At What Point Should Hillary Suspend Her Campaign?

[berni_mccoy]

It's becoming more and more likely every day that the FBI is going to recommend an indictment. Should that happen, the DoJ is likely to appoint a Special Prosecutor who would determine whether or not to move forward with a prosecution. This process would take the decision to prosecute past the Democratic Convention and likely beyond the November election.

So, should Hillary suspend her campaign:

1. Now?
2. When the FBI recommends indictment?
3. When a Special Prosecutor Is Appointed?
4. She should not suspend at any time.

Decision time is coming folks, like it or not. Gamble on Hillary or go with the sure bet of Bernie.

[Agschmid]

1. Nobody is a sure bet, this is an election anything could happen.

Especially in the GE, over confidence is dangerous.

[BirdieSanders]

75. People only say "anything could happen" in this election because of Bernie

Trump is a result of a concerted media effort to foist him upon the people; Bernie 'happened' in spite of a concerted media effort to disappear him from the people.

[JoePhilly]

2. Daily call for an appearance by the Indictment Fairy, right on time!!!!

Maybe today's the day!!!!!

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. It'll be here in 24 business hours!

[Dr Hobbitstein]

11. !

Fitzmas all over.

[hereforthevoting]

3. 2? I guess?

I'm still wondering why she's bothering running. Things have changed a lot over the last 30 years, but I guess you have to mingle with the commoners to get that.

[Gothmog]

4. There will be no indictment of Hillary Clinton due to the silly e-mail claims

I expect these posts on DI but it is sad to see this silliness on DU

[pdsimdars]

20. It's the SERVER

the PRIVATE server outside the government system without encryption

[Fast Walker 52]

65. I'm agnostic on this... so why is her private server worse than a server in a company where others

in govt have used private email systems?

[IdaBriggs]

35. Just as an FYI, why do you refer to it as "silly emails"?

Pretend for one second that Condaleeza Rice hid all of her government emails on a private server such that no FOIA requests yielded results, hid thousands of emails from a House committee investigating an incident that occurred under her watch, and then left emails pertaining to national security in a hackable server without adequate protections because she didn't like using a desktop computer?

If it was Rice, would you call this a "silly email" situation?

[Gothmog]

52. This e-mail controversy is made up and has no substance

[EyeOnLife]

57. Unfortunately, it's very real, and has substance.

With classified email headers removed to be moved to nonsecure email, it's a violation. Done at least 22 times.

If it was you and me, we'd already be in prison for that kind of shit. It's nowhere near Benghazi

How about the fact that 1) the server was located in the basement of the Clinton home? and 2) Eventually moved to the bathroom of some guy in Colorado with Clinton connections?

[IdaBriggs]

60. Why do you think the FBI is wasting their precious budget money investigating?

Do you believe them to be stupid or corrupt?

Plus the two judges, the prosecutors and the grand jury?

Stupid? Corrupt? Other?

[NorthCarolina]

68. The FBI is involved. Do you REALLY believe

the whole thing is made up and w/o substance, and if so, what do you know that the FBI doesn't and WHY the hell don't you contact them and straighten them out with your insider knowledge. If you truly support your candidate then your testimony is no doubt invaluable to her in defending against the FBI investigation. Contact them immediately and set them straight before it's too late.

[HooptieWagon]

82. 147 FBI agents investigating 'silly emails'?

How many have to be involved before its serious?

[Cobalt Violet]

6. #2

if we get to #2 and she doesn't suspend It will be a grave mistake.

(notice how her supporters can't answer the question, all they can do is attack)

[berni_mccoy]

7. Are those her supporters or are they Brock-O'Keefe's minions?

I can't tell anymore...

[mythology]

17. In all sincerity

That is an absolute bullshit smear. Accusing Clinton supporters of being like O'Keefe is low and scummy. You should delete this stupid attack.

[pdsimdars]

23. Own it baby

O'Keefe is the one who makes up doctored videos to smear people. Isn't that just what happened yesterday with the "Bernie is Monster" fake video story.

Own it baby. that is YOUR candidate's smear tactics from HER smear machine.

