Posted on 12/15/2007 10:29:15 AM PST by InvisibleChurch
JOHNSTON, Iowa - Hillary Clinton, who spent the past year as the Democratic presidential front-runner fostering an aura of inevitability, found herself Friday in the humbling position of declaring she won't be knocked out early.
With polls showing Clinton locked in a tough battle in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses and her once dominant lead in New Hampshire now gone, the former First Lady said she is in the race to stay through Super Duper Tuesday, when more than 20 states including New York and California hold primaries.
"I have always intended to go all the way through this process, all the way through the Feb. 5 states," said Clinton when asked during an interview on Iowa Public Television whether her campaign could withstand a loss in Iowa. "Every single place that there's going to be a caucus or an election between now and Feb. 5, I'm going to contend in."
"I always thought this would get close," said Clinton, now facing a tougher challenge by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). "This is what happens in a contested election."
For the first time Friday, Clinton also responded to questions about the resignation of her national co-chairman Bill Shaheen, who stepped down after he suggested Obama may have sold drugs as a teenager.
"I not only disapproved but it did not reflect the campaign that I'm running," Clinton said.
Obama said Friday he's become a target for political attacks because the momentum has turned in his favor.
"The fact that we're up in Iowa and we've now closed the gap in New Hampshire and South Carolina, that means we've got momentum and that means you're a target," Obama said. "What it also means is folks are excited; they're energized. I think people are realizing we've got a chance."
Clinton picked up the endorsement Friday of Rep. Leonard Boswell, a prominent Iowan who has considerable credibility in the farming community, and the backing of New York's 1199 SEIU and 32BJ, the health care and building workers unions.
But the union endorsements can't help Clinton where she needs it most right now - in the earliest voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Out-of-state locals can't compete against the candidate chosen by the unions' chapters in those states - in this case, John Edwards.
I C, that looks like something from a new version of “1984” —shot, yes, in an Invisible Church. Spooky image-—where’s it from?
At a certain point, Hillary , like any candidate, will
sober up and start making “maybe I’ll drop out” noises—Obama and Edwards are on the rise, and while I would hate to see Edwards on any ticket, top or bottom, I do think Obama comes to this process with a lot less “ideological” baggage, or Party Agenda, and that counts for a lot for me.
Why should she quit. This is part of the plan. Wait for the comeback tour. We do not need Obama winning. He is worse than Hillary in that we can beat her but I am not sure we can beat him. He is what the democrats are going to call Bill Clinton II. Mark my words I don’t care how much people can’t stand her, we should be wanting her for the general. We will win with her!!!
yes
You are wrong, and I’ll bet on it.
It will be impossible to “chose” her in the s-f room if public opinion within her own party turns against her.
This Dem field of candidates could soon fill up with a bunch of Ron Pauls.
Clinton vows not to quit
sure sounds familar
That face is even uglier, considering where it’s been.
But I think you’d at least expect her to lose a primary first before she starts yapping about “not quitting”.
Funny stuff. She’s gone from presumed nominee waiting for her coronation to vowing “not to quit”.
You are quite right, her nonanswer was awkward, strange and surprisingly noncommittal. I think she may be realizing that without a set of convincing wins on Super Tuesday, it is indeed over.
Wow, that's why I'm thinking, too. Why would she even need to make a statement like that if she didn't think she was going down?
Run, Obama, run!
No, she will come down with some ill-defined but potentially debilitating illness which saps her strength and forces her to drop out for the sake of her health. For reasons of "privacy" they will not divulge the "details"(because there won't be any.)
Expect a maudlin primetime goodbye announcement with wasted Billyboy at her side, wiping a tear from his eye and ogling some chick off-camera, while Chelsea sneers and struggles not to roll her eyes.
And she blamed one of her henchmen for her idea and then fired him.
We all know what a Clinton vow is worth.
What is a contested election, one with more than one candidate? She must mean she prefers Cuban presidential elections where only Casrto runs.
Hitlary’s broomstick just sprouted flames and is going down in a puff of smoke.
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