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1992 Flashback: "Superdelegates Have Doubts About Clinton"
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1DA133FF933A25757C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: The Front-Runner; Like Voters, Superdelegates Have Doubts About Clinton
By R. W. APPLE JR.,
Published: April 10, 1992
"The voters haven't embraced Clinton, so I don't see any reason why I should endorse him," Mr. Eckart said. "Look at the exit polls. People have terrible doubts about this guy, and we're talking about Democrats."
Eventually, most of the superdelegates are likely to back Mr. Clinton, if only because there is no place else for them to go. But they will do so "with extreme reluctance," one said, and the delay and the grudging spirit makes it harder for Mr. Clinton to move his campaign onto a higher plateau, free of character issues.
The Clinton campaign pointed out that Michael S. Dukakis was in much the same situation four years ago, and won easily on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention. But the reluctance in 1988 stemmed mainly from unwillingness to offend Jesse Jackson, who was still an active candidate; this year it stems largely from fears about Mr. Clinton's weakness, not from any fear of angering Edmund G. Brown Jr., Mr. Clinton's only active rival. 'Clinton May Self-Destruct'
So the party insiders and talking heads are as prescient as ever! The only really winning Democrat in memory, and they had "big doubts". Sound familiar?
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Comments (27)
Haha this is a good find. Great job!
April 24, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great find.
April 24, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent research. How can you get this out beyond TPM? This deserves to be in the hands of every political journalist in the country.
April 24, 2008 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like to think Obama's campaign has someone keeping an eye on this place. I'm sure Hillary's does.
April 24, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wish I knew!
April 24, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Man, what an excellent find!
April 24, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hell, McCain's a moron if *he* doesn't have someone watching this place. Seems like something you neglect if you don't want to win.
April 24, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the name.
April 24, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
And email it to Olbermann and Sullivan.
andrew@theatlantic.com
countdown@msnbc.com
Couldn't hurt.
April 24, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
In defense of the 1992 supers (I can't believe I just wrote that), Clinton could only muster 43% of the popular vote that election -- if Perot wasn't in the picture Bill may actually have been to weak to win.
April 24, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
If they had doubts about the brilliant Clinton back then, just imagine their doubts about the nutcase Clinton now.
April 24, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
brilliant.
April 24, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is great.
Obama kind of started running as Bill Clinton against her in Pa, since she started running as a cross between Pat Buchanan and George Bush.
This is just perfect - Bill's like the Bible - you can find something he said or that was said about him to fit just about any situation.
LOLOLOL!!!!
April 24, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
God, that article is pure gold. A little further down:
April 24, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is another article from R.W. Apple a day earlier. Even though that election was not nearly as close the arguments for how everything should be decided (and whether the losing candidate should fight on) are remarkably similar.
Here is Jerry Brown explaining why he was fighting on despite the fact that he was completely unlikely to win:
Here is Brown on how he can win:
And here is Bill Clinton, sounding positive Obamian on why there were lingering concerns that he would not be able to win the general election:
April 24, 2008 7:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's eerie.
April 24, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just gave you a hat tip on my blog. Very nice catch, my friend.
April 24, 2008 8:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very cool. Thanks for the hat tip!
April 25, 2008 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
HusseinTenaX there you are, welcome back, set these people straight.
LoLoLoL
Someone said "lotsofluckofluckofluck'
April 24, 2008 9:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, well - what are you supposed to do when there aren't any emoticons?
LOLOLOL!!!
April 24, 2008 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow - great find. I would e-mail this to the Obama campaign, or to the Jed Report: http://www.obamaiswinning.com/
Excellent work.
April 24, 2008 10:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
And, let me just say, that this is why Hillary is so desperate and getting so nasty and down-in-the-mud dirty. She sees the writing on the wall - it happened exactly the same way for her own husband!!! Must suck for her right now! There's historical precedent for Obama getting the nomination!
April 24, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's been so damn bizarre, though, Carol, watching her campaign in opposition to everything Bill campaigned on.
April 24, 2008 10:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
He wouldn't have won.
April 24, 2008 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This post is good stuff.
April 25, 2008 5:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've reposed it, with the link back to this blog, to the MySpace Bulletin site. I've already received it back TWICE and I only posted it within the half hour. There are a lot of people there with media contacts. Let's hope someone can find a way of getting it covered by the media.
April 25, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Many thanks!
April 25, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
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