Hillary Behaves Like a Sore Loser for the Second Time in a Row

[babylonsister]

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/76850/

Hillary Behaves Like a Sore Loser for the Second Time in a Row

Posted by GottaLaff , Cliff Schecter's Blog at 7:26 PM on February 12, 2008.


I noticed that the other day, but now that it's twice in a row, it's worth a post:

For the second election night in a row, Hillary Clinton failed to acknowledge or congratulate Barack Obama after he won the day in dominating fashion.

On Tuesday in El Paso, hours after Virginia had been called for Obama, she stuck to her "Texas campaign kickoff" message and did not stray from an energetic, Lone Star-themed stump speech. She did mention Obama by name, only to chide his health care plan.

On Saturday night in Richmond, Virginia, Clinton spoke to a crowd of thousands at the state's annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner, but she ignored Obama's quartet of blowout primary and caucus wins that day as well (Obama also won the Maine caucuses the next day).

The courtesy of conceding a primary or caucus loss -- and then congratulating your opponent -- is by no means required. But it has become standard practice during campaign season.

It's common courtesy, is it not? We all get tired of writing thank you notes, but we do it. Okay, some of us do it. Okay, a few of us...

Clinton congratulated Obama and John Edwards after their first and second place finishes in the Iowa caucuses. Obama returned the favor in New Hampshire, saying Clinton "did an outstanding job." That courtesy continued through the early states.

But as the race has shifted to a delegate chase with dozens of states in play around the country, the notion of congratulating one's opponent seems, for Clinton, to have fallen by the wayside.

Too bad. It takes very little effort, and would make her look like a class act, more caring, and like a winner, not a loser.

[Thrill]

1. They never thought they would have to fight for this nomination

So they don't know how to react.

[AlCzervik]

2. that is very true and one of the big turnoffs for me.

[Avalux]

3. I expect her to get nastier and nastier.

The next debate should be very interesting; Hillary expected to have this all neatly sewn after Super Tuesday.

[journalist3072]

4. Obama didn't congratulate Sen. Clinton after her Nevada win. Only John Edwards did.

This is precisely what I mean by the lopsided, anti-Clinton coverage in this campaign. No wonder Obama is viewed as the Second Coming. Jeez people...use your brains.

[AX10]

5. Yes!

[grantcart]

its a contest about delegates Obama wins more delegates than she does and you want a

concession speech - Clintonian logic at its best

[JanusAscending]

9. Yes he did!!

He called her and congratulated her!

[HeraldSquare212]

10. Well, I think the Obama campaign's argument was that they got more delegates, right?

They didn't view it as a loss.

[stahbrett]

14. Obama won more delegates in Nevada - why concede?

It's all about getting to 2,025 delegates - nothing else matters... not the number of states, not the popular vote, etc. To paraphrase James Carville, It's the delegates, stupid!

(Not calling anyone here stupid.)

[Darth_Kitten]

15. But they want to feel really, like, good and you are acting icky.

:sarcasm:

[Hailtothechimp]

18. Didn't she issue a press release after losing SC???

Talk about classless.

And that shrill voice of hers in the speech tonight. If I never hear it again after the convention that will be fine with me.

[jgraz]

6. At this point, it's bad strategy

You start to look like the emcee at Obama's inauguration. Edwards did the same thing after New Hampshire, and I thought it was a smart move.

[ginnyinWI]

7. I noticed that, too.

How very small of her.

[DJ13]

8. "......would make her look like a class act...."

Hillary may have a lot of Hollywood friends, but shes not that good at acting.

[bigtree]

11. silly stuff

what a strategy, to highlight these trivialities.

[TwilightGardener]

12. She knows the whole country gets to witness her stump speech

because it's an election night. A little humility when you get your ass handed to you would be gracious, but I guess she can't spare even that anymore.

[AtomicKitten]

13. I think we figured out how she rolls in this campaign several states back.

Whatever. Ugly doesn't seem to be selling nowadays, but ClintonCo, perhaps instinctively, keeps veering off in that direction, subtle ways like this and in in-your-face ways other times.

[Cha]

16. hilary hasn't had much practice

acting classy lately. The blogger is right..it does make you a winner to congratulate your opponent..but, you need confidence to be able to do that.

Didn't I read that she wouldn't shake Obama's hand in the Senate when he announced he was running or Prez?

[Windy]

17. she's not helping herself... and with her no show today at the FISA hearing... not smart. nt