Hillary Clinton: The Game Isn't Over
After Her W.Va. Win, Sen. Clinton Weighs Her Chances At Winning The Nomination
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Photo
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to Katie Couric Wednesday, May 14, 2008. (CBS)
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Photo Essay
Hillary Clinton
A look at a life and career full of firsts.
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Photo Essay
Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Democratic Senator from New York and former first lady sets her sights on the White House.
Katie Couric: Sen. Clinton, you had an impressive victory yesterday in West Virginia. But, according to our polls, an overwhelming number of your supporters in that state, 73 percent, said they would not be satisfied with Barack Obama with the Democratic nominee. Sixty-one (percent) of your supporters said the same thing after the Pennsylvania primary. Isn't that evidenced that, by staying in this race, you are dividing the party?
Hillary Clinton: No, not at all. I mean, a primary always creates passionate feelings in supporters. My opponents have a lot of supporters who say the same thing, obviously. But once we have a nominee, which we don't yet have, we'll have a unified Democratic party.
And I'm gonna work my heart out to make sure we elected a Democratic president. I will make the strongest possible argument that anyone who voted for me or voted for Sen. Obama has much more in common than they do with Sen. McCain and the Republicans.
We cannot afford four more years of these failed Republican policies. And the only way we'll replace them, since, I'm sorry to say, appears Sen. McCain is offering more of the same, is by electing a Democratic. So I'm confident we'll have a unified party, we'll make a strong case, and will be victorious in November.
Couric: Yet, nearly a third of your supporters in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania said if you are not the nominee they will vote for John McCain in November. So do you think staying in this race helped John McCain the most?
Clinton: No, not at all. In fact, I believe it would hurt our eventual nominee if it is not me, if I were to get out of this race before everyone's had a chance to vote. Because it would appear as though I had been somehow pushed out. People had been deprived their right to vote.
We will finish this process. We will finish the elections that are still to come. We will seat the Michigan and Florida delegates, I hope, by May 31st. And then we'll have a nominee, or very close to it, and we'll know who the nominee is. And I will be in a very strong position, as will Sen. Obama, to make the case that we fought a hard fight, everybody participated, now it's time to coalesce behind our nominee. And I think we'll get a lot of people to agree with that.
Couric: So that one third number, nearly one third number of people who voted for you in West Virginia and Pennsylvania saying they would rather have John McCain in November than Barack Obama, it doesn't trouble you?
Clinton: No, because there are a lot of Sen. Obama's supporters, if you go back and look at polling, who say the same thing. That they won't vote. They'll stay home. I that's the heat of the primary speaking. And that's what happens in the primary.
But this has been a very positive and civil primary election process. And I am absolutely confident that once we have a nominee both Sen. Obama and I are gonna work as hard as we can to make the case to our supporters that they should support the nominee so we can have a Democratic president.
Couric: You have the support of blue-collar white voters. But you only get about eight percent of African-American voters. And that's usually, as you know Sen. Clinton, what Republicans get. What do you think is behind this racial divide?
Clinton: Oh, I think its pride. I think its excitement. I absolutely understand and respect that. But once we get to November, my supporters, his supporters, no matter who they are, are gonna take a hard look at John McCain in the course of the campaign and realize this is someone who didn't support Dr. Martin Luther King holiday.
This is someone who has supported President Bush down the line on so many of the issues that really matter to people no matter who they are and where they live. We're gonna make a very strong case why our Democratic nominee should attract every single one of the 34 million people who have voted for us.
I've received nearly 17 million, Sen. Obama's received nearly 17 million; I'm slightly ahead. Those 34 million people, they will end up voting for the Democrat because there is no reason why they should want to continue the failed policies of George Bush.
Couric: When you give those numbers you're including Florida and Michigan?
Clinton: Of course. Because those were legitimate certified elections that were legal and valid, and people actually exercised their right to vote. The only dispute is how do they get the delegates out of those votes?
