The Comeback Kid: Hillary Clinton Does a McCain
Everyone is trying to scramble to explain Hillary Clinton's turnaround tonight. Negative campaigning. Aggressivness. Elbow grease. NAFTA. Rezko. Saturday Night Live. Lots of stuff.
But the bottom line is that Barack Obama's campaign had some air let out of the balloon this week by a media that began to feel guilty for imbalanced coverage of the two. And Obama's folks lost control of the agenda-setting function that a frontrunner usually has.
After the Wisconsin debate, I thought that Clinton had begun to acquiesce to Obama's surge. Many on her campaign -- at high levels -- thought this was the case as well. And what I thought was taking place after was a "negotiation" for what the role of the Clinton franchise would be.
That is now a dead narrative. Clinton is back and wants to win. Obama still has a magic aura, but it is a bit more tarnished this week than last.
And the bottom line tonight -- despite the fact that Obama won Vermont and that Texas is so close and the caucus process so mismanaged that it's hard not to believe that a recount won't be demanded -- is that Hillary Clinton "did a McCain" tonight -- and she's back in the race. . .big time.
-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note
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"It's Not About The States It's About The Delegates"
-Hillary Clinton
Now Will It Change Now That The Score Is:
Obama- 12
Clinton- 3
Since "Super Tuesday"
The Score On Delegates Is About The Same She Only Gained A Few !!
-Sarge
Why would it change if the score is 12:3 against her? She is hoping to gain more than a few between now and the convention.
Because eleven Idahos don't make one Ohio or Texas.
40% of the remaining delegates were counted last night. Hillary gained 7 more than Obama. She simply can not win the nomination with the small amount of remaining contests.
Instead of tearing down our Nominee and helping give the White House to McCain, she should drop out.
Well, let me ask you something, can Obama gain enough to make 2025? With only 5% lead in popular vote, it is pretty arrogant for his supporter to call the opponent to drop out, don't you think?
Neither candidate can make it to 2025 but only one will be leading in delegates at convention time and it's not going to be Hillary.
Yes! It is!!!! LOL*
Unbelievable. She cleaned his clock in Ohio in spite of his outspending her like crazy.
People need to stop and realize that you're not dismissing her as much as dismissing a HUGE number of real people who voted for her and told you exactly why.....
At this point, it becomes incredibly disrespectful to people to say stuff like she should drop out.
Obama should be dropping out, the only DEM State he has won is Illinois, Hillary has won all the rest, maybe Hillary would give him the VP job
Blue/Red state is a losing strategy. It cost Gore and Kerry the elections against idiot Bush. Hillary can not win the Primary and she can not win the General.
Agreed, hank48188. Bambi should be thinking of dropping out and from his hang-dog look last night, and the fact that he started talking about his father ... the "goat herder" (hmmmm? with a Ph.D. from Univ of Hawaii???) and even finally about his white grandparents ... he may be thinking of retooling his very racist campaign and becoming more inclusive.
THEN if he would just take some REAL positions on real domestic problems ... maybe he might be up to the office of VP where he could get some on-the-job training for the work Hillary is already highly capable of successfully tackling.
Exactly! They are DEM States which means that Democratic Party will carry them no matter who the candidate is. The States Obama won and won big, with bigger margins that Clinton and McCain combined in some instances, will make the difference in November.
No, SHE should drop out--and NOW!!!! 51% of voters refuse to vote for her.
He doesn't want it. He's going to be president!!
Clinton/Obama '08!
It''s in the party's best interest and Obama's as well. His time will come in '16 and no one will be able to say he's an empty suit then. He'll only be 54 years old and will have gained the foreign policy experience to nix any criticisms hurled at him. He's a smart man and he wants what's good for the country, not just himself. Together, they're unbeatable. And with larger majorities in the Senate and the House, there's no stopping the progress that we're capable of. Think about it.
Jonny, a couple of months ago I would have agreed with you. But after having watched Sen. Clinton's campaign work since Feb. 5: the "everybody picks on me" complaining, the lying, the fear-mongering, the sarcasm and basic playground snottiness, I no longer believe that. I am now done with Sen. Clinton, I will no longer make excuses for her, I will no longer be open to her-- I would now like her and her nasty campaign gone.
