Posted on 04/23/2008 5:50:42 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
Hillary Clinton refuses to die. Having been given up for dead after losing Iowa, she rebounded in New Hampshire. Then a string of 11 straight consecutive losses - followed by a win in Ohio and a tie (in delegates) in Texas. Now, she's won Pennsylvania.
Problem is, it doesn't mean anything.
Because of the Democratic Party's arcane proportional-representation rules, her win stands to give her a net gain of 10 to 15 delegates when all is counted. That means that Barack Obama will fall from a lead of 161 in elected delegates to about 145 or so. Big deal.
The primaries coming up in the next two weeks - Indiana and North Carolina - are likely to give Obama back a goodly portion of those delegates. By the time all the primaries have been held, after June 3, there is no doubt that Obama will lead by more than 100 elected delegates, and likely 150. From there, it will be an easy route to the nomination.
The Democratic superdelegates aren't about to risk a massive and sanguinary civil war by taking the nomination away from the candidate who won more elected delegates. If they ever tried it, we'd see a repeat of the demonstrations that smashed the 1968 Chicago convention and ruined Hubert Humphrey's chances of victory.
Clinton won Pennsylvania for two key reasons: Only Democrats could vote in the primary, and the Keystone State electorate is dominated by the elderly, who are staunchly for Clinton.
Despite her claims of electability, Hillary has never done well among independent voters. And Obama usually loses the Democrats. Pennsylvania's closed-primary rules gave her a key advantage.
It isn’t too late.
The odds are slim but that there is the secondary goal for her. 2012.
She can hurt Obama bad by keeping this thing going, so McCain will win and she can run in 2012.
It is amazing to me that more people do not see that.
Another four years is not a big deal to her, she knows that trying twice has been common in the past.
She has ALWAYS been running for President.
i disagree. This is her last, best chance and 2012 is too late. BTW, 2012 will be her third try as she gave it a run 4 years ago.
I agree.
I’ve always thought she would use the “ could have had me” approach to losing, be it Obama as a nominee, or straight up against McCain.
She’s going to lay in the weeds, and wait for her next great run if not succesful now.
After all, why quit politics, when it makes you a $109 million living for doing little more than talking , spending or keeping other peoples money for the small price ( in her mind ) of putting up with a hound dog husband.
“she gave it a run 4 years ago”
She may have thought about it, but no..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_2004
She’ll be back. She is young enough to try again, this is her reason to exist on this earth.
SLAY THE WITCH! C’MON INDIANA - BURN THIS LOBBYIST **ORE.
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