Reality Has Well-Known Obama Bias

You have to give Hillary Clinton's team credit for one thing: they have masterfully played the perception game. It might have been all smoke and mirrors, but they have done their job of keeping people confused and distracted them from what really matters.

The reality is that: 1. She has no chance of beating Barack Obama. 2. She has had no chance of beating Barack Obama for a long time now. 3. Most importantly, she has deluded people into thinking her chances of winning the nomination were improving as they were getting dramatically worse.

I can prove it with one simple set of numbers. Before the Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4th, Senator Clinton was trailing Barack Obama by 102 delegates overall. She had 1,267 and he had 1,369. Today Senator Obama has 1836 delegates to her 1,681. In total she trails Senator Obama by 155 delegates now. So, that means she has lost 53 delegates in that time.

Meanwhile the perception has been that she won Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania and has huge momentum in this race. Her argument to the superdelegates and to the media has been that she is better suited to win the general election because Senator Obama has been stumbling and is vulnerable in the general election -- as all of her wins since March 4th show.

But as you can see from the numbers above that spin is completely unsupported by the numbers. The only reason we are continuing to have a conversation about Senator Clinton's chances is because perception has trumped reality.

She has lost over 50 delegates in the time that she has been claiming to have all this momentum. That's Joe Lieberman-like math. Next thing you know she's going to tell us she has Joementum. After all she's been telling us that her second place status is actually better than first place for a long time now. And people are still humoring that absurd idea.

I hate to put it so harshly (though I don't hate it that much), but it's time to stop humoring Hillary Clinton. To paraphrase Stephen Colbert, in this case, reality has well-known Obama bias. This race is way past over.

Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to the Indiana and North Carolina primary results

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Comments

[Abie56]

Spot on!!

[SonofLiberty1]

Picture this:

The last primary is on June 3. The Convention is in August.
Barring how many weeks (not sure ) of vacation The Congress has, there will be some time left
for :

SOME REAL WORK TO GET DONE!

Now, I wonder who will do what, if anything?

And will there be other goofups by the Obama crew?
Or will Mrs. Obama open her mouth and give us another zinger proving
that she (like many ) is not capable of being a First Lady?

Will more revelations come out about Senator Obama's drug use?

What about his real views on regular Blue Collar Americans?

What about calling his Grandmother just another "Typical White Woman"?

I mean, really, if you had to put together a Democratic Candidate that Republicans loved because
he or she is "Ripe for the picking"...we couldn't have done much better...

Oh, let's not forget that he also said when times are tough Pennsylvanians resort to their guns and religion..

And he calls himself a "Christian"?

Not in my book....

[Daisy1111]

Anyone remember how Ted Kennedy fought all the way to the convention vote even though he was 700 delegates behind Carter.

Or how about Gary Hart watching a big chunk of his caucus delegates switch against him at the convention.

State caucus delegates are not official until their state primaries in June -- think that a few Texas Obama caucus delegates may have second thoughts after watching the Rev. Wright show?

If the primary process is too long for everyone's comfort then tell Dean to move up all the primaries to Jan - March.

Otherwise the democratic thing to do is let the voting process play out.

[SonofLiberty1]

Daisy,

We should compare notes on 1984...I wasn't aware that the caucus delegates did switch, either that or I had forgotten that. Didn't hear it on the floor of the convention center.

[feelfree]

Perhaps the delusion is better than having Obama as the Democratic nominee.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Yes, and 'perhaps' for some - blindness is better than sight.

[Daisy1111]

Perhaps democracy troubles you.

Why can't all the states vote in this primary?

If Obama was in Clinton's spot would you demand he drop out?

No, of course not.

[BonzaiBoy]

Perhaps democracy escapes you.

Whether or not Clinton remains in the race, all the states WILL vote in this primary. No one is calling for a cancellation of the remaining primaries.

If Obama WAS in Clinton's spot, he would have been forced out because people would not have been afraid of being on his "bad side" because HE doesn't instinctively throw folks under the bus who cross him. He gives them the benefit of the doubt and actually thinks past today at what the long-term benefits/consequences of his actions are.

Besides, if Obama was in Clinton's spot, I think SHE would have forced him out.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Well said, Cenk, and a simple TRUTH for which the working-class citizens should open their eyes. Giving 'the Clintons' ANY further campaign donations is just 'throwing good money after bad'. It's FAR more likely that the money NOW received will ONLY be used to retire the almost $12 MILLION debt her campaign owes to the personal loans from themselves, than it is it will be used to advance their FAILED endeavor to return to the White House.

