Clinton Says Farewell To Campaign Staff

One day after Sen. Barack Obama defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, the former first lady visited staff at her campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia Wednesday just after most of them had been told they would no longer have to report to work after Friday.

She has not told staff when she will officially concede the race to Obama.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[scornflakes]

Alright gang! Who's up for three solid days of marathon document shredding? There'll be pizza! If we get some more 9 year olds to sell their bikes and give us the money, that is.

[Beninn]

Remember N. Carolina and Indiana? He won by double digits in NC. She took IN by less than 2% - She was expected to win by double digits and had it not been for the 7% she got due to Operation Chaos, he would have won Indiana, too. The rest of that week should have been all about his spectacular victories. If she was mentioned at all it would have been about how Pennsylvania was just a fluke, and that the voters soundly rejected her. It should have been ALL BARACK, ALL THE TIME on the cable shows, just as it had been two weeks earlier when she won Pennsylvania. But it wasn't.

Instead, it was a non-stop dance between her campaign and the media, about when she was going to drop out. It took her until Friday of that week to say, "Uhmmm, no, I'm not quitting the race."

Sounds just like this week, doesn't it? Another week where we wait for her to tell the media what she's going to do. Not today, not tomorrow, but on Friday. When she says, "Uhmmm, no, I'm not conceding."

[Beninn]

This is a pattern of hers, part of her strategy to remain in the race while she and her advisors try to figure out a way to save her campaign.

She has stepped on his victories and obliterated what should have been his time in the media several times now. And when she's done this in the past, it's not only disrespecting him, but also the process, and his 18 million supporters.

[Beninn]

When has any candidate who has lost been given days to "get used to it" before acknowledging it?

[RThM]

She has a big ego. It takes that long to wrestle it back in the van.

[Matt7]

Leaving? I'll believe it when I hear it with my own ears; looped eternally on ABC and Fox News.

[e2008usa]

THEY"VE LOST HOPE¦.

YOU STILL HAVE A LOT TO REPAIR... I HOPE YOU'LL SHOW SOME GRACE AND HONOR... AND WILL NOT JUST SILENTLY RUN AWAY WITHOUT EXECUTING YOUR COMITMENT AND FAIR DUTY YOU"VE TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN ORDER TO REINSTAURE CONFIDENCE TO THOSE PEOPLES YOU'VE BEEN MISLEADEDING TO NOWHERE DURING MONTH.

RESPECT THE RULES AND COMITTMENT WITH THE PARTY. YOU JUST CAN'T ABANDON THOSE PEOPLES WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE OR GIVE BACK TO THEM AN HONEST ANSWER AND SIGNAL TO WHY THEY SHALL BE LOOKING TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GO FORWARDS AND PURSUE THEIR FUTURE WITH THE ONE WHO BEST CAN HELP THEM TO BELIEVE AGAIN AND SEE HOPE FOR THE NATION.

THEY MAY BE CONFUSED " THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD A LOT OF THINGS WHY THEY DESERVE TO FIND BACK PEACE AND REJECT DESTRUCTIVE FEELINGS

AT LEAST REMEMBER THEIR DONATION TO YOUR CAMPAIGN AND PAY BACK
TO THEM BY GUIDING THEM INTO A PATH THAT SHALL LIGHT UPP THEIR LIFE

THEY"VE LOST HOPE
AND WE HAVE HOPE
HOPE TO BE UNIFIED
WE WORK FOR THAT
HOPE BECOME A BELIEF - HELP THEM TO BELIEVE AGAIN BECAUSE OF...
A DUTY WE HAVE FOR TO RESTORE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[SharonB]

I didn't read a word after all that trouble you went to... I never, ever read ALL CAPS posts... they suck...

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

I did read yours however, ditto.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

The idea that someone has to type in caps here insinuating that their post is anymore significant than anyone else's is just beyond me.

Or is is that you are lacking proper internet educate?

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

I haven't lost hope that you might find the "caps lock" key. Can you tap that for us once.

[johnwinner]

She doesn't need a large staff to engage her scorched earth strategy to the convention.

[SharonB]

QFT.

[larry278]

2 trolls of all stripes: SHE'S GOING OUT LIKE A CHAMP & A LADY. Take a good look at her so you will have seen class in your life.
larry lunch

[SharonB]

The lady is not champ... that lady IS a tramp.

[RThM]

Class looks awfully close to "deranged narcissism" to me. Who knew?

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

You must have missed Mitt Romney bowing out.

And let me get this straight. You are talking about Hillary trying to steal the limelight and detract from one of the finest moments in recent history with Obama getting the nomination.

Ever heard someone entitle a speech, " I have a dream?" Just curious.

[JRandomPoster]

If she truly believes in the fundamental Democratic platform, and wants to see it advanced, she really needs to concede, and unconditionally endorse Obama, and encourage her hard working followers to apply the same energy to Obama and whoever he chooses for his running mate.

