The World is Watching and Wants More: Clinton-Obama Race Should Go All the Way

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Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton struggling against each other for every superdelegate, every pending state primary, every vote is the best thing America has had going for it in some time on the "global public diplomacy" front.

John McCain's subtle flirtation with vice presidential possibilities ranging from his former rival Mitt Romney to Mike Huckabee to Michael Bloomberg to Condoleezza Rice -- among others -- has caught the attention of people in Mumbai, Jakarta, Rio, Riyadh, Beijing, Damascus, and far more.

The world is seeing Americans struggle about who U.S. citizens want in the White House. There is no stacked deck, no automatic succession, no heir apparent -- and this political experience of dramatic uncertainty and the pairing of an elder pro-Iraq War POW torture-victim turned leading Senator vs. either the first African-American or female candidate has the feel of a presidential election of a life-time -- the kind that won't be forgotten for a century.

Anyone remember Mondale-Reagan? I didn't think so. . .

Neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama can win the Democratic primary through pledged delegates. Now, superdelegates and the candidate's nuanced strengths and weaknesses in the eyes of party elders could show those around the world another dimension of America's electoral system that few -- even in America -- get to see.

The race should go all the way to the Convention.

Dem leaders like Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Howard Dean should stop trying to end the process. Let it go to its conclusion -- and let's turn the process into something really magnificent to see in its fullest. . . kind of like a total solar eclipse. Totality.

Do the entire thing.

The world is watching, learning. And American popularity in the eyes of global citizens watching us is surging because of the excitement and uncertainty of this fascinating election.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[Jazzcomedian]

I like Obama from what I've seen most recently, but I'm not emotionally invested because all politicians are mortal and the system in Washington is intractably entrenched with respect to self, and special interests. Every candidate that I've seen the last 40 years, has run on the campaign pillars of "hope, change, and unity". Clinton was "the Man from Hope", Bush was "a uniter not of divider", and both created the most politically polarizing administrations we've ever had.
All things being equal policy wise, I'd like a fresh start with Obama. The Clintons have demonstrated that when in office they will work for the common people to improve their lives. They are Machievellian to be sure, but on the side of the people. They had to fight dirty in Washington even to do good things for the country. Bush/Cheney are Machievellian on the side of corporations and cronys. But with Hillary you get Bill again, and I'm not a fan of his from the Monica bullshit. But I don't think Hillary should drop out now. The Clinton's are tough and tenacious. That's their hallmark, and I don't expect them to change now. Republicans had been easily kicking the Democrats asses before they put a stop to it. If Obama beats their political machine with his welcome positive approach, he'll be ready for the Republicans. He'll have beaten Bill, who is obviously helping plan Hillary's strategy. And Bill Clinton is a very tough man to beat at this game.

[butterworth]

HRC's campaign should continue because the world is watching and learning? Isn't this the same logic that sold us the Iraq War? Remember? A little bit of shock and awe, and then the world would see a peaceful and democratic Iraq? How's that going?

[Lemeritus]

No. Just that: NO.

The campaign should go through the last primary / caucus. Every state should have the opportunity to vote, even though we are now more or less reconciled that the superdelegates will decide the nominee. The voters' will (and any other relevant criteria) will be just as clear at the end of June as it will be in August. I see nothing to be gained by waiting, and much to be lost. We must engage McCain with a single voice, the sooner the better.

[danceswithyids]

When is Obama's book about how he and his supporters have acted during this election going to be released?
It is entitled "The Audacity of Audacity"

[nazgul]

I think you confused it with Hillary's "The Audacity of Hopelessness: Hillary's Pact With the Devil, Karl Rove"

[danceswithyids]

Genius title!

[danceswithyids]

Brilliant!

[EspritDeVoltaire]

More conventional wisdom from the professionals who should learn a real trade like shining shoes. These people are members of the same crowd who brought us Iraqi Freedom.

[mellene]

Quit already with this endless coverage. The real news goes unreported and the Republicans are basking in their glorious, new found abandonment by the media.

[indiethinker]

Anyone who actually believes that Hillary Clinton is continuing this campaign because she loves democracy is clearly delusional. Her entire campaign is driven by ego & hunger for power. She is the worst kind of demagogue whose political ruthlessness belie her claim to speak for the common good. Of course she is entitled to continue her campaign, but I have no doubt that as she falls further & further behind, her attacks will get more & more vicious, will only increase the divisiveness of the party & will damage Barack Obama's chances in the general election. But since she won't bow out graciously, we might as well let it play out until the last primary in June. At that point, it will be up to the superdelegates to renounce her kind of scorched earth, ego-driven candidacy & end it by endorsing Obama. Letting it drag on to the convention in August would just be an act of masochism & self-destruction for the party.

[AnninCA]

Thank you. I feel sometimes I'm the only person left who LOVES the ideas behind our democratic process. I am appalled by the voice of the Independents who wish to disenfranchise voters, bully people out, applaud the maneuvers of the marketing strategists. Hillary has, in my opinion, reintroduced America to DEMOCRACY. I LOVED it when the polls were wrong in NH. Didn't we all get a kick out of that one? I LOVED it when those idiots on TV made fools of themselves talking about how CA was neck-and-neck, and then she won every county but 3 in CA. Didn't you all really enjoy watching those idiots backpeddle? I LOVED that speech in Ohio. ISn't that the essence of American Democracy? The power-brokers in Washington keep trying to close the deal. The voters keep saying, "No, WE are the people."

