It isn't the quantity of campaigning that matters but the quality. The Obama campaign and its supporters (and I am one of them) should not advocate a quick end to the campaign but instead insist that HRC abandon her infamous "kitchen sink" strategy in order to allow the democracy she is now touting to work.
The Clintons went on offense over the weekend as pressure grew for HRC to withdraw from the race.
"There are some folks saying we ought to stop these elections," she said Saturday in Indiana, which also has a May 6 primary. "I didn't think we believed that in America. I thought we of all people knew how important it was to give everyone a chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted."
Bill echoed the charge that calls for Hill to withraw are undemocratic.
"We are strengthening the Democratic Party, chill out," Clinton said while stumping for his wife. "We are going to win this election if we just chill out and let everybody have their say."
Barak Obama responded deftly.
Many Democrats worry Clinton's only path to the nomination involves destroying Obama with negative campaigning.
While Obama's allies may be pushing for Clinton to exit, he does not want to give those who have yet to vote the impression he does not want to hear from them.
"This has been a great contest, great for America. It has engaged and involved people like never before," Obama told rally attendees at Penn State.
To reporters he said, "My attitude is that Sen. Clinton can run as long as she wants. Her name is on the ballot."
Obama seems to sense as some supporters do not that his candidacy is not threatened by a lengthy primary. It isn't the quantity of campaigning that matters but the quality. The Obama campaign and its supporters (and I am one of them) should not advocate a quick end to the campaign but instead insist that HRC abandon her infamous "kitchen sink" strategy in order to allow the democracy she is now touting to work. For the most part, party elders have been wisely hesitatant to step in and try to force an end to the process. But they might be more willing to broker some much needed rules of fair fighting. This might also create a real ameilorative role for someone like Al Gore to play. Perhaps Obama (or third parties) might even propose a "pledge" against negative campaigning that could become a focal point for framing the quality of democratic primary discourse going forward.