US News
Bill Clinton mourns "last day" as wife pulls staffers (Roundup)
Jun 2, 2008, 22:32 GMT
Washington - Former president Bill Clinton lamented his 'last day' on the campaign trail Monday as his wife, Hillary Clinton, reportedly idled staffers involved in her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, a sign that she may be readying to quit.
Bill Clinton's comments came as the gruelling Democratic presidential race entered its final turn this week, with Barack Obama quietly optimistic and the former first lady defiant ahead of the last pair of state primaries.
'This may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind,' Bill Clinton said at a rally in South Dakota, which along with Montana on Tuesday will be the last states to vote in the Democratic presidential nominating process.
'I thought I was out of politics until Hillary decided to run. It has been one of the greatest honours of my life to go around and campaign for her for president,' Clinton said.
But it's unclear whether Senator Obama, 46, will be able to claim the nomination Tuesday night in Montana and South Dakota, as he approaches the majority threshold of delegates.
That means the final decision rests in the hands of about 170 still undeclared top Democrats, the so-called super delegates, who are the target of intense lobbying from both campaigns and under pressure to take a stand by the end of June.
A group of more than a dozen undecided Democratic senators reportedly met Monday in Washington to consider their options. Speculation was growing that the group may endorse Obama after polling stations close Tuesday evening in the two final states.
Clinton, 60, a US senator from New York, gained some last-minute momentum after trouncing Obama Sunday in Puerto Rico's primary. But the victory by 68 to 32 per cent could be Clinton's last, as Obama is favoured Tuesday in both Montana and South Dakota - the final events in the state-by-state intra-party contests that began on January 3 in Iowa.
Members of Clinton's staff from the two states and Puerto Rico have been told to either go home or head to New York for Tuesday's election night party - a sign that the campaign has begun shedding workers, according to website Politico.com.
The former first lady's chances of overcoming Obama's delegate lead are fast dwindling, after she was dealt another blow on Saturday when party officials reinstated only half the delegates awarded in the disputed primaries of Florida and Michigan.
Obama has maintained a slim but solid lead since March in the race for delegates to secure the party's nod to run in November's general election.
The Illinois senator is fewer than 50 delegates short of the mark of 2,118 to win the nomination. But with only 31 delegates available Tuesday, Obama will not be able to win the Democratic mantle outright.
'My political obituary has yet to be written, and we're going forward,' Clinton told reporters aboard her campaign plane Sunday night. 'It is not over until it's over.'
Democratic Party leaders have called for super delegates to make up their minds by the end of June, to give the winner time to prepare for the general election fight against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.
Even if Obama crosses the 2,118-delegate threshold, it is unclear whether Clinton will immediately drop out of the race. Her campaign has reserved the right to challenge Saturday's Michigan-Florida decision, a threat that could carry the bitter battle into July.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Obama has, essentially, the same experience as Hillary Clinton. They are exactly the same in their views, which is one reason there is little discussion of any issues. Now, you may not like him, but it is undeniable that he deserves EVERY chance that Hillary does.
...Obama is now to some extent limping to the finishing line. Clinton’s refusal to bow out even though her odds of victory have become almost impossible has seen her win several of the most recent contests. In fact, since 4 March, Clinton has won around half a million more votes than Obama. That run of victories should easily continue today when Puerto Rico goes to the polls, and could even extend to the final primaries - South Dakota and Montana - which vote on Tuesday. Obama had been expected to win there, but Clinton has been campaigning furiously and it could be close.
Clinton has been making the case for several months, as her support has grown stronger among white working class voters, that those voters will not support Obama in a general election. By contrast, experts believe Obama’s core - educated Democrats and blacks - will remain loyal to the party no matter who the nominee is. There is strong data to back that up, especially from recent votes in West Virginia and Kentucky where large proportions of Clinton voters said they would not back Obama in November.
There is also a growing fear that many of the women backing Clinton are turning against Obama. Clinton and her supporters have controversially accused their rival, and the media, of being misogynistic in the last few weeks of the race. A recent Pew Poll showed Obama’s support among white women collapsing from 56 per cent to 43 per cent.
But the electoral fact remains the same. The dramatic Obama vs Clinton contest is now down to a few hundred uncommitted party ’superdelegates’, who are under huge pressure to make their decisions in the next few days. Senior party figures, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have been working privately to convince them to make that decision as soon as possible, ideally this week. With Obama’s delegate lead unassailable, the vast majority are almost certain to come over to his side.