[berni_mccoy]

24. Brock and O'Keefe are two of a kind

And Hillary supporters here certainly promote Brock's RW propaganda attacks on Bernie. As in yesterday's bullshit attack on the spousal relationship between Bernie and his Wife that was pushed by Brock, picked up by certain media, who then had to apologize and retract it.

So no, it's not a bullshit smear against Hillary supporters here, especially those who promote Brock's bullshit attacks.

[BillZBubb]

30. But Brock is OK?

He's from the same cloth as O'Keefe. But Hillary supporters constantly repeat his bullshit.

I guess anything is OK if it supports her majesty.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

69. Brock functions pretty much like O'Keefe, and he's Hillary's man, no two ways about it.

[hack89]

8. Fitzmas in April! nt

[emulatorloo]

9. Your indictment porno fantasy is not going to come true

Sorry.

[JI7]

10. when she can no longer get more delegates than Sanders.

And i mean only pledged delegates.

[Jarqui]

12. I'm a Bernie supporter. But I don't think you can fault her for

staying the course in her campaign. She is innocent until proven otherwise.

Having said that, IF (and it's still a very big IF at this point) she gets indicted beforre the general election, then she probably will have to withdraw because the air and money will come out of her campaign.

The old "Independent Counsel" has been renamed "Special Counsel" and that's probably who Attorney General Lynch, to avoid a confluct of interest, will have review the findings of the FBI and Inspector Generals before finalizing if anyone will get indicted. Since that will take a bunch of time after these FBI and Inspector Generals reports get done, it's unlikely there will be any indictment decision before the general election.

If Hillary wins the primary, she'll probably be campaigning with that dark cloud over her head.

If the FBI report or Inspector General reports get leaked recommending indictment, then she probably cannot win whether she stays in the election or not - even though she won't have been proven guilty at that point. It may be that the Democratic establishment is sitting back on this so that they get to pick her successor in that event - making sure recently Independent Sanders does not represent the Democrats.

[MineralMan]

13. Indictment? How is it becoming more and more likely.

Most of the reports are coming from "former FBI" people, who are guessing about what is going on. There's nothing tangible to indicate that the FBI will recommend prosecution at all.

Hillary Clinton will not "suspend" anything, and should not.

[IdaBriggs]

37. Actually, the LA times article from yesterday and the Washington Post article

from Sunday indicates that prosecutors are now preparing for a grand jury after the 147 FBI agents finish interviewing those involved, including Hillary.

Prosecutors can traditionally get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich (unless a police officer kills an unarmed black person, of course - ) so the big question is "who" with reasonable speculation being Hillary, especially after the "just copy the top secret stuff without the header and email it already" email showing she knew exactly what she was doing.

That doesn't include the stuff from the Clinton Foundation, of course, or the whole issue of having government documents at her home, or evading FOIAs, or discussing "top secret stuff" with no-security clearance Blumenthal/paid by Bill, or any issues regarding "pay for play" with foreign governments while she was Secretary of State, or whatever the hacker who was extradited has to say, or even the IT guy they gave immunity to who was forwarding everything to her "home" account....

Funny Aside: one of her first non-secure confidential emails was to Petraeus!

I made the mistake of actually looking into it - it's ugly. Very, very ugly. She may have even cost us an asset or two. It appears the intelligence community is Not Happy - first Plame, now this.

[creeksneakers2]

85. The articles said they are preparing to interview people

I don't think they said anything about a grand jury.

[restorefreedom]

14. 1.5. i couldn't decide.

she could step aside now, but i could see her staying until an indictment. and yes, technically she is innocent until proven guilty, but we know the fbi will not recommend this without overwhelming evidence. the ethical thing to do would be to step aside, focus on her defense, and the rest of us can focus on getting a president elected.

do i see her doing that? no. she has never put anyone or anything before her personal ambition. the dnc will have to force it if it comes to that.

unless of course they want to stand by her and watch a republican get elected. but we know how much party identity is important to the oligarchy so they would never do that

[krawhitham]

15. Even if indicted Hillary will not Suspend Her Campaign

[randome]

16. She should suspend her campaign for the nomination after she is nominated.

Then she'll start the Presidential campaign.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]

[LiberalFighter]

73. I was going to suggest adding primary to campaign.

[pdsimdars]

18. What about an Option 5?

5. When she is in prison.

Can you be president from prison?

