Democrats commit political suicide again.

[JDPriestly]

Look, you may or may not like Tweety, but his prediction that McCain now has a chance to actually pull a win in November makes sense.

See Crooks and Liars http://www.crooksandliars.com/ the article entitled "Matthews anoints McCain as having the best chance to win the Presidency." It is time for deal-making. Either Hillary gets to run for president with Obama on her ticket as vice president or we get a compromise candidate like John Edwards or Biden. Continuing this blood bath is going to mean the loss of the election.

The battle between Hillary and Obama is destroying the delicately balanced coalition of Democratic interests that has slowly built up since the Eisenhower era. Because we are not a cohesive party, we easily become fragmented. When one faction prevails, another becomes angry, disillusioned and apathetic. This has happened over and over, and it always leads to the loss of disgruntled voters. They either sit at home and pout, vote for a third party candidate, or vote for the Republican candidate. American needs every Democratic voter this fall. No Democrat can get elected without every single possible vote.

And right now, we are headed for a big loss in November. The Hillary voters are becoming more and more angry at Obama, and the Obama voters are becoming more and more angry at Hillary.

Both Hillary and Obama are sincere. Each candidate believes that that he or she is the only person who is qualified to lead America in this perilous time. The problem is the winner takes all philosophy that is dominating on both sides right now. Well, the winner who gets it all is very likely to find that the "all" is not enough to get elected. Because if Hillary wins, a lot of Obama voters will stay home, and if Obama wins, a lot of Hillary voters will, many for the first time in their lives, vote Republican for McCain. You can complain about racism or sexism all you want, but your complaints won't change the numbers or end the racism/sexims.

So, here's the solution: Obama brags that he has a new approach: compromise. He has claimed the ability to bring those who oppose him to work with him. It's time for Obama to show how he can work change by compromising with Hillary.

Hillary claims that her experience is valuable. It's time for her to show that her experience has made her wise enough to know that she needs to work with Obama and with all Democrats in order to win in November.

For me, as an Edwards supporter, I see an irony here: Edwards got out most likely in good part because he felt his continued candidacy would divide the party. But, as we are seeing, his candidacy actually absorbed some of the anger and helped hold the party together.

The alternative is disaster not just for America but for the world. If Hillary and Obama continue to beat each other up until the convention, one or the other of them will emerge as a winner. But the "winner" will win a hopelessly divided party. It is time for Obama to work his magic, for Hillary to use her experience. Let's get together. Hillary and Obama have already made our party look like a bunch of bickering children. Enough is enough.

I would not mind a brokered convention -- but I do not want a broken party, and that is where we are headed at this time.

The alternative is this: McCain chooses a super-conservative running mate to hold his party together. Oh, don't worry, the running mate will not be obviously or loudly very conservative. He will choose a stealth super-conservative. After the election, McCain will play the nice guy to the extreme right-wing of the Republican party, and if you think the last seven years were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. McCain will be on the spot to prove just what a rightie he is. If he doesn't do that, he will be a one-term president.

It's time for some sacrifice. It's time to come together.

[gasperc]

1. oh brother, Mathews can go fuck himself

let's see, it's March 5th and we've got months to go, Clinton and Obama raised over $85million to McCain's $12million and Democratic primary voter's have out polled republicans 2-1. It's way too early to whine, yep were doomed, we're grownups, we'll figure this out.

Mathews can take his man-crush on McCain and go fuck himself.

[JDPriestly]

10. Regardless of what Mathews and McCain do in private,

Hillary and Obama need to show the public that they are grown up. Hillary needs to stop beating Obama up, and Obama needs to come 100% clean about Rezko. You see it isn't just about delegates and vote counts, it's about the fact that in their struggle, Hillary and Obama are destroying each other and baring gender/race/age divisions in the party that have not reared their ugly heads in years. Hillary and Obama are not important. They seem to have lost sight of that. Each of them wants to win at all cost. They have forgotten that winning this primary is meaningless unless they can win the hearts and minds of all Democrats and get all Democrats behind them in November. At this point, neither of them can. In that sense, at this point, they have both lost everything they have worked for thus far.

