Should Hillary Drop Out? Absolutely not!

So my Los Angeles liberal friend called while I was on the treadmill this morning. She helped me get an especially good workout today. In fact, I got so worked up I was panting.

LALF: What about your girlfriend?
(I didn't have to ask her who she meant.)

Me: It's highly unlikely she'll prevail at this point, but she ought to stay in the race through the rest of the primaries. Let the process run its course. Then the winner can win with honor and the loser can lose with honor and they can join hands with dignity to go defeat John McCain in November. I hope on the same ticket, but even if not, they'll work together.

LALF: But that's not what people are saying out here. They're all screaming for Hillary to quit.

Me: They wouldn't stop a football game in the last quarter just because their team was winning. Why would they want to stop the presidential primary before the last states have voted?

LALF: Everybody says she should get out now. And you know how we used to love Bill...

Me: The contest has made both candidates better. Obama should thank Clinton because he's become much stronger and sharper. He was pretty wimpy at first. Debating her has toughened him up. He's going to need to be very tough to defeat McCain. You know the Republicans don't hold back.

LALF: Did you watch his speech in North Carolina? It had me in tears.

Me: I watched both speeches. I had promised to guest blog for PunditMom, so I stayed up, mesmerized, till almost 2am to see it all.

LALF: You weren't moved by his speech?

Me: I was moved by his words, but I still want to know what he's going to actually do. I wish Hillary had taken more leadership leaps like he did with the race speech and had spoken more of those lofty words people love, especially about the sexism we've seen in the campaign. But there's no question she knows how to get things done. Now, that's what moves me.

LALF: But isn't it going to tear the party apart for her to stay in?

Me: Just the opposite. The Democratic primaries have brought out massive numbers of new voters and energized people who haven't voted in years.

LALF: Don't you think her negative attacks on Obama are hurting his chances against your boy McCain?
(I love how people refer to McCain as mine because I have lived in Arizona, as if I am personally responsible for his political career.)

Me: Oh come on. She's been unfairly tarred when the truth is they've both gone more negative in recent days, but trust me--this is powder puff stuff compared to what the candidate will have thrown at him or her in the general election.

LALF: I don't think it's important to elect a woman.

Me: (Speechless. Begin Cool down)

Comments

[EspressoAtNoon]

-What things worth mentioning has she ever gotten done?

She ran one of the most dispicable and divisive campaigns in my lifetime. Her political strategy (disregarding caucuses and putting all their eggs into that first Super Tuesday) was a HUGE blunder. She has debtors all over the country who haven't been paid by her campaign. Her campaign is in debt, was poorly managed, and will be the future blueprint about how to not run a Presidential Campaign.

Her attempts at getting Healthcare passed were unsuccessful due to her methods (blatant disregard for Dem and Repub Congressional and Senate Reps).

Her experience has been proven to be lies. (Bosnia, Northern Ireland, SCHIP)

She and Bill race baited every step of the way. When she had her first bad debate on MSNBC she screamed "Sexism".

She agreed and signed off on disenfranchising Michigan and FL voters. But then when the states left on the game board made it clear she couldn't win by the number of earned delegates, she started to pretend to give a crap about MI and FL voters (despite her agreement to disenfranchise them) and then she tried to change the rules in the fourth quarter.

And then the real irony: she claims to want the voters voices to be heard (every single one), when her ONLY route to the WhiteHouse is to have the Dem Elites (Superdelegates) disenfranchise EVERY voter, and yet she's ok with that.

Give me a break!

Clinton supporters live in their own fantasy land.

[pkrbkr]

This is not a football game. And it needs to stop being about tearing down Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. There is too much at stake. Senator Obama will be the Democratic candidate for President. He cannot win in the fall, however, without the Clintons and most of their supporters. If the Clintons cannot find it within themselves to put the country and the party ahead of their own desires, their legacy may be tarnished forever. That is their choice to make, but it doesn't look like they can be rushed to make it. Unfortunately, the congressional races may still be the biggest loser in this fight.

[Ted4]

Using the sports analogy does not wash here. I doubt if Ms Feldt would be writing this article if
the roles were reversed and Obama started playing the race card that would cause African Americans to defect or stay at home. Clinton's remarks yesterday that she has the broader base because
"hardworking" whites will vote for her is not only not true but she could not possibly win in November
if she were the nominee. Without the solid support of African Americans (and I am white) the
Democrats can kiss the so called blue states goodby and their chance of holding the Senate or the House. Ciinton's conduct should now disqualify her from the contest period.

[FirstShirt]

"I was moved by his words, but I still want to know what he's going to actually do. "

Precisely. He hasn't done anything and hasn't even served one term in the Senate. He talks and talks but is an empty suit.

[aftershock]

By all means, Hilary has the right to "finish the game," however let's take your football analogy out further. Would they allow the opposing team to dictate new rules at will during the final minutes of the last quarter? Or I could go one better and draw the perfect analogy to a sports match that WAS ended before the game was finished, the Malice at the Palace (or the Pacers-Pistons brawl). As the game suddenly descended into a physical altercation (with fans involved) following a hard foul, the refs ended the game with almost a minute left on the clock. Now, Hilary would be allowed to finish the game if she played by the rules, and stopped flagrantly fouling when she knows full well even fouling can't help at this point.

[Cathexis]

This isn't a football game in the final quarter. It is a tryout to see which of two outstanding boxers on your team will be selected to go against the well-financed contender in the upcoming Title bout.

Either would be a viable option. But they have been going at it for 15 rounds already, in this try-out. While both have fought spiritedly, one is significantly ahead on points.

