So what are Clinton’s options?

[Bill Blake]

It’s my understanding that Obama has more delegates, super delegates to boot? He’s got the popular vote no matter how small a margin?

Even though she had majority successive wins in the last of the few primaries, that perception was thwarted by her lack to still win delegates?

She needed to win both of the primaries yesterday, she didn’t?

And so it looks like she’s lost no?

What could she, would she need to do to secure the nomination? Is it possible?

If it is not, is she not hurting herself the longer she stays in the race?

Unless someone can tell me exactly what she needs to do to secure the nomination, and how that’s possible with the last of these primaries, it seems it’s time for someone to pack their bags and head back to Upstate New York?

[AK]

I think all she could do is hang around and hope that Obama has some sort of major implosion of bigger-than-Wright proportions, which would allow her to make the case to superdelegates that he's unelectable. That is hardly a strategy for "winning," and is certainly not in the best interests of the party. Plus, she and her surrogates would have to be the major attackers against him, and after last night I just don't think the party is going to tolerate that from her campaign anymore. If they have to step in to protect their presumptive nominee, I think they will.

My guess is right now she's assessing two things. Does she want to be on the ticket and how is she going to deal with campaign debt? When she answers those questions, I think she'll find a relatively graceful way to step aside.

God, I don't want her on the ticket...

[OneMasterMixer]

Clean the blue dress and head for the hills

[mhd]

a reasonable politician would use the tremendous wins she has had to either leverage vp or supreme court for herself or leverage a vp of her choosing, but the clintons are not reasonable, her only path to the nomination at this point is through the supers, and that ain't happening, she is toast, and her presence in the race is going to start hurting the party overall, not just obama

[AK]

Clinton 'heading for the exit'

By John Zogby Independent pollster and political analyst

To all intents and purposes the race for the Democratic nomination is over.

Senator Obama needs slightly fewer than 200 delegates to pass the winning post and there are more than enough pledged delegates remaining to be elected, and super-delegates waiting to put him over the top.
What is important about Indiana and North Carolina is that Senator Clinton was not able to damage Mr Obama.

The Illinois senator showed himself to be resilient in the wake of three weeks or so of crisis and, much more importantly, he got back on the winning track. This is the evidence that some super-delegates have been waiting for.

Many of them - most of them - had clearly made up their minds that they would not support Mrs Clinton, and so this had become a case of whether or not Mr Obama could close the deal. That is what appears to have happened last night.

Cash shortage
Where do we go from here? My understanding is that probably today, but certainly within 48 hours, about 30 super-delegates will endorse Mr Obama. That should give him further momentum.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
John Zogby: 'there is no chance' Clinton can win
Mathematically, this will widen the gap between him and Mrs Clinton. He has a bigger share of the popular vote, more pledged delegates, and will now overtake her in terms of super-delegates too.
I honestly believe that she will find a way to get out of the race before the next primaries - so as to not hurt her future and to not be blamed for hurting Mr Obama and his chances in the general election.
Here are the reasons:

• There really is no mathematical chance for her to win
• Her campaign is virtually out of money - and it will be difficult for her to raise significant amounts of money after last night
• Not enough happened last night to give her any hope, so continuing would only give the appearance of wanting to damage Mr Obama

Another problem she faces is that she is not perceived as a strong general election contender, because of her high negative poll ratings.
I have no evidence that she will throw in the towel, or when she will. She is a Clinton and the Clintons do not have the word "lose" in their playbook - but these are the things I am hearing from supporters on both sides.

Disappointed women

You will also see pressure from party leaders and party elders on undecided super-delegates to come off the fence.

It is very important that some of that pressure comes from women, because Mrs Clinton has a devoted following among older women, who have a sense that this is the last chance in their lifetimes to elect a woman president, and the members of this demographic may not be keen on voting for Obama.


Expect leading Democratic stateswomen, such as Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray and Blanche Lincoln to take on this role.

When they do that depends on how long they want this to go on. These are the people who, together with Mrs Clinton, will send signals to older women supporters - not just delegates - that there is no chance for her, and that we have to get on with the general election campaign.

[D J 1 3 8]

I think all she could do is hang around and hope that Obama has some sort of major implosion of bigger-than-Wright proportions, which would allow her to make the case to superdelegates that he's unelectable.

This is exactly what she's doing, as it's her only hope.

Politicians implode all the time, either of their own device (Howard Dean) or some other past scandal.

If she could get that whole gay/coke thing thing to get some traction, which I suspect is one of her last ditch strategies, that could do some damage.

[Bill Blake]

What’s Obama’s campaign’s bank account like now?

The most elegant, yet cut throat strategy to close—unless they think saving money and waiting it out is cool, since they figure they got the nomination anyway—would be to dump so much money into the upcoming primaries that they financially suffocate her?

[mhd]

What’s Obama’s campaign’s bank account like now?

The most elegant, yet cut throat strategy to close—unless they think saving money and waiting it out is cool, since they figure they got the nomination anyway—would be to dump so much money into the upcoming primaries that they financially suffocate her?

lol, they already did that, check pa

[Armento]

Can I just say that the speach last night was superb!!! I was driving home through beautiful canyons, mullholand drive and realized I was completely entranced. went 1/2 way home without even realizing it. Completely in the speach

[Sal Paradise]

what is the gay coke thing? and where did Obama make the speech so I can find it on you tube?

[TAC]

If she could get that whole gay/coke thing thing to get some traction, which I suspect is one of her last ditch strategies, that could do some damage.

