The Final Chapter
For more than a month, her endgame was a mystery. When would she drop out? Under what circumstances? Why not sooner rather than later?
A day after losing the Democratic nominating fight but not formally bowing out, Sen. Hillary Clinton said she will suspend her campaign by the end of this week, and pledged to help Sen. Barack Obama capture the White House.
Clinton plans to thank supporters at a Washington D.C. event Saturday, but she got a head start in an e-mail the campaign sent out early Thursday, announcing the former First Lady’s planned withdrawal from the race.
By suspending instead of dropping out altogether, Clinton technically remains a candidate, entitled to keep pledged delegates and district-level delegates. Mitt Romney also exited this way on the GOP side.
In a campaign of near-deaths and premature obituaries, Clinton battled all the way into early June - though her hopes were essentially dashed May 6.
Boosted by a convincing, April 22 win in Pennsylvania, Hillary’s campaign hoped for a close race in North Carolina and a landslide win in Indiana. But the reverse happened, and Obama virtually wrapped it up.
Obama was still well short of the delegate plateau, but from May 6 on, there was a sense of resignation within the Hillary Clinton campaign.
She would carry on, but the outcome was inevitable. “She can accept losing,” an adviser told the Washington Post. “She could not accept quitting.”
With the battle for pledged delegates all but lost after May 6, Clinton pinned her dimming hopes on the Florida and Michigan delegations being reinstated, and perhaps a saving wave of superdelegate support.
Yet Democrats nationwide have coalesced around Obama in the past month, and this week, when he officially won the nomination by securing 2,118, those who were still on the fence have moved swiftly to his camp.
In fact, on Thursday and Friday, even the top Democrats from Clinton’s home state of New York plan to endorse the Illinois senator.
After the final South Dakota and Montana primaries Tuesday, Obama crossed the finish line of 2,118, but Clinton did not concede.
Instead, she waited, continuing to test the waters and determine the best way to proceed. In the end, all her avenues had been exhausted, the final chapter of a formidable, but failed campaign written.
All that remains to be seen is whether she’ll be given a curtain call as V.P.
NATIONAL
June 5th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Like many Clinton supporters, I don’t like Obama … I can not longer recognize, nor do I like the Democratic party anymore … therefore, I wish Hillary would run as an Independent. It’s worked for other candidates … like Joe Leiberman. At least as an independent democracy would prevail if Hillary won the popular vote … again.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Lee, before you make your decision to either vote for McCain or not vote at all in the general election, think about the following:
1. If you don’t vote, and if not enough votes come in during the general election, there is a good chance that the next president will be decided by the supreme court [or at the State Court if we get a repeat of what happened in 2000 in Florida].
2. If you vote for McCain, and if McCain wins the office, I like to see you explain the reason of your support to me and yourself when you and I lose our jobs, healthcare, our children when they go to war in Iran, and my home.
3. The reason Hillary lost was not because of what you believe Obama did. It was because Hillary kept preaching the she will use the traditional old-style politics that the people have lost trust in [at least not as much as George Bush's politics]. This is because we are now in an era where [thanks to Bush] the people, especially the younger generation that are about to replace the older generation, feel that it’s time to forget about the old-style politics and change the way this country operates forever.
Frankly, I would no doubt have voted for Hillary had she not only behaived herself but had she also preached about change as well as Obama did. That would’ve helped her steam roll over Obama’s campaign. But no, she just had to promise us the same old politics. You may not realize this, but the younger generation are fed up with seeing the same old politics from both parties and therefore they wanted real change. Obama promised that change.
Now, had Hillary decided to run for President back in 2004, she would’ve won my vote hands down along with everybody else.
But seriously, Lee, why don’t you like Obama? And please don’t answer me with the same old generic answer of “I just don’t trust him” without explaining yourself. I hate that generic answer because that’s like saying that people don’t like him for reasons that they don’t want others to know about.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Jessy: Thank you for clarifying in words what really went on with the Clinton campaign. I hope Clinton’s supporters realize that deciding to not vote or vote for McCain will leave us all right where we were. Thats not progressive.
I want to put the question out there, Why is there so much fear about Obama becoming this country’s president, A Black man?? The same ole answer, he does not have enough experience does not really answer it for me because those who have had the “right” kind of experience has put us where we are today. NO ONE can have all the answers and know EVERYTHING. Thats what you have a cabinet for and you choose people who believe what you believe and are willing to work hard to make it happen as a team. I trust OBAMA and I’m really ready for some positive change.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I know Hillary is tying things up Saturday but as you say leaving things open. She plans on trying to unite the party and getting Barack elected. That is all that matters now. Anyone responsible for helping McCain holds the same liability of those that voted for the current idiot!
