Column: Time For Clinton To Drop Out
This story was written by Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan
On Tuesday night, the veil of fog hovering over the Democratic nomination was mostly lifted. Sen. Barack Obama, aided by an impressive 14-point, 200,000-plus vote victory in North Carolina, nearly closed the gap in Indiana to all but seal the Democratic nomination.
In the Hoosier State, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's less-than-decisive 51-49 percent victory may have spelled the end of her campaign. At this juncture, there is little she can do to persuade her party to nominate her without permanently turning away thousands of new voters flocking to the Democratic Party (thus damaging her party's chances in the general election). It is our recommendation - and one shared by many - that she concede the nomination to her Senate colleague.
During Tuesday night's long-awaited decision in Indiana, NBC political director Chuck Todd took a step-by-step look at the mathematical improbabilities of Rodham Clinton's nomination. According to Todd, even if the disputed votes in Florida and Michigan were counted and the delegates she would have won there were seated, she'd still trail Obama in both delegates and the popular vote. The few small contests remaining offer her little hope, and there is almost no chance she'll catch Obama without crushing victories - such victories would have to be far greater than the skin-of-your-teeth 51 percent she took in Indiana.
On Wednesday, former Sen. and Rodham Clinton backer George McGovern switched his allegiance to Obama. According to CNN, McGovern said, " the time has come for all of us to unite and get ready for the general election in the fall." Many expect in the coming days and weeks that superdelegates who share McGovern's view of the campaign are expected to follow suit and begin falling in place behind Obama. Rodham Clinton has run an aggressive, formidable campaign, but continuing the endeavor could only tarnish her candidacy in the future. There is no shame in admitting defeat, but she is delusional if she thinks she can still capture the White House in November.
The general election is crucial for both parties; from the war in Iraq to the staggering economy, both Republicans and Democrats have strategies to solve the various crises facing America today. Without a drastic change in support soon - something we haven't seen this primary season - Obama is poised to take the Democratic nomination this summer. For the good of her party, Rodham Clinton should accept the urging of many of her supporters and withdraw from the race. It's always been clear that only one person will win the nomination, and voters nationwide have decided that Obama and Sen. John McCain are the best representatives of their respective parties. The nominees appear clear to everyone but Rodham Clinton, it seems, and it's a shame. A prominent representative of one of the country's largest states, her career is far from over. To let this race decide her legacy would be a mistake.