A Subdued Clinton, and a Subdued Audience (NYT)

[jefferson_dem]

May 17, 2008
A Subdued Clinton, and a Subdued Audience
By JULIE BOSMAN

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. — On the day Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed by the governor of North Carolina, a supporter gave her a three-foot-long balloon replica of herself, complete with blond hair, black pantsuit and wide pink smile, which Mrs. Clinton promptly took on her plane and laughingly showed off to reporters.

On Thursday, little more than two weeks later, the doll lay on the sofa by her seat on the plane, shriveled and deflated.

With her candidacy running out of time — and perhaps air — the Clinton campaign has taken on a distinctly subdued mood.

Mrs. Clinton found herself largely ignored on Friday while a battle raged between Senator Barack Obama on one hand and Senator John McCain and President Bush on the other.

And despite coming off a large victory in West Virginia, and anticipating success in Kentucky on Tuesday, Mrs. Clinton’s campaign in recent days has encountered a series of disappointments, not the least of which was the endorsement of Mr. Obama by the influential women’s group Naral Pro-Choice America.

Famous for her 16-hour days, her unflagging energy and her willingness to shout into a microphone until her voice gives out, Mrs. Clinton finds herself encountering long odds and a dwindling bank account. (David Letterman recently joked that with her campaign $21 million in debt, she is at “the world’s most expensive fantasy camp.”) And the new tone is palpable.

“I’m so grateful to all of you for letting us have this conversation,” Mrs. Clinton said softly at an afternoon event, speaking to a group in which reporters outnumbered supporters by at least 3 to 1.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/17/us/politics/17campaign.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

[JeanGrey]

1. This is really so sad. I so wish Hillary would get out while

she has some diginity left.

[MindMatter]

9. A month too late for that, but it only gets worse by carrying on

She had an opportunity to end this on a much more redeeming note. Obama has shown extraordinary patience with her, holding back his punches for a month now. He barely even went into WV in order to give her an opportunity to close out on a positive note, a move that will set him back a little in the GE campaign. He is offering her every opportunity to end it on a gracious note. But every time it looks like this might coalesce into some unity, either Bill or Hillary goes off half cocked again.

Tuesday really is the end for her. She has two days to accept that and decide to play the end game in a gracious, statesman-like way. She seems to be playing this like a game of "chicken" -- seeing how far she can push before flipping over to a death bed conversion. The problem is that it is a one-woman game of "chicken". Nobody else is playing along, Hillary. You need to stop doing this to yourself.

[SoCalDem]

14. the time to "get out with dignity" was the day after he ran 11 in a row.

She's been behind since then, and was out of it numerically after Wisconsin..

She's only made herself dirtier from all the shit she's flung at him..

A long hot shower, followed by profuse apologies for the racism...and then a QUIET return to her "work", is all I want from her..

[MindMatter]

17. In politics, we have a short memory

As bad as this campaign has been, it can all be forgotten long before November. But how she ends it really defines the legacy she leaves through this process. I really thought last week would be the opportune time to turn it all positive. It was the perfect setting, with Obama essentially giving her WV unopposed. That would have been the time for her to say, basically, "You can see that Hillary's still got it, and as much as I'd like to continue on this path, now is the time for us to come together as a party."

That would have been excellent.

She didn't take the olive branch that was offered, but instead carried on in a schizophrenic mode, one day sounding conciliatory and the next day bombing away at Obama.

The upshot is that she is quickly sliding into insignificance. Edwards recognized that as the time to act -- allowing him to remain a significant player. Hopefully Hillary has the wisdom to recognize that the door closes shut after Tuesday. This is her last good window to repair the damage.

[Hutzpa]

18. Absolutely,

Obama did not campaign in West Virginia to give her credibilty to get
out, whether she realizes what Obama did or not is another thing.

As far as she knows, Obama can't win the "hard working White Americans"
its really becoming a sad story, but you know what.... sometimes legacies
are destroyed based on self deprevation.

The Clintons legacy are all but finished.

[dempartisan23]

12. true

she should leave on a high note, not a whimper.

[AZBlue]

28. I was just thinking the same thing. It's very sad.

[Zhade]

33. She lost that alleged dignity when she started lying about NAFTA and Tuzla, among other things.

She did this to herself. I don't feel sorry for her at all.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

2. I wonder if she will let her hair grow out long after she suspends

her run. IE: Richardson grew a beard, as did Gore after failures. She has glorious hair, I bet it would be gorgeous long.

[Madam Mossfern]

6. You've got to be kidding me

long hair on women of 'a certain age' doesn't look good, not unless she lets it go natural in color and wears it up.
Think of the "witch factor". Please don't take this as a sexist post- I'm a 59 year old woman who also used to have 'glorious hair'. I know what I'm talking about.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. I agree with you. Older (not old, older) women look very attractive in shorter hair.

Sometimes older women can pull off the long haired look, but most look far better with shorter hair.

[scarletwoman]

21. Wow. That's so interesting! I'm a 58 year old woman with long hair that I have no intention of

ever cutting while I'm still alive -- AND I wear it down loose, besides. In all my years, the thought that loose long hair on an older woman has a "witch factor" has never once occurred to me. I'm honestly stunned.