If you think this has been a nasty campaign, you're just being naive and somewhat oblivious to history. This has been very, very mild.
Why would Obama be Clinton's running mate when he has more delegates than her?
Because it's the smart thing to do and if Obama is the inclusive, conciliatory man he says he is, it's the best thing for the party and the country.
Because a ticket headed by HER can win! She has SOLUTIONS ... he has warm-fuzzy platitudes with no beef.
Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ain't gonna happen. Fuhgeddaboutit.
Yes, indeed...run along Senator Obama. Be a good little boy and wait your turn. Hillary, Bill and their supporters know what's best. Be glad we let you go this far. You have proved your point. Now run along and let Hillary measure for the new drapes in the Oval office. We will decide when you can run. Clinton/Obama '08? By what criteria would she be the nominee and he be the running mate? Oh, that's right. Because Hillary and her supporters say so.
I'm not struggling to explain Clinton's win. I can explain it in one word.
LIES.
Wait! Wait! There are some other words:
RACE-BAITING
FEARMONGERING
When 90% of the black voters is voting for a black man and people like you claim it is NOT about race, I call that a LIE.
Race-baiting? The only one doing that is O'Bambi and his pool of Oprah fools.
He's into Farrakahn, now that is REALLY racist.
Meanwhile he ignores the men, like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who've worked, truly, every day of their adult lives to make things better for everyone in the United States.
Yes, Bambi hangs a picture of Martin Luther King on his wall ... but he probably would snub him too if he were still alive. Much easier to deal with the legend and treat the trench workers of the civil rights movement as if they were diseased.
I guess Jesse and Al do put Bambi into a state of dis-ease ... since they did the walk, and he can barely do the talk.
It's pathetic that Latinos broke 2-1 for Clinton in TX. Obviously Obama failed to use everything at his disposal against the "fighter." She opposes driver's licenses for the undocumented, she's made some extremely anti-immigrant statements in Iowa (included a purely practical, logistical argument---devoid of moral obligation---against deportation that is to McCain's right), and she chose to exploit rather than denounce Black-Brown scapegoating at the Cali debate. It makes me sick.
And this knuckle-dragging blue-collar white male demographic in Ohio, they love a "fighter." They love a lady that embraces racism, gender-baiting, fear mongering, and whatever else it takes to win. Obama has been holding back against Clinton in the hopes he can win and still keep it civilized. But obviously it's time to sharpen the knives and put the records of these candidates into clear relief. Her litany of scandels makes Resko and the Keating 5 look like parking tickets in comparison. Why don't we hear more about the 12 year old rape victim she discredited while defending the accused rapist? Why don't we hear more about her husband's shady deals in the Middle East and Kazakstan? When are we going to collectively demand that she releases her joint tax returns? When are we going to call her out for the racist she is? The latest example is the dark shading of Obama to make him look blacker in one of her attack ads; this is part of a consistant pattern that goes back to New Hampshire. Her Nixonian equivocation in answering whether she thinks Obama's a Muslim is inexcusable. I could go on and on. It's time Obama does himself. That's a fight she can't possibly win.
Grasp this ,,,, the LEGAL Latinos broke 2-1 for Hillary.......Legal citizens , including Latinos are against illegal aliens , as is Hillary ...... this is not racist ..... Tax returns... Yes... Documents in Arkansas... yes... But you Obamaciders are delusional , the Clintonisatas have been very much NOT racist...The Obamagasm has ended.... wait until the Illinois/Chicago corruption comes out in the next three months....
Sad to say, but O'bambi ... raised by his white grandparents, attending a mostly Asian school in the RICH section of Hawaii ... has run a VERY racist campaign. His tactics are very similar to that of his pastor's good friend, Louis Farrakahn. Bambi just doesn't say it as loudly. His campaign basically throws out there that if you don't vote for their annointed one YOU have to be racist.
