Why is it over?

[liberalcommontater]

I posted yesterday about a Clinton/Obama, Obama/Clinton ticket and there were a few takers. So, I am seeing that the end of the primary season will come.

However, I have two sincere questions.

Question 1: Aside from the desire of Obama supporters to have their candidate free of Clinton, what harm is there in getting through the primaries, getting through most of the summer, perhaps even as Obama is planning, both of them could campaign with McCain as the target instead of each other and let the decision be made at the convention?

Question 2: Shouldn't the number of delegates needed to attain the nomination be 2,209, not 2025.5? I believe the rules state that the Michigan and Florida delegates need to be counted in the total necessary to attain the nomination even if they are not counted for a candidate. I could be wrong???

Obviously, I am a Clinton supporter and will be until she drops out, if she drops out. Even so, my main concern is winning in the fall. Many Obama supporters contend that Hillary cannot be elected. Conversely, there seem to be many Clinton supporters who sincerely believe that Barak cannot be elected. Why not let this process play out until one or the other is clearly the better choice, they team up or the super delegates decide in Denver?

Question 3: In the interest of full disclosure I must ask myself, if Hillary were ahead in the way that Obama is at this point, would I make such a suggestion? I would if I believed that the better candidate would emerge from the process. I would also make that argument if I believed that Obama was electable and Hillary was not. I would want the process to play out so that her inability to be elected would become more obvious.

[Yael]

1. 1968 and 1980

I have no issue with the primaries continuing, but the suicide march to the convention is another story.

[2rth2pwr]

2. The Obama supporters outnumber Clinton supporters here about 300-1 now.

You can see a gang mentality taking over the attitudes of many Obama supporters. If you have ever studied human behaviour, this is a great place to study what happens in an echo chamber.

[grasswire]

3. yes, it's the same dynamic we witnessed from Bushies in 2000

I watched it on freerepublic.com as the Bushies did battle with other Republicans. Same ruthlessness, same blind idolatry, same arrogance. It is interesting to observe, although frightening to know that Democrats can be affected by it as easily as Republicans.

[2rth2pwr]

8. yes, you're right.

[grantcart]

12. Clinton's Intrade figures have collapsed

http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/common/c_cd.jsp?conDetailID=177134&z=1210638133515

[Texas Hill Country]

32. yup... scary, ain't it?

[Arugula Latte]

26. Shouldn't it tell you something, that on a liberal, progressive board,

the vast majority of us want Obama?

[Zhade]

30. It's a GOOD thing that those who support proven liars are so low.

Tuzla, baby. She did it to herself.

[liberalcommontater]

34. Why do so many people still support her then...

it is not like her numbers dropped to single digits or anything - she beat Barak in PN and will again today. Don't you worry about the fact that half of the democratic party is with the Clintons?

[cali]

4. The number is 2025 under the rules unless FL and MI are reinstated

Furthermore, going to the convention kills the chances of whoever is nominated. In any case, Clinton doesn't have the resources to continue and Obama will reach 2024 within a month.

[liberalcommontater]

6. Thanks...

bad news for my hopes, but would rather be in the know that ignorant. I'm not so sure about killing the nominees chances. Depends on how they campaign and if McCain can be difined as the real enemy. Did you read about his tax plans 5.7 trillion in additional tax cuts!!!!!!!!!!!

[SoCalDem]

36. and they will not be "reinstated"..only "seated"

by a metric to be decided May 31.. There is NO WAY that their "originally assigned" delegate count could be retroactively added back in at the end of the primary season, without erasing the punishment meted out to them for breaking the rules, and negating the value of the 48 states that followed the rules.

[roseBudd]

5. She is already 20 million in debt and small businesses, schools, etc deserve to be paid.

[liberalcommontater]

9. I am sure they will be...

but her debt is no reason in itself to drop out.

[roseBudd]

15. Then why didn't she pay the bills with the money she loaned her campaign rather than wrack up more

debt?

