Yes, Obama is doing well. But there is no reason for Hillary to leave. She should sun this out even if she has to drive around a rented car to make her case.

It worked for McCain. Just because you're down doesn't mean you need to get out. It sure doesn't mean you need to get out for the sake of party "unity".

Hillary owes Obama nothing. No one was calling for Edwards to get out because he was never a serious threat. But Hillary continues to represent a threat to Obama.

The threat: her staying in the race means his nomination is continually in doubt AND his eventual nomination (if he gets it) won't be "pretty".

Hillary owes her millions of supporters to stay in the race until she decides to get out--not when Obama or a party poobah suggests she should.

Gore owed it to his millions of voters to demand a recount in Florida in 2000 and to fight for it despite GOP demands that he let go.

And/but the day after Bush v. Gore, it didn't matter how Bush won. It only mattered that he won. Democrats didn't like it, but in the end, you win or you don't.

The fact that your win isn't "pretty" is irrelevant, as is the fact that you anger your opponents by making them work hard and fight some.

Who is saying she should get out? Probably just the pundits and what do they know?....nada!

As long as the race doesn't get too negative and doesn't go personal, it's good to see the differences played out honestly in every state. I DO think that, after all the states vote, the loser should bow out rather than continuing on to the convention... but 3 months will be enough for the democrats to overcome their (small) differences.

As long as she feels she has something that needs to be said, she should stay in and make her case.

I do, however, feel that there is a lack of grace and tact in not congradulating your opponent on a win - even if it is one win in a long line of contests.

Of course you know, but I am a very committed Obama supporter. I do agree that Hillary has no reason to drop out before the last vote is counted unless she wants to.

I suspect that she will drop out as soon as she is convinced she will not be able to win... I personally think she's in this for power rather than principle. But if she surprises me then I will think more highly of her and admit that I was wrong.

If Hillary doesn't win both Texas and Ohio and win them big, then she's done. I don't see how she can win the nomination without major backdoor arm twisting that will fracture her party and ensure another republican victory in a year that the dems should have a lock on.

Hillary may not owe Obama anything, but she does owe her party something. Eventually, she will be faced with a decision as to which is more important to her: Winning the nomination for herself of winning the election for her party.

This from the great unifier out to change the nasty tone in Washington.

ummm....did I miss something, I believe Obama won Super Tuesday, why was he supposed to congratulate Clinton?

And your point is?

Why should he congratulate her when he won more states and more delegates than she did?

I agree with GreatBear, if Hillary doesn't win Texas and Ohio she should bow out and let Obama fall on his face or prove us (HRC supporters) all wrong. Going beyond Texas and Ohio after losing either (even though they are open primaries - meaning Republicans can vote in the dem primary since their candidate is chosen) would be pure vanity. I think she knows better, as is more loyal to the democratic party. She will eat the crow shoved down her throat by a generation of sociopathic misogynists and disloyal black voters.

Good line when you said Hillary should not quit and should keep making her case "even if she has to drive around in a rented car".....

(Great - what a picture one immediately sees of Hillary driving a rented car ! With Bill sitting red-faced beside her scanning the scene for the likeliest chicks.)

The sad thing though, is that you said this defiant, rousing thing- not Hillary.

Hillary is sooooooo corporate in style. It's her tragedy. She doesn't have wit and wisdom and the gift of quick repartee. The gift for making the crowd laugh and clap.

I despise thios conman Obama, but he does have the crowd-pleasing gifts.

After the last primary/caucus is finished, the candidate with the fewest number of pledged delegates should gracefully bow out. Since neither candidate can possibly lock up the nomination without super delegates, I imagine that the loser could win a pretty hefty consolation prize.

According to the AP, Obama is estimated to have an almost 200 pledged delegate lead. Considering that California only gave her a margin of 30 or so delegates, it is almost impossible for her to win outright. As long as Obama doesn't implode, he'll win.

However, if Hillary can sweep from Texas on out, she may have enough momentum which when added to Bills hamhanded pandering may persuade the convention to seat FL and MI. Combined with her natural lead in superdelegates, this may be enough to give her the nomination.

On the other hand, if Hillary loses from here on out, it will be seen as a direct repudiation of her and her husband. This will unify the party more than if she appeared to concede in order to appease the other half.

So... stay or go... but make a decision and stick to it.

I've seen this posted around, that Obama didn't congradulate Hillary on Super Tuesday.

He did.

"Now, this isn't about me and it's not about Senator Clinton. As I've said before, she was a friend before this campaign. She'll be a friend after it's over. (Cheers.) I respect her. I respect her as a colleague. I congratulate her on her victories tonight. She's been running an outstanding race. "

Your post is a blatant lie.

