What happened to the Democratic Party?
I'm a lifelong Democrat. I've volunteered in countless Democratic campaigns. I've managed campaigns for Democrats. I was a Democratic candidate for statewide office in California. For three years, I was Chair of the California Democratic Party. But I don't recognize the Democratic Party today.
The party I knew loved a good fight, loved debating the issues, recognized the value of a high-profile, hard-fought primary battle -- and believed in giving everyone a fair shot. Today, the Democratic Party's turned into a bunch of weak-willed weenies.
What's going on? The party is blessed with two of the best candidates ever to run for president. The party's making history with the first African-American and the first woman having a serious shot at the presidency. In every state, the Democratic primary is attracting record numbers of new voters and building a huge, new pool of Democrats that will benefit all Democratic candidates in November. And how do party leaders respond? By trying to shut down the primary. This is insane!
Bill Richardson endorses Barack Obama. Good for him. But he can't stop there. He calls on Hillary Clinton to get out of the race. Patrick Leahy and Chris Dodd endorse Obama. Good for them, too. But, same thing. Both feel somehow compelled to add that Clinton should quit. Why? There is no more rationale for Clinton to drop out of the race than there is for Obama to drop out of the race.
True, Clinton hasn't locked up the nomination yet. But neither has Obama. True, even if she wins every delegate in every remaining primary, Clinton can not reach the magic 2024 delegates necessary to secure the nomination. But neither can Obama. True, Obama leads in delegates, the number of states won, and popular vote. But Clinton leads in electoral votes.
Plus, and here's the most important point: It's not over yet. Until it is, we can't be sure of the outcome. And it would be a big mistake to end it prematurely. There's been many a boxing match where one fighter won 14 rounds, only to get knocked out in the 15th.
All these Obama supporters calling on Clinton to drop out aren't helping their candidate, either. They make Obama look like he's afraid of a fight. And they themselves look like a stereotypical bunch of men telling a woman she can't hack it in politics, so she might as well get back in the kitchen.
No, Hillary Clinton should not quit this race. And neither should Barack Obama. They're both great candidates. Either one of them will make a great president. So let the primaries continue and let the voters decide. If Obama ends up the nominee, I'll do handstands on the White House lawn. But only if he wins it, fair and square.
Get more thoughts and pre-order a copy of "Trainwreck: The End of the Conservative Revolution (And Not a Moment Too Soon)" at www.billpressshow.com
I'm sure the comments are full of hopeful, uniting posts of thoughtful, logical Democrats, right? Well, I think I'll just be happy to read your post, thank you and move on.
Go Hillary!!
SuperDelegates are empowered to do whatever they want and vote however they choose. As a result of this power, they are rendered thereby powerless until the Convention.
The reason is clear as Obama's strong man JJJr demonstrated when he intimidated Hillary's black SDs to break their commitment to Hillary and "switch" to Obama, whose campaign then had a big celebration at how clever they were.
But this reveals the powerlessness that the SDs have except to actually cast their vote. Because their word is demonstrably meaningless plus the fact that they are empowered to do whatever they want whenever they want, they cannot commit to a candidate in any meaningful way. They can say they do, but who's to believe them?
The only real power they have is to actually cast their vote, and they can't do that before the Convention.
I find the whole thing extremely amusing. As a Hillary supporter I look forward to the long months ahead trying to convince the SDs to vote for Hillary.
Since most of the SDs are elected officials, and I think all the Congressional Dems House and Senate are SDs this presents an interesting opportunity. Taking the lead from wise Obama, I expect the strategy over these long coming months will be to take note of how each SD seems to be leaning and if the SD is leaning to Obama, and the SDs constituents voted for Hillary, well then, it's time for the people to be heard. And we will be heard. Clearly we won't knock Nancy Pelosi out of her seat, but I'm sure there is some pissed-off Hillary supporter willing to give it a try just for the fun of it. And I think that will be the case around the nation as we prepare for the Convention and anxiously await to see how our SD casts their vote.
What are there? 798 SuperDelegates? And they are all pretty much long time members of the Democratic Party.
And since most of them are elected in the Big Blue states, most of them are in districts that Hillary won.
And the ONLY thing now that determines the Dem nominee now is what these 798 people decide to do when they cast their vote at the Convention. Just like the electoral votes in Nov, the Dem process has turned from the people to 798 specific individuals empowered to cast one of these SD votes.
So, it's kind of a new game. We have the pool of 798 and we have the 2 competing sides and the game must go on until the Aug convention. No one has the power to end the game. The game ends when the SDs vote.
On the one hand we have Bill Clinton, pres for 8 yrs w lots of deep political connections to work this crowd of 798. And on the other hand we have Sen O, with whom? That's what will be so interesting to find out. Who is really behind the Obama "phenomenon"? I have answered this elsewhere and it is TedKennedy, but it will be interesting to see what the puppet master has to say as the curtain is drawn back..
