Kudos to Hillary for pulling back on the negativity!!!

[sfam]

MSNBC just said that Hillary has pretty much stopped all negative Obama comments in her campaign stump speeches. This is a real change, and indicates more than anything else that she misspoke regarding the hard-working white people comment last week.

This also shows that Hillary clearly knows where things stand, and is doing the right thing. While I would love to see her get out after she wins WV, I don't really have a problem if she stays in till she is satisfied with the Michigan and Florida outcomes. If she's not creating badwill, this becomes something more like Huckabee scenario.

So Kudos to Hillary's campaign for doing the right thing! Hopefully other Obama supporters will join me in thanking her.

[AllentownJake]

1. She can do alot of good

If she goes to Oregon and Kentucky and beats up on McCain.

[AtomicKitten]

2. Um, she's having her surrogates do it.

[PBS Poll-435]

5. Cute

Because that hasn't been "***someone's***" game-plan since January!

[AtomicKitten]

12. Welcome to Politics 101.

Don't let anybody tell you you are aren't the sharpest tool in the shed.

[PBS Poll-435]

16. Always Pleasant :-)

Have a nice day!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

63. Romney?

[sfam]

9. Common, admit it. It's a start...

Its not like the Clinton campaign is a smooth working machine. It may take the surrogates a few days to figure out the new game plan and finally implement it.

[AtomicKitten]

14. Still reeling from her "hard-working white Americans won't vote for Obama" comment.

which came for her own mouth, not a surrogate although her surrogates are busy playing that race card every chance they get

[sfam]

23. Aren't we all, but I'm willing to believe she just mispoke, similar to Obama's Bitter...

Now the difference of course is Obama isn't changing his whole image to take advantage of Hillary's misstatement, but that's a different discussion.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

54. like a beaten wife, keep going back for more of Clinton's stories

Which Clinton do we have today, or this minute?

It depends on what her pollsters tell her.

[sfam]

56. Like a beaten wife??? Um, OK...nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

69. like a dog eating its own vomit

going back for more of the same garbage.

[sfam]

75. Much better! nt

[Exilednight]

3. If this is true, then I thank her. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

4. How about Bill? How's he doing on the campaign trail today?

[sfam]

11. Lookin for more big hair chicks, just like always...

I kid, I Kid!!! Actually, they didn't mention Bill, which sort of indicates that he did nothing newsworthy. This may mean that he too is under control.

[flpoljunkie]

21. Altho, it is obvious they are still trying to change the game to popular vote total by begging VW

voters to come out and vote so she can be ahead in the popular vote by June 3rd. Terry McAuliffe made this plain today on MSNBC--in until June 3rd. We we want this to end can only hope they do not try to take this to the convention with their "new rules" for choosing our Dem nominee.

Video of McAuliffe on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell earlier today...

http://thepage.time.com/2008/05/12/mcauliffe-in-it-to-win-it-through-june-3/

Clinton chair tells MSNBC: “We are going through to June 3. I can unequivocally tell you we are in til June 3.” Later says “She is going to be the nominee, she is going to win the general election.”

Also said he believes Clinton will move ahead in popular vote, adds they just purchased media in Oregon, Kentucky.

[sfam]

29. McAuliffe is all spin. Who cares what he says? I think they are just playing out their losing hand

Hillary probably has to ensure something is done about Michigan and Florida. As long as both candidates agree its over, I don't think Obama will have an issue coming to an agreement here.

As long as Hillary stays backed off, she's giving a CLEAR sign that she knows its over.

[futureliveshere]

6. I would rather wait & watch. Her campaign message has changed daily.

So if this remains the campaign strategy then yes, I thank her from the bottom of my heart and wish her the best in a long political career to come.

[AspenRose]

7. The "SNL Effect"

eom

[PM7nj]

8. She knows she crossed the line with her "hardworking voters.... white voters" comment. nt

[Bensthename]

10. Bravo Hillary.. Thank you..

I noticed that too.

[Occam Bandage]

13. If she wants a veep nod, she damn well better.

[sfam]

18. Regardless what she wants, its a good move. My guess is she wants a rewrite of..

the proportional allocation rules. If she's going to have a chance in 2016, it will be based on the big states.

