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Which Democrat should quit the race?; Why shouldn't it be Obama?
Topic Started: Apr 4 2008, 07:47 PM (303 Views)
RTW
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Which Democrat should quit the race?
BONNIE ERBE
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST

Here's a statement you're hearing all over the place: One of the Democratic presidential candidates should drop out of the race. Here's a suggestion you'll hear nowhere else: Why shouldn't that person be Sen. Barack Obama?

Before the sky collapses on top of me under the weight of livid Obama supporters who've propelled themselves into outer space fueled by uncontained fury, let me explain I'm not suggesting Obama drop out. I am instead making the point that spinning the math in Hillary Clinton's favor is just about equally plausible as spinning it in Obama's favor. Most media outlets have done the former while giving nothing like equal time to the latter.

The most sophisticated analysis in Clinton's favor comes from Michael Barone of U.S. News & World Report. He points to the Clinton [url-=campaign's boast it has won more Electoral College votes than Obama, with the follow on that means her chances for winning the general election are better than his. Obama's supporters (Sens. Patrick Leahy, Chris Dodd, etc.) claim Clinton should drop out, because Obama has a larger tally of delegates and of popular votes.

But Barone posits an even better counter-argument for the Clinton campaign would be, "...to use population rather than electoral votes, since smaller states are overrepresented in the Electoral College. By my count, based on the 2007 Census estimates, Clinton's states have 132,214,460 people (160,537,525 if you include Florida and Michigan), and Obama's states have 101,689,480 people. States with 39,394,152 people have yet to vote. In percentage terms, this means Clinton's states have 44 percent of the nation's population (53 percent if you include Florida and Michigan) and Obama's states have 34 percent of the nation's population. The yet-to-vote states have 13 percent of the nation's population."


(entire column)
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STC
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Commodore
Why should anyone drop out? Why not just run to the wire?
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Franko
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No, this should properly go to the DNC convention and be decided there in the usual way.

Suggesting that Hillary bow out was of course a tempting suggestion to circulate and get media opinion about. My sense of it is, perusing the different outlets, is that the US media is largely undecided still about who it likes better. There's an upside and a downside to both candidates; McCain enjoys the luxery of a now uncontested nomination.

Both the Obama and Hillary camps must be careful not to do any lasting damage to each other; otherwise American voters may just see McCain as more "together". (couldn't think of a more elaborate term, there).

There are a lot of people who like Obama who aren't starstruck, engaging in idolatry, and responding to the sheer emotional charisma of the man. Some of us have actually been swayed by his eloquence, his sense of awareness of things, and the fact that, he's just plain "cool".

Thanks, I'll pick up my dismissal slip from the VRWC now.

"No country for old men and dragon-ladies". :lol:


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Sgt. Jaggs
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How about a Voyager Movie
STC
Apr 4 2008, 08:01 PM
Why should anyone drop out? Why not just run to the wire?

That is exactly what will happen. Whats funny is if Baraka doesn't shoose Hillary for Veep and Slick Willy has a meltdown of titanic proportions, wagging his finger at all those people who betrayed him!

Obama would be wise to offer her veep to improve chances of winning but I do not think he wants Bubba Clinton in HIS oval office.
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Intrepid2002
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UNGH!
Franko
Apr 4 2008, 09:06 PM


"No country for old men and dragon-ladies". :lol:

:tsk: Careful now, those terms could be used to describe you and me.
Then where would we go?

Quote:
 
Obama would be wise to offer her veep to improve chances of winning but I do not think he wants Bubba Clinton in HIS oval office.


I think that would be a wrong move. I don't see Obama as Clinton's vice president and vice versa. I think Obama can take on McCain without Clinton's help. His chances are good as they are now. While they might be an asset to each other during the election, I don't see them power sharing in the White House. But that's just a personal opinion.

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STC
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Commodore
Jag
Apr 5 2008, 02:09 AM
STC
Apr 4 2008, 08:01 PM
Why should anyone drop out? Why not just run to the wire?

That is exactly what will happen. Whats funny is if Baraka doesn't shoose Hillary for Veep and Slick Willy has a meltdown of titanic proportions, wagging his finger at all those people who betrayed him!

Obama would be wise to offer her veep to improve chances of winning but I do not think he wants Bubba Clinton in HIS oval office.

I think Obama will win and I think he will go on to become President.

I can't even conceive the notion that Clinton would accept being his No. 2, or that Obama would want her.
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somerled
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Admiral MacDonald RN
Isn't it up to their party to ultimately make that decision in time for their preferred candidate to make a good campaign , starting some time in August or September.

Ideally shouldn't both will run on a combined ticket with one looking to be president and the other vice president.
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Wichita
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The Adminstrator wRench
I don't think that anyone should drop out either at this time. I read that Hillary would actually lead the delegate count if it were winner-take-all in the Democratice primaries. I also read that about 90% of Obama's lead in # of voters is equal to his margin of victory in his home county of Cook County, Illinois.

For those of you who may not know the history of Cook County politics - the question is not IF dead people have voted there, but HOW MANY TIMES they have voted. By that, I am making absolutely no accusation against Obama - Cook County's voting history is older than I am, let alone Obama.

Point being that there is ample reason to question whether or not there is a definitive nominee.

I confess that I would like to see a brokered convention and not because I wish ill on the Democratic Party. I can remember conventions when there was an actual question about who would win the nomination. They were interesting to watch. I think I watched less than an hour of the conventions last time around - and unfortunately it was Kerry's "Reporting for Duty" speech.
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RTW
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Wichita
Apr 5 2008, 07:08 AM
For those of you who may not know the history of Cook County politics - the question is not IF dead people have voted there, but HOW MANY TIMES they have voted.

King County (Seattle) is trying to become the 21st century's Cook County.

Posted Image
Supporters of Governor-elect Christine Gregoire march in opposition of a recount
during November of 2004.
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Sgt. Jaggs
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How about a Voyager Movie
How to destroy America:
-encourage multilingaulism & multiculturalism
-celebrate diversity, not unity
-invest in ethnic identity
-establish the cult of victimology
-forget “E Pluribus Unum"
-censor Victor Davis Hanson’s book ‘Mexifornia'
www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/lamm.asp

Run Three Liberal Senators for the Presidency :bat:
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Hoss
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Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
which democrat should quit the race? John McCain.
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fireh8er
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I'm Captain Kirk!
Neither. Let them fight it until the Convention.
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UncleSlickhead
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High Priest of the Church of the Blalock's Booty
Hillary should quit because she's the only candidate currently suggesting that the vote of the people should be ignored and the superdelegates should just name her the Democrat candidate.
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Franko
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Hillary comes off to me with a "divine right of kings" attitude.


MCain comes off with a quiet and discreet, "well, it's my turn, and nobody's in my way."


Meanwhile, Obama is out there working his A off; politicking the old fashioned way.


Trying to earn America's trust to be president, not acting like it's some kind of entitlement. Ironic, in a way.

Oh, and by the way, Obama to me is the most right wing of the three.

You heard it here first.

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