Hillary Could Have Made History

Last night Hillary could have made the history books. In one fell, gutsy swoop she could have unified the Democratic Party, ensured McCain's ignominious defeat, and elevated herself to a leader in the Dems of the stature of Al Gore and Ted Kennedy. She could have done this by announcing her withdrawal as a presidential candidate at the beginning of the debate.

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I would have loved to hear her say, after Brian Williams made his little intro, something like:

Brian, before we start answering questions, I need to say something. We are at a defining moment in American history. We need to redefine who we are as Americans. Bush and Cheney have pushed this country to the brink--they have destroyed our credibility with our overseas allies, they have decimated our economy, they have gutted the Constitution, they have tried to set up the president as a de facto king, accountable to no one. John McCain, as much as I respect him and honor his service to our country, is prepared to take us even farther down the road of destruction and despair. I have taken a hard look at the state of our union. We must--MUST--have a Democrat in the White House to restore our freedoms and our stature as the leading light of democracy, moral and economic strength, and freedom in the world. I have also taken a hard look at what I would have to do to win this primary. I still think I could win it, and obviously I think I am the best candidate for the job, but I have realized that I would have to rip this party apart to defeat Senator Obama. I am not willing to let Senator McCain take advantage of our dissension and disagreements to win the presidency and lead us into further ruination. That's why I am, right now, announcing my withdrawal from the presidential campaign. I am throwing my support behind Barack. I urge my delegates and my supporters to do the same. Every campaign dollar I spend from now on will be on getting Barack elected to the White House.

Now, Brian, let's spend the evening talking about how we take back the White House and restore this country.

It would have been a transcendent moment. Instead, she chose to continue her own failed policy of sniping and carping. When she drops out next week or next month, it will be because she has to, not because she chose to put country over her own ambitions, and she'll win no stature or influence in the doing.

It could have happened. She could still make it happen. Help us restore this country, Senator Clinton. Drop out of the race, unify this party, and help us work together to bring us back to greatness.

•  Tips and wishes for what could have been...

  I'm at work and won't be able to make too many comments below, but I wanted to get this said.

  by Black Max on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:49:55 AM PDT

  •  Seems like it would be a

    disingenuous way to begin a "debate."  If she is going to drop out (which I can't imagine her doing unless she is trounced on Tuesday and maybe not even then) the beginning of a planned televised debate on the issues doesn't seem like the best place to do it.

    I wouldn't start looking for unity until next Wednesday at earliest.

    by kate mckinnon on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:55:22 AM PDT

    •  It would have been magnificent. n/t

      by Black Max on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:01:19 AM PDT

•  Alas, it would have required far more love of

  country, and far less love of self.

  by Lepanto on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:52:00 AM PDT

•  That would have been a great moment

  It is obvious she is done.  Something like this would have hit the repubs right in the solar plexus.  Alas, when she does concede, if ever, it will likely be without grace and substance.

  by daninoah on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:55:21 AM PDT

•  She has made history. Both of them have.

  And I'm proud of the two candidates. For the first time in our history, a woman and a black man have made it through the pack of white men. They have survived, and they are nearing the end of 50 states.

  They've both made history, and I'm proud of them. I just wish there were more people willing to be proud of both of them -- not just one of them.

  by jwalker13 on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:57:13 AM PDT

  •  I am proud of her

    and her achievements. I think she would be a very good president. I am not proud of the way she has run this campaign, and I am not proud of how she risks terminal destabilization to continue her increasingly unlikely presidential hopes. For the good of the party and of the nation, she should swallow her ambition and drop out.

    by Black Max on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:00:38 AM PDT

    •  She should stop because she might not win?

      Just a few months ago, Obama wouldn't have won. Now he is winning. Should he have dropped? No. It is his right to run as President. It is her right to do the same as long as she chooses.

      I'm tired of people trying to force choices onto America. Let the people remaining choose between the two until the candidate decides they should drop.

      Good of the nation? I can't think of anything better than letting all 50 states vote on their candidate.

      by jwalker13 on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:03:01 AM PDT

      •  Ideally I agree with you

        but in this moment, we need to unify behind one candidate and move towards chasing the carpetbaggers and the fascists out of Washington. If the situation were reversed, I would be saying the same thing about Obama needing to drop out.

        by Black Max on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:04:46 AM PDT

        •  I wouldn't say the same.