Couric: And I've raised this with you before, Sen. Clinton, but Barack Obama's name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan.
Clinton: Well, that was his choice. He didn't have to take his name off. There was no rule requiring that he took his name off. But he did run, along with his supporters, a very vigorous campaign to get people to vote uncommitted. So he had a presence there, even though his name wasn't on the ballot.
Couric: A lot of people were struck last week when you noted that you had won the support of hard working Americans, white Americans. Using those words, do you think that was dangerously close to playing the reverse race card?
Clinton: No, not at all. I was just referring to an AP article. You know, people have voted for me because they believe I'd be a better fighter and a better champion. They believe I would fight for universal healthcare. That I'd make college affordable.
That I'd try to do something about these outrageous gas prices. That I have a real plan to get out of Iraq. So I think that, you know, there is no doubt that we've had a wonderful, incredibly historic campaign. Obviously, race and gender are part of it, because of who the candidates are. But people have been voting based on who they thought would be the better president and the stronger candidate against Sen. McCain.
Couric: But do you think using the phrase "white Americans" was loaded and possibly polarizing? Do you regret it at all?
Clinton: Well, I just was quoting from an article. And obviously, if it gave any pause to anyone then I regret that. But it was, you know, it was just an article that had been written, not by me, but by an objective news service. But this has been an incredibly positive and civil campaign.
And we've brought so many new people into the process that I think, you know, once we get to a nomination we're going to close ranks behind our nominee. And all voters from every part of our country are going to recognize that we must elect a Democratic president.
Couric: If Barack Obama declares victory, Senator Clinton, once he reaches that magic number of 20 25, will you still hold out if Florida and Michigan have not been counted?
Clinton: Absolutely. Because that's not the right number. How can we have a nominee based on 48 states? Especially two states that are so critically important to the Democratic chances in the fall. I think that would be a mistake. We're gonna finish this process in three weeks.
I just think everybody ought to take a deep breath. We're going to, by June 3rd, have all the remaining primaries. We'll have the Democratic National Committee making a decision about Florida and Michigan. And then we will be able to look at where each of us stands. And that's what I think is the proper way to proceed.
Couric: Can you lay out for me, right now, Senator Clinton, the scenario where, over the next several weeks, you get enough delegates to win this nomination?
Clinton: Certainly. I think that we'll do well in these upcoming contests. I think we will get delegates out of Florida and Michigan. I think the super delegates are not bound to support anyone. They don't have to stay with any person. They can make a decision today and change it tomorrow.
And their job, according to the rules of the DNC, is to exercise independent judgment to determine who would be the best president, and who would be the better, stronger candidate against John McCain. And I think I have a stronger case. I think at the end of this process that case will be self evident and we'll see what happens.
Couric: But national polls show you and Sen. Obama doing equally well against Sen. McCain. So why do you continue to insist that you are, in fact, more electable?
Clinton: Well, those are national polls. But if you look at state-by-state polls, which is, after all, how we conduct national elections, because you have to get to 270 electoral votes, I've won states with more than 298 electoral votes. Sen. Obama has won states with 217 electoral votes.
Now, some of the states I've won, like Texas and Oklahoma and Indiana are long shots to be in the Democratic column. But many of the states he's won, like Alaska and Idaho and Utah and Nebraska and Kansas are also very long shots. And I am closer, if you look at the electoral map, in fact, if we had the same rules as the Republicans have, I would be the Republican nominee right now.
And I think it's time people start looking at the electoral map. I know one of the news channels had an electoral map during their coverage last night. And … it's a pretty convincing story. I've carried the big states. I've carried the swing states. I've carried the states a Democrat has to carry in order to win.
Couric: After your victory in Pennsylvania, you mentioned super delegates a minute ago, after your victory in Pennsylvania, Barack Obama won, so far, the commitment of 57 super delegates. You've netted 15. Aren't things trending his way in the super delegate department?
Clinton: Well, I think we both have been picking up super delegates. I think that will continue. But I go back …
Couric: But he's gotten 57, Senator, and you've gotten 15.
