The audience in King's Chapel on the campus of Cornell College in Mount Vernon seemed to hold its collective breath Thursday night as George Stephanopoulos gave voice to words about the Democratic presidential nomination process that most in the nation have been impatiently waiting to hear: "The race is over." The same quiet audience emitted whoops of joy a few minutes later when Stephanopoulos said that Iowa's position as the first-in-the-nation caucus state would continue.
"I want to tell you that I do think this race -- the Democratic race -- is over," Stephanopoulos said. "Tuesday night was a decisive tipping point. Mathematically it is simply not possible for Sen. [Hillary Rodham] Clinton to catch Sen. [Barack] Obama in the elected delegates. Beyond that, I think what you are starting to feel in the 48 hours or so since North Carolina and Indiana is the sense inside the Democratic Party that this has to end, that Democrats have to unify behind a single candidate and get on with the business of the general election."
As evidence of his prediction, Stephanopoulos said that Obama was expected to pick up two additional Democratic superdelegates today, placing his campaign ahead of Clinton's for the first time in terms of the coveted pledged superdelegate total.
"By the end of the day tomorrow, [Obama] will be ahead of her by that count as well, and you are going to start to see even more of the ranks closing around him," Stephanopoulos said. "I think it is very possible that Sen. Clinton will stay in the race for another week or two. You see, [Clinton]
has never actually lost a race. ... I think this is really a difficult process for her to wrap her head around."
According to Stephanopoulos, Clinton's staff was telling her prior to Tuesday night that she would "win Indiana by a much larger margin -- by 8 or 10 points -- and would hold North Carolina to a very narrow loss, maybe even win it." The disappointment, he said, was evidenced on Clinton's face when she spoke late that night.
"You could see it -- those of you who were able to stay up that long -- you could see it in her face," he said. "I think she was in a little bit of shock and angry. I think she's in the process now of trying to absorb that and figure out how we get out of this primary process."
Looking past the 2008 contests, Stephanopoulos said that Obama, whom he now considers the de facto nominee, not only owes Iowa for his catapult out of the state and into the remaining contests, but, if elected to the White House in November, will reward Iowa by pushing for it to continue the role as the nation's earliest presidential nomination contest.
"As to first-in-the-nation status, I don't think that's going to change," he said. "I hope next time around is not in 2011. You know, this time it started so early that it was almost in 2007. But I think [Iowa's place] is secure. ... Especially if Obama becomes president, he will feel such loyalty to Iowa just as Pres. Clinton felt to New Hampshire that there is no way it will change."
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Regarding George's alleged "neutrality" in the disgraceful ABC debate, he says one telling thing in this article.
"I think she is in the process now of trying to absorb and figure out how WE get out of this primary process."
A Freudian slip, perhaps?
' ...as George Stephanopoulos gave voice to words about the Democratic presidential nomination process that most in the nation have been impatiently waiting to hear: "The race is over." '
Gimme a break. The only person more clueless then George 'do u think ur pastor is more patriotic then you are' Stephanopoulos is Hillary herself.
George Stephanopoulus, do you love America more than your flag pin?
Has anybody noticed, there are fewer & fewer Pro-Hillary post- ers around here anymore ....they too will find this a wonderful journey - it will just take some time ....
You're right - maybe they went to where ever the McCain supporters are (if such a place exists!)...
The three women that I know who voted for Clinton in the MD primary are getting really irked with her and want her to bow out. I actually think if the mid-atlantic primaries were re-done, Barak would win by even bigger margins.
I'm also from Maryland.The two Clinton voters that I know are also quite irked with her.
Because we all know that we have to gang up on this pathetic befuddled lying old man and his used car salesmen campaign, immediately.
Pinch me. Is this really happening? How could we get so lucky? Barak Obama vs John McCain.
Be still my heart.
You are right on that. But I have noticed several new posters expressing rather hostile, yet poorly executed attack-comments against dne Democratic Party and, especially Barack Obama here and elsewhere, already.
Obviously, the Republican footsoldiers are beginning to pick up the fight against Barack Obama on the Internet. And however sloppy the attacks still appear at the moment, there's no doubt that the pace and scale of assaults on Barack Obama will pick up soon.
The Republicans have some very sophisticated people in the area of disinformation, of violent attack, of looming backroom-whispering and of smearing innuendo among their ranks. As good as it feels actually: Exoect it to become really nasty in each and every political forum on the Net real soon until November.