[liberalcommontater]

18. Because there is a campaign to win?

[Exilednight]

7. Her Huckabee index is now at zero. She can no longer mathematically reach the 2025 threshold. n/t

[liberalcommontater]

11. Unless delegates like Kerry and Kennedy vote for her and enough of

the supers switch at or before the convention. The only reason I would put forward for this is if the unelectable claim became solid or they came to believe that she has the better chance against McCain.

[Exilednight]

14. The unelectable argument will never work. It's totally subjective......

people run around now yelling he's unelectable, yet that would make Hillary even more unelectable.

[liberalcommontater]

17. I don't much like the electoral college, but...

look here

http://my.opera.com/Vorlath/blog/2008/05/09/who-is-the-safe-choice-for-the-white-house

[Exilednight]

27. It's way to early to be looking at maps and polls for the GE. August will be a better tell. n/t

[liberalcommontater]

29. Agreed...

although the data is interesting and is what we have to go on aside from the current popular vote, delegate totals, etc.

[AllentownJake]

23. Kerry and Kennedy

Are Obama's biggest supporters and backers.

You might want to pick lower tier supporters that would switch sides.

[liberalcommontater]

28. All I'm saying is that their constituents went for Clinton...

so if the delegates need to vote for the choice of their constituents, then these two should vote for Clinton.

[AllentownJake]

33. Will you people make up your mind

Either super delegates are pledged to do what they feel is best and pick the best candidate or they are pledged to their state.

You guys change message every other day.

[Zhade]

35. Keep dreaming, Obama will be the nominee when you wake up.

NT!

[wileedog]

10. It has been played out. Why is this so hard to get?

The PDs, the SDs, the states are all locked up. There is no race left to run. There is no "electability" to determine. Everything else is a FORMALITY.

So why not keep going with the formality?

$$$$$$$$. And Time. And Energy. And political capital.

It costs money to campaign. It costs money to organize. It costs the candidates time and energy that couple be spend GOING AGAINST MCCAIN

Isn't that the ultimate enemy here? Why are we screwing around fighting a battle that has been decided while the big war is looming?

If she wants to hang around til June in a Huckabee manner fine. But it needs to end there. We need to organize the convention, pick a VP, and get the war machine started for the real battle.

Right now all of this is just distraction. There is nothing left to determine from it.

I find it ironic that the very people worried about Obama in the GE are the ones willing to extend the primaries unnecessarily and impede his chances in it.

[liberalcommontater]

13. Good point...

I would make the same argument if the situation were reversed.

[unlawflcombatnt]

16. Polls show Clinton gaining ground

and winning big in Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Below is a copy of polls for Kentucky, West Virginia, and Oregon, along with a summary of related polls. The polls show Clinton winning 60% of the votes combined in the next 3 primaries.



It's far from over, despite what the Obama camp is claiming.

[apocalypsehow]

19. It's over; Clinton lost; time to quit crying and get over it. n/t.

[liberalcommontater]

31. Over?

If Clinton and her supporters believe she can win and 65% of democrats think she should stay in until the end (primaries, convention?) then it is not over. If pledged delegates can change their vote, as one did today in favor of Obama, then why not stay in and make the case that they should switch to her - even if they first switch to him?

You know the arguments why Clinton supporters think he will be the weaker candidate in the fall, no need to rehash that ground. But, once all the delegates are in place, why not run a campaign for their vote if you really think Obama can't win and you can?

Some will argue that this would be stealing or that Hillary would just do it out of lust for power or whatever selfish reason. But philisophically speaking, why not?

[Egnever]

20. now that was an odd post

its not often you see someone state something at the top of their post and disprove it with charts on the bottom.

Entertaining though, thanks!

[high density]

21. Yah know some of those polls you are loving there

...are MONTHS old. And happy polls in WV and KY do not make Clinton the nominee.

[AllentownJake]

25. Obama wins

Oregon and that ends it. He's polling at 60 there.

Fine we go onto May 20th and than you all can shut up.

[SoCalDem]

37. Maybe they could secede, join forces & she could be Queen of West Kentuckiginia

:rofl:

[AllentownJake]

22. She suspends her campaign

If anything bad comes up about Obama before August, she can than come in and ask for the nomination.

[barack the house]

24. If they ar not counted the number logically has to lower as there is less to win.