Clinton: Well, but I go back to the basic point. The game isn't over. The elections aren't over. No buzzer has sounded. We have to get to 2,210 delegates and then we'll have a nominee. And, until we get there, we're not likely to know who that nominee will be.
Couric: Can you just help me understand, and perhaps viewers as well, I thought the reason Michigan and Florida weren't being counted was because they defied the DNC calendar.
Clinton: Well, they did, but so did other states. And the other states didn't face any kind of penalty. And that's the argument that is being made by, obviously, people from Michigan and Florida. Who are pointing out that if the DNC rules are to be applied evenly then other states would have also been penalized?
The Republicans faced the same dilemma. They quickly disposed of it. They decided to award 51 percent … delegates. They went on. We haven't made a decision yet. But we certainly must make a decision. And that decision, I hope, will be made on May 31st.
Couric: Your campaign is … $20 million in debt. With five more contests to go where will you get the money?
Clinton: Oh, well, we're getting contributions as we speak. People have been incredibly generous. You know, I have raised more money than anyone ever running in a primary election, except for my opponent. We both have been just breaking every fundraising record there is.
But he has out spent me two, three, sometimes four to one. In order to compete in the contests that we've had, I've had to lend my campaign money. And, obviously, we're going to, you know, continue to ask our supporters to go to my website, HillaryClinton.com, contribute to make sure this campaign is able to compete in the upcoming contest. And I expect to be the nominee and we'll take care of whatever obligations we have. And I'm someone who always takes care of my obligations. And that is something that I will certainly intend to do.
Couric: So, today, as we speak, you still expect to be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States?
Clinton: I do. I absolutely do expect to be the nominee.
Couric: And, if that doesn't happen, when will you know, in your heart of hearts, it's time to say, "I gave it my best shot, but I'm bowing out gracefully?"
Clinton: That is something that, if we come to it, I will certainly know. But we're not there yet.
Couric: I know you said you're not going to think about this until the time comes, but … I always ask you questions you're not ready to answer; (laughter) so today is no different. A lot of your supporters, including Ed Rendell, for example, governor of Pennsylvania, and a lot of Barack Obama's supporters, really want you to consider taking the number two spot on the ticket. Will you, today, rule that out if Barack Obama is the nominee?
Clinton: You know, Katie, I have said I will do whatever I'm asked and whatever I can do to make sure we win November. But it presumptuous and premature for either one of us to be talking about that kind of decision. It has to be considered once we have a nominee. Which I'm sure it will be. But I'm gonna work my heart out. I will do whatever I can to make sure we win the White House.
Couric: So is the translation of that somewhat circumlocutions answer I'm open to it?
Clinton: Well, I'm not entertaining it. It's just not even anything I'm entertaining right now.
Couric: And, finally, most games have the opportunity, Senator, to do a "do-over." Your husband knows about this well on the golf course. Looking back on your campaign, if you had just one "do-over," what would it be?
Clinton: Katie, I haven't had time to think about that.
Couric: Oh, come on Sen. Clinton.
Clinton: No … I mean, someday I'll be happy to talk to you about that. Maybe we'll do an interview in the White House. But right now I'm just too focused on today and tomorrow. I don't have time or energy to look backwards. I'm thrilled by my big win in West Virginia. And I'm looking forward to the upcoming contest.
Couric: So if there's one do over you're not willing to talk about it publicly at this juncture.
Clinton: I don't have the time or the energy to think about it. I've gotta keep focused on the future.
Couric: Sen. Hillary Clinton, thank you very much for your time.
Clinton: Thank you. It's great always talking to you, Katie.
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See all 466 CommentsI will never accept Hellary Clinton as my president! It is my humble opinion, that if she were to manage to win, it would be putting a SheSatan in the White House.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ATLAHWorldwide
Another must see for Hussein Obama supporters!
http://www.eyeblast.tv/Public/Video.aspx?rsrcID=2036
Hillary ... the "game" has been over for quite some time - despite whatever minor ebb and flow you tout as evidence to the contrary.