What's ironic is that HIllary, not Obama, is leading the populist ground-swell. Now, only in America would this turn out to be the case. The guy who talks it, can't do it. The woman who everyone paints as corporate America is, in fact, representing the little guy and gal.

This is too rich to stop.

[nazgul]

You sound like Bush telling us everything is going as planned in Iraq.

[nazgul]

The Democrats have nothing to gain and everything to lose from continuing this contest.

If you think HRC should stay in, tinker with Slate's delegate counter. It proves pretty effectively that she can't win.

http://www.slate.com/id/2187679/

If there weren't a cost to HRC staying in the race, I'd say, sure, why not? But there are costs:

1) Every week, the Dems negatives go up while McCain's positives go up.
2) The tens of millions of dollars being spent on the primary could go to the general election. I know I don't have unlimited funds, and I'll bet there are lots of people who will feel tapped out by the time the primaries wrap up.
3) The intra-party divide increases each week; the tension is real and the bad blood won't entirely go away. The more time to heal, the better.

There are numerous precedents for wrapping up the nomination before all the states have voted. There's no precedent for the superdelegates to overturn the votes of the voters.

[musselmanm]

The great thing aboout letting this play itself out is that Hillary will sink to the love level in America of Our current dictator, Bush.
She should stay in so th4e hatre of her can drive her and all of her and Bills' opinions into the national archives never to be heard or catred about again.
Thank you Hillary for making the world remember how the two of you were such horrible people, in sheeps clothing.

[dr4Will]

thanks for bringing sense to a great situation---the world is watching--it sees candidates with strength and current lawmakers as stupid and weak--all the bias is out in the open and a titanic battle of woman or black man for the nomination is historical--yes,lets take it to the end!!!

[Massconfusion]

If you call yourselves Democrats perhaps you should get your heads out of your collective A___s and come to the realization that the race "going all the way", which sounds like a stupid jock analogy if ever there was one, would hand McSame the election. If that is your goal then kindly switch sides and stop posting here - Red State would love to have you!

[darker]

The World is not who's voting in the election. It's American voters.
STYLE IS IN.
SUBSTANCE IS OUT.

SOUND BITES ARE IN.
CONTENT IS OUT.

MEDIA IS IN.
JOURNALISM IS OUT.

These are the tools of Republican MEDIA. They will use these to push McCain on American voters.
Meanwhile, Dems are busily burying each other in hogwash instead of fighting to win the election.

[JulieSA]

If Obama defeats McCain in the general, that will be a victory for Style over Substance.

[hinnis]

OBAMA LIES IN PENNSYLVANIA AD
From NBC/NJ"s Aswini Anburajan
GREENBURG, Pa. -- The Clinton campaign today accused the Obama campaign of "false advertising," claiming that a recent ad Obama released in Pennsylvania was disngenous because Obama has been the recipient of more than $200,000 from the oil and gas industry.
In the ad, Obama says, "I'm Barack Obama, and I don't take money from oil companies or lobbyists, and I won't let them block change any more."
Obama has taken $213,884 from the oil and gas industry as of Feb. 29th, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Sen. Hillary Clinton has taken $306,813 in that same period.
Two of Obama's campaign bundlers are also CEOs for oil and gas companies, per a list released on his campaign Web site.
Robert Cavnar, listed as a bundler who has raised between $50,000 to $100,000 for the campaign, is the chairman and CEO of Mission Resources Corp., a Houston-based firm. George Kaiser, also listed in the same $50,000 to $100,000 category, is the CEO of Tulsa-based Kaiser-Francis Oil Company.
"It's unfortunate that Senator Obama is using false advertising to explain why he can be trusted to do something about energy prices," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said. "Senator Obama says he doesn't take campaign contributions from oil companies but the reality is that Exxon, Shell, and others are among his donors."
http://tinyurl.com/2on6dr

[jstock]

hinnis: (a) your posted comment has nothing to do with what the above piece was about, and (b) since when should we believe something because Hillary's campaign says it? Experience tells me to doubt them more often than not.

[hinnis]

The facts of this article are from the Center for Responsive Politics. And, it is relevant to the article because Hillary must keep fighting to expose Obama for what he is: a deceptive and fraudulent charlatan.

[StephieL]

The Presidential election season is becoming a neverending circus, where most of the Presidential candidates act like clowns in order to get the attention of a bored, apathetic and oblivious electorate which can easily get excited over who to vote for on "American Idol" or "Dancing With The Stars", but who don't seem to care much about the future of the nation or of mankind, while those few Presidential candidates who want to discuss ideas are shut out, marginalized and ignored by the corporate-controlled media. The Clintons aren't going to "go away", primarily because of the tantalizing prospect of officially instituting a "dynastic Presidency", and they're not about to squander that particular opportunity in the name of "party unity". They're going to fight it out until the bitter end, and that "bitter end" will be in Denver during the Democratic National Convention.

[CPUz]

The world is watching and learning allright! And they will learn more (yet through "different" means) if the warmonger McCain won!

Uniting the party and saving lives is more important than this alleged entertainment/educational show.

[harriscrl3]

Let it go all the way to the Convention. Hilary Clinton will still loseand her lost will be even more pathetic

Carol