This election in my opinion has been one of the most 'dirty' media driven anti Clinton smear jobs we've ever witnessed - and they've certainly given Ken Starr a run for his money.
The one positive that has surfaced from this charade - is - it's proven just how tough Hillary is - especially compared to her opponent - who has sailed along on the fawning disgraceful media's coattails for the past 4 months.
Go Hillary!
Or maybe you've forgotten about your new friends over at FAUXNews. They love you guys.
For as many supposedly pro-Obama pieces I've read in various newspapers, there is always - ALWAYS! - some qualifier in the article. You may read it as partisan screed, but it isn't.
And that Special Comment by Olbermann awhile back? It wasn't pro-Obama. It wasn't even anti-Hillary. It was a warning from a supporter to run a better campaign. Too bad no one was listening.
Go Hillary!
Pardon us simple minded Democrats for caring more about this party, its eventual nominee and the down ticket candidates, than we do a good gutter fight. Let Hillary Clinton stay in this race. The more she talks, the more she makes it clear that she is not a leader, and will lie and whine when the going gets tough. The longer she drags this out, the more of her personality will shine through the smoke, and that, my dear, is more dangerous than any call for her to leave this race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlvJ8bA6_xA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LASNtFcqF4g
Ohhhh, that's rich!
And said without irony too I'll bet!
If this was a boxing matching Hillary would have been disqualified for hitting below the belt. We are for a good fight, but even a brutal sport like boxing has rules. I believe what Senator Leahy was implying is, play fair or get out of the race. We are electing a president who will have to neogiate peace with our enemies and to think we might be sending a president that has the audacity to get on a platform and tell a deliberate lie surrounding a once , war torn country . What enemy would have confidence in Hillary ,so really, maybe Senator Leahy was really telling her to stop lying, you are an embarassment to us all.
r remember, "what goes around comes around", two fold.
For the record, I'm not against Hillary Clinton because she's a woman. I'm against her because her and her supporters are racists.
Get it right Press.
Hillary is no out saying, I'm like Rocky, I'm fighting the big mean bad black guy. imagine the big mean black guy beating up on the white person. wink wink nudge nudge.
The racist subtext to her and all of her supporters is getting quite insane these days. While not unexpected, she clearly knows it's getting to the people it is intended in PA.
The good news is racist would vote Republican before they would vote for Obama, so nothing lost, nothing gained either way. But this is the core of the issue of this race.... The Clinton's prey on the poor and uneducated, with Whitewater till now, and they play to the black population when they need their vote, and to the white racist when they need that vote like now. It's sad really, and in 2008 it's time for them to be called out and go away.
Banging my head on wall now.
No matter what comes out it is called racist or race baiting.
Stop! For Christ's sweet sake please Stop this crap!
Its already been admitted by Obama that the SC crap came from his camp. Go to Youtube and look for it, with Tim Russert.
Russert holds up 4 sheets of paper and asks Obama about it, 4 sheets of talking points directed to the media calling Bills comments racist and this is why and how and how to frame it. Russert asks Obama if in hindsight he regrets the continued pushing of the story even after he came out and said that it would stop and Bill wasn't racist but said something "unfortunate" (remember that?) The damage was done though... everybody, the media included (who never covered the Russert piece) kept up the race baiting narrative and every idiot who just needs a vehicle for hatred continues it.
My God, what is the matter with you people. Take the frigging LOG out of your own eye before looking for the splinter in some one elses.
You are deluded and colluding with the corporate media and powers that be in the DNC. Not because you are voting for Obama, he's great, but because you seem to feel entitled to crucify someone with lies and false premises and distortions,. WTF???... ISSUES!
BTW.... NOT a Hillary supporter, a fair, honest, objective, decency supporter.
I research.
Your Electoral College reasoning is rather flawed, in my humble opinion, for at least two reasons:
1) It assumes the "eighteen state" strategy, which was tried and failed in 2000 and 2004, will somehow work this time with Hillary as the Democratic candidate. Good luck. Hillary is a far, far more polarizing and divisive candidate in the minds of voters (especially independents and republicans!) than Gore or Kerry ever were, so right away you can throw out the traditional "red" states as automatic in the Republican category for electoral votes. And with Hillary running, forget the so-called "purple" states like Colorado, Ohio, Florida, and Virginia. So now you're down to the few big blue states to try to carry the Electoral College vote, especially after a bloody convention fight that will surely alienate and embitter Obama supporters.
2) Why do you presume to imply that Obama can’t carry the large blue states just because Hillary won the popular vote in those states for the Democratic primary? Obama will carry California, just for starters, and you better believe Obama will carry New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania, just to name a few. When voters in those states are given the choice between McBush (McCain) and his promise to extent the Iraq War “until we get the job done” – whatever that means, since the reason to still be there is never explained - voters know that means war without end, and that choice will be an easy call.
You sold your soul to stay employed on the corporate media.I can see your reasoning.One has to eat.
But please spare me the lecture!