The "game" continues, as it does, because the press continues to need something to chat about. That''s the product they sell. Just the way it is.
Oh, and your statement that you "don''t believe in quitting" only raises more concern ... only fools do not know when to quit. Everyone has ... except the fool.
M
Curtain Time for Barack Obama - Part II
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_evelyn_p_080513_curtain_time_for_bar.htm
She doesn''t lead in ANY of the relevant categories, the rules WILL NOT be rewritten just because SHE says so, and soon it will be self-evident even to her!
Personally, I don''t believe she''d have a chance against McCain. The Reps hate her as a group, a third of Dems hate her, and probably half the independents at least! In spite of what polls say, in the end, the Reps would easily swift-boat her and combined with the number of people who hate her now---she''d LOSE!
Clinton: Of course. Because those were legitimate certified elections that were legal and valid.....
----
Hillary appears, anyway, to be completely ignorant of the fact that the primaries were voided because of the states defiance of the DNC.....
I can just see it: At the moment Barack begins taking the Oath of Office, Hillary will stand up with a bullhorn and start talking about hard working whites being the key to her path to victory. LOL!!
Hillary on June 4th if the voters have not been counted time for Bill to become ill until McCain is sworn in. See ya in 2012 okey dokey
Posted by honest_pols at 07:35 PM : May 14, 2008
Maybe you''d care to expound on this "Islamo-facsist" agenda that you referenced?
That is, assuming you understand the meaning of the word "expound"......
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=11332147
It is likely that within the next few weeks, many who were duped into supporting and into believing in the Hussein Obama phenomenon, will also come to realize that ANYONE BUT Hussein Obama and his destroy-America cohorts, should be elected to our highest office!
The timed release of clear and major corruption related directly to Hussein Obama, as well as exposing his Anti-America SECRET AGENDA will result in the coup de grace for Hussein Obama''s campaign.
-- Economist May 8th 2008
Their utterly deluded messages of hate and ignorance only help Obama, as the past three Congressional races have proven.
So please, you intellectual Gods, keep up the good work!! LOL!!
EXPOUNDING ON HUSSEIN OBAMA''s ANTI-AMERICA TIES AND THEREBY SUCH ANTI-AMERICA INFLUENCES
Hussein Obama has been cultivated by anti-America, anti-White views, ways of thinking and mindset, not only for an itsy bitsy period of time.
He has been trained, recruited, indoctrinated, and cultivated by well-known, anti-White, Anti-America, hostile ''elements'' for quite some time - real long-term, like some twenty years or more.
Must we be reminded of the Libya/Kaddafi thing, or the Louis Farrakhan thing, or the/his Chicago church thing, or the endorsement by Islamofascists, thing or the Ayers thing, or his wifey''s thing, or many more thingies that when put together, paints a fairly CONSISTENT, ANTI-AMERICA PICTURE - HUSSEIN OBAMA''S ANTI-AMERICA MIND AND THINKING.
Will you come to DC to ensure all related stories and details of the forgoing are fully considered and aired?
Their deluded messages of hate and ignorance are laughable, and the best part about it is, they''re actually help Obama; as the past three Congressional races have proven.
So please, you intellectual Gods, keep up the good work!! LOL!!
There is no way that any older white man or woman that doesn''t want him in office to be swayed.
It just won''t happen
Now that he has Reverend Wright staining him along with Rezko, William Ayers and Farrakhan as his mentors and co workers. There is no way.
Democrats better wake up....quick and support senator Clinton.
Don''t you want to win over McCain. No one is being honest about the white and black vote because they are too afraid to be called racist.
You can''t expect such an unknow factor.
This is too much of a sure shot. we saw it yesterday in West Virginia The front runner lost by 76 percent of the vote...the front runnr Obama.
Please Democrats, we want to win the white house. Forget Obama, it won''t happen in the general election.
