PHOTO INDEX: SENATOR CLINTON, DAUGHTER CHELSEA AND FORMER PRESIDEENT BILL CLINTON AT LAST NIGHT'S SPEECH IN INDIANA.
END GAME?
Barack Obama resoundingly won in the North Carolina primary Tuesday night and declared he was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination. Hillary Clinton eked out a win in Indiana as she struggled to halt her rival's march into history, NBC News projected.
"Tonight we stand less than 200 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination for president of the United States," Obama told a raucous rally in Raleigh, N.C. -- and left no doubt he intended to claim the prize. Clinton stepped before her own supporters not long afterward in Indianapolis. "Thanks to you, it's full speed on to the White House," she said, signaling her determination to fight on in a campaign already waged across more than 16 months and nearly all 50 states. Two different takes from the two candidates. Obama seemed to regain his voice and confidence after a few weeks of uncertainty over the Rev. Wright issue and Clinton seemed to be a lot less combative and contemplative in her remarks.
Indiana was a must-win state for Clinton, who was hoping to counter Obama's delegate advantage with a strong run through the late primaries. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, the former first lady led 51 percent to 49 percent.
Results had been slow in coming from populous Lake County, a heavily black area in the northwestern part of Indiana near Obama's home city of Chicago. The county is home to the city of Gary, and the senator won overwhelming support there.
Extra ballot counters were brought in because of an unusually large number of absentee ballots, the Northwest Indiana Post-Tribune reported on its Web site.
So now there will be speculation about an end game for the Clinton campaign. The issues are:
1. Money: will there be enough cash for her to continue the campaign or will the money people of the Democratic party say, the taps turned off?
2. Legacy: By fighting to the end, will the former first lady damage the entire Clinton plolitical legacy damaging Obama for the fall campaign?
3. Vice President: History. If you can't be the first woman President, then why not the first female Veep?
4. Staying Alive: How to keep the campaign afloat all the way to Denver by accentuating the positive but still touting her electability in the big electoral college states.
5. Exit: If she does consider getting out, how, when and to be totally crass in political terms, what will be in it for her and her vast array of supporters?
Right now, the Clinton strategy seems to be to go on to West Virginia. People say this is her kind of state but that was said about Indiana too. In 1960, Hubert Humphrey went into West Virginia with a big lead only to be overcome by an upstart candidate who connected with the voters promising a new frontier. Most West Virginia voters were poor and ineducated back then. This candidate was rich and Harvard bred and born. John Kennedy pulled a huge upset there and went on to the nomination. Right now West Virginia looks good for Senator Clinton but if Senator Obama works the JFK magic of 1960 next week and pulls an upset, all bets will be off the table as to how long this valient Clinton campaign goes on.
STATE OF THE WORLD
I regret having missed Mario Forucci's State of the World event on Sunday May 4th. That might sound surprising given my lack of affinity for third party candidates but I think it's a worthy event. With my mom hospitalized, my mother in law in not so great ambulatory shape, Mrs. LuLac coming back from a business trip Saturday night from the midwest and my in laws traveling to Florida Sunday morning to attend the graduation of my nephew Todd at Emery Riddle in Daytona, making the event was impossible. However, my friend Gort wrote a great summary of the event, here's his link, http://gort42.blogspot.com/, scroll down to the date May 4th, Sunday and you'll get a recap.
I still think an Obama Hillary ticket is the way for the Dems to go. JFK and LBJ, Reagan and Bush, it can be done.
ReplyDeleteYour 5 points sum up Clinton's options. I think the big stumbling block to Hillary's getting the Vice Presidency will be what role, if any her husband will have. If he pipes down and tends to his business in Harlem, then that mightt work. But if he insists on being a Jimmy Cater post President, then Obama would be wise to say no to Hill.
ReplyDeleteThe Fat Lady is singing for Hillary. Loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteStick a fork in her, she's done! If she and her opponent can get together on a VP nod, the ticket would be unbeatable. As I've long said, Ms Clinton is the Dems answer to Dick Cheney and would make a great ballsy tough guy VP.
First consideration, WIN in November.
Second, End the Bush War!
And third, send Bill off to be a counselor at "Intern Camp" or anywhere, but get rid of him and his tarnished legacy.
McCain's numbers are inflated. Unless he picks a great veep, his numbrs will go down as gas prices go up. The gas tax holiday and the voters reaction to it proved that the American people see through the stuff the politicos are selling.
ReplyDeleteThis race is going to test the true mettle of the American people. Will they vote for their own self interest as voters do? Or will they buy into the cultural fear issues the GOP has been so successful at throwing at us since 1988? How bad do things have to get before Americans look away from the Republican party sleight of hand.
ReplyDeleteDo you see a bias among the national media with this race? They seem to be so ****ed that this thing is going on too long. Most likely cutting into their down time on Martha's Vineyard! The only media people seeming to have fun with this are you, Gort, and Corbett.
ReplyDeleteHillary can do whats right for her party and best for the country or she can be totally self centered.
ReplyDeleteIf she stays in the race, she may be forced to play on her little publicized Congressional Medal of Honor awarded when she was a Marine at Khe Sahn or her Silver Star won during the battle of the Chosin Resevior or possibly her well known personal relationship with Jack Kennedy who whispered in her ear, "Go girl, you make my knees knock!" One things for sure, something with no relation to truth is on the way... if she stays! On the other hand she could show some of her middle class, class and step down graciously which aint gonna happen!
Yonki,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Hillary would be a good pick for a Veep slot. Senator Obama has been running his campaign on an idea of a new way to approach politics. I think Richardson might be a good idea for the position on the ticket. He could lend some geographical balance, help with hispanic voters and some gravitas. I also hope that some of the talking heads have it right that if Hillary stays in the race at least until West Virginia that this will give Obama a face saving moment. If he looses West Virginia with her in the race, it will not look too embarasing for him. Let's just hope that if Obama is the nominee that the hurt feelings of the Clinton suporters will disapear by November.
Yonki,
ReplyDeleteP.S. What would be in it for Hillary's supporters even if she is not on the ticket would be no chance of a manufactured war with Iran which can not be ruled out with a McCain win in November.