I've worked on civil rights issues for decades and I HATE that Bambi treats Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as if they have a communicable disease. Yet, he sucks up to Oprah WInfry who thinks she can be the new king-maker. They play the race card BIG TIME. If anyone is racist in this campaign year ... it is O'Bambi.
You are calling the Latinos pathetic and you think Clinton is dividing the party?
You are calling her a racist when 90% of the black voters are voting for HIM?
You are demanding her tax return when it is not even required?
Do you even listen to yourself? Obama (and Edward) had not been civil from day one because he (and he) knew they would not be able to win being civil. SHE had been civil at the beginning but look what that got her?
Just because the Republicans are dirtier doesn't mean she aint dirty.
""Well, Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice" so it's no big deal.
"He's a Christian...as far as I know"
The e-mail campaign " he doesn't know the words to the national anthem. He refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance"
Until you can explain how can 90% of the black voters vote for a black person and claim it is NOT about race, I will maintain that she is not playing dirty.
Clinton had the black voter OVERWHELMINGLY before Clinton surrogates began their not-so-subtle race baiting. That's when the African American vote switched over. Obama didn't win that vote. CLINTON LOST IT.
Understand now?
Does a majority of women voting for Clinton make it about gender?
Does a majority of white people voting for Clinton make it about race?
The "Comeback Kid" picked up about 9 delegates. Maybe. Hardly a dent in Obama's lead.
Oh, but she's got the tv press at her back, ignoring her dirty tactics, and spinning with all their might the story of her "big win".
It would be funny (especially given her "Poor Persecuted Me" storyline), if it wasn't so sad.
Exactly!
NPR last night on the way home from work was all about how Obama is a huge loser and Clinton is the better choice blah blah blah. NPR is pathetic as always it seems. NPR has really turned into FNC Light thank you GWB for screwing up NPR! What will we do without you?
If Clinton takes the nod I may just move to Canada. God I hate her.........
And no it isn't that she is a woman. It is that she is a corporate shill just like GWB and Mc1000YearsOfWar. Granted Obama may not be much better but at least he "says" he is for net neutrality and that counts in my book.
but we've already seen that what he says and what he actually intends are two different things. Look at the memo about NAFTA that came out after his advisor met with the Canadian government. I , for one, find it hard to believe that the Canadians got it so wrong in their published memo. And I think the Canadian government is trying to spin it because they realize Hillary will do something about the problems with MAFTA and Obama will keep the status quo.
How can you call HIllary the "comeback kid" when she was basically celebrating her nomination a year ago?
LAME.
You Obama whiners are really getting old. Afraid of a good ole fight? That''s what it takes to run this country. Get used to it.
Bring it. Obama supporters—time to fight back. Tough.
They'll hand you a flower. Granted it'll be a 2 day old flower, yet still delicately pretty.
Yeah--politics isn't for sissies. Although I hate to sound as condesdending as Obama does sometimes.
Actually, I agree!
We have seen that Hillary Clinton is not to be underestimated. She can be every bit as nasty, sleazy, and coldly efficient as Karl Rove. It will be good practice for Obama.
Thanks for making that point!
Way To Go Senator Clinton! And all the Huffing and Puffing ain't gonna blow her house down!
She will be the next President of the USA!
In 8 years, with a little humility under his belt, Obama will be poised to take the helm.
I can't wait till the come-back kid is president. Last time I looked, she ain't no kid, she is an old bitter lady. I'm not happy with any of the three candidates but she gives the worse speeches I have ever seen a candidate make. That speech is Ohio was flat sorry. Can she make a speech without sounding like a 12yo? When she goes to a black church, she has to speech like, I don't even know how to explain it BUT I would find it very condescending.
Well maybe Hillary will hire Obama to do some speeches, that is his only skill
I t hink this is exactly the point of Hillary supporters. Obama is good at giving speeches, but Hillary is good at executing things and delivering. Bill Schneider of CNN summed it up (after looking at the large compendium of exit polls) thus, "Clinton delivers, Obama inspires."
