Why doesn't OBAMA just forget Hillary is even in the race, declare victory and start fighting McCain

[neoteric lefty]

I'm a supporter of both candidates, but I recognize that the math is pretty much a done deal (except if Edwards acts soon or if FL or MI redo their primaries). Why is Obama still even fighting with Clinton? He's basically won, he should say that and not worry about her. Let her be the one fighting for the primary while Obama acts like he's preparing for the GE. He can get back onto his message of hope and start attacking McCain for all of his MANY flaws. Seems like Obama is trying to compete in a mudslinging match, which he is not very good at. Declare victory and get the hell off of the field.

Just my thoughts. What do you guys think?

[NightWatcher]

1. He is having to fight against two people already.

and from what I have seen, he is winning against both. Think how good he'll do when Hillary finally gets the message and drops out.

[hedgehog]

2. I think that by bringing the campaign back to the real issues threatening us,

global climate change, economic melt down, health care costs, college costs, pollution, etc, Obama would make both Hillary and McCain irrelevant.

[neoteric lefty]

4. exactly

he should continue on his primary state swing, but never utter Clinton's name once. Talk about how the current administration has failed to act (or failed when acting) on so many key issues facing Americans. Basically, a trumped up version of his stump speech with McCain and the Republicans as his target. He's became so popular because he didn't fight in the mud like other politicians.

[Benhurst]

17. I wish he had from the start. As a supporter of his in his run for the

Senate, I thought that was the kind of senator he was going to be.

But he voted to affirm a war criminal as Secretary of State, voted for the renewal of the so-called "Patriot" Act, and for every bill continuing the immoral and illegal occupation of Iraq. He has not lived up to what I had hoped would be his potential.

And all his "reach out" crap, implying the past eight years are to a large extent our fault for not being accommodating enough, when, in fact, our representatives, including Obama and Clinton, have all too often gone along with the tugs, is nausiating.

I wish we had a candidate who would really address the issues you have listed. But no matter which of our two biggest losers (both having failed to get the required 2025 delegates necessary to assume the nomination outright) the super delegates go for, we're not going to have such a candidate.

Better than McCain? Sure, either will be. But that isn't really saying much, is it?

[HowHasItComeToThis]

3. BINGO FOR YOU FOR BOTH OF YOU

TRAIN FUNS ON MCCAIN

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. You Mean Like When Bush* Said "Mission Accomplished"

~

[neoteric lefty]

7. cute

:) made me chuckle

[Benhurst]

18. ...

:rofl:

[gravity]

6. Clinton won't let him

McCain doesn't have to worry about fighting Obama right now because Hillary is doing all the work for him. She is doing a lot more damage to his campaign at the moment and needs to be dealt with first.

[progdog]

9. What if he fights McCain

and ties her to him subtly?

[neoteric lefty]

11. he could

but then you're back where you started. The MSM will only cover the horse-race within the Dem party because that produces the 'juicy' headlines.

[neoteric lefty]

10. but

he seems to be doing a pretty poor job dealing with her, at least at the moment. I don't know, maybe the practice is good for when he gets attacked by the swiftboat-esque groups in the GE. He seems to be getting bogged down in this mess.

[gravity]

15. He started focusing on McCain last week

but Hillary was focused on going after Obama tooth and nail. Obama was caught off guard by Hillary and it hurt his momentum, so he now has to refocus his energy towards the immediate threat.

[ginnyinWI]

13. she certainly is!

People should think about this when they want to send her some money: she's helping McCain stretch his meager funds by generously offering to fight his opponent for him. Every dollar she gets is a dollar she can use to vilify the Dem nominee.

[dchill]

16. It ain't Clinton so much...

as it is the media. Obama outperformed expectations in the March 4th primaries, and is currently winning the Texas caucuses. A win in either Ohio or Texas would have been extraordinary, but the actual results are really a blow to Clinton who, if one is allowed to remember, needed "blowout" numbers in both of those states to "stay in the race" - but that didn't happen, did it? No? Never mind, she's been re-routed to "a win is a win is a win" status, and goes on with her lying, smearing, cheating game of moving goalposts and ignoring math. The media will supply the coverage and the false sense of "momentum." Now, and only now, Pennsylvania matters. And ONLY Pennsylvania matters. Until that's over.

So it isn't just Clinton that needs this to go on and on, mounting the cost to the Democratic parry's chances in November. The media "needs" it, too. Fun, ain't it?

[Benhurst]

8. Because he hasn't "basically won" until he reaches the magic number 2025.

And it's hard to be Presidential if you haven't got the nomination in the bag and a credible opponent is hacking away at your knees.

And if anything harmful is revealed in the Rezko trials, Katie, bar the door.

It's a bit premature for anyone to be assuming the mantle of nominee.

Despite the drumbeat from his supporters here on DU, I think he's better off playing his hand as it is being dealt, and not pretending to have a status he has yet to achieve.

[neoteric lefty]

14. good point n/t

[pbca]

12. I'd be all for it

Hillary is BO's Perot

[shadowknows69]

19. I agree

His rhetoric should be nothing less than. Clinton can't catch us. Bring the fight to McCain.