We have only a few months until the convention. There is a lot of planning, healing and other work to be done. Hillary and Obama, Obama and Hillary need to set their egos aside and work for the good of the American people for a change. Frankly, I don't think I will be able to vote for either of them if they don't make the inevitable compromise and make it soon. Hillary has as much leverage as she is going to get. This is the moment for her to make a deal. She will end up giving Obama much more than she wants to, but the stakes for her at this point are just too high to risk more primaries. Even if she wins by a couple of points from now on and prevails with regard to delegates, she will have offended such a large portion of Democrats that she will not be able to pull off a victory in November. Only a fool would continue to fight at this point.

I am an Edwards supporter. One of the reasons that I support Edwards is that he is a trial lawyer. Something the public does not generally know about trial lawyers is that, in general, they are expert negotiators and deal-makers. One of the things you learn in litigation is when to make a deal. This is the moment. In my opinion, Hillary and Obama have a few weeks in which to come to terms. If they don't, they risk everything. What is needed now is a mediator, someone who knows their points of view, someone they both trust, someone who can serve as a go-between. If I were Hillary, if I were Obama, I would choose John Edwards to mediate. He is an experienced deal-maker. He has integrity. He has an excellent mind and won't misrepresent what one or the other of them is saying. It's the right time and Edwards would be a great mediator.

[papau]

2. Tweety said this a year ago-no divided party isn't Obama priority as he smears Hillary w/

"race card" crap in SC and continues with that approach through Texas.

[writes3000]

5. And Hillary personally insults, belittles and mocks all Obama supporters.

She's really working on a united party there, your candidate.

[WVRevy]

6. Give me a break

Exactly what did Obama or his campaign say to "play the race card". Direct quotes, please, not bullshit fantasies.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. Are you lost?

Because you seem to be befuddled. You aren't making sense and seem to be spinning wildly. Let me get you a chair so you can rest a bit.

[Bread and Circus]

3. I agree with you in some ways but let me correct you where you try to mislead:

Look, you may or may not like Tweety, but his prediction that McCain now has a chance to actually pull a win in November makes sense.

Yes, I agree, the long we drag this out the better this is for McCain and the Republicans.

See Crooks and Liars http://www.crooksandliars.com / the article entitled "Matthews anoints McCain as having the best chance to win the Presidency." It is time for deal-making. Either Hillary gets to run for president with Obama on her ticket as vice president or we get a compromise candidate like John Edwards or Biden. Continuing this blood bath is going to mean the loss of the election.

Obama leads in pledged delegates, number of states won, and the popular vote. On all accounts, he is the clear leader. It makes more sense for the winner of the most delegates, states, and votes to be on top of the ticket. Furthermore, Obama brings more people, energy, and money into the party.

The battle between Hillary and Obama is destroying the delicately balanced coalition of Democratic interests that has slowly built up since the Eisenhower era. Because we are not a cohesive party, we easily become fragmented. When one faction prevails, another becomes angry, disillusioned and apathetic. This has happened over and over, and it always leads to the loss of disgruntled voters. They either sit at home and pout, vote for a third party candidate, or vote for the Republican candidate. American needs every Democratic voter this fall. No Democrat can get elected without every single possible vote.

Yes, and that's why Hillary's decision to go negative and use Rove-Atwater tactics has been harmful. The damage can still be undone.

And right now, we are headed for a big loss in November. The Hillary voters are becoming more and more angry at Obama, and the Obama voters are becoming more and more angry at Hillary.

That's something we have to face and I agree with you.

Both Hillary and Obama are sincere. Each candidate believes that that he or she is the only person who is qualified to lead America in this perilous time. The problem is the winner takes all philosophy that is dominating on both sides right now. Well, the winner who gets it all is very likely to find that the "all" is not enough to get elected. Because if Hillary wins, a lot of Obama voters will stay home, and if Obama wins, a lot of Hillary voters will, many for the first time in their lives, vote Republican for McCain. You can complain about racism or sexism all you want, but your complaints won't change the numbers or end the racism/sexims.

True. I don't think either one can without the other.

So, here's the solution: Obama brags that he has a new approach: compromise. He has claimed the ability to bring those who oppose him to work with him. It's time for Obama to show how he can work change by compromising with Hillary.

Wrong. Obama's theme is consensus building, which is very different from compromise. And again, Obama has clearly outplayed and outcampaigned Clinton. She went from a sure win to a delegate loss that she can't overcome without party hijinks that would make things worse.

