Should Hillary quit? A round-up
Is North Carolina the fat lady that sang for Hillary Clinton? The editorial board suggested that it's finally over for her, and L.A. Times columnist Rosa Brooks called it way back in March. The Hill reports that backs are turning on her. What are the other papers saying?
The Washington Post editorial board focuses on Barack Obama even as it comes to the same conclusion on Clinton:
Hillary Clinton may, as she promised yesterday, fight on through the next few weeks of primaries, but after her disappointing showing Tuesday she has no plausible route to victory. So Mr. Obama was sounding themes for the coming battle against John McCain.... These are familiar phrases by now, appealing but also insubstantial.
Its columnists Harold Meyerson and George F. Will agree...
Meyerson said Clinton is out and blamed it on a late-in-the-game strategy switch:
Had she run as the caring populist from the outset, she might have prevailed. But her conversion from the most experienced candidate to the most caring (which entailed sacking strategist Mark Penn, who never understood how much the economy had changed since the late '90s) came too late.
Will says she was late on a lot of things -- including realizing she had a strong challenger in Obama.
The New York Times editorial board makes no such pronunciation against their once-endorsed home-state candidate, and columnist Gail Collins looks at the bright side: "After this campaign, nobody in America can ever seriously argue that women aren’t capable of being in armed combat. She is strong. She is invincible. Or, at minimum, extremely hard to discourage." Collins' fellow columnist Nicholas D. Kristof seems to want her gone so she doesn't hand the election to John McCain, but grants Clinton the sexism point: "One of the political lessons of this year — backed by psychological research and polling data — is that the bar is probably higher for a woman candidate for president than for a black candidate."
The Wall Street Journal's Daniel Henninger characterizes Clinton's current standing by saying she "now resembles the robot's crawling hand in the final scenes of 'The Terminator'" and says for Obama, it's about race:
The superdelegates are faced with choosing between the Clinton machine's brutal demographic math and thinking well of themselves. No contest.
Will the national electorate sing from the same hymnal as the superdelegates' offstage chorus? Who knows, but let's get on with finding out.
I'll end with Karl Rove's words of wisdom, from a Journal piece called, "It's Obama, Warts and All":
Almost everything we think we know right now will be revised and even overturned during the next six months. This has been a race in which conventional wisdom has often been proven wrong. The improbable or thought-to-be impossible has happened with regularity. It has created a boom market for punditry and opinion offering, and one of the grandest possible spectacles for political junkies in decades. Hold on to your hat. It's going to be one heck of a ride through Nov. 4.
UPDATE: The NYT editorial board chimes in on May 9:
There is a lot of talk that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is now fated to lose the Democratic nomination and should pull out of the race. We believe it is her right to stay in the fight and challenge Senator Barack Obama as long as she has the desire and the means to do so. That is the essence of the democratic process.
But we believe just as strongly that Mrs. Clinton will be making a terrible mistake — for herself, her party and for the nation — if she continues to press her candidacy through negative campaigning with disturbing racial undertones.
The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!
The same drivel from the doomsday crowd - Princess Hillary should lay down and Quit.
Why don't you "Global Warming" mavens go away and let the decisions be made by the people who can see past your trembling fingers and squinting eyes ...
HILLARY WILL RUN - HILLARY WILL WIN
This country is NOT ready for an IN_EXPERIENCED Kid with "pie in the sky" dreams to take the top office. This is NOT on the job training.
Posted by: Bill Peterson | May 09, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Does anyone find it prejudiced that while all the blogs and many of the comments do not want Hilary to quit,only the letters condemning her are printed?
I do. As a women I am deeply offended.
As a voter I am outraged that my vote should count for nothing because experience, skills, courage, achievement and willingness to work to make our lives better counts as nothing when compared with being a male.
Even one with no plan for anyone but himself.
Posted by: LB | May 09, 2008 at 05:47 PM
THE BILL CLINTON EFFECT
Yes the Jessie Jackson of female candidates should.
more@ futureosophy.com.
Posted by: Christopher Wilde | May 11, 2008 at 06:38 AM
Hillary's fading star has nothing whatever to do with her being a woman. It has everything to do with her being Hillary. Any number of capable women could have won the contest, and in a manner worthy of their character. Hillary is losing in a manner worthy of hers.
Posted by: Kevin | May 11, 2008 at 03:43 PM
yes; Hillary should quit, she's a very selfish, dishonest ego-maniac who needs to go away for good.
Besides when she gives her speeches she sounds more like a nag, than a competent leader.