I'm not slamming you or your opinion, it's just that it's a viewpoint I find very surprising and totally unknown to me up until this moment. It literally made my jaw drop.

In any case, I have no opinion on Senator Clinton's hair or how she might wear it. I think every woman should do with her hair whatever pleases her most in her heart of hearts.

Peace,
sw

[anigbrowl]

32. I think a lot depends on whether your hair is thick or wispy

I think long grey/white hair often looks fantastic, and far better than a perm, but not everyone can pull it off.

[EmilyAnne]

38. I love long hair on "older" women.

[CreekDog]

51. witch? no...

[eridani]

53. That's a pretty even shade of gray

Some folks can get that naturally, but Clairol has some help available on the grey end too.

[eridani]

52. Hey, I still do! But it's actually Clairol Medium Golden Brown

I wear it up at work--dangerous chemicals and all that. Down when I'm in a certain mood.

[Zhade]

35. Difference is, Gore actually won and it was stolen from him.

She just lost.

[Arrowhead2k1]

3. Aww poor baby,

It's too bad for her the old saying still rings true. What goes around, comes around.
She'll receive no sympathy from me as I will never forget the type of campaign she chose to run.

[Cha]

7. And why should she get sympathy?

She tried to ruin a campaign that's going to actually do some good for our country with her lies, and pandering to rw extremists. She did everything she could.. throwing in her garbage pail with the kitchen sink and it all came back to bite her own ass.

And, now we're suppose to feel sorry for hilary? I think not.

[Poll_Blind]

4. I do not feel sorry for her: This is her choice. Presumably she is of sound mind.

  So this is what she wants. Of course, my Oregon ballot is an attempt to put her out of her...misery? I dunno. I don't have a way to easily classify her poignant political phenomena.

PB

[apocalypsehow]

5. I wish we'd see more of that subdued behavior from her hysterical supporters here. It would make for

a better DU experience for everyone.

[Thrill]

8. No worry. Obama will be forced to put her on the ticket

watch and see

[apocalypsehow]

10. In a bizarre alternate universe, maybe. But in this one, she will remain the Jr. Senator from NY.

There is simply no way Obama would put such a divisive figure on his ticket, and one who would no doubt attempt to sabotage his campaign to McCain's benefit with a number of ill-timed "mis-steps" so she can run again herself in 2012.

Not gonna happen.

[eridani]

54. Besides which, she would actually have more power as a senator n/t

[OzarkDem]

25. No way

that would be a huge insult to Clinton.

[Zhade]

36. I doubt he's going to let McLame prove his running mate a liar by playing the Tuzla video.

Or undermine him by playing the video wherein she endorsed him over Obama.

He's not stupid.

[Why Syzygy]

44. He wouldn't be asking us to be nice to her supporters if he were going to do that.

That puts me at a world of ease on the matter. We need to be nice while she leaves the stage. As long as she goes, I don't see anything to be gained by holding on to past hurts. But WE MUST MOVE FORWARD without her drag.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Barack_America]

15. Good Lord, why is she doing this to herself?

This is depressing.

[shireen]

16. i'm glad she's not conceded defeat

It's obvious that Obama will win the nomination. Like many people, I've been annoyed that Clinton had not dropped out of the race. But after thinking about it more, I realized that it's a pretty smart move.

She's still out there for several reasons:

- collect as many delegates as possible. Even if she does not reach the magic number needed for the nomination, her delegate count will prove that she has widespread support among voters. That will give her some leverage in the decisions made during the next convention, from the Democratic nominee for VP to what's on the platform.

- her high delegate count will help her wield more power in the senate. Altho' many of her colleagues have backed Obama, that does not mean that they will reject her leadership in the Senate. If anything at all, this primary will make her even more powerful because she's had very significant backing, as a presidential candidate, from voters.

- her future prospects to run for president are greatly enhanced. Obama will win, serve 8 years in the White House, and there's no reason why we can't have another Democratic administration. Hillary will be well-positioned to run at that point.

- Her strong showing during the primaries will give her a lot of influence over what goes on at the DNC and DLC.

- When she advocates for a cause in public, people will listen because they'll remember her tenacious fight during the 2008 elections.

She's proved how tough and capable she is, and people are going to remember that. She may not become president but she will become a very powerful figure in Democratic politics.

[SoCalDem]

19. Her new-found tenacity would be nice in the Senate

Until this race, she's been pretty go-along-to-get-along in the senate.. If she had found that tenacity sooner, we might have believed her more :shrug:

[shireen]

20. totally agree!

She'd be an AWESOME majority leader, and would do an incredibly good job in re-energizing the spineless chicken-democrats in the senate,.

[scarletwoman]

22. I'm with you. It seems to me that all her "tenacity" is solely in service to her own ambitions.

I didn't see her making any firebrand speeches on the Senate floor to not confirm Alito and Roberts, or to oppose bushco's spying on Americans, or to re-regulate the industries and institutions that have done so much harm to ordinary "hard-working" folks.

