Dems Wary Of Prolonged Primary Ordeal

Washington Post: Leaders To Seek Quick End After June Primaries To Avoid Further Damage

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Dan Balz and Perry Bacon Jr..

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Democratic leaders resigned themselves yesterday to a prolonged and potentially damaging battle between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama for their party's presidential nomination, but said they will push for a quick conclusion to the warfare once the primaries end in early June.

Clinton's victory in Pennsylvania on Tuesday stilled talk that she should consider quitting the race before the end of the primaries because of Obama's significant advantage in pledged delegates. But party leaders were split about the potential consequences of six more weeks of tough campaigning.

"What happened yesterday was what a lot of us were afraid would happen," Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said. "There is no clear resolution. She did a little better than expected, but they're still standing there, slugging it out. Everybody's getting bloody and there's no knockouts. It helps prolong that."

Party leaders expressed concern that, as Clinton and Obama continue to focus on each other, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the presumed Republican nominee, is getting a free ride as he reintroduces himself around the country and begins laying out his platform for the general election.

But Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he is "less concerned than a lot of Democrats" about the consequences of the nominating contest, noting that the primaries are drawing hundreds of thousands of new voters to the party rolls and that in 60 days, that will be more important than the combat between Clinton and Obama.

Dean echoed the view that Clinton's 10-percentage-point victory in Pennsylvania, which matched her victory margin in Ohio last month, earned her the right to press ahead with her underdog candidacy. "I think she certainly has a lot to be proud of," he said. "I wouldn't think anybody would drop out at this point, nor have I ever suggested anyone should."

Rep. Brad Miller (N.C.), an uncommitted superdelegate, agreed. "I'm not going to tell her to drop out," he said. "I wouldn't tell someone that just won a major primary by 10 points to drop out."

But Dean also reiterated his call for uncommitted superdelegates to move quickly once the primaries are over to declare their allegiance and end the Clinton-Obama contest before it damages the party's chance of winning the White House in November. "We'd like to know who the nominee is by the end of June," he said.

Bredesen, who had proposed that superdelegates convene in June to express their preferences, said party leaders have an obligation to force some kind of action in June.

"The time is coming when the Democratic Party steps up and exercises leadership to resolve this issue," he said. But he added pointedly, "I just don't think hope can be the entire strategy."

Tuesday's results, while not unexpected, set off another intraparty debate over the state of the race. Strategist Tad Devine, who played top roles in the past two Democratic presidential campaigns, called Clinton's Pennsylvania victory "impressive" and added, "I never thought it was over, but now I think she has more of a chance than she did two weeks ago."

Rep. Artur Davis (Ala.), an Obama supporter, echoed the Obama campaign' analysis of the impact of Pennsylvania. "I don't think the race has fundamentally changed," he said. "He still has a notable lead in delegates, the popular vote, national polling and the money race."

The Clinton campaign disputed who leads in the popular vote, noting that if the unsanctioned primaries in Michigan and Florida were included, Clinton would have edged ahead in popular votes. But Obama loyalists accuse her of playing loose with the facts, noting that Obama had taken his name off the ballot in Michigan and that neither candidate ran a real campaign in Florida.

Obama supporters stopped short of calling on Clinton to quit the race, but warned against campaign tactics that leave the party weaker and made it clear that they think she has little chance of winning the nomination.

"That is such an intensely personal decision that it is something she needs to decide," Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said when asked whether she would now urge the New York senator to get out. "I do hope that, as they keep campaigning, that everybody realizes that at the end it's not only for the nomination, it's for the presidency. Everything that is being said and done now is going to be fodder for the fall, and we need to keep our eye on the White House."

Asked whether Obama was being hurt by the continuation of the race, she replied, "I think he's not being helped."

But Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, another Obama supporter, said the negativity of the contest may strengthen the senator from Illinois if he is the party's nominee.

"It's probably good to have this negative stuff coming at him now, because he probably was going to get it in the fall," Doyle said. He added, "It would be better for him to move on and get focused on Senator McCain, but this process is probably helpful to him."

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who also backs Obama, said Clinton's timetable "is up to her," but added that she hopes to see a nominee crowned sooner rather than later. "I do think that this [Obama's nomination] is inevitable, that the last best chance [for Clinton] to close the pledged delegate gap was in Pennsylvania and that wasn't done."

But Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, a key Clinton supporter, argued that nothing is inevitable at this point, given that Obama cannot obtain a majority of delegates without the help of uncommitted superdelegates. "It's clear that Senator Clinton is the best standard-bearer for us in the fall, and superdelegates need to take a deep breath and think about that," he told reporters.

Don Fowler, a former DNC chairman and a Clinton supporter, dismissed suggestions that Democratic superdelegates are worried about the potential damage of a prolonged nomination battle. "I don't call 15 superdelegates every day and talk to them, but the ones I know are quite content to let things drift along," he said. "The people who are truly undecided, they're just waiting to get a signal."