She and President Clinton (arguably the greatest president since FDR) were picketing and organizing and participating in the civil rights rallies/movements when civil rights was not a popular issue. This is a lot of ground work, not just one "speech." Don't question their work for the black community. Bill Clinton was called the first black president for a reason. Radio host Cenk Uygur has chronologically shown that it's Obama's people (starting with Jesse Jackson--Obama's national co-chair--subtly accusing Hillary Clinton does not care about black people) that started playing the race card in SC.
http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2008/01/11/barack-obamas-campaign-plays-the-race-card/
I'm not sure if Obama cares about black people or not. He may have given a "speech" at some rally indicating so; I'm sure that's enough for the Obama followers.
Hillary is toast. No, the heavens aren't going to part and celestial choirs aren't going to sing and declare her the nominee. Ain't gonna happen. After FL in 2000 the superdelegates are not going to overturn the will of the people. It won't happen. It would be a PR nightmare for the Democratic party with enough coattails to sink a lot of other Democratic candidates. This is about delegates and the Clinton campaign failed to realize that until it was too late.
If you demand the super delegates to vote according to the popular vote, then I demand that the black votes be re-distributed to match the rest of the state. It is a PR nightmare when 90% of black voters vote for a black person and claim it is not about race.
i agree with you ...........there is no politician in history that carries 90% of his district unless he is only one on the ballot .....oh yes dictators get 90% too...this is reverse racism......i dont agree with people i love 90% of the time
Redistributing votes already cast is just about the stupidest thing I've read in the last two weeks. The Clintons lost the black vote through their race baiting, and they have permanently lost a certain percentage of it. Just like some of Hillary supporters will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomiantion. Either way the democratic party is screwed.
thats right its about delagates .....2025 delagates ......obama cant get there either....what is this con artist going to do if he gets swiftboated like kerry the wimp...he will fall apart ......if carry had 0ne tenth of her fight we would be here discussing these two he would be president ,,,i hope she keeps pounding obama into the ground and show the american people he is a great used car salesman but cant fight his way out od a paper bag
blah blah blah
Have fun working for minimum wage!!
Cuz your girl loves free trade and that is not good for workers like um YOU!! LOL
You need to pull your head out and take a breath zumper.... :P
How is it considered a comeback when she had to win by more than 20 points for it to make a difference? Wasnt she up in the polls 20 and 30 points in the states she won just 2 weeks ago? It seems to me she barely held on and is still way, way behind. But, ya know, the media is so biased against the Clinton's it is reporting it that Clitnon is right back in it. Fucking bullshit.
Watch your language. This is news. At least we don't have to see her cry yet.
You're right that Obama made up a lot of ground in a short time in TX and OH and that relatively narrow wins for Clinton mean it's that much more improbable she can ever overtake him in the pledged delegate race. But the psychology of these wins, and the momentum they'll generate, mean she can win by enough in Pennsylvania and her other demographically favorable states, when it's all said and done in June, to have a delegate deficit but a popular vote LEAD (like Bush/Gore all over again), especially depending on how FL and Michigan are counted. Plus her resurgence may practically "force" Obama to pick her as his running mate if he still wins---a truely depressing prospect.
Yes, she was ahead by 20 points in Ohio and Texas just two weeks ago.
What's your point? With her total gain of 7-9 delegates, the media has declared her the big winner, tells us its a "BIG COMEBACK" and is letting her talk about a Clinton/Obama (don't make me sick) ticket!
They're still getting the NAFTA story wrong (I just heard Candy Crowley --again-- say, "The memo showed Obama saying one thing in public and another in private." What is so difficult about realizing OBAMA WASN'T even AT that meeting! Not to mention all the other facts they choose to ignore about it.
Clinton won with a bit of Atwater and a bit of Rove--race-baiting (the darkened ad), fear mongering ("3 a.m."), and outright lying ("Muslim or Christian?" and "NAFTA").
Hillary has no ethics, no core principles, no integrity and will do anything to win.
Just like Rove and Atwater said, "Works every time."