Hillarys'' reponse should have been: "I''d Do It All Over You"...''nuff said.
Bury the GOP and its'' deluded supporters.
ry.php?storyId=90381052
Hillary`s Toast !!!
1. Delegate Math Favors Obama
2. But increasingly, the superdelegates are moving into the Obama camp. (He gained 30 in just the past week), negating any advantage Clinton might have had from the (16) or more pledged delegates she won in West Virginia.
3. So while the drubbing in West Virginia may be embarrassing for Obama, he still leads Clinton by any tangible measurement: pledged delegates, superdelegates and the popular vote, and there just arent enough contests left for her to catch up.
4. Big Note, And while Obama is setting new fundraising records, Clinton`s campaign debt is estimated to be more than $20 million and rising.
5. In a conference call Tuesday, Roy Romer, a superdelegate and former chair of the Democratic Party, announced his support for Obama, saying, "This race, I believe, is over." Its up to Clinton, he said, to decide when to drop out.
Hatefield & McCoys, Our Wives & Husbands are 1st Cousins, Moonshine, for a $1.59...Mountaineers...
Speaks for the Majority of White America...
No Waaay !!!
The Demographic Story
West Virginia`s voters are typical of those that have been drawn to Clinton from the beginning.
1. The state is 96 % White.
2. Only Florida has a Higher Percentage of Seniors.
3. Big Note, A Mere (16 Percent of West Virginians hold a College Degree), the Lowest Percentage in the Nation, and (25 Percent Lack a High School Diploma.
4. West Virginia also Ranks near the Bottom Nationally in Median Household Income.
Those are the Reasons she did Well.
Translation: Hatfiled & McCoy, My husband & Your Wives are 1st Cousins, My Moonshine is Better than Yours, White Lightening, That Goos Ole Mountain Dew...HillBillies !!!
You Low lifes Knew that Heffa, was going to win W.Virginia & Kentucky, 2 months ago...Jeeesh !!
Much to do about...Absolutely...Nothing !!
http://www.youtube.com/user/ATLAHWorldwide
Another must see for Hussein Obama supporters!
http://www.eyeblast.tv/Public/Video.aspx?rsrcID=2036
The Demographic Story
West Virginia`s voters are typical of those that have been drawn to Clinton from the beginning.
1. The state is 96 % White.
2. Only Florida has a Higher Percentage of Seniors.
3. Big Note, A Mere (16 Percent of West Virginians hold a College Degree), the Lowest Percentage in the Nation, and (25 Percent Lack a High School Diploma.
4. West Virginia also Ranks near the Bottom Nationally in Median Household Income.
Those are the Reasons she did Well.
Translation: Hatfiled & McCoy, My husband & Your Wives are 1st Cousins, My Moonshine is Better than Yours, White Lightening, That Good Ole Mountain Dew...HillBillies !!!
You Low lifes Knew that Heffa, was going to win W.Virginia & Kentucky, 2 months ago...Jeeesh !!
Much to do about...Absolutely...Nothing !!
As long as she can retire her debt, she could care less. For Hillary, it''s all about HER.....
A delegation from the DNC needs to tell her continuing on with her self deluded and damaging "campaign" will mean she is no longer welcome in the Democratic Party. My guess is she''ll join LIEberman in the Israel First Lobby. Two of a kind.......
from obama''s camp:
"Hillary, you''ve got spunk.
. . . I hate spunk."
Posted by abnerm at 08:16 PM : May 14, 2008
abnermal:
Stay under your bed ! DO NOT come out under any circumstances...not even to vote! ITS NOT SAFE! If you see any feet wearing sandals and sorta brown skin, HOLD YOUR BREATH!! Don''t give away your hiding place.
The rest of us will kick out the people responsible for your fear. I am sorry that you and many others like you have been reduced to terror in your own homes and we, the true patriots of our country will make it safe for you again.
If you do not hear the all-clear before next January, stay inside! Close the blinds! Speak to no one! You may safely come out in 2009.