Instead, this is just games and maneuvering, keeping her blade pointed at Obama while she attempts to cajole him into giving her the VP slot.

[standforpeace]

Can someone help me understand why Hillary asked folks to go to her website and comment on what she should do next and then turns around the next day and dismisses her campaign staff. I went to the website and left a message telling her that I thought she needed to concede so that the party could move in. When I posted my message, I got a thank you reply and was rerouted to a site that thanked me for the contribution of my thoughts and asked that I further contribute with cash. In my opinion, last night was an attempt to lure potential last minute donations (to pay down that debt) by making her supporters feel like they were going to be part of the decision making process about what comes next. The fact that she chose to take this route rather than simply reflecting on her hardfought battle and acknowledging that the Democratic party had decided on another historic first rather than the one that she and her supporters were hopin for was tacky at best. I have to say that I truly believe that in her place, Obama would have been far more gracious.

But I digress. Because now it's moving on time for the Democratic party and our candidate.

[Krikkit]

Finally!!!

Actions speak so much louder than words. McAuliff's introduction of Hillary as "the next President of the United States" and her subsequent grandiose posturing in place of a gracious exit speech was a slap in the face. Still, if she's letting her staff go...

Of course I won't believe it until I've seen it, and even then not until three days have passed to make sure this wiatch doesn't have something nefarious hidden up her sleeve.

Sill, finally!!! Woo and Hoo!

[CostaMesaJoe]

Clinton Says Farewell To Campaign Staff, prestige and respectable political career.....

[dsmyre]

The same people who talked about how tough Hillary is now think she should be given time to grieve.
Hillary has known for weeks this was coming. What other politician doesn't concede when the final totals are in? She whines and expects special treatment, yet her supporters applaud her as a 'fighter'. Pffttt!

[Tropiholic]

This isn't her week, her day or anything else. She lost and she has neither the good grace or good sense to step away . She made sure to elbow her way in and take some of his glory on HIS day. He's won an historic victory and she still has to make it about herself. Shame on you Hillary Cinton!

[huffy2001]

You guys are the biggest bunch of sore winners I've ever seen.

[Beninn]

"I can't start missing you until you leave."

This isn't new behavior for her. This is a pattern of hers, part of her strategy to remain in the race while she and her advisors try to figure out a way to save her campaign.

She has stepped on his victories and obliterated what should have been his time in the media several times now. And when she's done this in the past, it's not only disrespecting him, but also the process, and his 18 million supporters.

Remember N. Carolina and Indiana? He won by double digits in NC. She took IN by less than 2% - She was expected to win by double digits and had it not been for the 7% she got due to Operation Chaos, he would have won Indiana, too. The rest of that week should have been all about his spectacular victories, if she was mentioned at all it would have been about how Pennsylvania was just a fluke, and that the voters soundly rejected her. It should have been ALL BARACK, ALL THE TIME on the cables shows. Just as it had been two weeks earlier when she won Pennsylvania. But it wasn't.

Instead, it was a non-stop dance between her campaign and the media, about when she was going to drop out. It took her until Friday of that week to say, "Uhmmm, no, I'm not quitting the race."

Sounds just like this week, doesn't it?

[standforpeace]

In all fairness, don't you think that it is a bit much to call on foks to be gracious winners when the loser won't even concede that she has won? One of the things that has been so interesting to me is that Hillary supporters on the Huff always expected Obama and his supporters to be gracious even as they celebrated Hillary's shady tactics and their own attacks on Obama supporters as just fighting hard for Hillary's candidacy. Remember when Bill said that politics was a contact sport and Hillary said that this is the fun part?

[HepsibahStarbuck]

Tell your friend Hi!lary it's over and she should try to stop angeling for a treat from the guy she claimed had not passed the presidential threshold like herself and her buddy, McCain.

BTW, these "sore winners" you complain about may just be the ones helping to finance your girl's $20 million bailout via Obama.

[huffy2001]

Yeah...that'll be the day.

[StillIRise]

As someone who strongly supports Senator Obama, I congratulate Senator Clinton for running a very fierce and competitive campaign and for making a historical difference for the future of women in America and for our country. I also hope and believe that she will continue to be a strong asset to the Democratic Party.

I am no longer simply an Obama supporter, per say. My support is now concentrated on the Democratic Party and my commitment is now, as it has always been, to defeat John McCain and the Republicans in the general. It's no longer about the candidates; the election is over. Therefore, it's about the future of our nation and upholding the Democratic ideals that both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama represent. I look forward to joining with Senator Clinton and her supporters in a concerted effort to reclaim our democracy and to redeem our integrity both at home and abroad.

[olivia]

Did you just call us winners?

Does Hillary know we won?