The question now arises: Do you make a decision as to which boxer will go to the Title match, maximizing the time you have to train and prepare? Or do you let the two continue duking it out, when both are already bloody, risking serious injury that could cripple your team's chances in the "Match That Counts?"

[petecook5]

In basketball, Hillary would've fouled out of the game long ago. IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO ELECT A WOMAN. It is important to elect the most qualified person who can lead this country out of the economic, social and international morass GWB has put us in. Unfortunately for blind feminazis, a vagina is not part of the qualification process.

[SamSedaei - Huffpost Blogger]

They wouldn't stop a Football game because like any other sports, until the last minute of the game, there is a chance - even if incredibly remote - that the losing team will catch up. But in the case of the democratic race, there is no way Hillary will catch up.

Besides, context matters. The longer this democratic race goes, the harder it will be to focus on John McCain and beat him in the next election. Whereas there is no such price to pay for making a sports game go on longer.

thirdly, the entire Football game is a few hours long. In that context, the difference between ending the game unfinished or waiting until the end of the game is only a few hours. In the case of the democratic race, the time-frame isn't in hours, but in months.

Lastly, a football game is not played solely for the sake of the final score, but also for the very experience of watching the game for 4 hours, that includes tackles, touchdowns and the very idea of seeing celebrity players in action. But the "game" of election is nothing nearly as pleasurable to watch for people as a game of football. What matters in the elections are results.

[martina1965]

He is still wimpy ...

[Mrrar]

It's not sports, and it's not a game.

It's not so singularly important to elect a woman that it should involve breaking the rules, shattering the party, and smearing your opponent. No matter how you cut it, the Clintons Struck First, again and again and again.

They became Republicans, and it turned many of us off to them forever. They were my heroes, Ms Feldt. They were my _heroes_, when I grew up in their slow crash to the Lewinsky scandal.. And this is how they 'repay' my loyalty? By trying to prove that Obama can't stand up to Republicans by BECOMING what we hated, what we fought against?

Screw that. It's not just about the policies, it's about the struggle. The clintons didn't get that.

And that's not why they lost.

Not because people hate women more than black people (eyes rolling), but because they didn't get.. It's not a game. It's not fun. It's real, with real people, real lives, real hopes, real dreams.. And they squandered it all.

Its over. I don't expect the Clintons to drop out though. If anything, they've illustrated that they care nothing about the Democratic party, and all dropping out would do, beyond helping allow Obama to focus resources aganst McCain, is prove that they care about the Democratic Party.

They don't. So it'll be a long, boring, strenuous month until the Superdelegates finally, overwhelmingly, support Obama.

[FirstShirt]

Yep. the democrats recognize 48 states. And they say the republicans live in the past. Don't think some middle of the road dems and independents will get a little miffed if Obama gets picked without nary a vote from them? Time will tell.

And, oh yeah, please the fake idealism of the democrats is getting a little old. These are the folks who invaded Cuba, escalated Viet Nam, dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, incarcerated thousands of Japanese americans without due process and, yes, there was Lewinsky which still makes americans want to go take a shower or puke.

[starkweather444]

I am really tired of the sport analogies, this isnt sports!

[LABC]

ME: (Pulling out my tiny violin) So, what will it be? "Cry me a river "or "Send in the Clowns"? Honestly, Gloria, how you can type nailed to the cross like that. "Wimpy"? He seems to have maintained his poise and coolness. Meanwhile, she was putting together a one-woman show with so many costume changes (warm and teary, screechy and strident, Annie Oakley) that there should have been a two drink minimum to go with her appearances. Keep running...

[independentrepublicrat]

At this point with only three weeks remaining, it is irrelevant whether she drops out. However, should she---with insulting audacity---hope, expect,or ask Obama and/or his supporters to assist with or pay off her debts (accrued while running a scorched earth campaign since February when it was clear the math was against her)? "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" or hell no, if you will. She can use some of their $135 million for that...it is the least she could do for what she supposedly "believes in" so strongly.

[GManPhx]

You don't stop a football game after the 3rd quarter. But you do stop a baseball game after the top of the 9th, when it is no longer possible for the visiting team to win. It is no longer possible for Hillary Clinton to win!!!

[IslandGyal]

Gloria Feldt,
ALL Clinton supporters, regardless how seemingly educated are delusional folks in denial about her character and integrity. Hillary Clinton started the negative attacks, and after a long time, was Senator Obama forced to fight back. But, to hear them, they both went negative, well yes, he had to defend himself against her inane attacks. Why are people soooooooooooo willing to bend over and give this witch the benefit of the doubt but blame Senator Obama should he defend himself?

That"s just incredulous to me and ALL rational, logical, realistic people, of all colors, creeds, and socioeconomic groups in America.

Hillary Clinton is a person who is willing to stoke racial fears, to fulfill her ambitions to make history, and it just shows her true character as a full blown hypocrite,

[MA4HRC]

"Racial fears?" Give me a freakin break! Was it Hillary Clinton that said 92% of black people were voting for Obama? Was it Hillary Clinton that claimed the Bradley effect when Obama lost by 3% in NH? Was it Hillary Clinton that claimed if she was given the nomination, then Black people would riot and the streets would look worst then Watts, as if we're incapable of controling ourselves?

It's sad to say that race baiting may have been a part of Senator Obama's campaign strategy from the beginning. It's even more unfortunate that they banked on people not being able to look at the facts objectively and just accept whatever was thrown out there as the truth.