We don''t need any thanks, its what we do.
If not Hillary, Then John McCain!!!
Must Watch !
A Black Harlem Minister Threatning White Americans if Obama gets elected !!!
Obama is a has a Muslim Father
Obama worked along side a terrorist, William Ayers
Obama goes to a church that supports Black Liberation Theology
Obama is losing th white voters
Obama has almost all the black voters.
These are all true.
Why would anyone want this guy as President.
alicerea1
I''m sorry that you are a moron.
lol!
Must Watch !
A Black Harlem Minister Threatning White Americans if Obama gets elected !!!
This guy wants to be our President and control our government.
Pay close attention to the last comment Below are a few lines from
Obama''''s books '''' his words:
From Dreams of My Father: "I ceased to advertise my mother''''s
race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was
ingratiating myself to whites."
From Dreams of My Father : "I found a solace in nursing a
pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mothers race."
From Dreams of My Father: "There was something about him that
made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white."
From Dreams of My Father: "It remained necessary to prove
which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out
and name names."
From Dreams of My Father: " I never emulate white men and brown
men whose fates didn''''t speak to my own. It was into my father''''s image, the
black man, son of Africa, that I''''d packed all the attributes I sought in
myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela."
From Audacity of Hope: "I will stand with the Muslims should
the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
The issue is not Black or White. The main and serious problem is the last
sentence (see above.)
he will DISARM
the USA.
What we are talking about here IS NOT about politics and the differing
views concerning issues%u2026..this is about the potential literal destruction of
this country by our enemies and our inability to defend ourselves against those
attacks.
This is a very short (52 seconds) video by Barak Obama in his own words
about how he plans to destroy our defense capabilities if elected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs
NOW PUT THIS TOGETHER WITH THIS !
%u201CWhile visiting that mercurial miscreant Libyan strongman Col. Muammar Qaddafi,
Farrakhan and Wright, struck a deal which secured millions of dollars from Libya
to lobby
for the secession of part of the United States. The goal is the formation of a
separate black nation on the North American Continent replete with a 500,000 man
army and nuclear weapons. %u201C
JIHAD !!!
the same law firm and Dorn introduced Michelle to Obama.
Ayers and Obama connection goes deeper than what Obama and the mainstream media
has been saying. Obama and Ayers have a long-standing working relationship. Not
only did Obama sit on the Woods Foundation (1999 - 2002) board but he worked for
Ayers;Obama was Director over at the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (1995 - 2003)
for eight years which Ayers was a co-founder. Larry Johnson, spells it all out
for us over on his website. A %u201Cmust%u201D read if you want to be well informed about
Senator Obama and his relatioship with Ayers. Mr. Murtagh also said that Obama
sat on an educational council (%u201CLeadership Council%u201D ) of the Chicago Public
Schools Education Fund (Ayers father and brother also were members of this
council). Another interesting website addresses this issue. Murtagh also said
that Michelle Obama (1988 -1991) and Ayers%u2019 wife Dorn (1984 - 1988) worked in
the same law firm and Dorn introduced Michelle to Obama. Rumor as it that it was
Dorn who set-up Obama%u2019s first fundrasier (1995) in Chicago (re:Obama in Ayers house)
Obamas College Trip to Pakistan
One of the lesser reported revelations of Obama''s San Francisco reverie is that
he went on a college trip to Pakistan (during the period of the establishment of
the Mujahideen "training camps" (against the Soviets at that time))...does
anybody remember the The Buffalo Six?...the Lackawanna Six? It was their little
"college trip" to Pakistan that got them arrested.
But I''m sure Obama''s trip was completely innocent...that he exercised the same
stellar judgement in picking out people there to meet and greet as he has here
in picking out his role models (Jeremny Wright),political passage mentors (Bill
Ayers) and land deal advisors (Antoin "Tony" Rezko).
Must Watch !
A Black Harlem Minister Threatning White Americans if Obama gets elected !!!
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