Hillary Clinton tells Democrats: Don't vote for McCain

[tekisui]

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) – Hillary Clinton pleaded for partisan unity on Thursday, urging Democrats not to abandon their party to vote for John McCain if their preferred candidate fails to secure the nomination.

Clinton was asked by a questioner in the audience here what she would tell frustrated Democrats who might consider voting for McCain in the general election out of spite.

“Please think through this decision,” Clinton said, laughing and emphasizing the word “please.”

“It is not a wise decision for yourself or your country.”

The crowd applauded loudly.

A Gallup poll released this week indicated that 28 percent of Clinton's supporters would back McCain should the New York senator lose her quest for the Democratic nomination.

That compares to the 19 percent of Obama supporters who say they will favor McCain should Clinton be the party’s nominee.

“First of all, every time you have a vigorous contest like we are having in this primary election people get intense,” she continued. “You know, Sen. Obama has intense support. I have intense support.”

Clinton stressed that there are “significant” differences between her and Obama, but said “those differences pale to the differences between us and Sen. McCain.”

“I intend to do everything I can to make sure we have a unified Democratic party,” she said. “When this contest is over and we have a nominee, we’re going to close ranks, we’re going to be united.”

link: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/27/clinton-tells-democrats-dont-vote-for-mccain/

This is good to hear.

[CreekDog]

1. I agree it's a good thing but her good behavior never seems to last

She'll do this kind of thing and then for 1 week contradict it at ten times the volume (or have her surrogates do it).

I want to see these kind of statements made persistently before I trust.

[bowens43]

2. Hillary says

"Don't vote for McCain" nudge nudge wink wink.....

[Vinca]

3. This is the first pro-party remark she's made in a long time. nt

[tekisui]

7. Planting a seed? Setting the stage?

This comment wasn't even prefaced with the "I fully expect to be the nominee" or any of that.

[Vinca]

10. One can always hope.

That's what we cult members do best.

[abburdlen]

4. Good to hear.

I completely understand in the thick of the nomination fight tempers flare and verbal elbows fly but it's an important message for both camps to hear - McCain is bad news for the country.

[closeupready]

5. I agree with her. Glad she made that clear.

n/t

[caseycoon]

6. This is so good to hear!

I'm very glad she said that.
It's what we ALL should be saying.

[mmonk]

8. Kudos to Senator Clinton for stating that.

Now she needs to talk to her high powered donors.

[tekisui]

9. I wonder if this is a turning point.

I would like to think that her campaign has taken measure of how the tone of the race is effecting voters' attitudes.

Whether she stays in until the Convention doesn't matter to me. But, the tone certainly does. Hopefully, unity and anti-McCain will be the focus, until we have a Nominee.

[mmonk]

23. I hope so. We have to start to come together.

I hope the recent poll data that shows supporters of both sides have a certain percentage that will vote for McCain will show itself as a danger signal to many of the party leaders.

[my3boyz]

11. I don't understand why she was laughing about it?

Perhaps it was nudge..nudge..wink..wink..... I will take what she says with a grain of salt. A few weeks ago she said they would not go after pledged delegates and then she did a u-turn.

[tekisui]

12. She hasn't actually gone after Pledged Delegates.

She has said they are not absolutely bound to vote the way the voters did, but they are not pursuing them.

[Hope And Change]

13. This is something Obama has said all the time...

but kudos to Hillary for saying that.Better late than never.

:toast:

[Bake]

28. All the time? Really?

I've not heard him say it. I'm not saying he HASN'T, only that I haven't heard it.

Bake

[dkf]

14. Hillary is going to confuse her people with her conflicting statements.

[tekisui]

15. Hillary's Supporters' Heads Exploding.

At their "shadow site" they are divided on whether to take her advice.

[dkf]

24. Are they advocating McCain?

That must be why they left...they would have gotten in trouble trying to do that here.

[tekisui]

25. They are "staying home"

Oh, and some are planning on coming back, en masse when their week boycott is over.

[joshcryer]

29. Please stop the vile banter.

Please.

[quantass]

16. Never thought it was in her....what's the catch?!? (confused)

[tekisui]

18. I think the catch is she is approaching the exit stage.

It may take weeks or months, but it is becoming more clear everyday.

Sen Leahy called for her drop, that has got to hurt. I imagine she's gotten many calls from power players telling her she had better make it clear that it's a Democrat we want in November.

[high density]

17. It's sad she had to make a comment like that in the first place

But her campaign's incessant ambiguity in regards to McCain has made it mandatory.

[tekisui]

20. My thoughts, exactly.

This should go without saying, but they have muddy the waters in Camp Clinton and made it necessary to clarify.

[joshcryer]

30. Her comments were no worse than Obama's "my people might not vote for her" comments.

Seriously now.

[quantass]

19. That last bold-face Highlight's that she KNOWS she has LOST!

[tekisui]

21. Notice, no preface.

No, "I fully intend to be the Nominee". She knows it, her campaign knows it. THey are running the exit strategy, IMO.

[BlueGirlRedState]

22. I'm glad to hear this

Little by little, things seem to be coming back into focus.

[anigbrowl]

26. Well, I'm glad she made a point of saying so.

[Nia Zuri]

27. Yesterday "Good Hillary" came out for a while

"Bad Hillary" doesn't like "Good Hillary" very much...