Posted by: Derek | May 11, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Hillary should stay in the race.I t is good for the party and good for Barak Obama. Ity lends perspective and credibility to the electoral process. errol smythe.
Posted by: Errol Smythe | May 12, 2008 at 05:05 AM
If Obama is the choice it might be better to loose.
If Dukakis had won in 1988 he would have been blamed for all the stuff that George the first got blamed for ( the true blame belonging to the Reagan Administration) and the permanent Republican majority that Karl Rove dreams of would have been put in place in 1992.
Obama is driven mainly by ego this is demonstrated by the fact in his entire political career he has spent more time campaigning for the next office than he has doing the business of the people who elected him.
Everyone falls for a fool’s mate the first time, while Obama is trying to figure out how things work and why Republicans won’t go against their special interest when he asked them so nicely. The Republicans will set him up as the creator of all that is wrong in our country.
As I have said before as Jimmy Carter got us 8 years of Ronald Reagan I shudder to think what an Obama Presidency would get us.
Posted by: Willard Roker | May 12, 2008 at 08:50 AM
Let's face it America! The thought of Hillary Clinton losing to an African American makes her want to "RUN FOR EVER" even after the presidential campaign is long gone. It just "SUCKS"! Oooop's! That's Monica's job!
Posted by: Huck from Pasadena | May 12, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Hilary Clinton is where she is today because she is the wife of the two term president, Bill Clinton. She was elected Senator from New York because she is the wife of Bill Clinton. If she gains the presidency, it will be only because of this spousal link Her accomplishments have little to do with her own merits. There is nothing here for the women's movement to be proud of.
Posted by: George C Thomas | May 13, 2008 at 06:33 AM
NO HILLARY should not quit and if she isn't on the nov. ballet a lot of her supports are going to have a write in as president so go hillary go no oboma no
Posted by: clara | May 13, 2008 at 09:32 AM
Hillary has a better shot than the arithmetic shows because she is the middle way between a war monger and a lightweight. Despite her having a trainwreck of a campaign and despite Obama being the media darling and the next big thing, he can't close the deal.
HILLARY 08
Posted by: SophieL | May 14, 2008 at 05:08 AM
I think Hillary should stay in for as long as she likes.
She already owes millions,what's a few more!
I don't understand why anyone would vote for her to
run this country, when she can't even run a successful campaign.
I would love to have a women president,just not this one. OBAMA 08
Posted by: Cindy | May 14, 2008 at 10:09 AM
I am not really a Hilary supporter, but I hope she doesn't quit...just yet.
I hope she stays and they have another debate where people can ask the question I have always wanted to ask of presidential candidates: What are the 50 darkest things about your character/personality?
I've noticed that's how humans bond - they tell each other the worst things about themselves. After that, they begin to trust each other.
Posted by: MyLessThanPrimeBeef | May 14, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, I knew and trusted them. However, they need to heal the damaged Democratic Party. After stating superdelegates should vote their conscience, and not that of their constituents-I wonder, does my vote mean anything? The delegates count has supposedly changed too, huh? And now to speak ouside of their own (mansion) home that she won't bow out. I don't believe He/she could possibly have the best interests of this country at heart as they have said, is it about them -and not USa? The racial divide -Clinton should start healing this nation or why bother to vote...again? This is Childish, Mr. Clinton. And I along with my family may not vote at all. I could go for CHANGE, Mr.Mrs.Clinton.
Posted by: badbutch | May 15, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Obama: the Ralph Nader of 2008. Despite the fact that Obama stated in 2006 to the Urban Christian magazine Relevant, "I will unequivocally not run in 2008" he decided to run anyway. As a life-long Democrat I for one will not vote for him because he is a liar, he is inexperienced, he is obviously afraid to truly debate a woman who actually knows what she's talking about (and one that loves America and all she stands for), and because I just don't hear Illinois singing his praises. Seems the press and the journalists of America are sick of Bill and have decided to blame Hillary for him. Isn't that just the way it goes for women today - always getting blamed for what happens in the household. I will vote Republican this year if Hillary isn't nominated just to make sure my vote counts and that it counts against Obama. Hillary, Go Girl, stay in the race until Obama's wife sings the blues - and than we can all say she did her best despite the haters and vile "conflict of interest" journalists (if you want to give them that honor) like Stephanopolis, who acutally believes we are stupid enough to swallow his "unbiased" opinion of the Clinton's. When the democrats lose again I will gladly smile and blame Obama for ruining our chance at the White House this time around and will disdainfully plug along another 4 years with a Republican that is at least a proud American Veteran. Let's just pray McCain can get a good cabinet to help him along because we are surely going to need it - in fact, bring Mitt back and perhaps we'll be alright.
