't vote for war now did she?? Your lies aren't helping.

[urbanscorpio88]

Crawl back under your rock, she voted to go invade Iraq, I suppose you were in your cave, the day she did.

[dawn2dusk]

She did vote for the war. what r u talking about?

[Flagal]

Of course she did.

[blessedfrog]

Well Obama has never been called to answer for his vote
in favor of the Patriot Act. She has said she regrets the vote
for the Iraq Invasion. She allowed herself to fall prey to the
Republican lies and persuasion as a junior senator.

[transendentilist]

I find it just too convenient for Obama that he never had to go on record by actually having to vote. He takes full advantage of this fact. Which, in my opinion is a little bit sleazey. It's also very divisve. So is opening up old racial issues.

[PAposter]

Careful, Senator Clinton, your GOP is showing again :)

[CocteausTwin]

Well Sen. Clinton just repeated "If we had the rules of the GOP, she would already be the nominee." My suggestion is you should rejoin your original party Senator Clinton. Sorry but we are slightly more democratic in our party.

[VillyVal]

You might want to reconsider the logic behind THAT statement. One person, one equally weighted vote, winner takes all. THAT is democratic.

[luvthelaw]

The rules are basically the same as when Bill ran. The Clintons knew what the rules were and didn't change them when they led the party. I just don't understand why the rules were fair and democratic then and now the rules are bad and we should do what the republicans do. I don't think so. If you don't like the rules, get involved in the party and work to change them.

[AdLib]

Then why isn't the general election only based on popular vote? Why are there electoral votes?

Whoops, all the sparks and smoke must mean your circuits are overloading.

[CocteausTwin]

No reconsideration needed. If she wants it the GOP way then she should belong to the party.

But going with your logic, what does the majority of states won, the majority of delegates won, the majority of the popular vote mean? You cannot have it both ways (you know something that was decided upon by a majority of party reps).

Next!

[preemptivelove]

it's only a matter of time before carville labels mcgovern a judas too.

[JudgeCrater]

Hey, when I said that I got flagged as abusive. Beware the humorless HRC supporters/McGovern fans!

[transendentilist]

I voted for McGovern. How about you?

[CocteausTwin]

you forgot cojoneless (any spelling help with that one will be appreciated)

[mhopgood123]

McGovern is the first defector to come out................THERE WILL BE MORE. OBAMA HAS WON THE BATTLE Against http://www.time.com/time/me/ "dark side"!!!!!

[SCG]

Time to concede, and throw her support behind the nominee.

[gotalife]

Great.

So when is Obama going to step up and lead?

When is he going to actually do something other than talk?

Hope is not going to solve the problems so stop talking and step up.

Lets see your leadership in action.

Lets start with $122 oil.

[olivia]

Uh, when he is inaugurated into the White House?

Until then he is just a Senator who is in absentia because of the campaign - just like Hillary and McSame.

[KillTheMessenger]

Looks like you are already very upset about what he has to say. I wonder how upset you will be when he starts acting.

[EvoMan]

Sore loser. He'll lead when he's president.

[transendentilist]

Lead how??

[AdLib]

Aww, poor goat-life. Reality not working out for you again?

[going2ireland]

My I ask just how productive your negative comments are? There comes a time when one must accept the inevitable and either move on or pitch in to help. To continue with this type of behavior only speaks of how you conduct your life.

[claudiam]

Amen. Hillary has passed her divisiveness along to her supporters. How very sad.

[snobama]

In obama mcgovern sees a successor to his 'biggest democratic loser' title.

After 2008 for years to come Obama will be the synonymous with loser.

[pros54]

If that is so it will all thanks to the great effort of Hillary Clinton and what an achievement that would be. "If I cannot get spoil it for my party." Go figure and you were supporting her. Smart move on your part. Fortunately despite all her effort the next president will be a democrat so eat your heart out.

[transendentilist]

Why lie?? Hillary has said time and again that we should get behind the dem nominee. Well, liars like you aren't helping to make that a reality.

[sco8d]

You all have to wise up! Most of these posts are from conservatives still trying to drive a wedge into the party. Just click on the profile of some of these knucklheads and you will see where they are coming from. They have a tired, old and just bad candidate in McAncient and know it. Now is the time to come together and CRUSH the right come November. We can take a ton of states away that we never even dreamed of just a year ago, we have been in just about every state and added MILLIONS of people to the Democtatic party. Time to unite and use these new voters to change things for the better.

[editorjuno]

You obviously have no idea of how poor a candidate Grandpa McGaffe is -- near-senile, ethically compromised, an inveterate flip-flopper, and deeply distrusted by the evangelical base of the GOP, he will be shredded by the deep-pocketed Obama campaign and quickly be seen as a national embarrassment whose sole talent is kissing up to reporters.

[CocteausTwin]

Did it take all morning for your herd to come up with these pathetic talking points? God I feel even more blessed this Presidential election is over -- McCain is just a minor point from this point forward.

[going2ireland]

I am sorry, but I do not understand why the continued divisiveness. It is time to look forward to the next primaries. For anyone to continue to attack anyone at this point is not at all constructive. And for anyone to belittle elder Statesmen who have served in the Legislature well but ran and lost in a Presidential bid is absurd.

Do you not have the integrity to step back and re-evaluation the situation and adjust accordingly? If not, perhaps this is not the place for you. We are attempting to nominate a candidate. To continue to wallow in the pig slop does no one any good. Lets become united American citizens once again and fight the good fight versus fighting each other.

[VSamuels]

Nonsense.

When the lights of the media begins to focus on McCain and begin dissecting his every word and movement like they have done with Obama and Clinton, McCain will fade. The right's strategy of pushing Hillary was to hide their candidate from being looked at on his own merits. They would spend their time yucking up the baggage of the Clintons that McCain would pass into office a saint as opposed to those terrible Clintons.

The republicans realize that McCain isn't a good candidate, it why they don't talk about his vision and why the republican posters here don't either. If they actually had a good product they would be shouting it from the roof tops.

[UrbanWorldOnline]

Hillary is far from dumb or stubborn. She can't quit because whoever is pulling her strings won't allow her to quit.

Obama will get the nomination...but Hillary can't just walk away. That's like a gang member just "walking" away from a gang. It won't happen...Once you get involved with certain people...you just can't walk away.

The same thing happened with Bush. The Iraq war was already pre-planned. Too much time and money had been invested in it. 9-11 was already planned out. Do you think they were really going to let Gore just mess all of that up? Whoever pulls the strings isn't going to let the President or potential president just walk away...they love their money and power too much.

[bryan0218]

I agree, but also keep in mind that she has at least 11 Million dollars in debt to just herself. Plus we don't know what else is owed out there. She has to maintain the appearance of running to keep the donations coming in. She will drop when the bills are paid.

[UrbanWorldOnline]

All very good points.

Maybe she read 'Think and Grow Rich' one too many times and just won't give up.

Obama is very tough though! Just imagine all of the death threats, and the weight of the world on his shoulders and yet he still keeps his cool in public.

[CocteausTwin]

I like the gang metaphor, but I think she was the one that started the gang.

[transendentilist]

Keep it up. When you are crying in your beer next November, you have to wonder why your candidate didn't get in the white house. So yeah, keep insulting Hillary with your childish remarks. Supporters like you, who needs Rev. Wright??

[greenwitch]

Interesting premise, but if it's true, I wonder why "certain people" aren't bankrolling her anymore.

[halyscomet]

Hillary Clintons says, "If we were going by the Republican Rules, I would be the Nominee."

Didn't Clinton, the Wellesey and Yale graduate, not understand the Democratic Rules from the beginning?

Shouldn't Bill have said, "No, honey. I was actually a Democratic President."?

Maybe HRC will lobby McCain for the VEEP job...

[Nochnoi]

I heard her say that as well.... and my advice to her is... if you want to play by Republican rules, and use Republican campaign tactics, then maybe you should be a Republican.... sheesh....

[transendentilist]

Heard??? Hearsay? It's inadmissable in a court of law, for good reason. IT'S NOT FACT.
Got proof?

[VillyVal]

I believe those rules are one person, one equally weighted vote, winner takes the pot.

Say what you will about "knowing the rules from the beginning," but there's nothing particularly "democratic" about the mess conjured up the DNC or whoever put these rules in place. Note that sheepish look on Howard Dean's face when he says "superdelegates were elected" ... i.e., "they're elected officials," at least HE knows the system is just a yard short of defensible.

Abolitionists, suffragettes, civil rights advocates, and "illegal" immigrants "know the rules" or knew the rules. When the rules are cock-eyed or anti-democratic, you shouldn't want to be tricked into defending them.

It's time to revisit the rules, all of them. I live in a caucus-only state, and I hate it. I've always hated the caucuses, and they have always been undemocratic.

[1PALady]

I just heard on POTUS that Obama got 4 supers today. I've not seen it reported, does anyone know who they might be?

[SuiginTou7]

I haven't seen it as of yet, but I wouldn't be surprised with the showing he had yesterday.

[AdLib]

Headline here on HuffPo says the same but no details.