Jeffrey Toobin: Clinton's Refusal To Concede "Deranged Narcissism"

On CNN's election night coverage Tuesday, political analyst Jeffrey Toobin called Hillary Clinton's refusal to concede the election "deranged narcissism." Watch Toobin below:

The folks over at The Hotline put together a roundup of other pundits' reaction to Clinton's speech in New York City tonight:

"Well whatever that was, it wasn't a concession speech." -- FNC's Hume

"Clearly, she's trying to position herself, keep her options open." -- NBC's Russert, on HRC's speech (MSNBC).

"If I were Barack Obama, if I heard that speech, I would not be very happy. ... They are living in parallel universes right now." -- CNN's Borger.

"This was a defiant speech, against all the kind of advice that [heavyweights] within the Democratic Party gave her" -- Ex-WH adviser David Gergen, on whether he was surprised by Clinton's speech (CNN).

"She did everything but offer Obama the vice presidency" -- GOP strategist Alex Castellanos (CNN)

Comments

[campgranata]

I just visited the Hillaryis44 website and those people real need to get a clue. the first thing I saw was the date and a headline in bold color stating:

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
WHEN WILL OBAMA CONCEDE?

[dizmo4]

Hah!
I needed a good laugh.

[pleeezzze]

Even funnier is when you people have to CONCEDE the GE .
I'm positive "That " wont be pretty , and damn sure Not Nice !

[roshni]

It takes the delusional to lead the delusional. She is stoking the fire.

[whatsmyname]

Actually, that was a perfectly correct statement from Toobin. I'm just waiting for her prescription to run out and then watch the meltdown.

[BlueAsh]

For once, Toobin is calling it for what it is. Several pundits talked about giving Hillary some time, about the need to be "gentle" to her.

Why aren't Hillary's "feminist" supporters get outraged about that?

[CyberGal619]

Jeff knows what he's talking about and speaks the truth! Great guy. Put him with KO and Rachel Maddow and then you'd be talking "Dream Team."

[scotterb]

Obama and Clinton are very close to each other ideologically. McCain is distant, and stands opposed to most of what Clinton and Obama stand for. So why do some Clinton supporters take the irrational stance that they want McCain to win. That's just pure emotion, people got so caught up in the contest that they aren't thinking clearly. I understand Clinton's supporters disliked aspects of the process, and believe their candidate is stronger, but at some point one has to recognize the reality: thanks to people like the Clinton's, we've got a major party choosing a Democrat. It's historic. Obama has been exceedingly gracious to Clinton on every level. It's time for supporters of both candidates to let go of their emotion and anger, and think rationally.
http://scotterb.wordpress.com

[fivecard]

Calling it like he sees it. Let's face it: Hillary has been bubbled in for months. She believes her own hype. And she sees losing as a personal defect instead of an opportunity. She can't seem to admit a mistake (kind of like our current president).

Endorsing Obama and working with him to advance America would be a show of strength, not weakness.

[dizmo4]

Every opportunity Hillary has for greatness, she manages to piss away.

In her speech last night, she talked about how she would fight for the issues she believed in. Had she just put in that "John McCain is against what I believe in" That would have done a tremendous amount to stop the vast majority of her supporters from crossing over and voting for McCain. There's still time to be gracious I suppose, but not on a national scale with the number of viewers that there was last night.

[JamieJay]

We are quite shocked that Hillary hasn't congratulated Barack Obama, on his historical moment! Even the WHITE HOUSE issued a congratulations, this morning, to Barack!! It is a shame that Barack can receive honor from the Republican White House, but cannot receive the same from Hillary Clinton who is a fellow Democrat!! When Barack addressed AIPAC, this morning, he spoke from his heart and didn’t use a prepared speech. He said many kind words about Hillary. Hillary, didn't do the same. She used a prepared speech, without any congrats to Barack. At this point, Hillary looks like a big sore loser!!

[chabuka]

Clinton and her aged "Vally of the Dolls" followers are all deranged narcissistic's...if we loose to McCain it won't be Barack Obamas fault..it will be Hillary and Bill Clinton's fault with their band of chicken-excrement, super-delegates, who , just like the leaders in the Democratic party are moral cowards. This is insane..will you spineless super-delegates end this thing..or will you continue to hide and try to straddle the fence...? As long as Hillary keeps her "I can still win" B.S. going, her followers (cult) will continue to support her and believe in her fairy tales...is that what you want...a fractured Democratic party...? Must we continue to feed her (and Bill's) gigantic egos..?

[CarmenCameron]

The math doesn't convince her that she actually LOST. A title won't convince her that she's not ACTUALLY president. Her insanity would have her dictating policy and negotiating treaties with other countries.

HRC is mad and so is our nation if we support her hell-bent, out-of-control and plain-ol' SICK demand for power.

Mr. Toobin is not only RIGHT, he's the only MSM talking head with GUTS to say out loud what the vast majority of Americans ARE thinking!