Hillary claims that her experience is valuable. It's time for her to show that her experience has made her wise enough to know that she needs to work with Obama and with all Democrats in order to win in November.

True. Obama and Hillary, if you really love this party and this country please sit down and talk about how you can work this out.

For me, as an Edwards supporter, I see an irony here: Edwards got out most likely in good part because he felt his continued candidacy would divide the party. But, as we are seeing, his candidacy actually absorbed some of the anger and helped hold the party together.

I have to admit Edward's leaving helped Obama and the party quite a bit.

The alternative is disaster not just for America but for the world. If Hillary and Obama continue to beat each other up until the convention, one or the other of them will emerge as a winner. But the "winner" will win a hopelessly divided party. It is time for Obama to work his magic, for Hillary to use her experience. Let's get together. Hillary and Obama have already made our party look like a bunch of bickering children. Enough is enough.

agreed

I would not mind a brokered convention -- but I do not want a broken party, and that is where we are headed at this time.

The alternative is this: McCain chooses a super-conservative running mate to hold his party together. Oh, don't worry, the running mate will not be obviously or loudly very conservative. He will choose a stealth super-conservative. After the election, McCain will play the nice guy to the extreme right-wing of the Republican party, and if you think the last seven years were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. McCain will be on the spot to prove just what a rightie he is. If he doesn't do that, he will be a one-term president.

It's time for some sacrifice. It's time to come together.

Yes, McCain sold his soul and would be worse than Bush in my opinion. He just doesn't have the toolbox to stand up to the corporatists and the warmongers.

[writes3000]

7. Great response. Thanks. n/t

[JDPriestly]

12. Obama/Hillary or Hillary/Obama, that's up to them to work out.

We probably need both of them on the ticket at this time, and it's going to be hard for them to work together. Hillary has really hurt herself, I agree. And Obama is ahead right now, but that doesn't mean he will stay there. Obama has the best organization and the most new voters, but he can't win without Hillary's voters.

Let's face it, if Obama is not on the ticket, a lot of his supporters will stay home. If Hillary is not on the ticket, a lot of her voters will switch to McCain. They need each other. If they can't work together, our party cannot govern come November.

[WVRevy]

4. That's not compromise, it's capitulation

Why should he give her any such thing? He is WINNING. By the time the convention rolls around, he'll have won more states than her and have a significant pledged delegate lead. The only way she can win is if the party hands it to her, and I don't even think the Democratic party is that collectively stupid.

And last I checked, Obama had not run a SINGLE negative ad about her unless in response to some nonsense she had put out. Seen any Obama ads about Hillary's work with Wal-Mart, one of the worst companies in this country for labor rights? No. Seen Obama say something like "No, Hillary didn't kill Vince Foster...as far as I know"? No. Seen any comments from him indicating McCain is more qualified to be president than she is? Of COURSE not.

Sorry, but no way in HELL should he step aside for Shrillery. She's lost, and the only people that don't seem capable of understanding that are her and her supporters.

[Yael]

9. Fellow Edwards refugee here

Sorry, but her negativity the last 3 weeks is too off the charts for me. I am one of those of which you speak who has gotten to the point that I am questioning even voting for an Obama ticket if she is on it.

We need that "avalanche" of SDs to announce and bring this wounded party back into focus now, not 6 weeks before the general election.

[KoKo]

11. Agree with you... BTW...Chuck Todd on MSNBC said John Thune is his pick for McCain VP...says he

"plays hoops with Obama and is well liked as a fresh smiling face
The Adrienne Shelly for Conservative Dems.

So...that's the gossip from Chuck Todd.

Unity ticket of Hillary/Obama is the way to go. Voters are turning out in droves for both candidates in the Primaries.

[Lena inRI]

13. Hillary divides, Barack unites. . .no brainer. . .

. . .I've posted this once. Posting again. . .

Obama is winning with both delegate counts and his public record.

IMHO, herein out, Battleship Hillary will be working de facto for Republican McCain's campaign as she continues to smear Obama.

The Democratic Party will not survive this civil war.

Our nation will not survive a President McCain.

Hillary's HUBRIS is taking us all down. Fast.

And let me add. . .enough with the neutrality, Gov Richardson, Sen Edwards, and VPres Gore. . .

endorse, endorse, ENDORSE for cripesake!

:rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: