Jay Severin is pushing the rumor:
Someone whom I know intimately, who has top level national media and political connections, contacted me just now to say "I last evening dined with X, and X tells me Hillary is planning to quite the race day after tomorrow, Friday."
I would be surprised if she does pull out before the March 4 primaries, but the writing is on the wall at this point. Hillary is a dead man walking and the news for her is going from bad to worse.
Georgia Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis is the latest superdelegate to jump the sinking ship Hillary and climb aboard the Obama bandwagon. Senator Chris Dodd endorsed him yesterday and Governor Bill Richardson could endorse within days. I'd be willing to bet my house that he will throw his support behind Obama despite his longstanding ties with the Clintons.
Adding to Hillary's misery is the fact that Obama is surging in the Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania polls, and burying her on the airwaves with an avalanche of ads outspending her nearly two-to-one::
...per TV ad expert Evan Tracey, Obama has outspent Clinton $23 million to $14 million in the last 30 days.
It may be finally beginning to dawn on Hillary that she really has no chance to win anymore. She desperately needs blowout victories in Ohio and Texas just to begin the process of climbing back to parity with Obama in the delegate count. Just check out slate.com's delegate calculator if you don't believe me.
Given all these realities, the smart thing for her to do would be to make a graceful exit before March 4 and avoid another humiliating series of defeats at the hands of Obama. Even if she manages to hang on in Ohio her margin of victory won't be large and the delegates will be roughly split.
Now is the time for her to step aside, throw her support to Obama, and promise to move heaven and earth to defeat McCain. At this stage in the campaign, perpetuating her negative attacks on Obama only serves to weaken the Democratic Party for the general election, and drive up Obama's negatives to the benefit of Republicans. If she persists and Obama ends up losing to McCain, many Democrats will blame her and she will blow her chances of getting the nomination in 2012 or later.
It's time for her to do the right thing.
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race
Tags: Clinton withdrawal rumor, Democratic presidential campaign
Comments (12)
It's hard to imagine Hillar... (Below threshold)1. Posted by COgirl | February 27, 2008 11:04 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
It's hard to imagine Hillary being graceful and making an early exit. But you can tell by looking at her face and her body movements that she knows she's history. Since the presidency was always her ambition and she clearly can't win, I wonder if she will remain in the Senate when her term is up or will she continue to try to hold onto power. Personally, I'd like to be rid of the Clintons once and for all.
1. Posted by COgirl | February 27, 2008 11:04 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on February 27, 2008 23:04
2. Posted by Lee Ward![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangpolitics.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| February 27, 2008 11:37 PM | Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
The fact that Friday is the last day of the month lends support to the rumors. Pulling the plug before the new month begins probably cuts costs, salaries, etc.
Edwards quit on January 30th.
2. Posted by Lee Ward![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangpolitics.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| February 27, 2008 11:37 PM |
Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Posted on February 27, 2008 23:37
3. Posted by Larkin![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangpolitics.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| February 27, 2008 11:52 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
I wonder if she will remain in the Senate when her term is up or will she continue to try to hold onto power.
I really can't imagine her stepping down from the Senate. It's a safe seat and she could probably stay there for another 20 years. She's only 60 years old and looks to be in pretty good health so she could likely have 3 more shots at the presidency.
3. Posted by Larkin![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangpolitics.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| February 27, 2008 11:52 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on February 27, 2008 23:52
4. Posted by mantis | February 28, 2008 12:29 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
No way. I'll be surprised if she drops out before the convention even if Obama gets 2025.
Plus, Jay Severin knows a guy who ate with a guy who knows some people? Very thin. Anorexic.
4. Posted by mantis | February 28, 2008 12:29 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 00:29
5. Posted by marc | February 28, 2008 6:19 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"Hillary is a dead man walking and the news for her is going from bad to worse."
Lee Ward commits Hari Kari, film at 11!
5. Posted by marc | February 28, 2008 6:19 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 06:19
6. Posted by Greg | February 28, 2008 7:50 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Ummm...so what about the $35 million the campaign raised in February? What about the fact that Obama actually trails Hillary in votes from people who identify themselves as Democrats? What about the fact that her last name is Clinton?
6. Posted by Greg | February 28, 2008 7:50 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 19:50
7. Posted by TexasJon | February 28, 2008 8:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
She's planning to quite the race? Tomorrow? Comma? Friday?
7. Posted by TexasJon | February 28, 2008 8:00 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 20:00
8. Posted by Ryan | February 28, 2008 8:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
There will be run for Hillary in 2012 because there will be many more HDTV's in homes throughout the country.
8. Posted by Ryan | February 28, 2008 8:49 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 20:49
9. Posted by Jenny | February 28, 2008 8:54 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
This is hogwash. If you look at the polls in TX and OH, Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck... which means that despite all of Obama's "surging," half of the voters still want to vote for Clinton. Why does no one mention that Obama isn't going to get 2025 delegates by the time this all ends either? A virtual tie in polling numbers and the popular vote is only a mandate in Obamafantasyland. Oh, and the press, an equally fantastical place.
9. Posted by Jenny | February 28, 2008 8:54 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 20:54
10. Posted by stephen | February 28, 2008 10:55 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
"It's time for her to do the right thing", MEANING stay it it until the super-delegates are forced to decide the nominee LIVE at the convention.
BTW, slate.com's delegate calculator also proves that Obama cannot win enough pledged delegates before the convention either.
Last, the notion that Hillary will quit this week or if she wins TX and OH is sooo dumb.
10. Posted by stephen | February 28, 2008 10:55 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on February 28, 2008 22:55
11. Posted by Robert S. Moffatt | February 29, 2008 2:06 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Hey...wow come the media doesn't call H. Clinto to task about ther bragging of having 35 years of experience?
As what, a politicians wife? As far as I am aware, her only real experience is being a Junior Senetar from NY. The only other item that comes to mind is her "health-care debacle" when Billy was frist President...Another Hillary failure.
By Hillary's logice, then Jay Leno's wife should be about to step int the tonight show's spot and take over the whole show.
Let's face it...Hillary is a loser and has no entitlement to ANY office. I can't wait until she disenegrates and blows away.
11. Posted by Robert S. Moffatt | February 29, 2008 2:06 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on February 29, 2008 02:06
12. Posted by hillabilloo | February 29, 2008 3:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
check out "Hillary Clinton, It's Time to Quit!" on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M58g9dy9cuw
Funny song sung to the tune of The Beatles "I'm Looking Through You"
12. Posted by hillabilloo | February 29, 2008 3:20 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 29, 2008 15:20