[dizmo4]

Well, ya gotta remember that numbers are inherently sexist so is arithmetic. Heck, Mathematics in general is sexist....

[FearlessSpeech]

BEST pundit quote of the campaign. Thanks for the honesty Mr. Toobin!

[MrsPeel]

I absolutely agree.

I saw watched this live. Despite David Gergen's immediate distancing from Toobin's comment, I think Toobin told it like it is.

Some folks say the media have been against Hillary. IMO, I think she's had it fairly easy. I could use a few more like Toobin speaking up.

[OlderBudWeiser]

Just after he made that comment, the woman said ".....Now what do you really think?" (pun).

[JeffWasHere]

Hillary is the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. "I'm invincible. The Black Knight always triumphs. Oh, I see. Running away. Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off!" Actually, she's worse than the Black Knight, because when both his arms and legs were chopped off, he at least conceded a little and said "All right, we'll call it a draw."

[dm92]

I can't catch my breath right now I am laughing so hard....

[campgranata]

what a great recollection, thanks

[portchester]

Jeff Toobin ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dm92]

honesty and b*lls for a change on the corporate media - great!

[Mekarri]

And since this Toobin person is honest and have balls. They why is he not out there trash talking about bush and chaney? I haven't seen balls on any of them when it come to bush and chaney. So if you want to impress me then you should step up to the plate while the media been giving bush and chaney a free ride. That is why we are in this war. If the media were to have done there jobs instead of kissing bush and company asses maybe so many of our people and innocent iraqi would be dead right now. But I guess he too much of a coward to go after the true problem ie bush and chaney. But then again it has always been my belief that a man that will beat up on a woman will always be a coward when it comes to fighting a man.

[sueno]

Toobin is the man!
Obama won!
Why is everyone soo worried about Clinton!
She's acting like a spoiled child-
Don't you think that something deeper is wrong with the display that she's putting on.
She's willing to hold the democrats hostage- so that she comes out on top!
Her popular vote argument is also little pychotic, yet nobody wants to correct her-
Why does she have to be pampered off stage? particularly after the bombs, she and bill dropped.
The media's thirst to suck up to her is un-real! Is the media's debt to the Clinton's finally over?
CAN THE PUBLIC NOW RECEIVE UNBIAS COVERAGE, WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE CARVILLE & DAVIS ON IT'S STAFF.
Toobin's right- OBAMA WON, WHERE'S THE JOY?

[northcan]

I agree, I'm elated; what a moment, regardless of the Clinton 'fog'. I hope she will never get close to the VP spot, or any other WH office. Obama, and his 'new' administration staff needs to leave all the Clinton baggage outside the court house, for whoever would like to pick it up. Hillary Clinton is no different today than when she gave that speech at Wellesley, or in the famous watergate scandel. We need to move on without her, thank her for the party's sake and create his own agenda and style.

Hillary and Bill are very resilient, and will have a new course in no time. Hillary supporter's, listen to Hilary Rosen today about conceding with grace and dignity, protect her legacy, if she would like a positive one, and join on the democrat ticket for November. Leave the anger behind, it is not becoming. There will be another time if a "woman President' is your only goal.

John McCain is a scary man, a player and manipulator. He has odd 'scars' from his past and it truly shows at speech engagement's. He is not a sensible man, or honest man, he is a privileged man, who wants only the power involved in Presidency without the American ideals. Come over to Obama, show him he has your support and how you can help rebuild America.

[Cynde]

It just boils my blood that the media does not speak up as to her claims of popular vote. She is acting delusional and I dont want her near VP position. In fact, not even in the cabinet now. She is in her own little corner of the world and to hell with everyone. Haven't we learned from Bush. This is not normal behavior and people better take the woman aside for a sit down chat.

[BruceCH]

Lagniappe's premise of "psychopathic behavior" may be right on the mark. I am beginning to think that HRC is considering an Independent run at the White House.

She's "considering her options". What options? 1) concede the nomination. 2) take it to the convention, or 3) go Independent. Why would she want to 'hear from her supporters" as to "what she should do"? (If she is "ready to lead from day 1", why does she have to ask her supporters what she should do?) Maybe she's hoping someone else (Terry?) will make the suggestion. Since her deep pocket supporters are all "tapped out" and can't (or won't) contribute any more to her campaign, can she rev up the Internet Money Machine to not only pay off her debt (10+ million and growing), but support the formation of a national campaign organization. Maybe she's looking for additional ways to "tune her message". Maybe Father Phleger was right after all: HRC thought it was "her turn", that she was "entitled", and that this Black guy was "stealing her show".

She thought is was all sewn up in February. The caucuses didn't matter. Who cared about those smaller states. Michigan and Florida broke the rules, so screw'em. But all of those preconceptions were wrong, which is why HRC just can't understand why she's not in the spotlight now.

It's a shame that, with all the good that they have done, this will be what they're remembered by.