[Youphemism]

34. Bleep That Veep Thing

I think Hillary as a Veep has three big negatives... First, she's from a state he'll take in the GE anyway. Second, it suggests he's not really sincere about going beyond old politics. Finally, it allows the republicans to use all the dirt they've been waiting to throw at her. They're already relaunching Whitewater stuff, presumably because they hate the fact they won't get to use it now that she's losing.

Better to grab a Clinton surrogate in a state he needs, like Rendell (PA) or Strickland (OH), or a really good general who is not Colin Powell (too disliked for his yellow cake UN debacle).

[L0oniX]

15. Too late !

:evilfrown:

[Youphemism]

17. Can't Tell Yet

She's already said what she needs to say about race to get WV voters worked up. Any more piling on would not help her cause. She's backed off several times already, and come out flaming again.

That said, I agree that as long as she's not being negative, no big deal -- campaign away.

As far as kudos go, she'll have to earn those over time. You don't give someone the keys to your car again just because they managed to come home sober one night.

[sfam]

20. One night sober is always a nice start...

Common Hillary, stop drinkin the Kool-aid!!!!

[4themind]

19. I await with baited breath...-nt

[Binka]

38. That Would Be Bated Breath Not Baited Just FYI

Not trying to be snarky just thought you might like to know. Bated means to become less, diminish. Baited means to lure or entice, as in "that was a baited argument."

[highplainsdem]

22. It was merely misspeaking -- she's often used "hardworking" instead of "working class"

when she mentions the working class, and when I posted this out a few days ago, after checking her old speeches, someone else said Al Gore and Tony Blair do the same. And she was just talking about what an AP story had said about voter demographics, white working-class voters. But she was tired, added the fact they were white working class voters as an afterthought, and used her "hard working" terminology for them, and said "hard working whites" without the slightest idea she was talking about anything except the working class white vote. She wasn't trying to make it sound as though she thinks whites work harder. It was just standard political terminology for her, as when she'd mention "middle class and hard working families" where it was clear she'd meant "middle class and working class families."

Any of us who've ever added a detail to some explanation as an afterthought should be able to understand what happened.

But if you don't know she and other politicians use "hard working" to mean "working class," and if you didn't check her statement and realize it was just talking about the demographics with that one detail added as an afterthought -- I'm sure she thought she was just clarifying -- then it looks bad. And God knows her opponents and critics capitalized on it gleefully.

I haven't seen any Hillary supporters wondering if Obama mentioned "57 states" because he might be suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's, or maybe having a problem with medication. Or that he was that ignorant.

Anyone could have checked Hillary's speeches, as I did. But it was too much fun to bash her instead.

[nichomachus]

37. Well, maybe if Obama

had repeated the state thing several times over several days, people might have some concern. But he didn't.

[Undercurrent]

24. Agreed!

I'm an Obama supporter, and the source of my anger towards the Clintons in the context of this primary has been the negative attacks, inuendo, and the elevation of McCain over ANY Democratic candidate. So if she cleans this up, fine.

I have Republican friends, and they were NOT freaking out with anger towards Huckabuck staying in their primary race, because he wasn't ripping into their presumptive nominee, or saying the Democrats would make better presidents. So when Huckster left the race he had goodwill from McCain supporters.

Now let's pull together, and crush bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran McInsane!

[DemsUnited]

25. Bravo to Hillary!! Now please please please put a muzzle on Bill...

[SoCalDem]

26. Yet.. her favorite hon-yock slimeball was on MSNBC

just this morning re-iterating the "catastrophe" garbage..grinning from ear to ear..

and there were articles from yesterday about an "October" surprise in May..

cognitive dissonance in action

[anonymous171]

27. I would actually prefer it if Bill stopped poisoning the rural vote against Obama.

[flpoljunkie]

31. And, make no mistake. That is what he is trying to do.

[sfam]

32. This too may end. If the MSM catches him saying nasty things today, it WILL get played...

This will force them to clamp down on Bill, if they haven't already.

[sfam]

33. This too may end. If the MSM catches him saying nasty things today, it WILL get played...

This will force them to clamp down on Bill, if they haven't already.

[reflection]

28. I agree that she has reined it in somewhat.

It started with her Indiana victory speech. There was a sense of finality about that speech, as if it were an epilogue to her campaign. Though she made some waves shortly thereafter with her racially divisive comments, by and large she seems to have turned down the volume. Kudos to her for at least heading in the right direction.