[Herman4747]

19. NOW. The sooner she does it...

...the less damage an indictment would have on our chances in November.
Ideally, she should favor our chances of winning in November above her own selfishness. But she won't.

[sharp_stick]

21. Would you care to put some money on this?

I'll bet you $100 straight up that there is no indictment of Hillary Clinton.

[mac56]

27. Mitt? Is that you?

[sharp_stick]

41. LOL, no $10,000 is a little out of reach

I work for a living.

[grasswire]

90. nobody would ever confuse Mitt for a sharp stick. nt

[2banon]

50. I don't have the money to wager, anyway you're right

She won't be indicted. She's too well connected, just as Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and Chris Christie to name a few..

She will not be indicted. She likely won't have to appear in front of a grand jury either. I doubt seriously that it will come to that unless as a witness to a potential Blumenthal indictment.

I would frankly be shocked if that would ever happen despite whatever facts should arise which would get anyone else indicted.

But, what is guaranteed as an outcome of all this, will poison her campaign, and general election or if it comes down after she's in the White House, her presidency.

A re-run of everything we had to endure in the 90's with White Water etc. etc. etc. not to mention Bill's involvement vis a vis the Foundation.

A very dark cloud looms and I just find it most bizarre Clinton supporters thought it would be a fine idea to have them return to the White House again.

And that's just stuff we know about now.

[BKH70041]

22. You really believe an Obama run Justice Dept will indict the likely Party nominee?

Boy, you got a lot to learn about politics.

[pdsimdars]

26. And boy-howdy, you got a lot to learn about CHARACTER!

[BillZBubb]

34. +1000

Hillary supporters seem to have a major void on what constitutes good character and why it is important.

[IdaBriggs]

39. I think Obama is going to make sure she goes down since she

was given enough rope to hang herself, and he can clean up a whole bunch of corruption by taking her out.

Now, that would be a legacy!

[ericson00]

25. once she wins the general, her campaign is over

n/t

[thereismore]

29. That is a trivial statement. Say something with information value, please. nt

[BillZBubb]

32. No, because then she will have to start her anti-impeachment campaign.

[John Poet]

28. The day before yesterday.

[BillZBubb]

31. IF the FBI recommends an indictment, she should suspend.

That's still a big "if". The odds remain that won't be the outcome, but if it is she would be doing a great disservice to the party and the country by staying in the race.

[Waiting For Everyman]

33. 2. The character bar shouldn't be any lower than that

regardless of a conviction or not. For the FBI to be confident enough of their case to recommend indictment, that's an official marker that should tell us she would be unsuitable as a President. I think a lot of people in the public and the party would see it that way too. Even if she were elected the Repubs would never let up on it as well.

It would result in a no confidence opinion all around.

For the FBI and a grand jury to say they have grounds, I think we can walk out on the rest of that movie.

[grasswire]

91. and she could not have a security clearance even so. nt

[artyteacher]

36. she'll never be indicted...

And she's kicking Sanders and trump ass.

[dchill]

38. "Kicking Sanders' ass," is an overstatement.

More like "Barely holding her own, but weakening." And I thought you Hillfolk were the "pragmatic, realistic" types.

[artyteacher]

40. i think being way ahead

And likely to crush on the upcoming real primaries.... Well, we'll see, huh?

[dchill]

42. Those were the days, eh?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/110743778

[artyteacher]

44. i dont get your point

She's still way ahead in both kinds of delegates, we're heading into big real primaries, and she's heavily favored in betting sites and upcoming state polls.

[dchill]

45. If that's how you see it, then there's no realistic basis for a discussion.

And, the DNC said NOT to count the superdelegates before the convention. Doing it is a misrepresentation of the race at any given point.

[artyteacher]

46. they aint chaning their minds for...

Someone who isn't a Dem, Never helped the party , has actually talked against tha party, and is behind millions of votes and a couple hundred normal delgates.

[dchill]

47. Dear me! Several already have.

Later, arty.

[artyteacher]

48. several...

Lol

[dchill]

49. Here are several...

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/bernie-sanders-alaska-superdelegate-221291

Not a complete list.

