Clinton to Obama: There's No Nominee Yet

Democrat Says It Doesn't Matter What You Claim If You Don't Have The Votes

(CBS/AP)  Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that rival Barack Obama may be getting ahead of himself in acting like the party's nominee before the final primary contests are over.

Clinton and Obama are still set to face off in several more primaries, including Kentucky and Oregon on Tuesday, but Obama has been increasingly portraying himself as the nominee already facing Republican John McCain. Obama has scheduled appearances later this week in Iowa and Florida as he looks ahead to swing states in the general election.

"You can declare yourself anything, but if you don't have the votes, it doesn't matter," Clinton said Monday in a satellite interview with an Oregon television station before a campaign appearance in Kentucky.

Clinton has "changed her tone" after days of sounding more conciliatory towards Obama, reported CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod. Now, he said, Clinton is "back to pressing her case hard."

The former first lady trails Obama in the delegate count by such a margin that it is mathematically unlikely for her to overtake him in the remaining primaries, which end June 3 with Montana and South Dakota.

In a memo Monday morning, Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson wrote that if Obama declares himself the Democratic nominee Tuesday night, as Politico suggested in a report, it will be "a slap in the face to the millions of voters in the remaining primary states and to Senator Clinton’s 17 million supporters." (Politico now reports that Obama will not declare victory Tuesday.)

"Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted," Wolfson wrote. "Declaring mission accomplished does not make it so."

Both candidates have been angling to win over the party leaders and elected officials known as superdelegates, whose support will likely determine the nominee. Obama recently surpassed Clinton in committed superdelegates.

Clinton has also tried to make the case that if the results of disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida are included, she would lead Obama narrowly in the overall popular vote. Clinton won both contests, but the results were voided because they took place in January in violation of Democratic Party rules. Obama and three other Democrats, but not Clinton, removed their names from the Michigan ballot after all the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign there or in Florida.

Since then, Clinton has argued that both states' delegations should be seated at the Democratic convention in August. The DNC rules committee has a May 31 meeting to consider options.

"Once we include Florida and Michigan, neither Senator Obama nor I will have enough delegates to get the nomination, so there is no way that this is going to end anytime soon, because we're going to keep fighting for the nomination," Clinton told voters in Prestonburg, Ky.

To bolster her popular vote argument, Clinton's campaign has concentrated this week on Kentucky, where she's leading in polls, in order to run up her vote there. On Friday, the New York senator left Oregon, where she trails Obama, to campaign exclusively in Kentucky.

Clinton has also been arguing to superdelegates that she is more tested and experienced and has a better chance of beating McCain.

She said Monday that she is the "more progressive candidate" and dismissed Obama's large crowds, like the record rally of an estimated 65,000 in Portland on Sunday. Clinton said Obama, who has refused to debate her since they faced off before the Pennsylvania primary last month, would "rather just talk to giant crowds than have questions asked."

Speaking to several hundred people in a high school gymnasium later, Clinton renewed her campaign's argument that Obama's victories in states with caucuses instead of primaries are somehow less significant because turnout was lower.

Clinton also revived her pitch that many states where he has beaten her, like Alaska, Idaho and Utah, matter less because they would not be competitive for Democrats in November.

"So I'm going to make my case and I'm going to make it until we have a nominee, but we're not going to have one today and we're not going to have one tomorrow and we're not going to have one the next day," Clinton said. "And if Kentucky turns out tomorrow, I will be closer to that nomination because of you."

Later in Prestonburg, Clinton added an unusual rationale for her candidacy - an analysis by President Bush's former political adviser Karl Rove that she would be tougher for McCain to defeat.

"Just today I found some curious support for that position when one of the TV networks released an analysis done by - of all people - Karl Rove, saying that I was the stronger candidate," she said.

[truth90076]

The only black thing about Obama is his skin color. I can''t believe there are so many black racists and apologetic whites (including the old slave owners, the Kennedy''s) who would vote for a person, based singly on their skin color. He''s clearly incompetent, inexperienced, and all talk and fancy words. I doubt he can hit the ground running, because he''s so confused. People with more power will sway him at the beginning, and it''ll take him at least 2 years for him to get used to things. We don''t have that time. Let him run again in 8 years.