Well, what last night means is that the GOP and McCain are really enjoying their breakfast. There is only one way the Dems can win in November. Barack and Hillary have to run together. If not, the loser's supporters will be too angry and McCain will win fairly easily. I am a Barack supporter. However, Hillary would never run as his VP candidate. So, although I do not like it - the best option to win in Nov is a Clinton-Obama ticket...
Obama recites his act of contrition, adroitly nudges his followers into the light and Hillary and Barack and Bill and the rest of the Little Rascals can pulp McCain and anyone else short of the Second Coming.
Agreed. Hillary won't settle for VP. She's older and this is really the only time for her presidency. Barack is younger and VP for 4 or 8 years will definitely give him the presidency after hers. I am a Hillary supporter, and I don't think I'd support Obama if he's the nominee, and I hear from Obama supporters that they won't support Hillary, so they'll have to share a ticket. It's the only way to get a dem in the office in november.
You forgot who Hillary's VP is? Already? I know you haven't seen him that much lately. Clue, his name starts with "B".
I agree with you. Yum, yum. Pass the bacon. As someone who just seriously doesn't want another Repug in the white house, I wish Hillary would drop out. Even if she wins PA, it'll be close and Barack will still be ahead in pledged delegates. She's a great senator. Come back to NY, Hill. We still like you. We forgive you for Iraq, we forgive you for your occasional temper tantrums, we forgive you for using the fear card, but for the love of God, please don't hand us another repug victory by dragging this thing out!
Well, a lot of us DON"T forgive her for her campaign's racism and her own statements like " he's a Christian...as far as I know"
It's a war out there. Strategy makes all the difference. While Bush obviously doesn't know how to win in Iraq, he did learn a lot from those (Texan) "Capital One" commercials about barbarians on the rampage. Remember the "what's in your wallet" campaign? Well, there won't be much left in the treasury after those neocon pirates are finished. I don't think either of the Democrat candidates will have much to work with if they win.
I still don't understand why she should back out. She has an excellent case to make to the country and dems because she wins the big, industrial states that are absolutely necessary in November. I, too, believe that our two candidates need to run together to deliver the knock-out punch to John McCain, but HRC needs to be at the top of the ticket.
Ema,
Dragging this thing out? I'm glad you're not on my team. You want to quit at halftime because your team has the most points. That's not how the game is played and in this country come from behind wins are not only possible they are very popular. Maybe the fear in this equation comes from Obama's supporters. Maybe that fear is justified. His ability to inspire is a plus but inspiration like infatuation has a shelf life and when it's gone ... and it will be, then what? Hillary may come to this campaign with baggage but she also brings experience and a mental toughness that's been tested again and again and again. She not only survives, she thrives. I'll sleep better at night with her running the show.
That is quite a statement coming from a Barack supporter. Unfortunately, those two does not make a good ticket. I think Hillary will pick Wesley Clark, the 4 star general, to counter McCain. As for Barack, I have not put too much thought into who he should pick as VP.
Are you saying that because she won't accept the Veep slot, we should just give her the Presidency?Because she'll cry, complain, lie and tear this party apart if we don't give in? Again, I used to be very pro-Hillary, but watching this campaign since Feb. 5 has really turned me off. The Presidency is not a job you get because people (the media & Repubs) were mean to you, it's not a job you get because someone owes it to you. We are electing someone to be the central face of our country at home and abroad, we are electing someone who we believe can actually work with people to fix the problems that our country has, we are electing someone to make this country a better place for our kids and grandkids. And a petulant Senator who has no problem circumventing rules and ethics to get what she wants is not the person who can do those things for us. Senator Clinton, go home to New York and be the best damned Senator you can be-- and maybe, someday, I'll have some respect for you again.
I would love to know what planet some of you have been vacationing on if you think Hillary's campaign is dirty. It isn't a nearly half the bullshit the republicans will pull if Obama is the nominee. This has been a relatively calm primary season. When John McCain and Bush's machine get to Obama, let's see if that "give peace a chance" bullshit will win him the general election. Even if you hate Hillary, you have to admit, she's tough. She has won the big and important states, she has the latino, working class, older white vote. These are huge chunks of voters that Obama has not been able to get. And when it comes to Philly, where I live, Obama doesn't have as much support in the black community as he's had in other states. I know this black woman is for Hillary... meet us in Philly, Obama!!!