My big concern I have written about before but in light of her “slip” and today being the 40th of RFK’s assassination keeping Obama alive is my focus!
June 5th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
There is a lesson to be learned here from HRC’s campaign: based on the media’s bias in the coverage of her campaign, I would tell young women to let Hillary’s run serve as a warning to any women aspiring to hold the highest political office in this country. Sadly, the United States has not evolved enough to elect a woman in my lifetime. I just heard on CNN pundits pontificating about what “role” she might play, if not asked to be VP. Had the piece been given more time, those pundits might have suggested she take a new role to iron her counterparts’ shirts, or perhaps stand in as “gum girl” for the dispensing of Nicorette for Obama.
Thanks, but I think I’ll just sit out this upcoming General Election. I found out for the umpteenth time that my vote doesn’t count (voted last time in FL), and the only purpose going to the polls seems to serve in this country is to keep the masses pacified enough not to riot in the streets. It’s a sham and a shame. The U.S. — and the World — is still unquestionably run by male power brokers. No girls allowed.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Whats wrong with the American people? Why can’t they see through this guy? His real name is Mabus. All he does is talk about ‘Change’, but nothing about how he is going to go through with it. He speeches are the same every time, I don’t see him changing anything, not for the better good anyway. It seems like he is just going to stop the progress of our goals as a country together. Change is not always good, especially what this guy wants to do. His ideas for change seem to be a dream or wish, but not a reality. From the beginning, I saw that this guy fits the prophecies of the anti-christ, HE’S THE DEVIL. I don’t care what this guy has to say, he’s a muslim. No matter what he says, his father and step-father is a proclaimed muslim and by that is every muslims eyes he is also. Read his book. Why are we, a country under God, not allah, and during a holy war against these people, are we going to let him be our president. He is anti-american, he’s been going to that church for years, Wright was his mentor, and he is going to tell us that non of that has effected his beliefs or thoughts, BULLSHIT! His excuses of why he won’t wear an American flag, put his hand over his heart, and other non-american activities, is ridiculous and offensive to our country. If all of this would have been made known to the American people prior to all this, I am sure he wouldn’t have made it this far. All of the media supports him and the way the media portrays him is sick. He plans on defense and the war are unrealistic and is just going to set back and contradict what we have been have been fighting for in the past few years. He will allow them to basically win and reorganize to start all of this again. Them muslim extremists are set on their goals about the West and Israel. This war isn’t going on because of Bush, them muslims have been fighting against us since biblical times. They aren’t going to stop, this war is necessary, and the people who don’t think so are blinded by their imaginations of peace. I see him siding with the muslims and terrorists.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Dear “fuck obama,”
You are a sick human being and need to immediately seek psychological help. You are the reason we have gotten into such a mess, mainly because of fear and hate. You are afraid of life and want to rationalize and blame others for your skewed thought processes. How unfortunate. I feel sorry for you.
Being a psych nurse, I really do advise you to seek psychological
assistance. You are not mentally well.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Dear “fuck obama,”
You are a sick human being and need to immediately seek psychological help. You are one of the reasons we have gotten into such a mess, mainly because of people’s fear and hate. You are afraid of life and want to rationalize and blame others for your skewed thought processes. How unfortunate. I feel sorry for you.
Being a psych nurse, I really do advise you to seek psychological
assistance. You are not mentally well.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Dear Fuck Obama,
Prove to us that Obama is the Devil.
Prove to us that Obama’s real name is Mabus.
Prove to us that Obama is a Muslim.*
[quote by "Fuck Obama"]
he’s been going to that church for years, Wright was his mentor, and he is going to tell us that non of that has effected his beliefs or thoughts, BULLSHIT!
[/quote]
I thought you said Obama is a Muslim. Now you’re implying that he’s turned Christian? Make up your mind!
I have been in the medical field long enough to learn that you really need to see a shrink. I will also suggest that you stop drinking the laundry detergent.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
*PS: Just because Obama has an Arab sounding name doesn’t mean he’s a Muslim. Back in elementary, kids always thought I was “gay” because of my name [I'm a guy]. You can see how that could toughen me up.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
As for you EJ, don’t make this a gender-issue. That’s one issue that Obama has avoided because of how divisive that arguement could be. He also left his church for the same damn reason [separation of church and state]. And in case you haven’t noticed, this country’s “Issue #1″ is not gender related.