[greguganus]

30. It's too late. The Clinton war machine will soon break down and be beyond repair. GoBama! n/t

[Cha]

35. Yeah, great..we have to thank hilary for

stopping her lying..Big Kudos to you hilary.

[sfam]

39. That;'s the spirit! One step at a time, ey? nt

[jsmirman]

36. Oh, yes! Thank you Hillary. Let's just ignore that Bill is class baiting

his rear end off in WV and trying desperately to ruin the Democratic nominee's chance for the Presidency.

Thanks a ton!

Please. It's thinking like yours that lets Hillary get away with the junk she's been pulling from day one.

[sfam]

40. Dude, you're missing the point. Its well past time to move on to the GE...

Whether or not we blame Clinton if Obama loses, lets do our best from this point forward to get a win, ey?

Yes its FAR later than it should have been, but better now than in August. That's my feeling anyways...

[jsmirman]

42. So what is your point? If we both agree it's well past time, how is it OK for Bill to paint Obama as

an elitist candidate who when not busy not deserving their support occupies his time laughing at them?

Bill was doing this OVER THE WEEKEND.

I'd like to move on, it's time to move on, but how can anyone who is sane possibly participate in giving Hillary credit for anything when Bill is spewing this vile filth on the campaign trail?

Read madfloridian's post and then get back to me.

[sfam]

45. Well, I'm sort of hoping Bill is wrapping up his asshole routine...

To expect the Clinton campaign to speak with one voice is farcical at this point. Its clear they are a multi-headed hydra that couldn't stay on message if their lives depended on it. But if Hillary backs off and stays backed off, its only a matter of time for the rest of the brute squad to back down.

[jsmirman]

51. Hard for me to buy when it's her husband. A staffer saying one thing? Maybe. Bill?

There's no way he's not clear on the message.

I think this is wishful thinking. Forget chugging- they're thugging along right to the bitter end.

[sfam]

55. What primary race have you been watching??? Bill is always on message???

Puleeeeze. The guy is a continual ad-lib machine. You really think the Clinton campaign planned for Bill to get rid of all their African American support after SC?

[jsmirman]

66. This is not an ad-lib comment. This is part of a calculated stump speech. To suggest that Bill

didn't get the latest draft strains credulity.

[sfam]

76. Bill has a long and storied history of ad-libbing it. We have lots of indications that he...

went off the reservation many times this campaign cycle.

[Cha]

64. I see you're in to

reality:) I see what the OP is trying to do here but...I will sincerely thank bilary when they're gone.

[jsmirman]

67. Right. It's amazing how many folks look right past that thing called "reality." In this thread

there are scores of Du'ers buying that it isn't the same old, same old Hillary crew thugging their way to the end.

[Cha]

72. They'll find out in hurry and

then it will be all.."that's the last time I'm going to believe bilary!"..

Yeah right.

[FrenchieCat]

41. Too bad she had to be hit over the head.......

and that she is stopping after already inflicting maximum damage. Thanks Hill!

[sfam]

44. Yes, it would have been better had she stopped in March when the race was over, but...

Its FAR better than stopping in August. I absolutely agree they've done real and serious damage to our chances, but Obama can pull this out. Had Hillary continued with her Thermo-nuclear self-assured destruction campaign, our chances would have been even further diminished.

[FrenchieCat]

46. agreed.

[ShortnFiery]

43. Yes, SOME working, hard working, WHITE, hard working blue collar voters

would quip, "that's awful *white* of Hillary." :puke:

It's expected - HRC should drop out after the results of tomorrow night's primary both to end on a high note and also save "what's left" of her "illustrious" Clintonian Legacy.

[sfam]

47. Be honest, after her "racist white guys work harder" comments, did you really expect her to...

back off this week?

[ShortnFiery]

49. I honestly believe that, despite all the complements and wishful thinking HRC will "hang on"

and potentially ruin Obama's chances for the GE. The Clintons have been spoiled by power and political privilege for so long, that both her and her surrogates actually believe that they OWN our Party. :(

[Shine]

48. I have confidence that Hillary will do the right thing.

It's important for her and all of her supporters that she leave on a high note, which I think she totally deserves.

:patriot: She tried her best and it was not to be.

