Should Obama declare victory tomorrow night, or not?
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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NO. As much as we know he will already have it sown up, he needs to stick to the high road no matter what. That is the basis for his campaign and coalition.
Exactly right.
My thoughts exactly, and besides, how much more refreshing for CLINTON to CONCEDE!!!!!!!!!
those lovely little girls of his.
Go Sasha! Go Malia!
No, out of respect for Florida and Michigan. Illegal or not, they still need to be dealt with.
No, don’t ever want to have “Mission Accomplished” type of moment.
Not.
The media will do it for him but he shouldn’t.
Declaring victory tomorrow is like declaring you have won a race 10 feet before the finish line. Let the announcers have their 10 feet of excitement that he’s going to win and THEY are calling it. He doesn’t declare victory and collect his roses he’s in the winner’s circle with all the delegates he needs to be a winner.
Assume victory without stating the obvious and continue running against McCain.
Exactly what Fahey says. Pretty much ignore HRC, and run against McSame.
nalbar
one old adage, never appear too eager for the prize.
Everything else will speak loudly for Obama.
At this mo, 15.5 pledged delegates needed for a majority and a total of 109 total delegates to clinch the nomination.
“Obama won’t declare victory after Tuesday, but only because the media will do it for him. Clinton’s chances sag another 0.1 point to 1.6 percent“
via slate death watch
turn out the lights…the party’s over…via dandy don meredith.
I love it!!!!
The national poll results may be reflecting, among other things, the ‘success’ the Clinton campaign is experiencing. In other words, what flies in WV doesn’t necessarily work elsewhere.
My interest at this point is in reaching some closure, even though it could easily be mistaken for piling on. The mistakes of the Clinton campaign were legion, what do they think voters are going to think of this? —
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/19/clinton-cites-karl-rove-as-reason-to-stay-in/
I keep hearing and reading Clinton supporters who swear that they will never vote for Obama because of what he “did” to her.
Since what he did to her was beat her while trying to keep his campaign on the high road I’m not sure what can be done to pull these Clinton supporters in. I expect that many will come to Obama on their own because they rationally understand that as Democrats their interests lie with the Democratic Party and the Democratic candidate. And I am sure that there are plenty of Rethug agent provocateurs who pepper these sites, spurring on Clinton supporters. But we need every vote this year. The country has been looted by BushCo and we need every Democratic vote to get as many Democrats into office, and to get Obama elected.
One hopes they realize that their best chance of having a woman as president someday lies with the Democrats, and electing Democrats moves that day closer. I honestly can’t see the Republican party as presently constituted ever electing a woman President. Can you?
I can, but unless she first served as Vice-President.
He’s not going to anyway. There was never a plan to “declare victory” tomorrow.
Hillary’s campaign sure thinks he is. LOL They even sent out an email about it.
But then they still think she can win also.
This morning, before I woke up, Obama has already released a statement that his visit to Iowa isn’t a victory lap, but revisiting the place that put him on the road. It’s a “thank you” visit.
Almost 3 hours later, the Clinton’s release this memo. It’s like they’re stuck in a vacuum of stupid.
I know that. I have enough friends working for the campaign to kow they are not that stupid. Obama’s campaign has been run better than any campaign I have seen in decades.
Yes, he certainly does have a great campaign. I worked for him on election day here in Pennsylvania, and I was amazed at how smooth, and yet flexible, it was. (And we came within a few percentage points of an upset win in the county!)
I want to see the campaign run the country. Can you imagine an administration that’s organized, decisive, and eager for input?
The Independent, UK, – Tuesday, May 20, 2008
they have been playing catch up since january, and super-duper tuesday derailed the machine.
they have been totally outclassed in the primary’s…it has to be disturbing…ergo: the distinctive miasma of desperation emanating from hillaryville.
stay tuned. The Obama camp has shown a masterful roll-out in every detail.
and, going to florida is another brilliant maneuver…especially in light of his visit to michigan last wednesday where he picked up edwards’ endorsement.
wonder what new surprise might be on the agenda down in tampa…
I wonder if the Hillary camp sent that message knowing that Obama wouldn’t declare victory. But then they can point to their message and claim they stopped him from declaring victory. Pretend they have power.
