The report by Lois Romano in today’s Washington Post is typical of the latest conventional wisdom:
Women of all ages and nationalities push against the rope line carrying books and T-shirts, posters and stuffed animals — anything for her to autograph. They tote huge signs that shout “Hillary Cares About Me”– and they tearfully grab her hand to implore her to stick it out, to take her trailing campaign all the way to the Democratic convention in Denver.
***
[Clinton] complained in the interview that the “intensity of my support” was rarely reported, adding, “I think that is a disservice because we have broad coalitions of voters who have voted for me who make up the base of a winning campaign in November that I think want to see this end up with my being nominated.”
“We’re going to give people in remaining states a chance to vote. We’re going to resolve Michigan and Florida,” she said.
Indeed, today’s New York Times is among those reporting that:
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is entering the Kentucky and Oregon primaries on Tuesday with one of the most pugnacious political messages of her campaign: That she is ahead in the national popular vote when all votes are counted, including from the unsanctioned primaries in Michigan and Florida, and that party leaders who have a vote as super-delegates should reflect this level of appeal.
Three months ago, noting that Clinton was poised to surpass Jesse Jackson’s 1988 performance was the highest number of delegates ever won by a Democrat who did not win the nomination, I asked:
What if the 2008 Democratic National Convention features Hillary Clinton in the role of Jesse Jackson at the 1988 convention, exchanging his racial grievances for those of gender?
After all, it is not completely beyond the realm of imagination that Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill might act in a manner some would call narcissistic. It is possible that the Clintons might be sore losers.
Having been the establishment candidate, Hillary probably would not be able to credibly claim (as Jackson did) that the nomination process is â€Âdistorted by rules that favor insider politics.â€Â She could, however, press a version of the case her campaign has been making, i.e., that Obama won the nomination in a manner similar to George McGovern’s 1972 campaign, which led to disaster in the general election. She could press for procedural reforms against caucuses. She could champion the causes of Florida and Michigan and seek reform of the rules for timing contests and the sanctions imposed upon those who break them. She could demand various concessions for women in the general campaign and at the DNC, ostensibly on the ground of assuaging the injured feelings of women that their glass ceiling will be unshattered this year. She could demand money and perks like luxury jets for the Clintons’ use in GOTV operations in the general election…
With the public overwhelmingly in favor of letting Clinton remain in the running, I still think it is a good question.
(h/t Memeorandum.)
I overwhelmingly support her remaining in the race, up to the point where the Superdelegates select the candidate and give them the requisite number of votes in order to secure the nomination.
It would be crazy to come out of the convention without picking a nominee – crazy exciting!
I think Hillary absolutely would have a point, if presidents were chosen via popular vote.
As it is, though: hot so much. She’s looking to steal Al Gore’s thunder, by appearances.
Yep. I think she should stay until the end. It would have been nice for one of them to have secured the nomination a long time ago and been hosting press BBQs and relaxing and musing on their general election strategy. However, it wasn’t to be. So now we just need to see it through. Though I have begun to find Senator Clinton kind of annoying, I think she owes it to the people who have been busting their asses really hard on her behalf (and supporting her from her near-coronation days through to her current hard scrabble fight days).
I think now is the right time for Al Gore to announce he’s seeking the Democratic nomination.
[…]
What, can’t a guy dream a little? (hee)
Regarding resolving Michigan:
The Kilpatricks (Kwame and his mom)haven’t endorsed either candidate yet. They’re both supers. Dingall is for Hillary (as is our Gov), but Conyers (Do It Baby’s hubby) is for O!
That’s the report from Michigan!
Slart, she’s making a pretty fair argument for the electoral vote math:
I think at this point Al Gore might just cause all of the delegates to uncommit. And I think Gore could wipe the floor with McCain. Memory of stupidity tends to fade, you see.
Good point, Carin. I haven’t checked Hillary’s math, though.
“And I think Gore could wipe the floor with McCain. Memory of stupidity tends to fade, you see.”
I beg to differ. If Gore couldn’t beat W as a sitting Veep, I doubt very much he could “wipe the floor” with JohnnyMac. I know it’s all rather moot, though, unless Big Al appears deus ex machina-like in the final chapter of this highly entertaining Greek tragedy of the Dem primary.
I don’t know, Slart – do you think after all of the acclaim that Al Gore could put on the fake humility act well enough to win? And is it possible for their to be two saviors – The Goracle and Obamessiah – in one political party? What would happen if they accused each other of heresy and did mutual excommunications?
It would be all of the worst scenes from the Bible.
(I can’t wait!)
If Gore couldn’t beat W as a sitting Veep, I doubt very much he could “wipe the floor†with JohnnyMac.
Well, we have eight years of Republican lameness since then. Arguably (and I mean that literally; Ds have increased their share of Congress in the last couple of elections) a strong D could take McCain, who is not exactly a strong R.
Personally I think Gore making a last-minute bid for the Presidency would be reactivating to both parties, and we’d see a record turnout.
Gore? GORE!!
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!!!
The possibilites make me tremble!
Baracky is really struggling to get over the top. He really needs to get the media to work extra super hard after the results are in tonight. It’s just so frustrating cause if it weren’t for those stupid white trash hicks he’d be all set.
No, they are in ‘tiny’ states. He has to worry about the angry Hillamob over at Corriente Wire.
Where does Jesse go to get his reputation back?
BJTexs, left you a link over on th’other thread.
Got it, Sdferr. My thanks are over there, too.