Fowler, however, said Clinton needs a strong performance on May 6 to keep her hopes alive. "She has to win Indiana and has to at least come very close in North Carolina," he said.

Former congressman Harold E. Ford Jr. (Tenn.), who chairs the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, said he thinks that, after Pennsylvania, the onus will be on Obama to bounce back. "He's got to win Indiana now," said Ford, who has not endorsed a candidate. "He's got to quiet those who believe he has problems winning over blue-collar voters. I don't believe that is actually real . . . but in this business, perception late in the game is very important. So he's got to perform well in Indiana."

Obama said yesterday that he has gained ground among white, working-class voters in Pennsylvania since the March 4 Ohio primary. But exit polls dispute that. He lost white voters without college degrees by 44 points in Ohio and 40 points in Pennsylvania. He also lost ground with another important constituency, white Roman Catholics, who are a sizable bloc in many of the industrial states in the East and Midwest. He lost them by 31 points in Ohio and 44 points in Pennsylvania.

Obama picked up the support of two Democratic superdelegates yesterday, while Clinton gained one more. Overall, he leads the delegate race with 1,723 to her 1,592, according to the Associated Press. Clinton leads among superdelegates 259 to 235, a ratio that has been steadily shrinking over the past six weeks. (Click here for the CBS News state-by-state tally.)

[hungry1968]

Of course there will be one...let''''s see what happens with Florida and Michigan...
BUT menawhile, McCain is gaining territory ...voters!
and we''''ll see how united the party/voters end up after the decision

Posted by factsearcher at 10:30 AM : Apr 25, 2008





Florida and Michigan are already settled. They''re dead and their votes don''t count - Hillary already agreed to that. What do you mean "let''s see what happens"?

How many voters do you think McSame gathered up yesterday, when he voted against the Equal Pay Bill? You know - the bill that hurts women and minorities?

[factsearcher]

There will be a clear winner.
Posted by hungry1968

Of course there will be one...let''s see what happens with Florida and Michigan...
BUT menawhile, McCain is gaining territory ...voters!
and we''ll see how united the party/voters end up after the decision

why can''t we adopt the uk style of campaining and make it last for only 3 months and not 3 years (sic).

[hungry1968]

The point of a nomination process is to come out with a clear winner, behind whom everybody in the party can enthusiastically unite, in order to beat the nominee of the other party in November. "

Posted by factsearcher at 09:58 AM : Apr 25, 2008





There will be a clear winner.

What are you talking about?

[hungry1968]

Posted by andylance1 at 09:54 AM : Apr 25, 2008




Uh huh.

Let me spell it out for you.

Obama is winning right now by 151 delegates.

There are 408 delegates still up for grabs.

To overcome the 151 delegates, she needs to win 355-to-53 JUST TO TIE.

In Florida, she "won" 105 delegates, and he "won" 67 - a spread of 38 in her favor.

Even if Florida IS COUNTED (which it won''t be), that would make it 317-to-91 that she needs to TIE from here on out. That means that she needs to win the REST OF THE PRIMARIES by 72% or more - IF THEY COUNT FLORIDA (which they won''t), or 87% if they don''t.

He''s supposed to OUTRIGHT win OR and NC, and even if they SPLIT those two states 50/50, that will give him 83 FROM JUST THOSE TWO states. In short, she has NEAR INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS to win - even counting Florida.

AND if she does lose AFTER COUNTING Florida, the super delegates won''t be able to over turn the will of the people, without a major uprising on their hands.

[factsearcher]

"Trying to be exquisitely %u201Cfair%u201D and managerial, the Democrats forgot one thing. The point of a nomination process is to come out with a clear winner, behind whom everybody in the party can enthusiastically unite, in order to beat the nominee of the other party in November. "

[andylance1]

The great Tar Heel state of NC is going to have the honor and distinction as being the decider between Hillary and Obama. This is it! Southern state with large black population. If Obama can''''t win here he can''''t win anywhere.

Clinton to her supporters:

We shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender.

Poor Obama is toast.
If not in Denver
In November...

[hungry1968]

The Tar Heel state of NC is going to have the distinction as being the decider between Hillary and Obama. This is it! Southern state with large black population. If Obama can''''t win here he can''''t win anywhere.

Posted by andylance1 at 07:51 AM : Apr 25, 2008





He''s already won 27 states, has 500,000 more popular votes, and 151 more pledged delegates.

????

Do you know what you''re talking about?

[hungry1968]

And the DEMS want to leave IRAQ. Check out this link from FOXNEWS:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0
,2933,352543,00.html

Posted by kmccliment at 04:16 AM : Apr 25, 2008





Would you like to place a bet that the "insurgents" in Iraq have more American made weapons, than they do Iranian made weapons?

Would you also like to mention that when S. Hussein was in charge that weapons from Iran were not used by "insurgents" in Iraq, and can only do it now because of George Bush?

[jockh]

Hillary lies again.

The Federal Election Commission has just reported that her campaign debt is $15 million and not $10 million as the Clinton camp reported because she failed to list her $5 million loan among the debts.