The Clintons probably hope the current polls for Kentucky and West Virginia hold true on primary day, and provide fresh ammunition in their search for donations, even though the available delegates helps nothing. Yet, now they only address their nomination chances in one of the 13 'new Clinton math' methods that turn logic or existing rules upside down for a favorable result. You're correct, it's LONG past time...

[JJK]

I disagree a bit with your reasoning, but not with your conclusion.

Since SuperTuesday, I don't think Hillary thought of thisas trying to "beat" Obama. I think she knew that she couldn't.

Rather she was arguing that the Primary electorate wasn't going to yield the stronger candidate t(based on her reading of the General electorate and Primary exit polls) and that the Superdelegates should overturn the Primaries' verdict. Yesterday that argument finally fell apart, not because of the close call in Indiana, where she overcame obstacles to win, but because of the overwhelming loss in North Carolina.

In order for her argument to sustain credibility with the Superdelegates (clearly it had done so, or they would all have gone to Obama weeks ago), she had to show that there were still enough Party members with reservations about Obama's electability to be of concern to all. After her North Carolina trouncing, she can't make that argument anymore, though there was no material change in the exit poll profile of Obama's supporters.

I think she figured this out last night, which is why she cancelled her interviews this morning. My guess is that she will retool her stump speech into a supportive message, geared towards beating McCain in the General and not on bashing "my opponent." I think she'll operate in in this mode until Obama has enough total delegates to claim the nomination, which, the rumors suggest, she thinks will occur soon after the primaries are over.

[standforpeace]

You are giving Hillary and her campaign way too much credit. This entire perception is media driven. During what would ordinarily be February sweeps, the broadcast media (joined by their co-conspirators at the NYT and other print media) realized that something historic was happening. Turnout in the Democratic primaries was setting records in state after state. Obama was bring record numbers of new donors into politiics, and people were actually watching the news. So they all lined up to get their piece of what was really the Obama gravy train. But the rub was that the only way that they could benefit from the way that he was energizing Americans was to jump in on Hillary's side. So that's what they did, first with their endless conjectures about scenarios that could unfold to get her back into the game (making even the most far-fetched sound like they were just around the corner). Next they beat the Wright story into the ground. Finally, when all else failed, they propped her up as a "fighter," implying that she had so much backbone (or cojones to some) that just the opportunity to see her continue her noble fight justified the willing suspension of disbelief required to keep this charade going.

[racetoinfinity]

So it's been on-with-the-show-media concocted or mostly concoted "Wag the Tail"? for something to interest viewers for all-important ratings?? Interesting.....

[westwind]

If you're counting Texas by the number of pledged delegates won, Obama actually beat Clinton, even though she won more votes overall. Despite the myriad ways the Clinton campaign tried to rewrite the rules on votes and delegates, caucuses and primaries, pledged delegates is the only logical way to judge who won a state. Clinton's perception always trumps everyone else's reality.

[Daisy1111]

No - check again. Clearly youre unaware of the how Texas caucus delegates are assigned.

Obama's current Texas delegates are "estimates" and his camp assumes he will the undeclared causcus delgates at the Texas State Convention in June.

Undeclared delegates have watched the Rev. Wright show. Don't assume they don't care. Don;t assume some mayu just stay home.

Did you know nealry all the caucus states have their own conventions in June? No one knows exactly how many delegates will be assigned to Obama until these state conventions are over.

[hopelessobama]

again, you fail to understand that no delegate, not even elected delegates, are obligated to vote for obama. no delegate is forced to support anyone. thats why kennedy and hart were able to contest all the way to convention. thats why clinton is going no where. this blatant lie about 'this is impossible, that is impossible blah blah' the fact is this race is closer then any other that has gone to convention.

[SonofLiberty1]

Hopelessobama,

You are forgetting the word "Conscience". As a elected delegate in 1984 I can tell you that I fought hard to get to the convention and didn't change my vote but someone else sure did:(

[JJK]

But it won't go to the convention, not because Hillary wouldn't take it there if she thought she could win, but because she's figured out that the game is over. As Clinton's Campaign Chairman is reported to have said today, the Democratic Party will have "a nominee" by the middle of June. Unless he's smoking something he bought at a San Diego State Frat House, he knows that that "nominee" will be Barack Obama.

[MosiahGarvey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBmkvLEhNvs

[MyAudacity]

Huckabee Hillary is doing more damage to herself than to anyone else. I've always thought she was an extremely intelligent woman, although not very likeable. Now she's becoming just not likeable.

I'm hoping she can show class and dignity and realize she can do more good by working with the Party, and become an asset to the Presidential Nominee.