Posted by: Marge Bermann | May 15, 2008 at 10:20 PM
The math is pretty conclusive. Hillary will not be the Democratic nominee by rights of succession, delegation, or voter mandate. Staying on at this point misuses money entrusted to her by her following of nostalgia, delusional woman -at-any-cost idealists, and race-biased "hard-working white folks." By the way- how is it that the good folks of West Virginia failed to notice that the self-proclaimed "best manager of the economy" cannot even balance her own campaign checkbook? And did anyone notice that during a prior financial squeeze, the first idea to rise to the top was to not pay her workers? She is already running an 11-million dollar deficit. This is management?? What disturbs me most, and ultimately lost me to her cause, is that she is willing, to assume her ego-driven pinnacle by means of smear stories, backroom deals, and even financing (on borrowed money) a re-do of Florida and Michigan (conflict of interest and all!) even AFTER she voted with the "yeas" when those states were sanctioned for blantly breaking the rules. She has also suggested tossing out any caucases whose results do not please her. Which is it, Hillary, the people, or the gameboard? YOUR gameboard. But all that was back in the days when the nomination was hers to lose. In true Clinton style, the ethics obligingly change with the scenery. She also seems to have forgotten that some of us might remember that Reverend Wright was called upon by the Clinton White House during the impeachment affair. Whoops! One might wonder about the close and continuing contact between these titans of the ego. I guess Wright wanted his piece of Obama, too, but he came close to extracting his pound of flesh and 10 minutes of fame at the expense of a nation and a world sorely in need of the brand of leadership that Barak Obama promises to bring. I begn as a Hillary supporter, and watched with increasing sorrow as this brilliant and capable woman slipped into the Clinton stereotype that I had refused to believe until I saw it again for myself. The layers of the onion are the same as ever, even more pungent with age. I found myself increasingly repulsed by the old game of nasty politics, designed only to propel the most ruthless to victory. But what about the issues? And the people? A new generation is coming up, and fresh perspective may just find a place alongside experience in a failing planet desperately in need of new ideas. Hillary is the best of what she is, a pragmatist-politician who will react as necessary. In contrast, Barak will not wait for disaster to adress problems. As he did in his vote against the war that has bankrupted our nation and killed thousands of our bravest young men and women, he will take the bold steps and stand his ground. In this he has demonstrated the lesson my party needs to learn from the Republicans- to stand by your principles, and defend them whenever you must. It worked for Ronald Reagan, and resulted in the defection of millions of "Reagan Democrats" who may just be ripe to re-enter the fold. Even when civilized people disagree, people respect and desire genuineness. May Obama continue to stand strong as he has until even the blindest will finally see that he is a leader we can believe in. Sorry, Hillary, you just don't know the words to the song. I hope you find the grace and courage to bow out while you still have respect and credibility, even in elitist New York.
Posted by: Marianne Menter | May 17, 2008 at 01:07 PM
HI CLINTON SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP NEVER. WHATS WHAT REP WANTS COUSE MOST ARE MEN AND MEN DONT LIKE STRONG WOMEN AND SPECIALY PREACHER BOY OBAMA AND HIS GANG MEMBERS HE VERY DOMINATING RELIGIOS MAN HE DONT WANT HER TO BE STRONG AND CONTIUNO. PREACHER BOY THINGS HE S GOING TO WIN WHAT A FOOL. CLINTON IS QUIET DOING HER THINGS. WOMEN ARE STRONG WE NEVER GIVE UP MARIA
Posted by: maria | May 18, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Practical considerations have indicated for some time that Hillary's campaign was headed nowhere in particular. She is now racking up campaign debt that she cannot repay and will be looking to the Democratic party to bail her out. Like Romney she can afford to finance a portion of her campaign, but all signs indicate that she would like to be reimbursed for her foolish expenditure of her own fortune. All of this ridiculous expenditure of millions on campaigning could have been put to far better use assisting those whose cause Hillary and all of us should be championing and whose vote she has been courting in recent weeks.
Posted by: kathy | May 19, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Hillary for Secretary of State.
Posted by: Arora | May 20, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Witcharry should just shut up and fade away into purgatory where she belongs.
Never will a woman so hated by most of the country ever get anything but what she deserves, which is NOTHING!
What was the name of the hair salon in the Blues Brothers movie? Oh yes, I think it was "Curl up and Dye"...
Posted by: Proud American | May 25, 2008 at 06:51 AM