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Bill Clinton's Specious Arguments in Hillary's Support

Today, Bill Clinton claimed there has been a "cover-up" of Hillary's chance of winning key states in November, and claims that "she is winning the general election today, and he is not, according to all the evidence." (Quote from CNN.com)
At RealClearPolitics.com, on just the first page of their "latest polls" page, four national polls are shown comparing Obama and Clinton running against McCain. Two show Obama doing better than Clinton, by 6% and 10% respectively, and two show Clinton doing better by 2% and 4% respectively. What "evidence" is Bill talking about? 
And how much do polls mean 5 months before an election? Someone should remind Bill that 5 months before the Democratic primary, Hillary was far ahead in all polls and was considered the presumptive nominee. What happened to her, and couldn't the same thing happen to her again?
Bill argues that because Hillary defeated Obama in several large swing states, Obama would lose those states in November. Polls listed at the above web site in the past three days show Obama winning in PA, OH and CA. Obviously most Democrats will line up behind Obama in the general election. Five months is a long time for this charismatic, articulate man to win the hearts and minds of voters, even those blue collar Appalachian whites of whose support Hillary brags. 
This primary is not over. Whatever the decision of the Credentials Committee next Saturday about the delegations from FL and MI, Hillary can appeal to the Rules Committee that meets at the end of June. The Rules Committee comprises at least 50% her supporters.
Bill is laying the groundwork for continuing Hillary's campaign to the convention by claiming that "It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully these superdelegates to come out". Superdelegates are not pledged; they can change their endorsement any time up until they cast their votes at the convention. Even if a large number of uncommitteds endorse Obama in the next two weeks, the Clintons will claim that these superdelegates were "bullied", and will argue that they should have time to change their minds (i.e., until the convention in August). They will argue that there should be no rush to judgement, it is good for the party for the supers to have time to think it all over. Meanwhile they will continue to agitate over the FL and MI issue, citing voting rights, Zimbabwe, slavery, as they have already done.
It is getting harder to imagine that Hillary Clinton will ever concede this nomination. Only forceful action by the party leadership and the superdelegates can end this destructive tragedy of the unmaking of Hillary Clinton.


Comments (16)

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Sorry I'm finding it hard to follow your logic: you say: "Superdelegates are not pledged; they can change their endorsement any time up until they cast their votes at the convention. Even if a large number of uncommitteds endorse Obama in the next two weeks, the Clintons will claim that these superdelegates were "bullied", and will argue that they should have time to change their minds.."
You follow this with "Only forceful action by the party leadership and the superdelegates can end this destructive tragedy of the unmaking of Hillary Clinton..." when you've just seemed to argue that nothing the superdelegates can do will make any difference.

Where are you going with this? What is it you're envisaging that could be definitive?

With regard to Bill's carrying on about the media, it just goes to show how all over the place the Clintons are now. It wasn't so long ago, after the Philadelphia debate, that he was triumphantly citing Obama supporters' complaining about ABC and saying that this was a `contact sport` and her surrogates were trumpeting all over the media that Obama was now a wimp.

The Clintons' campaigning now has descended to the level of unadulterated farce - likening a party rule disagreement to Zimbabwe, abolitionism. That has to be as clear as day to the superdelegates. And you can be sure that the rules committee will not have appreciated any of it. Brazille, who has always been immaculate in portraying both sides of the campaigning perspective - sticking up for *both* candidates -
actually said publicly `I'm numb` after this latest RFK gaffe.

Have some confidence: the Clintons' nuclear options are harming them far more than Obama now.

By forceful action by the party leadership, I mean something like all superdelegates switching to endorsing Obama, and effectively isolating Clinton so that even she (and Bill) see that it is over. If that is possible.

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Oh right.
I shouldn't think it is possible. At least not until all the primaries and the rule seating thing are settled. I don't think any of us should underestimate the level and strength of her support.
It's as real as Obama's. sigh

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Forget your elaborately concocted grievances against Hillary. Aren't you even a tiny bit frustrated with Obama for failing to close the deal after all this time? Never mind. The question was rhetorical. You should be, but you've heaped all that pent up anger on top of what you already felt for Clinton.

I'd rather back the candidate who can't close the deal, than the candidate who squandered such huge advantages and now can't even catch up to the candidate who can't close the deal.

Otto,

How frustrated are you that Hillary is behind the nominee who can't "close the deal"?

Let's not forget that this "closing the deal" talking point generated from the Hillary campaign hoping to hide the fact that way back in February Obama had taken the lead, in such a way that she was always going to be the loser, the one who doesn't get the nomination, the one who "can't close the deal"...

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Otto, don't you ever have anything to say besides this kind of whiney crap? Obama has mounted a challenge that, by definition, has become more and more successful, and what's Clinton done? Obama started at a disadvantage, and he's been "closing the deal" a bit at a time, ever since; she started with every advantage in the world, and blew them all. She opened her mouth and inserted her foot way to often to remain competitive. Think of it as political natural selection.

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Why are you suggesting that he can't close the deal. If what is being said by all not associated with the HRC campaign were to be true, then I would contest that he has closed the deal.

Through his actions over the course of the last few weeks; his choice of campaign stops, targets and topics of discussion, Obama has shifted to the GE. He has been careful not to offend the hyper-sensitive Clinton following who somehow feel aggrieved.

He has effectively told her, 'I'm out a here, shut off the lights and close the door on your way out!'

You wrote this long post on Bill's thinking?

No wonder it's busted.

"Only forceful action by the party leadership and the superdelegates can end this destructive tragedy of the unmaking of Hillary Clinton."

I have a novel suggestion - they can call a convention, get all the superdelegates and delegates in a room, and show Hillary who has the majority. Forceful enough? Think it'll work?

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Yes and here's another novel suggestion - The Clintons can cause the party to lose the GE by taking this battle at the convention.

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Probably not; she'll still be running on inauguration day whether it's Obama or McSame.

Remember when Hillary/Edwards whispered/conspired to get Kuciniched "pushed out" of the debates? Here's a great video reliving this "cover up." They ever shake hands right after the duplicity...:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLT4wa0qmzM

"Hillary and Edwards Conspire to Edge Out Dem Candidates"

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I personally guarantee that Barack Obama will win the Democratic nomination.

There. Can we stop talking about her now?

Eugene Robinson wrote a wonderful op-ed piece in this morning's Washington Post about what has happened to Hillary's campaign. It really says it all.

It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully these superdelegates to come out

Because of course placing pressure on or attempting to influence superdelegates has at no point been a part of the Clinton campaign strategy?

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