Republican analysts, meanwhile, are surprised about how healthy their party’s prospects look in a year when almost all indicators suggested they should lose. McCain remains competitive against Obama. He even leads in some key states. Indeed, some research predicts he could romp home against Obama.
It is that prospect, Clinton supporters say, that leads them to keep fighting. They point to Obama’s performance in North Carolina as a bellwether: it was his strong win there earlier this month that dealt an almost fatal blow to Clinton’s chances. Yet, two weeks after that win, polls showed Clinton easily outperformed Obama there when measured against McCain. ‘Clinton has a very strong argument that she is a stronger candidate against McCain. It is just that it has fallen on deaf ears,’ said Mitchell.
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/01/barackobama.uselections200
Minnesota Feminist Leader Will Not Vote for Obama, Doesn't Care If McCain Wins
June 02, 2008 1:09 PM
The founder of the DFL Feminist Caucus in swing state Minnesota, Koryne Horbal, tells the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that she is pushing a petition drive to secure the commitment of feminists everywhere to write-in Sen. Hillary Clinton's name in November.
What if that means Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., becomes president?
'I don't care,' Horbal said. 'Let McCain clean it up for four years, and then we can have Hillary run again.'
abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/minnesota-femin.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeVLkCTXaw
I'm no longer just pro Senator Clinton. I am completely anti-Obama.
I want to thank his supporters out there - you crazy kids - for pushing me out of the party and helping me on my way to Independence.
Here's just a few reasons why:
The claim that anyone who won't vote for Obama is a racist.
The claim that anyone who won't vote for Obama is stupid. So stupid, in fact, despite record turn out in Florida the smart people stayed home because they knew their votes wouldn't count. So if we count Florida's results in total we are disenfranchising the brilliant people who disenfranchised themselves.
The claim that Michigan shouldn't get a full ride because Senator Obama (like his smart Florida supporters) disenfranchised himself by taking his name off the ballot and denying his supporters the opportunity to show their love. By the way, can I just say that again? HE TOOK HIS NAME OFF THE BALLOT. THERE WERE NO RULES THAT SAID HE HAD TO. WHY DIDN'T HE TAKE HIS NAME OFF FLORIDA'S BALLOT AS WELL?
The claim that the popular vote doesn't matter; it's all about super delegates. Hello? Were you just not alive in 2000? Did you never refer to President Bush as illegitimate because he lost the popular vote but won the because of the Supreme Court and the Electoral College?
Here's a new one I adore. Puerto Rico doesn't matter because they can't vote in the General. I actually went over to the dreaded Huffington Post last night - I showered immediatly - and the mocking of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans was over the top. Memo to the Obamanation: there are more Puerto Ricans living in the US than in Puerto Rico. Way to help your man get in with the Latinos!
Call me a sore loser. Guess what? I am. I am not only sore, I'm angry, I'm frosted like a cake, I'm disgusted. Telling me I want to take my ball and go home because I can't have my way. You betcha. My ball (vote) isn't just going home with me it will be going to the polls in November and pulling the lever for Senator McCain.
Wailing in the wigwams.
What a tremendous American tragedy. The Clinton`s finally buried and forgotten - hopefully. Perhaps like old soldiers they will simply fade away, preferably fast.
Will there be a National day of mourning declared, with Wall St. shut down ?
That only leaves de ole Cocoa Bean himself to be strapped to the electoral gurney in November and given a short, sharp execution.
THEN ! What a bright future ! The air smells fresher already.
President McCain leading our great nation to health, happiness and security, whilst the Dummycratic Party hold a prolonged wake and mourn their rejection into political obscurity. Hopefully for a very long time.
What good news
Usted es suc un hombre encantador SP4, le amo, me doy un beso.
Now, now, SP4 stop calling everybody LIB-NAZI`S, it will only put your blood pressure up and you may blow a gasket.
You know very well that the propulsion of Momma Clinton into the political crap bin is good news. She can join her perverted husband in the hall of infamous fame, like Al Capone and his mates.
Look on the bright side SP4, now we have it made !
It only leaves de ole Chocolate Drop himself to be strapped into OLD SPARKY in November, a quick pull on the lever and PUFF ! he`s GONE, forever hopefully.
OK, the people in Illinois can have his remains if that is what makes them happy, nobody else wants them.
Senator ? he`s more like a Janitor.
AND THEN, Hallelulya, President McCain, the Dummycratic Party annihilated and consigned to the muck pile for years to come, hopefully for ever and America to enjoy 4-5 years of prosperity and glory.
The air smells fresher already.
As a registered independent who is conservative in political views... On the one hand I'll be happy to see Hillary beaten and the Clintons finally out of the White House for good. But on the other hand, Obama is a further left-winged liberal than Hillary ever dreamed of being.
So no matter which one gets the democratic nomination, it's going to be another one of those elections where I don't really want to have to choose any of the candidates for president.
Oh, now! All you Hillary fans should just relax and enjoy it. I figger it's fifty-fifty that we'll get McCain-Clinton ticket. Stop and think about it. Her and Unka John are really big buddies. The Democrats have now done Hillary some serious wrong, there's no doubt about it. Why should she betray her party as much John McCain has? Unka John is really big on 'bipartisanship', especially iffen' it tweaks the noses of conservatives. 'Sides, there's all them white blue-collar bubbas out there who need a ticket they can be really happy with. A McClainton ticket would do just that.
¡Qué noticias tremendas! Aquella vieja bruja Hillary depositada en el cubo de la basura político.
Ella puede irse a casa ahora a su Billy pequeño sexualmente depravado y ayudarle a clasificar sus muñecas de explosión, en vez de poner su cara fea delante de la gente americana y tratar de hacerse el Presidente.
Qué proposición tan asquerosa.
Bueno adiós Hillary - disfrutan de su tumba.
...you got yourselves here. The republicans just have primaries and arrive at a candidate, winnable or not.
If you didn't like Hirrary, or Barak the magic negro, you shoulda pimped someone else.
Personally, I give ol Johnny one chance in three....
'Hey folks, quit whining
...you got yourselves here. The republicans just have primaries and arrive at a candidate, winnable or not.'
Pretty good advice actually...
But that's not what people do anymore evidentially.
Right Noharness?
'Personally, I give ol Johnny one chance in three....'
Two to one odds? Ill take that action.
please SP4, stop with the racisim
and rotten spelling/typing! Who is Hirray or Barak?
Daniel my old flower, I watch ESS PEE like a hawk and have deliberately poked him repeatedly.
He does`nt like me because I DO happen to dislike certain other species and make no bones about it. I don`t care what you think either, go on make my day.
Some people do not like snakes or spiders, other people keep them as pets.
Each to his own Daniel, I don`t happen to like blacks. It is my privilege.
The word 'racist' is an establishment term intended to humiliate those who do not happen to like certain other breeds and therefore do not conform to contemporary ideals laid out by Governments to ensure that society runs nice and sweetly.
Tough mate. Likes and dislikes are a freedom of choice, NOT something that a regime can impose on us, that is unless you live under a REAL dictator.
You seem to be a Democrat by your comments - THEN be a DEMOCRAT and allow people to express their democratic freedom of choice views. They are every bit as valid as yours.
SP4, if he is a 'racist' as you and the other lemmings like to call him, he NEVER shows it. He is the most tolerant person writing on this site.
I`ve provoked him like hell purposely, but all I ever got back was being called a Lib-Nazi, which I take as a complement.
So call SP4 what you like, but never a 'racist' or you just demonstrate your own ignorance.
RE:'Right Noharness?'
Squeaky wheels get greased.
'Squeaky wheels get greased.'
Bit late for that, eh?
You are half right, sometimes they get ignored. What you want to do is elect people who will listen to the squeaking.
page: 1
Obama is unelectableJun 3rd, 2008 - 02:25:33
''If this is the best try at unity, Democrats are in trouble.
Anyone who has worked on a campaign has seen fanatical (and often emotionally unstable) supporters who embarrass the candidate. Those people obviously aren't representative. But the anger and resentment seems to run deep for many Clinton backers, and shows little sign of receding.
Polls confirm the impression left by anecdotal evidence. Roughly 30 percent of Clinton supporters say they'll vote for John McCain over Obama. Initial exit polls for yesterday's Puerto Rico primary asked Clinton voters if they'd be satisfied if Obama clinches the nomination. Seventy-two percent said no; only 26 percent said yes.
Clinton supporters have found solace online. Facebook, the social networking site, has spawned groups such as 'Is Obama qualified? No, but he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night' where Hillary supporters can vent. Other popular pages include, 'Hillary, don't let them tell you to quit' and 'Women and Men Leaving the DNC if HRC isn't the nominee.''
Kirsten Powers.
www.nypost.com/seven/06022008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/hillarys_crazy _crew_113510.htm?page=0
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