The Clintons are dirty people.
Just because the Republicans are dirtier doesn't mean she aint dirty.
""Well, Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice" so it's no big deal.
"He's a Christian...as far as I know"
The e-mail campaign " he doesn't know the words to the national anthem. He refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance"
you sound like you're getting your talking points from Chris Mathews, he has talked about "he's a christian as far as I know" four times that I have seen, maybe you both should give it a rest
Obama double-talking? Tarnished? How about Hillary allying herself with McCain-- "both McCain and I have national security creds"--in her desperate bid to beat her fellow democrat? And with that, handing McCain a double-edged sword he'll turn against whichever democratic he faces in November.
She's not only used her marriage to pad her national security and foreign policy resume, she's ridden it all the way to Canada to get some dirt in time for the primaries.
Never mind about her dirty tactics. The problem is that if she ends up going toe to toe with her new best friend McCain, we self-destruct along with her.
No matter how ardently her own base feels about her, she can't draw the general electorate. She's got too much baggage and is too thin-skinned. Next to MCain she'll look like a Commander- in- Chief wanna be in a lady exec pant suit. Yeah, you know the REAL Hilary so you look past the uptight, off-putting image she projects to the wider public. But they, and the republicans, won't be so indulgent.
Consider this: Which match-up would most likely inspire you if you didn't have a side already---two middle aged plus, middle of the road ,Washingtonian white people who look like they should take an ocean cruise together?
Or the male counterpart of the AARP duo, a former Vietnam war hero, pitted against another male, this one a young anti-war, black civil rights activist with an inspirational message? Which of the plot conflicts is most dramatic, visually, viscerally? Which captures the imagination with its potential for symbolism and historical significance?
Think on it because when it comes to the National debate, most American voters won't be watching Huffington Post or Salon.com, they'll be watching T.V. Honestly, if you weren't a Hilary loyalist? You'd rather watch a historic match-up between an old warrior and a new, not a boring slaughter between folks that should just get a cabin somewhere.
Half the bullshit is still bullshit. Hillary is lucky that Obama is not hitting her with what the Republicans have planned to use against her. The list of CONVICTED campaign contributors is long and the scandals are too numerous.
Obama is attempting to keep the campaign clean and to keep to the issues. We can take on the Republicans and fight against their fear and smear campaign. But when Hillary uses these tactics, What does it mean for the DEM party? Are we just as base and unprincipled? What do we stand for? Why the lack of integrity with respect to signing an agreement with respect to Florida and Michigan and then calling for these delegations to be seated at the convention?
Barack Obama will be nominated and go on to win because he represents a qualitative leap from the morass and mediocrity that Hillary and McCain stand for. He represents integrity and principle centeredness.
Go Obama 08
Ahhhhhh, and Rezko ... Bambi's favorite slum-lord is on trial as we speak.
Qualitatively, O'Bambi is in every way chicken broth to Hillary's rich lobster bisque.
They were all in Obama compound being brain washed.
That's the problem with "magic aura". It tarnishes very easily. Everyone always knew the Clintons were dirty politicians. What Obama had going for him was OUR collective belief that he was cut from a different cloth. I believe he represents Americans sincere longing for a better, more peaceful world. He has Hillary on the Iraq vote and I don't think those negative telephone -in- the- middle -of -the - night ads had much meaning. We believed in his sincerity. But when he started appearing like a double-talking politician, he lost his "aura" of uniqueness. The devil we know.....
But all this is really decided in the media, anyway.
Obama comes under greater scrutiny now. He's been referred to as The Speech of '02 and the 'Comedown Kid' within the past 12 hours. Meanwhile McCain'll be fighting a two front war and will be beside himself until Hillary emerges as the Nominee after Denver.
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Posted March 4, 2008 | 11:49 PM (EST)