Posted on 03/16/2008 10:58:08 PM PDT by jdm
No wonder Democratic leaders are discussing ways to resolve the Obama-Clinton race. It may have something to do Hillary Clinton’s recent Q&A with Newsweek (March 17, 2008, issue):
“How can you win the nomination when the math looks so bleak for you?
It doesn’t look bleak at all. I have a very close race with Senator Obama. There are elected delegates, caucus delegates and superdelegates, all for different reasons, and they’re all equal in their ability to cast their vote for whomever they choose. Even elected and caucus delegates are not required to stay with whomever they are pledged to. This is a very carefully constructed process that goes back years, and we’re going to follow the process.”
Following up on those statements, Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff (March 24, 2008, issue) apparently has confirmation from Harold Ickes that Hillary may encourage pledged Obama delegates to switch to her:
“Although her campaign quickly denied it was waging any effort to “flip” Obama’s pledged delegates, Clinton’s remarks weren’t academic. After the 1980 battle between Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy, her chief strategist Harold Ickes noted, the party changed a rule that required pledged delegates to stick with their candidates no matter what. The current rule, adopted in 1982, states that pledged delegates “shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”
A “good conscience” reason for a delegate to switch, Ickes told NEWSWEEK, would be if one candidate—such as, say, Clinton—was deemed more “electable.” If delegates believe she has a better chance in November than Obama, Ickes said, “you bet” that would be a reason to change their vote. (He added, however, that the campaign is “focused” on winning over uncommitted superdelegates “at this point.”)”
Obama’s campaign spokesman responded that this proves Hillary would go to any length to win.
I think Presidential candidates have to sell a piece of their soul to put themselves in a position win. However, both Bill and Hillary Clinton seem inordinately willing to damage their Party if it would improve their chance to win. Urging pledged delegates to vote their consciences may be permitted by the rules, but it makes the Democratic Party seem like a political party of elitists beholden to special interests. In other words, it makes Democrats look like their characterization of the GOP.
If Hillary’s plan succeeds, the Democratic Party might as well name Bill Clinton as its permanent Super-DUPER Delegate.
There has never been any doubt in my mind that Hillary would do whatever it takes to win. Anyone expecting anything else must have been living on Jupiter for the last 20 years.
-ccm
I have yet to see the day when the Dems care about
what the Clintons have done. This will not undo
Hilliary anymore than the blue dress. God help us.
Limbaugh keeps the the beast alive cause he will make much more money when she is President.
That,s even worse that being an idiot.
Oh yes it will. Back then, Clinton was the "first black President", remember? Now, if Hillary somehow wrests the nomination away from the Great Black Hope, she will provoke incandescent anger in the black community. These are the most reliable voters the Democrats have, and they will stay home in droves-- that is, if they don't decide to burn down their own neighborhoods.
Hillary cannot possibly win.
-ccm
Hillary isn’t “destroying Obama”—he’s doing it to himself, as are his, uh, former staffers and un, former pastor...
Never happen, Rudder, but keep your stale popcorn handy! Hillary is gonna pull it off! Obama is a greenhorn to what the powerful Clinton Machine can and will do. She’s gonna kick his butt in PA, and will have proven that only she has won the big states. He’ll be seen as “weak”, not to mention all the hits he’s taking with the Jewish community over his racist, bigoted Pastor’s sermons.
Sideout
That’s because El Bimbaugh knows that the Obamanation is more dangerous than anything Hillary can bring to the table. His wife is a racist, and he himself is a Muslim, a liar, a fraud, an empty suit. Those of us on the right—Indy cons, not Republicans—don’t want to take a chance on a possible Obama presidency! The ONLY way to keep that from happening is a Hillary win at the convention. There may be race riots in the inner cities, and the National Guard will have to do what it’s supposed to do. It won’t be pretty. Hillary will probably not get enough black votes in November, so she’ll have to make it up somewhere else. And THAT is where she’ll start sounding tough on the Invasion and the fence and other big conservative issues, trying to get Indy cons over to her side, knowing they (we) wouldn’t vote for McLame if our lives depended on it. Hillary will move TO THE RIGHT on a host of issues. She’ll have to to beat McCrazy. She’ll have no other choice. And whatta turn THAT will be—Hillary campaigning like a Scoop Jackson!
Rush is no fool,
If Mrs. Clinton along with bubba retake the White House, Rush and Sean Hannity etc. will have a real boogie man and woman to kick around for at least 4 more years.
It’s all about ratings.
They won’t stay home. They will riot.
You have to wonder, with all of the media coverage, if he's not getting some help destroying himself by Hillary's minions. I'm just as convinced that the timing of this is by design.
He may be compelled to take a back seat on the ticket following this.
And their unified ticket will be heralded as "the second coming".
The damage Hussein takes now will only impact his numbers with sensible voters. Not the frothing-mouth crowd.
He could carry the black vote on a Hillary ticket and that could carry her over the top.
That would be priceless
“Yes we can!”
DOH ! I see it now...thanks
Unfortunately there are times it appears she wants it more than McCain, too.
but she has to be at the left all these months until the convention in order to appeal to liberal primary voters. And she won’t be able to get out the democrat base in time for the general because she just turned them off at the convention. usually you want your convention to help you.
There are not even legally bound for the first vote. That is the dirty little secret the Dems have not been telling their primary voters.
Well, this older tactic didn’t work....
It’s been almost a year since that well-known political pundit Sharon Stone explained why Hillary
Clinton couldn’t win the presidency. “A woman should be past her sexuality when she runs,” intoned Ms.
Stone. “Hillary still has sexual power, and I don’t think people will accept that.”
[*shudder*]
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