To Hillary's credit, she probably does believe Obama can't win...

[sfam]

Hillary and her supporters stated clearly they really don't think Barack can win. For instance, most recently:

"Sources with direct knowledge of the conversation between Sen. Clinton and Governer Bill Richardson, D-N.M., prior to the Governor's endorsement of Obama say she told him flatly, "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/02/hillary-clinton-barack-ob_n_94770.html

I will give her the benefit of doubt that she's either so full of herself that she really does believe she's the only one who can beat McCain, or that she really does believe that a large segment of the population just won't vote for Barack. Assuming she really does "believe" this, there always exists the possibility that even someone as infallible as Hillary could be wrong on occasion. At some point even she has to realize she's trying to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. When it becomes clear that her chances of winning are even less than the chances she ascribes to Barack, she really has a moral obligation to withdraw, especially considering the damage she's inflicting on him.

Assuming her rationale for running right now is that she really does believe Barack is unelectable, the only questions left are whether she's ever going to face reality in realizing she cannot win, and when she does realize this, whether she prefers to continue to damage Barack in the hopes of winning in 2012 instead of doing what's right for the party. I honestly don't know whether or not she has made this call yet. Many of us here already think she has decided to damage Barack in the hopes of winning in 2012, but its still possible that she just hasn't been able to face the music yet.

[Tesha]

1. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize that she can't win (the GE) either. (NT)

[frazzled]

19. Yes, exactly: neither of them might be able to win the GE.

That is always the case. We don't need to make a "Dukakis" or "McGovern" case out of this. No Democratic nominee is assured of a win: Gore didn't win , Kerry didn't win ... and Clinton might not win either. And, true, Obama might not win. So what else is new.

That is not the basis on which we pick nominees. Well, not altogether.

Anything might happen.

[Buzz Clik]

2. Her complete unelectability was not a small part of my decision to go with Obama.

And, against McCain, I truly believe that Obama can win.

[Mooney]

6. Same here.

I can't believe anyone seriously thinks she'd do anything but get completely massacred in the GE. She'd be lucky to get 35% of the vote. Easily half of the electorate has a loathing for her that's so extreme and so visceral it can't be overcome.

She can't win, Buzz. She can't win.

[Sensitivity]

3. Why give the benefit of the doubt? The campaign is all about casting DOUBT, so all the BENEFIT goes

to her, basically because she is an establishment "white" politician.

Let Hillary run on her qualifications and capabilities, not "benefit of the doubt."

[shaniqua6392]

4. It looks like either of them are going to have a tough time

beating McCain. He is winning right now in the national polls when put up against Clinton or Obama. We can not be overconfident and we need to remain as united as possible.

[sfam]

7. This is really the problem...we are as far from united as we can be...

Until Hillary drops out, we really don't have a chance to unite. On the positive side, all these polls showing that 30% of the Dems will go to McCain if Hillary loses aren't really believable until they are actually posed with that choice.

[shaniqua6392]

9. I really wish they would just team up together.

Obama/Clinton. I know some people hate that idea, but what about all of the devoted Clinton supporters. There are millions of them. What are they going to do? Flame away....I am ready. It is just my suggestion on how we can unite the party immediately.

[sfam]

13. I would still be for this...but really, the longer this goes, the less likely it is...nt

[unc70]

21. This is my fear; supporters of Obama and Clinton are both right. QED Pres. McCain

For more than a year, I have been posting my worries that this election reminded of the ones in 1968 and 1988. Not a happy thought. Why are our remaining candidates about the only ones who might be able to lose this year to a Republican?

Forty years ago, I was in college and supporting Gene McCarthy, worried that RFK entering late (after NH) would split the anti-war vote, still in shock that LBJ had withdrawn, and oblivious to what would happen the next day. (BTW UNC had just lost to UCLA in the Final Four and "Love is Blue" topped the charts.)

[BeyondGeography]

5. Her net negative ratings are consistently in the double digits

no other candidate even comes close to having this problem. And she goes on and on about how the other guy can't win.

It will be a good day when we're done with her as a national player.

[dkf]

8. Well her judgment sucks. More evidence why she is unsuited for the Presidency.

[OHdem10]

10. There are many people who agree with her. When the American

people are handed a choice between Obama and MCCain, it is much
more likely McCain will win.

The stark contrast multiplies Obama's inexperience.

I like Obama but have always believed this was the wrong time
for him to run.

[JayFredMuggs]

14. RIght, like it's the wrong time for the American people

To have a unifying alternative the Clinton/Bush lookalikes. We must stay divided as a nation for at least FOUR MORE YEARS!

[sfam]

15. I respect your opinion, but do you leave out the possibility that you could be wrong?

I mean, its rather clear that a very large segment of the population disagrees with you. Is it possible you're wrong? Even worse, do you agree with the notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy - that if Hillary does everying possible to bash Obama as being unelectable that she lowers the chances of his getting elected?

[rocktivity]

11. It depends on what her definition of "cannot" is.

Does she mean that Obama doesn't have the ability to beat McCain, or that Obama cannot be "permitted" to beat HER?

:shrug:
rocknation

[sfam]

16. I'm pretty sure she believes he doesn't have the ability. nt

[rocktivity]

17. But SHE hasn't shown that she has the ability to beat Obama!

So why should she expect anyone to believe that she can beat McCain?

:crazy:
rocknation

[sfam]

20. Clearly there's a bit of a delusion going on...then again, this is not all that surprising...

in any candidate that aspires to run for President. To a person they're all probably more full of themselves than we could ever imagine. We just have to wonder whether she ever hears the music, and if so, will she do the right thing...

[rocktivity]

23. It's her "experience" argument all over again

We should pick her over Obama because she has more experience. But we should pick her over McCain though HE has more experience!

:headbang:
rocknation

[easy_b94]

12. After one debate with McOld he going to moon walk into the white house

[GoesTo11]

18. She can change that future

If she doesn't think Obama will win, but she thinks she's got great campaigning skills, maybe in the GE she can do her best to help him (assuming he's the nominee). She can say "Hey all my supporters, Obama believes in the same Democratic ideals I do. He ran a good race. He respects me and I respect him. He is good for women. He is good for latinos. He is good for the working class. He is good for the elderly. He is good for whites and for blacks and for Asians. He is the best candidate for this country. Vote for him."

That ought to put him over the top. Nothing to worry about, Sen. Clinton.

[book_worm]

22. It will be hard for somebody as disliked as Hillary is to actually win the GE.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

24. Yes, but it's been shown that she's delusional about all sorts of things...n/m