What she seems to be displaying is a spoiled child syndrome of breaking the toy rather than sharing it.

[Javalation]

Hillary position on the gas tax holiday best demonstrates what she would have been like as prez. A letter signed by 230 reputable economist explained why the idea was silly and wouldn't work, but did Clinton listen? No, she called them all elitist and has continued to spout her misrepresentation. Some may remember that it was the same style that made healthcae reform impossible when Bill made the mistake of putting her in charge his first term. She would do as much to divide the country as did Bush, and that's saying a mouthful.

[obamagal]

It's also exactly the same as what Bush has done for the last 7.5 years. Two peas in a pod. More and more, there are similarities and they are not comforting.

[justobserve]

I have said all along that the media is the culpit in these spins together with the Clintons. Times and times again, the media just repeated their spins without checking the fact. They never revive the Clintons' records of the tumulous years in the WH or where did the money come from for Clinton Foundation or their income of hundred million$?

[CKieffer]

I wish the media would just once say "you were never behind in Indiana! Every poll had you ahead!" when she uses Indiana as a "come from behind win". Watching her is like watching an addict rationalize irrational behavior - -but watching the media is like watching her enabler/dealer

[LeeinJax]

I am surprised, ok more like disappointed, to see Hillary continue to pursue the "if we were Republicans I would already have won".

I guess we can expect this. Perhaps she is trying to bait Obama supporters into reacting ungraciously which would be salt in the wound to her supporters.

I hope we can keep our senses and compassion regardless of what she does at this point. We have the Republican opponent to face, and we need our base reunited.

Then we have a country to change. This will not be quick, or easy. That's realilty.

[PioneerKing]

Once a Goldwater Girl always a Goldwater Girl.

Hillary and her minions are working behind the scene with republicans to destroy Obama.
McCain is going to thank her by appointing her to the Supreme Court and give Bill Ambassadorship to Great Britian.

[LeeinJax]

I really must disagree. Senators from Arizona can promise whatever they want, but they have no authority to make such appointments.

IMHO, President Obama is unlikely to make those selections.

[daddydamon]

bravo!!!

[kdubbg]

So she should have ran as a republican then.

[ProfessorDuh]

Yes, That's the party where candidates who cynically vote for quagmire wars to advance their political careers belong.

[hopelessobama]

quagmires like korea and vietnam, started by democrats???

[Dangler]

The divisive media has enabled her with their ridiculous spin. They've cultivated a false reality to infuse their ratings. it's disgusting.

[Dogma]

Infuse their ratings, or to appear to be more balanced and not so pro O?

I wonder...

[EuLupu]

I am not so sure why you are giving her campaign credit for?? Deceiving and flat lying? Ad hominem attacks day in day out? Soviet propaganda style where the candidate is the "hero of the working class"?? Bill Clinton's old stuff, didn't people have ENOUGH all ready?? If something to admire here it should be the LOYALTY of the older voters that she managed to manipulate. Now if she really would have been endowed James Carville style, she would have done it. But she is not ANY of the personas that her propaganda machine tried to make her; she is just another Clinton that people don't want in the White House.

[SonofLiberty1]

Can you please tell me what you remember of Bill Clinton?

After all, he was a democrat don't you know and well liked too.

And still is today!

[Syco]

I give them credit for ruining the image of women everywhere

[mikekev58]

The author and you insult the 49% of Democrats who have voted for Hillary, by basically calling us deluded and accusing an American presidential candidate of Soviet style propaganda. In essence, you are saying we are brainwashed.

I guess that will make it easier for us to withhold our votes in November; we're mindless anyway and hard wired for Hillary.

Good luck...you're going to need it.

[frl]

so you wouldn't vote for obama because one of his supporters offended you with a comment? so how do you think hillary would manage to unite the party and bring in obama supporters that she herself openly mocked...? ("the skies will open, choirs will sing..." blah blah blah)

[botboy]

mikekev58,

Please take your toys and go home. My mommy says I shouldn't play with you anyway. She said you are mean and don't share, and your mommy is a sore looser. (Snark Off)

Can we please grow up around here. This is why Dems get labeled weak. We can't swallow our pride and smile and FALL IN LINE. Instead we act like children because our feelings are hurt. I don't know about you mikekev58, but I am more interested in fixing what's wrong with our country than fighting about this BS. I think a little maturity on all our parts is what is called for here...how about you?

[SonofLiberty1]

Botboy,

How many times have I told you not to bother grownups?:)

Now be a good boy and you can have 1/2 hour of time for your video game!