And white folks, if you''re really trying to prove that you''re NOT racist anymore, STOP voting for someone based on their skin color. It''s pathetic.

[nadima-2009]

I have been reading these comment boards a lot lately, And I am really getting upset with people who say that any of us young people (25 and under) have no idea what we are thinking or talking about when it comes to this election. Do you honestly think we ALL look at things like a reality show?????? Well I know I don''t. I think about what is truly going to be best for me! Not who is more popular or who promises the "best candy machine in the hallway" By grouping us all together like that, what are you trying to prove in our future? That we will never grow up and be strong leaders? I am a woman and I am 25.Does this make me an idiot, and I don''t know what is best for me or the country? And I don''t care for Hilary. Why do people think the younger generation is full of "american idol" voters. Maybe we should start getting a little more credit. Don''t push us to the side. Some of us will be leaders in the future and we also need some respect.

[sjc_1]

The super delegates were created to make sure that the candidate that has the best chance to win in the general election is nominated as the party candidate. After all the primaries are done, they need to look at large blue state primaries versus small red state caucuses and decide who can get the most electoral votes in November.

[gaylefields]

Please have a little respect . She has worked hard all of her life for people like you!

[gaylefields]

Who is the DNC how many people are on the committee? Who exactly move the election dates up in Michigan and Florida? The voters of these two states did not choose to move the date. But the citizens of these two states are the ones who are effected. Was there some purpose to moving the election date up. And who was suppose to benefit? I believe the voters have a right to know who prevented their vote from being heard. The media keep saying rules are rules. But why are the voters being punished for some knucklebrain changing the dates. Lets get this straight the citizens of Michigan and Florida did not change or move the election date. But clearly a few manipulative folks found a way cause chaos . And dismiss voters choice. Florida voted! It is very disrepectable to voter. UH what about our rights? I am sure there is no good reason for the change in dates. I believe a full investigation should be done. If there is no good reason for changing dates then I believe they( those who moved the dates up) should be sued for tampering with the voting process. Our votes are being manipulated. This is a shame! I am embarassed by our voting process. It sends a message to others countries that our voting can be manipulated by a few. This is not the peoples voice. It is clearly the elite choice.

[ksh1022]

Your ugly comments just reinforce to us Hillary supporters that you Obama supporters have no judgemnet. You act like picking a president is an episode of American Idol. You are obviously under 25. So you arrarently have no frame of reference. Let me help you. The only capable president we have had in the last 20 years has been Bill Clinton. The only Dem to win the presidency in the last 25 years is Bill Clinton. When the Dems put up the far left candidate like Obama, Kerry, Dukakis, Mondale, we get beat. We need an experienced, capable moderate like Hillary. Talking about her looks is childish. This is not 8th grade. She is stronger, smarter and tougher than Obama and most of the Repubs who will be handing Obama his tail in Nov. Obama is a mistake.

[obama8years]

Hillary Is CRUSHING Obama in all the States Now.
THe only State That Obama can beat Hillary in is OREGON. FACT: If Obama rev Wright Scandal would of be out by SUPER TUESDAY, Obama and his Radical Leftist Friends would be History.

[obama8years]

True, Obama mentioned how Wright taught him to be kind unto others. But according to Wright%u2019s interpretation, that %u201Ckindness%u201D has more to do with fighting %u201Cwhite oppression%u201D than urging nonviolence and brotherly love among all races. Wright%u2019s church even praised Hamas in the past, and has always touted it as an Islamic charity organization showing such social kindness despite its charter calling for unyielding murder and expulsion of Jews in the Middle East.

The ISM%u2019s training manual says that international ISM volunteers in the West Bank should not tell people they are human shields for terrorist groups but %u201Cpeace activists%u201D because it deceives people from their real purpose of attacking Israel any way they can to the benefit of their Palestinian handlers. So, too, does Barack Obama talk about loving one another as taught to him by a pastor who then accuses America of murdering innocent people of color at Hiroshima and Nagasaki over 50 years ago. The American servicemen whose lives were spared back then by ending the war quickly were also black men, Latinos and others who were fighting Japanese racists who murdered Chinese, Filipinos and other %u201Cinferior%u201D people on a regular basis, who ran experimental death camps for American and British prisoners-of-war, and who were allied with a Nazi Germany that was allied with the same Arab nationalist leadership that is still trying to destroy the Jews today.