Rubbish.... If Barack hasn't implode by now, it's not going to happen anytime soon.

She's toast. She was toast before the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, but she refuses to accept it.

see

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/...ter/index.html

a great little tool that allows you to see what's needed.

[AK]

what is the gay coke thing? and where did Obama make the speech so I can find it on you tube?

There's some nut out there falsely claiming that he had a "gay encounter" with Obama, and Obama has admitted to trying cocaine as a teenager. Next...

The speech was last night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

[KBig]

Can I just say that the speach last night was superb!!! I was driving home through beautiful canyons, mullholand drive and realized I was completely entranced. went 1/2 way home without even realizing it. Completely in the speach

thats speech was awesome...

He covered alot of ground with that speech and the delivery was ingenious...

[AD]

it's over for her. she may as well learn to practice on bill's cactus. monica can give her lessons.

[D J 1 3 8]

Rubbish.... If Barack hasn't implode by now, it's not going to happen anytime soon.

in politics, never say never

[TAC]

in politics, never say never

Man, I haven't ever done this, but you an ass. Even if Hillary were to win all of the remaining delegates, she would still not get over the hump. You need to check the cnn calculator that I provided. Slide the delegate bar to the left to give Hillary 100 percent of the remaining delegates and you'll see. The numbers do not add up. Given that Barack has basically "blocked" her in most of the primaries to date, it follows that he should receive enough of the remaining delegates to with the nomination.

Again, barring an abolute collapse of Barack, Hillary's days in this are done.

Now, if I were you, I would start PM'ing AK to see if you can get to mix a couple of songs in at the inaugural ball if you haven't begun to do so already, cause you know how it goes on the PEE!!!!!

[House]

She's gonna cut herself a great deal. Cuz she has serious coin (delegates) and the backing of 49% of the voters who voted in the democratic primary (influence)

She might push for VP (doubt it) but she will get whatever else she wants

she has played a very good endgame

talk of her quitting in January was foolish (to say the least)

[Bill Blake]

but she will get whatever else she wants

And what might that be?

[DJ Loka]

She's gonna cut herself a great deal. Cuz she has serious coin (delegates) and the backing of 49% of the voters who voted in the democratic primary (influence)

She might push for VP (doubt it) but she will get whatever else she wants

she has played a very good endgame

talk of her quitting in January was foolish (to say the least)

i'm hoping she wants a supreme court appointment.

[Armento]

i'm hoping she wants a supreme court appointment.

good idea... stubborn and persistent.. and somewhat on the left side

[KBig]

She's gonna cut herself a great deal. Cuz she has serious coin (delegates) and the backing of 49% of the voters who voted in the democratic primary (influence)

She might push for VP (doubt it) but she will get whatever else she wants

she has played a very good endgame

talk of her quitting in January was foolish (to say the least)

Im not so sure she is gonna get WHAT SHE wants as opposed to getting what Obama WANTS to give her...

He is in the driver's seat right now... and is acting like it...

Her as his V.P. is disasterous... she will thrwart his entire initiative.
not to mention its the antithesis of what his platform is.... CHANGE

I really dont think that is an option for him... Personally

but the good ole boy Democratic network still doesnt have full faith in the Brutha standing on his own merits... We have all been there before....
You'r only validated when the white woman/man gives the knod.

"We would feel more COMFORTABLE if the White Woman was on the tix"

Everyone is wondering what is HRC thinking.... what will she do....

No she cant WIN legit... so what does BILLARY have under wraps that they think can keep them in this contest?

She is broke, loosing the pop vote and delegate count, has a high unpopular rating and she is sticking it out...

what do they think they have that can damage Barack ....

[Mr.I]

thats speech was awesome...

He covered alot of ground with that speech and the delivery was ingenious...

indeed!

[KBig]

i'm hoping she wants a supreme court appointment.

and she would be pretty good in that position ....


imo.

[DJ Loka]

and she would be pretty good in that position ....


imo.

i think if not the nominee, she'd have far more impact on the supreme court.

[Daniel, Grand Duke of Stony Island]

Will you niggas, for once and for all, stop trying to RECEIVE and instead realize if you want anything in life you have to TAKE IT!!!

"Why doesn't she just quit?"

"She's up to something."

"I want this to just end."

Who cares!!! Frankly, if Obama wins the nomination down to the last delegate, he isn't just the nominee.

HE, a FRESHMAN SENATOR, beat down THE CLINTONS! BEAT THEM STUPID THROUGH TO THE FINAL BELL!

Do you all get this?

It won't be due to the hope of America, God's will, the will of the people, the demand of history or all this other CONSOLATION PRIZE BULLSHIT y'all like to dwell upon.

Should Barack Obama win the Democratic Nomination for POTUS, it will be due to the fact HE'S A BAD MUTHAFUKA who DIDN'T TAKE NO SHORTS and didn't allow anyone to fuck his shit up. It will be due to him being A MUTHAFUKIN' SELF-MADE MAN who HANDLED HIS and CAN DO SO AGAIN.

Hillary Clinton goes out on her back and we are forever free of the false myth of the Clinton presidency and the shame and setbacks his marginalization of black Americans cost us. The co-opting and misuse of our heritage and self-image will be avenged.

If he's gonna do it, I want him to do it with his foot on her back and holding Bill Clinton's head on a stick.

Perhaps then the rest of you niggas will see what it takes to be a goddamned man. A REAL MAN.
-------

I'm voting Obama because I AM OBAMA. A lot of cats on tha P and in America at large are OBAMA.

And a lot of y'all ain't.