“dogs and cats living together,” human sacrifice,. . . basically the worst parts of the bible” (In this, I tied together a Bill Murray line from Ghostbusters with an Owen Wilson line from Armageddon)
When you look at her numbers, how do you factor out the Operation Chaos votes? Obama can say that her numbers are inflated by Republicans and the super delegates will go along with it.
Then Hillary will really have something to blame on the VRWC.
Breaking – Kennedy has malignant brain tumor.
Mary Jo Kopechne has no comment.
Heh.
#21: Pretty sad news though. My thoughts are with him and his family. No matter what you thought of his politics, he has been a loyal public servant and has forged good alliances on the hill, while not ever compromising his liberal values.
:-(
Godspeed to Sen. Anvilhead and his family.
Y’all are so nice. I’ll be over here.
#24: LOL. That was nice though. When Cheney was in the hospital, in rather serious condition, I was worried for him. He is an assholo supremo, but I really do wish him the best of health. It is tough losing a family member. So even if you think someone is a real walking and talking sphincter, you wouldn’t wish them and their family the very best of health.
#21 Carin.
That…just sucks. Really sucks.
I mean you WOULD wish them the best of health!!!
D’OH!
Hillary has stumbled upon a hitherto unimagined vein of gold that she doesn’t want to lose: a coalition of lowbrow whites and aging paleo-feminists.
If she concedes to Obama now, this new base of support will never forgive her. She needs to make a plausible case that she deserves the nomination, so that after it goes to Obama her base will believe that it was “stolen” from her. Hillary saw how effectively that tactic worked to fire up the Democratic party base after Gore lost to Bush in 2000.
Then, when Hillary (or whoever else the Clinton Machine chooses as her successor) runs in 2012 this odd new coalition will provide a path to victory in the Democratic primaries, and help in some red states during the general election.
I’ll be over there with hf, thanks.
I feel bad for anyone who gets a malignant brain tumor. Anyone.
I also feel bad for young people who never grew up. Because I’m a giver that way.
Ya’ll can say I’m mean, but I’m not. I’m not wishing him ill. I wouldn’t such a thing to his family.
I’m just noting that in all the outpouring of well-wishing for this man, that is going to occur at this time, there is a woman who never grew up. Who would have been happy to live to 76 and get some dreaded disease.
But, if you guys want me to apologize I will.
[…] Protein Wisdom – Hillary Clinton is looking more like Jesse Jackson every day [Karl] […]
Lisa – That family has endured its fair share of tragedy, and caused some along the way. I would never wish anything more on them. I dislike Sen. Hamhead with the intensity of 7 suns, but I want nothing other than happiness and good health for him and his loved ones.
I vote for “don’t.” But I’m, you know, evil.
I’m with JD. Like I said the other day, I wish Edward Kennedy many more years of enjoyable life, taking his ease and dandling babies on his knee. A 76-year-old man with a brain tumor has no business putting up with the stress; he needs to stop and smell the roses, or clams, or whatever it is that’s fragrant around Hyannis.
Regards,
Ric
Anyone who is as fixated as Hillary probably has a very large frightening agenda. She should scare every conservative.
Let me state it this may – Sen. Kennedy has done things politically that I do not like. But that is politics. He has behaved pretty badly, but that is a question of social censure. His actions regarding Ms. Kopeckne were pretty vile – dishonorable and cowardly. He should have received something from the criminal law that was more than a wrist slap. He should have received political and social censure. He did not. He should have faced justice for that – he didn’t.
Even with that, I not rejoice in this as some sort of substitute justice on him, for it really wouldn’t be justice. There is no connection between the one and the other. It simply isn’t justice, it is an unfortunate event. And that I can send wishes for a speedy recovery.
Ric: Fish and chips and damp Topsiders.
I love this goddamned fucking place.
I mean really – kicking a man when he is down goes so against what I was raised to be. Un-gallant, as it were. There is a code to follow if we are to be better than the beasts, let alone barbarians.
BTW – if you don’t know the difference between the conventions of a duel and conducting a war, please do not reply.
You’re right, Mikey. There is a code and it requires that gentlemen not make light of the suffering of others.
Dammit.
All I know is, the longer he suffers, the longer we’re going to be treated to maudlin tributes from the lamestream media, complete with tearjerking tales of woe about how he lost his three older brothers and then his nephew.
So, I guess in this case I’m not in favor of a long, lingering departure.
There is Cowboy. And that code does not depend on the actions of others; just on who we want to be.
Ivanhoe rode to defend Rebecca when everything in his society scorned her. But he was better than that, and though wounded, rode to defend.
I am not saying Sen. Kennedy is an innocent; and I do not defend his life and how he spent it; but we do not need to attack now. Politics is over – he is under the eye of God and history – let them do what they will without me demeaning myself at this time.
Do not ever call on equity if you are not prepared to do equity; for equity delights in doing justice. Fear justice; for if we were all treated justly who of us would be safe?
I hope you’re right, but fear you are not. Kennedy and his ilk will concern-troll our nation’s politics for as long as he’s able to be wheeled onto the Senate floor.
Count on it.
slart-
As it is, though: hot so much. She’s looking to steal Al Gore’s thunder, by appearances.
Was that a “Freudian” slip, or are you just saying that ‘rubbing the cankles’ will cause an atmospheric disturbance?
Don’t appologize for the truth Carin. I don’t like to see anyone suffer, even the esteemed senator. The media are going to have a hard time rewriting the families history to exclude the self inflicted tragedy. His time is running out and he must soon face his history, as will we all.
Mikey @ #46
Absolutely.