How can Clinton continue her campaign WITHOUT hurting our presumptive nominee?

[npincus]

Can someone explain that?

Her pitch to voters in remaining primary states is to persuade them that she would make a better president than Obama, to highlight her strengths and virtues (implying his are inferior) and somehow make voters feel more comfortable with her than Obama- as if SHE better understands what their issues and needs are; she's one of THEM.

How does she accomplish this WITHOUT damaging Obama, thus weakening him and helping John McCain in the process? How can this act of selfishness and self-interest sit right with the Democratic party?

Further, her campaign is currently in the red; campaign costs run approx. 1 million dollars per day. I have heard several pundits discuss that paying off Clinton's debts may be part of her campaign's negotiations w/Obama's, SO if Clinton is electing to extend the life of her campaign when it is clear she cannot win, why should Obama's SMALL DONORS (like myself) have our money used to pay for the multi-millionaires Hillary's financial mismanagement and decision to spend, spend, spend after it's clear she cannot win. The thought of my cash going into Mark Penn's pocket makes me want to wretch.

Finally, as long as Hillary keeps her campaign going, you can bet the MSM will continue to focus on THAT story (HRC v.s Obama...) ignoring John McCain, wasting valuable campaign time and MSM focus that Democrats need to combat Grandpa in the general election.

I think the party bigwigs, super-ds, and all influential persons who care about beating McCain help to end the longest primary ever so the GE can start.

[ananda]

1. Honestly..

.. I think Hillary only hurts herself
and her supporters by continuing.

Obama is somehow above the fray and
has a sort of teflon immunity to her
rantics now.

[Rageneau]

12. She is playing by the rules. How can that hurt anything?

If playing by the rules is proper insofar an Florida and Michigan are concerned, how can playingby the rules NOT be proper for Hillary's campaign.

After all, one can argue that the situation is Florida and Michigan ALSO hurt our nominee's chance, but Obama has made it clear that he doesn't want to do anything about THOSE rules. So why should HRC act any differently?

[Boz]

15. The rules are like a prize fight, shes fighting a street fight, there is no winning

just damage the other guy.

The problem is she is so punch drunk the guy shes beating up and hurting is
the guy in her corner and not the guy she is in the ring with.

Everyone is just trying to get hold of her flailing arms so she doesn't hurt the rest of her team.

[OzarkDem]

2. How is she hurting Obama?

and where do you get the idea he's the presumptive nominee?

[lonestarnot]

3. Check the numbers. It's on the Greatest Page.

:toast:

[OzarkDem]

5. I think its Obama hurting Obama

He sounds more like Bush every day. If he gets the nom, I guess he'll blame Clinton if he loses to McCain.

[lonestarnot]

7. Ohhhhtay. We will see what we shall see. Take care now.

:hug:

[RC]

10. I really think you can't tell the difference between a black man from a white woman.

So lissen up, it's easy! The man here is taller. The tall one, that's Obama. Got that? The short one is Hillary. Hillary is the female and she is the one that sounds like bu$h.

[Kittycat]

4. No Ads - no comments against her 'opponent'

Just discussing her plans and what she'd like to see, and dropping the MI/FL thing and letting the committees handle it.

[Jamastiene]

6. Apparently, by doing exactly what she's been doing since day 1...

Because Obama has been the "presumptive nominee" since day 1. Pardon the rest of us Democrats for getting in your way. :eyes:

[ShortnFiery]

11. Come on Jamastiene? For months and months, HRC was Ms. Inevitable.

Face it - her arrogance and sense of entitlement resulted in her running a HORRIFIC CAMPAIGN?

She still thinks that WE OWE HER. It's breathtakingly egomanical.

It's WAY WAY WAY beyond time for HRC to "let go" of her delusional ambitions. IMO, she couldn't coordinate a Girl Scout Cookie Drive, much less be a "team player" and run a viable political campaign. She's had Bill's Machinery, yet she's now is over 11 million dollars in debt.

HRC is a world class self-righteous MICRO-MANAGER. She may be aces to win the election for NY State Governor. IMO, she should seek that office ... it's more amenable to "micro management."

But for the love of all that is good in this USA, please help Bill and Hillary Clinton to gracefully exit off of the National Political Stage.

ENOUGH! :(

[Jamastiene]

18. Bullshit.

Do a search. Obama has been the "presumptive nominee" since day 1.

[Nitrogenica]

8. She can stick to the issues and attack McCain.

That's what I expected her to do all along, and that hasn't happened much.

[ShortnFiery]

9. She can't. I say, DAMN the Party Leadership if they don't shut HRC down NOW!

She's going to TRASH both The Party and Obama. She don't give a damn about anyone but HERSELF.

It's time to figuratively drive a wooden STAKE through her vampiric political ambitions.

HRC's delusional but still DANGEROUS.

If "the party elders" don't stop her, we'll be saying "President McCain" come Jan 2009. :scared:

[dogday]

13. I missed the DNC statement that made him the presumptive nominee

When did they announce that.. I did hear Nancy Pelosi say the nominee will be determined in a few weeks...

[DanTex]

14. I don't think it hurts too much at this point.

The most important thing now is for her to drop out in the most graceful way possible.

I personally believe that dropping out abruptly is not the best thing to do. Remember, this is the Clinton dynasty going down. This is a huge tidal shift in the power structure of the Democratic party. Whatever we may feel about her at this moment, the Clintons have essentially defined our party for 16 years. I think every Democrat has at least some emotional link with the Clintons. I know I do, and I really dislike the campaign she ran.

And even though the nomination is has been fairly clear for a while now, the official word does make a difference. When she drops out, there's going to be a big thud. So its in everyone's interest to make sure that all loose objects are secured before the grand exodus.

Having said that, Terry McAuliffe (sp?) needs to stop talking about how Barack is not electable because he's out of touch from blue collar white voters. And Lanny Davis and Paul Begala need to stop being jackasses. The negativity needs to stop. She should run a quiet, positive campaign, collect a few more votes, and then gracefully bow out.

And most important, all this talk about legal wrangling and saying that Barack's nomination is not legit because of Fl+Mich, that's got to end.

[msongs]

16. there is NO presumptive nominee at this time. you're title is erroneous nt

[Wetzelbill]

17. She has to come out with a positive inspirational theme

for this next week or two, stay away from negative stuff, uplift and begin to mend her reputation after the last few months of questionable - and at times dirty - tactics. She needs to back Obama when he tussles with McCain, and allow him to frame himself as the nominee in a one on one battle now. Once she gets some funds back, saves face in West Virginia and Kentucky and begins to work something out on Florida and Michigan, then she can step out gracefully and on her own terms. She knows it's over, but she's in debt and doesn't want to make it look like she got beat out. Plus, she's going to win West Virginia and Kentucky, whether she pulls out right now or not, now she can go in there and save face and Obama won't lose those to a candidate who isn't even in the race anymore, and he can then roll to wins in Oregon, MT and South Dakota. She gets out before then on her own terms and begins to mend fences.