Why do Obama supporters want the other candidates out so early? Afraid of a little FIGHT?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

If you're afraid of a fight, you're not ready to be the nominee. It's lame and desperate to be calling for an end to the whole primary campaign after ONE STATE.

Can't your candidate go the distance?

[SteppingRazor]

1. I don't think Obama supporters have any reason to be afraid at this point.

However, I would say that the sooner the Democrats coalesce around one candidate and focus their attentions on beating Republicans, the better off the party will be. That's the only reason I can see for choosing a candidate quickly.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

4. I can see the advantage to not slugging it out until election day BUT

We won't have a clue about what these candidates have as far as stamina or fight or ability to interest people long term if we don't go further in the process.

[SteppingRazor]

7. Totally agree. And I imagine all three candidates will be in through Feb. 5...

so wanting them to drop out is a moot point, regardless of what may or may not be the opinions of some unrealistic Obama supporters.

[karynnj]

25. I agree that they will be too - because it's only 4 weeks away

Why would any of the remaining candidates drop out now? What would they gain? I think Obama will be the nominee, but a week ago, I thought it was more likely HRC would be - after an extremely close finish for all three in Iowa. Right now there is a wave of momentum for Obama and if he wins tomorrow that will continue.

It is easier to be the winner than one of those who lost. You get the happy speech with everyone excitedly cheering. In Iowa, both Edwards and HRC essentially gave "victory" speeches even though they didn't win. But both have become more confrontational - because they almost had to. Obama, on the other hand, has had the luxury of being the smiling, more relaxed one - which makes it easier to convey a sense of calm and thoughtfulness - that is attractive in the midst of anger and accusations. It also seems Presidential.

But, things can change on a dime in this period of time. The collapsed schedule makes it easier to ride the wave and settle the election before anything happened. This is a bad feature of the schedule - but you can't say there was no time for the lot of them to be vetted. This campaign has seemed to have already lasted for years! (though I know that it has been in earsnest just for a year.) Think of what all the candidates have gone through this last year, why would any stop now in the last 4 weeks - when there is even a miniscule chance of winning.

I have not seen the Obama people demanding anyone drop out - they seem happy with Obama's success and are enjoying it. Stretching out the race actually helps Obama as when the future nominee is known, it will be the end of victory celebrations - and those are almost always good events.

[Colobo]

8. After NH, NV and SC, we will know what they are truly made of.

We are actually starting to find out...

[Proud2BAmurkin]

10. Are you serious about that?

?

[Adelante]

14. Feb 5 is the battleground

And it will be bloody. Whoever comes out alive is the nominee.

[debatepro]

16. For me...

1. So we can stop beating eachother up and start pulling for our team as a unified voice. Converting independents and moderate republicans (environmental republicans - I know a lot of this type of moderate republican)to the democratic side of the isle.

2. So I can start working on more local campaigns.

[Missy M]

2. Some even have him packing for the White House already....

I guess they believe the Republicans won't fight.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. From what I hear, as soon as anybody attends an Obama revival

meeting they are made believers. Just trick the republicans into going.

[Adelante]

3. Who do you assume we do?

I don't want anyone to drop out before they are ready. I was heartbroken that Biden and Dodd dropped out.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

6. Because some are so desperate for it they're clinging to SLUDGE to start the rumor.

when Obama supporters and Sludge are on the same page it's time to rethink

[Adelante]

11. I've seen Sludge reports from every group one time or another nt

[Colobo]

12. I want Obama to show every Democrat in the country

he's ready to win. For that reason, I want the other candidates to stay for a couple more weeks, so that Obama can make his point.

[qwlauren35]

24. As someone else said to me earlier...

I want Clinton to stay in long enough to eat some crow filled humble pie.

[KingFlorez]

5. I've noticed that too

[Imagevision]

13. Obama campaign afraid of a fight? - surely you gest?

[cali]

15. you're mindlessly conflating Obama supporters here with

the candidate. We''re not running for president, genius. And you've constructed a logical fallacy- that Obama supporters are worried and want other candidates out.

You know, you've inspired me, pumpkin. Because you've been such a nastly little person re Clinton, I'm going to rub it in your face when JE gets beaten in NH. And then I'm going to do it again when Obama buries him in NV and SC and on and on. Well, probably not, but it's an appealing fantasy. And as I said, you inspired it- with this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3978409

[Hekate]

17. Goodness, such a nice straw man. Gotta light?

:popcorn:

[Donnachaidh]

18. yup.

Their candidate cannot handle the spotlight on his contributors.

[kid a]

19. iv;e wanted hilary out since day one

i'd love to see a edwards / obama / kucinich / richardson fight til august!!
=)

[Occam Bandage]

20. Because we just love to piss you off.

[Dawgs]

21. I'm not afraid of a fight, I'm a afraid of another Republican presidency.

And, that is exactly what I think we will get if Hillary is the nominee. I also think that Edwards would agree with this opinion. So, I'm hoping that at the point Edwards knows it's over he drops it. I think that time will be just after SC.

I think Edwards likes Obama and would support him if he wasn't running. I think the same is true of Obama supporting Edwards.

[Alexander]

22. I'd like them to stay in so Obama kicks the living shit out of them.

Of course, he's doing that already.

I look forward to a repeat performance in the fall. If Obama can survive the Clinton attack machine, he can win in November.

[qwlauren35]

23. Actually, just the opposite.

I'm convinced that Obama can go the distance. And in my heart, I know that the mudslinging is good for him - because if he does win, they won't just be flinging mud.

So, am I ready for the fight. Yup, you betcha.

But I always saw him as a "dark horse" candidate, and to see him come out front, even in ONE state, is surprising the entire nation.

In fact, I think that's what you're seeing. No matter how much money he amassed, no matter how impressed people have been by his speaking ability, no matter how much people want a change from the status quo, including our more senior senators, and those who voted to permit Bush to go into Iraq.... STILL, no one really expected him to win, especially by such a wide margin.

For me personally, I was 100% sure that racism would kick him in the fanny. People here in DU said it wouldn't happen, but I still couldn't believe it until I saw his victory with my own eyes. And as an African-American, it's the sweetest, most wonderful thing I've seen in my life.

I think what you might not understand is that just by winning a single state... a state where the black population is somewhere around 3%, all of a sudden the "he's not electable" theory got a nice big sock in the gut.

So... I think you're misinterpreting some of what's happening. It's not that we've already won. It's that there's far more than a "slim chance".

I don't think I have words to tell you what that means to me, and probably a good hunk of the 14% of America of African descent. I know black REPUBLICANS who plan to vote for him. That's how important it is to us, that's what a milestone it is, that's what a breakthrough it is. It's not an APPOINTMENT... he's winning in an ELECTION.

There has never been an African-American to carry a state primary for the presidency in the history of this nation. Yes, we've been *appointed* to cabinet positions, we've won a governorship, we've gotten a few Senate seats. But this is new, uncharted territory.

It makes my heart do flip-flops.

And even if he doesn't win the primary, no one can ever take this Iowan victory away from him... away from us.

Makes me d*mned proud to be an American....

I hope that helps you understand the excitement.

[dailykoff]

26. I thought you were playing the terra card?

Or did that one flop too?

[ecstatic]

27. well...since the other candidates don't have a chance...

It's best to let Clinton and Obama duke it out. May the best wo/man win.