Paul Wellstone she ain't.

sw

[quakerboy]

34. No joke

If I see her really take it to the senate and fighting for us over the next 4 years, I would be happy to vote for her the next time the spot is available.

[Hutzpa]

23. I don't even want her near

the Senate Majority because she will have powers to
sabotage the new President when it comes to passing
of Bills, she has shown too much for us not to trust
her judgment and decision making.

[roguevalley]

24. I have a feeling the senate is going to be a very lonely place for her.

[AllentownJake]

26. It all depends on

what she does in June, July, and August.

If she goes out campaigning for him hard all will be forgiven. If she doesn't than she will have few friends and few democratic co-sponsors on bills for a year or two and than things will be forgiven.

[TLM]

29. She'll be lucky to hold on to her senate seat..... even if she campaigns for Obama.

[Zhade]

37. I'm glad simply because she's completing the job of destroying herself and her undeserved "legacy".

NT!

[Yukari Yakumo]

42. Uhhmmm....

collect as many delegates as possible. Even if she does not reach the magic number needed for the nomination, her delegate count will prove that she has widespread support among voters. That will give her some leverage in the decisions made during the next convention, from the Democratic nominee for VP to what's on the platform.

Ummm... no. W/O a majority of delegates, she'll have little leverage at all.

her high delegate count will help her wield more power in the senate. Altho' many of her colleagues have backed Obama, that does not mean that they will reject her leadership in the Senate. If anything at all, this primary will make her even more powerful because she's had very significant backing, as a presidential candidate, from voters.

I'm pretty sure many of her colleagues in the Senate really do not like her now, especially for the tactics she's been using.

her future prospects to run for president are greatly enhanced. Obama will win, serve 8 years in the White House, and there's no reason why we can't have another Democratic administration. Hillary will be well-positioned to run at that point.

She'll be ancient history in 8 years. Should Obama lose, her career ends too.

Her strong showing during the primaries will give her a lot of influence over what goes on at the DNC and DLC

Hardly. While she's still the DLC darling, their influence over the DNC has unraveled. Plus many in the DNC do not like her.

When she advocates for a cause in public, people will listen because they'll remember her tenacious fight during the 2008 elections.

Like her race-baiting? Or her dismissal of the "little people" (er, states)? If anything, she'll be remembered for her arrogance.

[Why Syzygy]

45. I think she will give up politics. She still has the "first woman" legacy. She'll bank it.

[ccharles000]

27. Hillary is resilient and no matter what happens she will do great things.

[hendo]

30. I hope for her sake, that you are right about that.

Honestly though, at this point I just wish she would go away.

[TexasObserver]

31. "speaking to a group in which reporters outnumbered supporters by at least 3 to 1."

It's OVER.

[anigbrowl]

39. Yeah, that was the line that brought me up short.

Thing is, you know those reporters talk among themselves about being out of an assignment soon - they won't be able to keep traveling around unless they can somehow attach themselves to the Obama or McCain campaigns, but their colleagues have got their first. So they won't be riding the GE rollercoaster around the country or seeing their photos and articles reprinted endlessly for the next 6 months (or collect syndication fees).

And while they sit at the back of the plane/ bus/ conference hall, those whispers always travel farther than people think. So this is how it ends. Kinda sad.

[TexasObserver]

41. it's like in a hospital where the staff knows a patient is dying, but the family has yet to see it

The journalists on the Clinton Campaign can see it is over, but the Hillary supporters may not be there yet.

[Why Syzygy]

46. Almost two months ago, Slate started their

Hillary campaign "deathwatch".

http://www.slate.com/id/2187558/

http://www.slate.com/id/3944/cp/2162248/

[TexasObserver]

47. the deathwatch has her chances at 1.7%! That seems HIGH.

[ruby slippers]

50. hah, and at the Obama fundraiser in Maitland Wed. the press isn't even allowed in....

no room for them....

[boppers]

40. Thermopylae. 300 Spartans.

In some cultures, the dignity of a fighter, a warrior, is based on if they go down fighting.

Concession only brings shame.

Right now, Hillary is fighting "in the shade".

Obama is mustering the forces across the states/nations.

In some poetic sense, it seems almost too good to be true.

[FlaGranny]

43. Whenever I've felt sorry for Ms. Clinton

she comes up with something that makes me sorry that I was sorry for her. And, yes, this story makes me feel sorry for her again. I just can't help it. She has worked hard and deserves respect for that. But she is responsible for many of her followers still believing she has a chance. Whenever her staff comes out with off-the-wall popular vote comments and "anything can happen" comments her supporters get their false hopes reinforced and so it continues.

[Why Syzygy]

48. Me too.

The delusion isn't so annoying. She is still trying to say that she's better off with six people at a table rather than say, Obama with a 75,000 crowd. Truly pitiful.

[ruby slippers]

49. there is hope....no pun intended....that she is starting to think she

would settle for VP. At least that is a sign she is ready to recognize defeat and accept reality. Now, what will she do if she isn't offerred the spot?