[artyteacher]

53. isnt it still .

469 to 29.

[dchill]

54. See post 42.

[Fast Walker 52]

67. I bet a lot will. Bernie's campaign has the momentum and energy

[Cobalt Violet]

63. she is way ahead of Sanders.

147 FBI investigators ahead. Yup, she's winning.

[amborin]

43. now; and if there is no indictment, then there is no rule of law in the US

[zappaman]

51. Today while she has more votes and delegates

Because that's what people do when winning.
They stop.

[Merryland]

55. Now. n/t

[ladjf]

56. Strong Bernie fan here. However, it's Hillary's business when she makes

moves in her campaign.

[PeoViejo]

58. When Hillary accepts the fact that she will never be Queen, even for a Day. n/t

[beachbumbob]

59. After she wins in November...

[Major Hogwash]

61. 1. Now.

Why wait?
Get it over with.

[Tarc]

62. The McCoy hit pieces keep on coming

Clinton will be the nominee, then president.

[berni_mccoy]

70. If truth = hit pieces then. But I don't post Brock-Okeefe garbage like you

[Tarc]

72. I've never posted or supported anything by O'Keefe

David Brock is still a Democrat, just not your Democrat.

Big difference between that and you aligning with right-wingers, I'm afraid.

[berni_mccoy]

74. There is little difference between Brock and O'Keefe, and Brock proved that yesterday.

[Tarc]

76. There is a gulf of a difference, but as you seem to be firmly rooted in Logical Fallacy land

I'll leave you to it.

PS: Some light reading... http://www.fallacyfiles.org/

[Fast Walker 52]

64. I would say #2... but I doubt she would do that

[Dem2]

66. click your heels together 3 times

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

[awake]

83. There is no place for a home sever

There is no place for a home sever

There is no place for a home sever

[blueintelligentsia]

71. She's looking into it.....n/t

[dlwickham]

77. January 20 2017 would be a good date

Right after she's sworn in as president

[SDJay]

78. I Think It's Much More Likely

that the repukes will put on another dog and pony show in Congress with some idiotic "hearings" about this than the FBI would indict her anytime soon. I would at least hope, for the good of the country, that if the DOJ was going to indict or even thought it likely that there would be an indictment that President Obama would step in and tell HRC to get out before it's too late. Whether HRC would actually do that is another entirely hypothetical question.

That's when such a step would be taken - when Lynch tells Obama that a shitstorm is on the way and when the President tells HRC to hunker down and defend herself. I don't think that's going to happen or the pragmatist that is Obama would've probably done something already.

[k8conant]

79. 1.5 Tomorrow

so she can work on her suspension speech before she's set to appear on the Rachel Maddow Show.

[EndElectoral]

80. Should she suspend or will she suspend? She should but she ain't suspending.

[Time for change]

81. Her favorabillity rating is already minus 13

Bernie's is +7. I would like to see her suspend it right now, but of course I'm biased in that regard.

My more tolerant side says let her continue to run if she wants. But she at least should take an active part in speaking out against all the voter suppression going on and demanding investigations into them, especially the disappearing Democratic voter registrations going on right now in NY.

[Umbral18]

84. Yesterday. nt

[creeksneakers2]

86. If the FBI recommends indictment

Until then she should stay in.

The investigation is expected to conclude in May. If they recommend charging her there will be no way to keep that out of the news. Hopefully, there will be time to find another candidate if need be.

[litlbilly]

87. id say right now if it will stop the Hillbots from posting nonsense memes all day long.

[senz]

88. This election is the only thing she cares about in the world

so she won't be suspending no matter what.

[jcgoldie]

89. How about

After your candidate makes up a couple million votes in the race? It's a democracy after all... people have to actually vote for you.

[grasswire]

92. I do not like the word "suspend" here.

Suspending a campaign has a specific meaning and it (IIRC) allows the candidate to keep the money in the campaign accounts and also to resume the campaign.

She does not need to suspend. She needs to drop out. Remove herself.

That is the only good path for the Democratic Party.

[JTFrog]

93. Tonight when you go to sleep. In your dreams.

That's the only way it's gonna happen.