I think they are living in a fantasy world anyway.
When I saw the first memo, I was like, “No one can be that dumb.” And yet, her supporters are acting as if the Clinton’s memo made Obama change his mind. And they’re getting pissy when it’s pointed out the Clinton’s memo was sent after the Obama memo.
They are so delusional it is pathetic. I have some friends who are die hard Hillary supporters who will not even speak to me as they know I am an Obama delegate to the state convention.
that isn’t A) deceptive, B) incompetent, C) designed to stir up more baseless antipathy at the expense of Dem prospects in the fall?
The Obama campaign has been denying this since mid last week, but Hillary is still pushing it anyway, trying to keep ginning up the resentment level among the faithful. Resentment is probably one of the last good motivators they have left at this point to squeeze out donations.
Last Wednesday night:
I’m not so sure that they think that they can win. Or at least not fairly via the DNC rules. Nonetheless, the Clintons are rallying their base with the last real GOTV strategy remaining: vindication of their so-called persecution by Obama, ‘the media’, etc.
Geraldine Ferraro as the arbiter of truth? Arch defender of feminism? C’mon. Anyone remember her husband?
What is Clinton doing besides exiling Bill to front porch speeches in the rural South? Likely making last minute arguments in a futile attempt to woo supers via the NYT electability piece (do we really think that Obama will lose many of the typical ‘blue’ states?); the popular vote myth; the ‘unfairness’ of the caucus approach (e.g. not representative of the primary population; don’t turn out in the GE); ad nauseum.
Let’s hope that she is not ‘running’ for VP. Obama can has much better choices (Strickland, Webb, etc.).
IMO, Obama should give Clinton the opportunity to concede. She will eventually, likely after the Rules Committee meets and Puerto Rico votes. If she waits until the convention, her political career is toast and Bill’s legacy is further tarnished (not to mention his earning capacity).
the media and the deluge of superdelegate endorsements will do it for him…
No. He has so far stayed out of the mud. He should have continued to do so.
And that Clinton memo thingee. Sheesh!
well, you guys and gals have given an unanimous response.
No.
…got the delegates. Some people can’t handle the truth. They are known as “losers.”
My opinion: He should let his supporters know that with their help, he has gained an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates. That’s as far as he should go at this time.
C’mon, let’s face it. I know he’s won. You know he’s won. He knows he’s won. In her heart of hearts I’m sure Clinton knows he’s won. But much as I hate to say it, much as I wish she’d drop out tomorrow, we have to wait for her to say it.
No, the disadvantage outweighs the advantage. Anyway, actions speak louder than words.
I’m going to agree with the consensus. There is no reason for Obama to declare victory until after the last primary.
Hillary has several reasons for staying in. One, she thinks that she really is the better candidate and she also thinks that Obama is going to screw it up somehow before the election. Back in January I thought the same things. Obama is too inexperienced. What I was unaware of was his decision methods, and the long primary has made him a much better campaigner.
Two. Her campaign is in heavy debt. She can pay it off a lot easier if she keeps on running. Three, if Obama is seen as running roughshod over Hillary, there is a real problem bringing unity to the Democratic Party. This is still a real problem going forward into the general election. Hillary knows that.
Obama really doesn’t need to declare victory. The Democratic Party will do that. All he has to do is start running against McCain. The Democratic Party is also changing focus towards the general election, and the Progressive independent organizations have also started on McCain. If Hillary can find a face-saving way to admit that she was defeated, then she still has a great future in the Democratic Party. We need her, and we don’t need her strongest supporters pissed off at the way the contest was ended.
What’s that old saying? “Gently, Gently, catchee monkey” wasn’t it? (Something I read from the time of the British occupation of India.)It applies here. We don’t need a fast, clear decisive ending of the process at this time. We need instead to prepare the best conditions for that ending. It’s only May, the conventions are in August, and McCain’s many deficiencies are already being presented by the corporate media.
Do you realize how powerful the election machines Obama and Hillary have now built in every state because of the long Primary season? I hear they are already beginning to cooperate against McCain, too.
What’s the rush?