Here's the speach:

<link>

Please stop lying to try to prop up your dying campaign. We all will need to work together in the fall, and running a campaign based on lies is not going to make that easier.

WassabiCracker:

She will eat the crow shoved down her throat by a generation of sociopathic misogynists and disloyal black voters.

I beg your pardon? How in hell do you get off sounding like a racist while accusing others of misogyny?

You know, it's possible to judge Senator Clinton by her merits and to find her a less-than-ideal candidate without recourse to her gender. In fact, it's rank sexism to do otherwise. There are, in fact, intelligent and informed people who feel that Senator Clinton's undeniable intellect and legal talent are outweighed by issues connected to Bill Clinton's presidency and her support of the Iraq war, her support for a flag-burning amendment, and other matters that go directly to things she has done or said.

But to take those things into account and to find her wanting as a nominee is misogyny, of course--because I should support her because she's a woman regardless of any concerns I might have with her words and deeds.

Conversely, it is possible to find that Senator Obama's history as a community activist, his record of building consensus in the Illinois legislature, his experience as a law professor at the University Of Chicago (and his endorsement by lawyers and professors who have discussed Con Law with him), and his obvious ability to provide inspired leadership make Senator Obama a preferable candidate without paying much attention to his melanin content or who his parents are.

While I'm not an African-American (I must be one of those sociopathic misogynists), I have no idea why you think an African-American voter should be "loyal" to a party, as opposed to voting with his or her conscience for the candidate of his or her choice. Or were you perhaps thinking they should be grateful for massa's attention all these years and remember that when those damn carpetbaggers try to lead them astray...?

Please.

Either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama are as qualified for the Presidency as Senator McCain (and any of those three are preferable to Governor Huckabee). My hope, futile as it may seem, is that partisans for Clinton or Obama might have the good sense to acknowledge that both candidates have their strengths and set forth the best case for their preferred candidate instead of spitting bile and nonsense about how the other will lead the world to ruin, set up an opportunity for former Vice President Gore, or serve roasted kittens at state dinners. My hope would be that Clinton supporters and Obama supporters might each give the other the benefit of the doubt and not say bigoted and stupid things like WassabiCracker wrote. My hope would be that Democrats refrain from indulging their usual self-destructive tendencies and recognize that either Clinton or Obama will be the nominee, so let the Republicans be the assholes while the Dems (and liberal independents like myself) unite behind someone who will hopefully be the first real leader of this young century.

Sorry. I know I expect too much.

vnk: Thanks for the good post, it is reassuring to see that some people still have their eye on the ultimate goal. It is sad that Dems have become so divided over this that they can't think beyond primary season.

WassabiCracker.....grab a Kleenex and stop your crying.

Haha, I appreciate the hearty laugh vnk and SandyB. First, vnk, nothing about my post is racist, and its pseudo-intellects like you that have weakened this word by tossing it around without any justification. Black Americans voted 9 - 1 for the black candidate, as they have done for every other black candidate that has ever run. THAT is racism. Second, you're obviously a newcomer to the history of women in this country. If someone had yelled shine my shoes at Obama, it would have made news for days, instead this type of heckler goes unnoticed against Hillary. If Shuster had made a 'racist' comment instead of a 'sexist' comment, he would have been fired. And to this day people can get away with wearing t-shirts that say "If only Hillary had married O.J." It's tools like you, waiving around intellect, and talking out the side of your mouth about pathetic irrevelant things such as "Bill's spectre over Hillary's campaign" which sanctifies the irrational hatred waged by the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, which sanctions non-profit groups formed for the sole-purpose of hounding Hillary (called Citizens United Not Timid - check the capital letters).

So step down off your pedastal o mighty brilliant one, and look past your own desire for self-redemption (you want to feel good about yourself for voting for Obama, right? That will end racism, right? You can hold hands and do a church-y sing-song "Yes We CAN!") at the history of Hillary's service to the black community. Everything from supporting economic enterprise zones, African-American community programs, business patronage, civil rights to children's advocacy programs, all part of a life of service to the community.

For the record, Al Sharpton was more qualified than Obama because he was a straight talker.

SandyB, . . . LOL, move along, nothing for you here, child.

BTW, I should clarify that I don't think just because someone voted for a candidate other than Hillary they were motivated by sexism, its the hard core fanatics out there that are driving the talking points about Hillary. It's the failure to realize the acceptability of various double standards with regard to women, who, btw, didn't get the right to vote until nearly 40 years after Black Americans.

This doesn't change the hilarity of your holier than thou plattitudes though, vnk.