THANK YOU, IOWA - YOU PEOPLE ARE AWESOME & COURAGEOUS !!
The Democratic party is finally coming to its senses. It's about time.
Why do people talk about Clinton as "wrapping her head around" the truth, or "needing space to come to terms with her loss"?
Other candidates who became non-viable accepted their fate and moved on, yet somehow HRC needs to be handled with kid gloves. I'm sure Dodd, who actually moved his wife and young children to Iowa before th caucus there was upset and disappointed, but he just accepted the numbers removed himself from the race.
The self-indulgent use of money and other resources just to make her feel better demonstrates another reason why I wouldn't want to see her in the White House again.
Its absurd! The entire Democratic Party has to tip toe around Hillary until she can come to terms with her loss ... in the meantime, the real battles remains unattended! What's wrong with people? No one should be allowed ever again to accumulate that much personal power serving their country to be able to throw the whole electoral process out of whack when things don't go their way ... sounds like the workings of a bloody dictatorship!
Massive egos are disturbingly delicate. That's why Hillary has to accept her loss with baby steps.
I agree this is precious weeks of fundraising and party unity being lost in Hillarys winddown. Its like the whole party has to wait on Senator Clinton to come to grips with math until Democrats can get on to the business of taking on John McCain.
Clintons live in a state of denial, and it seems the DC ins are afraid of pushing her into facing reality. It's sad, but it explains the VERY slow movement of superdelegates. It is sad though that their delusions are coddled.
Every dog has his day. The Clintons have had their days. It's time to step aside graciously and let someone else have his day.
Good observation/evaluation from GS in regards to the couple he actually DOES know . The Clintons thou, presently appear to YET be in states/straits of DENIAL. The chatter that perhaps "others" will make offer to assist "retiring" their campaign debt is NOT being enthusiastically supported for the dynamic couple have PERSONAL wealth and tis assumed, easy options for further speaking and book deals that will fill their personal coffers so there is RESENTMENT BUILDING to ask others to pick up THEIR tab for one of the WORST campaigns they formulated so INCORRECTLY --It kinda speaks to the "people" that the Clintons took us ALL for absolute , guillble FOOLS and we truly are NOT !!!
How does he or anyone presume to know what is in Hillary's head? He doesn't. He just blowing smoke and trying to puff himself up as an insider, which he hasn't been for more than 10 years. He's just a tiny man with a giant ego.
The beauty of Iowa as the "First in the Nation" is that it can't be bought. What I mean by this, is that because of it's small stature, any candidate can launch there to start. That makes it fair. Michigan, Florida, these are large States, States that provide the benefit to the candidate that has the greater name recognition or connection to the party system, and the money. It becomes too easy for the more connected, better financed candidate to dominated with a hugh lead before the selection process even gets off the ground. In the interest of fairness, it is imperative that all candidates can launch their campaign on equal footing. Democracy demands that!
Well said Nobuks, I have never considered that but the truth of your words is obvious. The movement of MI and FL is yet another way to promote the interests of the wealthy over the interests of the other 98% of us.
I really don"t think Clinton is wrapping her head around a loss. I think she and her husband still believe they can manipulate, bully, extort and/or bribe their way into the White House. It started with her demanding that Fl and MI be counted, less those voters be disenfranchised, which is something a true Democrat should never say considering how important those states are in the GE. It continued when her big wig supporters contacted Nancy Pelosi and threatened to stop supporting the DNC financially. It will climax in her taking this race to the convention where she will demand to either be handed the nomination or demand that she be put on the ticket as the Vice President. She will stop at nothing as she and her husband have been given and have offered too many favors by their rich friends on the promise that they could re-enter the White House. The $20 million her campaign is in debt now pales in comparison to the amount of doo-doo they"ll be in if they are not able to come through on the thousands of promises made to their foreign investors, who"ve invested in the Clinton"s campaign and in their library. They will have hell to pay if they don"t get back to Pennsylvania Avenue, either in 2008 or 2012. She will burn down the Dem party if she has to; she has too much to lose.
"I really don"t think Clinton is wrapping her head around a loss."
Actually, I have another thought as to just where the Clinton's perspective heads can be found.
Absolutely right! AMEN
wouldn't it be great if she proved us all wrong????
It would. But she won't. She's "in it to win it" all the way to the bitter end.
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Posted May 12, 2008 | 08:25 AM (EST)