[bajaan]

According to the bloggers,

If you vote for Hillary, you are a racist.
If you vote for Obama, you are a sexist.

IF YOU VOTE FOR McCAIN YOU''RE PLAIN STUPID!

[bajaan]

According to the bloggers,
If you vote for Hillary, you are a racist.
If you vote for Obama, you are a sexist.

Guess we should all vote for McCain.

www.no2barackobama.com

Posted by smithdj66 at 02:23 PM : May 20, 2008
______________________
IF YOU VOTE FOR McCAIN YOU''RE PLAIN STUPID!

[bajaan]

rufis:

I agree; the broad is ugly.

[rufisgufis]

Want to know a reason I can''t vote for Hillary? Take a look at the top of this page; look at the photograph of Hillary. Do you want a president that ugly. Ha Ha Ha

[smithdj66]

According to the bloggers,
If you vote for Hillary, you are a racist.
If you vote for Obama, you are a sexist.

Guess we should all vote for McCain.

www.no2barackobama.com

[rufisgufis]

Yippee Hillary is winning !!

Posted by RowdyTexas2 at 12:49 PM : May 20, 2008
_______________

Right, she''s winning third place.

[rufisgufis]

You make black theology sound good to me. Where can I get more info on it! I think I want to sign up!

[rufisgufis]

Obama is a black muslim !!

Posted by RowdyTexas2 at 12:49 PM : May 20, 2008
__________________________

And you''re a hillbilly racist!!

[rufisgufis]

Make no Mistake...Obama studied Black theology with wright.

Posted by obama8years at 12:26 PM : May 20, 2008
________________

SO WHAT! You clearly have too much time on your hands. GET A LIFE!

[rufisgufis]

"It is clear that the uneducated, hard working Americans - white Americans - vote for me overwhelmingly. They are my core base."

Hillary Clinton
______________________

%u201CIt is clear that the intelligent, hard-working Americans of all races, colors and creeds -thoughtful American - vote for me overwhelmingly. They are my core base.%u201D

Barack Obama
--------------------------------

TAKE YOUR PICK!

[obama8years]

Make no Mistake...Obama studied Black theology with wright.

Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community.... Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love.

Black liberation theology, as Wright has elaborated, is closely aligned with the %u201Cliberation theology%u201D of Nicaragua during the seventies and eighties: i.e., the doctrine that catalyzed Marxist revolutionaries. It spurred an unabashedly Leftist movement that emphasized, you guessed it, the crying need for %u201Cchange%u201D -- as George Russell aptly described it in a 2001 Time magazine analysis, %u201Csocial change in the process of spiritual improvement.%u201D

[rufisgufis]

Once upon a time, there was an obsolete candidate named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the national political forest.

Pretty soon, she aspired for ultimate reign in an elusive Whitehouse wonderland, again.

She did knock at the door, but when not enough voters answered, she just tried to walk right in to this residence again, as if was a bequeathed entitlement.

On the tilting table in a political kitchen; there was a scalding bowl of political power porridge.

Goldilocks was hungry. She had tasted this sort of addicting porridge before and blatantly wanted more.

This porridge is in vogue she exclaimed.

Ahhh, this political power porridge is just right, she said happily as she attempted to eat it all up.

After she devoured lots of porridge she decided her campaign was looking a little tired.

My political opposition may be too extraordinary she exclaimed.

Goldilocks fell asleep.

As she was sleeping, the new impressive candidate lit up the stagnating political scene.

Someones been wooing my supporters growled Goldilocks.

Someones been taking away from my campaign and broke it all to pieces, cried Goldilocks.

Someones been winning my superdelegates and they still are shrieked Goldilocks.

Just then, Goldilocks woke up from her political pipedream and realized it was over and jumped out of the race.

THE END

Posted by Riptide213 at 07:47 AM : May 20, 2008

I just love it!