This means that even after her new surge of fundraising, she is still $5 million in debt; but Hillary is still smiling; why? Because she knows that her $110 million fortune is nice and safe. It%u2019s the ordinary person on the street who is tricked into losing money on a campaign that is doomed to fail.

Mitt Romney put $42 million of his own money into his campaign, why doesn%u2019t Hillary show she has complete confidence in her campaign and put in some of her own millions. Why? Because she knows it%u2019s a lost cause.

Those of you who are fooled into contributing to her campaign ask yourself why she LOANS her own money but wants you to GIVE your money?

[blackspirit3]

TO ALL THE WHITE FOLKS WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, WHO WS NEVER EVER GONNA VOTE FOR HIM AS A RESULT OF HIM BEING BLACK, PLEASE BE MAN OR WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. DON''T HIDE YOUR RACISM BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS. IF REV WRIGHT NEVER EXISTED YOU WOULD NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA. BE MAN ENOUGH AND WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. IF HILLARY WAS A BLACK WOMEN WHITE WOMEN WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER, ADMIT THAT AS WELL. MANY AMERICAN WHITES STILL HARBOUR ILL WILL AND FEELINGS TOWARDS AFRICAN AMERICANS PERIOD. HIDING YOUR HATRED FOR OBAMA BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS IS WHAT COWARDS DO. BE WHO YOU ARE AND STOP FRONTIN AND DUCKIN AND DODGING AND COMING UP WITH FICTICIOUS REASONS FOR WHY YOU WON''T EVER VOTE FOR A BLACK CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT. BE HONEST FOR A CHANGE. IF OBAMA CHANGE DON''T WORK FOR YOU, AT LEAST COME TO THE TABLE HONESTLY. FOR A CHANGE

[craigh9]

As the detail of Pennsylvania comes to an end some reports have Hillary gaining as little as 1 delegate.
You''ll also note the deafening silence of the superdelegates that were suppose to run to her support after such a "HUGE" victory in Penn.
Everything is substanially the same as it was on Monday - except there is one less state still holding a primary making it just that much tougher for Hillary to gain any ground.
This will all be over on 5/6/08, the superdelegates are just waiting for the right time to jump onto the Obama bandwagon and that will be when he wins NC convincingly and Indiana by a small margin.

[obama8years]

Obama will bring the worse racism alive and divide the country like never before.

Here is just one of the reasons of many:

The minute Obama is scrutinized as president, the left will call it racism. Until the Race Card is Buried , I dont think there will be a black president.

[andylance1]

The Tar Heel state of NC is going to have the distinction as being the decider between Hillary and Obama. This is it! Southern state with large black population. If Obama can''t win here he can''t win anywhere.

Clinton to her supporters:

We shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender.

Poor Obama is toast.

[jockh]

Hillary lies again.

The Federal Election Commission has just reported that her campaign debt is $15 million and not $10 million as the Clinton camp reported because she failed to list her $5 million loan among the debts.

This means that even after her new surge of fundraising, she is still $5 million in debt; but Hillary is still smiling; why? Because she knows that her $110 million fortune is nice and safe. It%u2019s the ordinary person on the street who is tricked into losing money on a campaign that is doomed to fail.

Mitt Romney put $42 million of his own money into his campaign, why doesn%u2019t Hillary show she has complete confidence in her campaign and put in some of her own millions. Why? Because she knows it%u2019s a lost cause.

Those of you who are fooled into contributing to her campaign ask yourself why she LOANS her own money but wants you to GIVE your money?

[kmccliment]

And the DEMS want to leave IRAQ. Check out this link from FOXNEWS:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352543,00.html

[bohemianmob]

McVet fell out of a helicopter in Vietnam and landed on his head, he suffers from delusions in which everyone is Adolph Hitler.

[bohemianmob]

Make the world a better place, punch mcvet in the face.

[r9119111]

I don''t even watch Commercial TV any more. I''m not voting for more of the same.

[trbundro1277]

Dream on. The relentless cynicism of Hillary, especially the image of the Evil Queen trampling on the hopes of a fresh new vision of the future in pursuit of her selfish ambition, will produce another generation of political apathy like the one that followed Chappaquiddick/Watergate.

The Age of Apathy was ended by the political division and polarization caused by one brash young candidate who boldly declared "I didn''''t inhale."

Morbid apathy was replaced by rabid partisan conflict - which has now brought us full circle to this period of utter disregard for anything but blind lust for power.

Idealistic young people will look at this and say "Why bother? There''''s nothing in politics but a crass grab for power. They don''''t care about us. They won''''t even TELL THE TRUTH."

At this point, the Democrats are making the Republicans look good in comparison. The Republicans could run a chihuaua and the chihuaua would have a 50-50 chance of winning. But they''''re not running a chihuaua after all, they''''re running JOHN MCCAIN.
*** I would take a chihuaua over Juan McCain any day of the week. Juan McCain is for amnesty for all mexican illegals, that reason alone makes me hate Juan McCain!