[Bread and Circus]

50. Wow, that's great. I'm very cool with her staying in if she's positively contributing.

It's time to bury the hatchets and pull together.

[last1standing]

52. Grantcart made this same post about a week ago and I had another before that.

Unfortunately, every time Hillary DOESN'T say something inflammatory and negative we all want to think that she's changed her tune. Unfortunately, she doesn't and we're all left to wonder why she can't support the Dems, only herself.

Sorry to go negative, myself, in your thread, but this just keeps happening.

[sfam]

57. You might be right...this could be an Evil Dead trick...you know...

Where in the Evil Dead Trilogy, the hag (no negative woman comments meant by this to those who haven't seen it) looks dead, but is just faking it till Ash gets close enough to get whumped? Yeah, that could be the case...we'll see.

[last1standing]

59. I'll have to trust you on the reference. :-)

But as for Hillary, she's done this time and again only to swing back to the hateful race-baiting that has come to be her hallmark.

I think that some of us want so desperately to believe that she'll reform herself that we equate any comment that doesn't go explicitly negative to a change in her character. We just want to be able to forgive her and Bill and go back to supporting them again.

I'm afraid that possibility may have passed for some.

[sfam]

60. See the attached picture...he think's she's dead...

And BTW, the Evil Dead Trilogy is about as good as you can get for cheesy horror-comedy flicks! I HIGHLY recommend them!

[last1standing]

61. LOL!

I'd make a comment on that but I'm sure it would be impossible to do without pissing someone off. ;)

[sandnsea]

53. How many times can she play this game

How many times has she pretended to be conciliatory only to turn around two days later and rant with her shame shame or meet me in Ohio or cry sexism or whatever other line of crap she's floated. Why do people keep buying into this.

[sfam]

58. I agree...there may be egg on my face come Wednesday...we'll see...

What has changed though is the MSM has declared the race to be over.

[FredScuttle]

62. Fuck that noise

She gave up the benefit of being treated civilly months ago. The only words I want to hear out of her sewer mouth are "I quit"

[sfam]

65. Don't beat around the bush. Tell us how you really feel about this...

I'm sensing some pent up hostilities here...

But seriously, isn't it a good thing if she has finally called off the insane attacks, even if two months late?

[Beregond2]

68. Yeah, kudos

to her, for doing the right thing four months too late. Sheesh!

[dansolo]

70. It was the backlash

She didn't misspeak. She knew exactly what she was saying. I'm sure that there were a lot of people behind closed doors telling her to cut it out, including some of her own supporters.

[quantass]

71. Doesn't the COBRA snake coil back just before it strikes?!?

I'm being harsh but she really over did it with the negative campaign. I know Bill is still pushing things in his trips but i suppose when u get into a groove. Im confident the only reason Hillary would reduce the slandering is because it better servers her agenda, for now. That is the theme.

[milkyway]

73. This indicates that the supers let her know that if she didn't stop they would end it now.

[sfam]

74. I'm perfectly happy if she was brow-beaten into it, just as long as she stopped the negativity...

By no means am I ascribing clean as snow virtues to the chick - I'm just happy she stopped, regardless the rationale as to why.

[IsItJustMe]

77. I hear that Bill Clinton is still talking smack. Just saying.

[sfam]

79. Lets hope that stops too...and yeah...who knows, maybe this is a one day blip..

Perhaps she will go back to batshit insane attacks. I'm just hoping not...same with WJC.

[AZBlue]

78. Now we're cheering because she hasn't slung mud in a whole 3 days??!?!

WTF????

[sfam]

81. Small victories man, smaaaalll victories....baby steps.

Hope springs eternal...

[AZBlue]

86. Well.......ok.........it is 2 days longer than usual.

:D

[kwenu]

80. Kudos, just for that? Boy, you really have a low standard for politicians.

[sfam]

82. Nope, just for Hillary...nt

[kwenu]

87. Nice point.

[crankychatter]

83. 24 fucking hours and now it's a pattern and we should all pretend it's safe now?

fuck that

kudo's to clinton?

[sfam]

84. Nope, just recognizing good behavior...I fully get that the Evil Dead syndrome may be coming...

"She looks dead...lemme check...."

[Lady-Damai]

85. It's a little too late. Her campaign should have did it from the start not now!

[TexasObserver]

88. having her surrogates do it