          I can't think of a party more unified than one that feels like every state chose its nominee.

          by jwalker13 on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:06:43 AM PDT

      •  Obama won Iowa

        He came out of the gate guns blazing. Truth is, if Clinton had lost NH this whole thing would have been over long ago, and she won NH by a small margin. She barely passed him in NV and he blew her out in SC. Super Tuesday was a draw with a delegate edge going to Obama. And considering all her advantages Super Tuesday was, in fact, a shocking defeat for her. She has lost every contest since, most by huge margins. Obama was the clear underdog going into the primaries, but he has never been "the comeback kid." He took a lead in pledged delegates right out of the gate and has held it througout. Only Clinton's early superdelegate support allowed to claim a lead at anytime. Now, even with the SD's she is behind and she is bleeding SD support everyday.

        It is a practically impossibility for her to garner a lead in pledged delegates from here on out -- even if the Michigan and Florida votes are counted. The only way she can possible get the nomination is through superdelegates. She cannot get the nomination with a majority of pledged delegates. Can't happen, the math just isnt there.

        Now, she is polling behind in Texas, close in Ohio and even PA has closed to within 6. By all accounts she is going to lose TX and VT for sure and possible Ohio as well. In a final, sad bit of poetic irony, the smallest state in the nation, RI, might go for Clinton.

        It isn't about forcing a choice. And dragging this out will not be good for the party.

        by magurakurin on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 08:02:32 AM PDT

•  Another missed opportunity.

  Sigh.

  Iraq Moratorium

  by One Pissed Off Liberal on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:57:28 AM PDT

•  Give me a break

  Guess you guys don't really want Democrats that are fighters.

  by Dave B on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:02:45 AM PDT

•  Eh, Teddy Kennedy's challenge of Carter

  for the '80 nomination just becuse he could didn't hurt Kennedy's stature in the long run.  How many Dems even remember it now?  He sure didn't quit the race for the greater good of party and nation.  And Hillary has a lot of supporters who don't want her to quit -- she owes 'em a race to the finish.

  Hill's got a lot of years of service in her yet.  Let's all hope losing the nom sets free her inner raging liberal and she quits voting with her eye on a presidential run.

  by martianchronic on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:09:26 AM PDT

•  Ohio

  If Hillary loses in Ohio, will it be time for Hillary to drop out or should she go all the way to the convention?

  My inclination is that she is not dropping out no matter what happens from here to the convention in Denver.

  Therefore we will have to endure her persistent and vacuous attacks until it becomes obvious to even her most ardent supporters that Hillary will say anything to be the next president.

  by Sam Wise Gingy on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:15:37 AM PDT

•  ARRGGGGGH.

  I am an Obama supporter. I caucased for him in a state that doesn't matter.

  But this pisses me off.

  Hillary Clinton has every right to run, and to continue running, until the American people settle this nomination.

  She's already made history.

  She's a great woman, an honor to our country, and someone we should all be proud of and thankful for.

  Quite tearing her down, it sucks bigtime.

  by zic on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:19:55 AM PDT

•  i've lost all respect for hrc. don't go away mad-

  just go away.

  by jj24 on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:33:04 AM PDT

•  Bill wouldn't let her (snark, n/t)

  by RobLewis on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:41:47 AM PDT

•  The Mets could have made history

  At the bottom of the 6th inning, while trailing by 6, the Mets could have said "If we stay and finish this game, we will tear up the league and make things much harder for our side to win the World Series.  Therefore, we respectfully quit." Then walk off the field.

  I doubt the Mets will ever do that.  I wouldn't care to suggest to their fans they should.

  by bfitzinAR on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 07:46:46 AM PDT

  •  But the Mets had the possiblity of winning

    in a way that wouldn't make the fans question the legitmacy of the win. Hillary Clinton cannot get a majority of pledged delegates, barring some sort of hideously unforseen event concerning Obama. The only way she can win is to arrive at the convention, where she will be behind in pledged delegates, and try to get whatever uncommitted superdelgates to push her over. This would not be like the Mets putting a bunch of runs on the board in the late innings. It would be like the Mets getting runs on what was seen as a series of bad calls by the umps. Yes, they would win, but in the eyes of the fans it would be tainted.

    This isn't a baseball game. John McCain is already beginning to attack Obama. Obama IS going to be the nominee, one way or another. Clinton insisting that he continue to battle with her only takes away from the utlimate struggle which will occur in November.

    That is the goal. Putting a person with a (D) next to their name in the White House, not putting Hillary Clinton in the White House or Obama for that matter.

    It is what John Edwards was talking about when he dropped out and said that it this wasn't about him is what about the party and the country.

    by magurakurin on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 08:12:07 AM PDT

    •  But at this point, Hillary does still have

      a chance at winning.  It may be small, but it's there.  John Edwards (and I was an Edwards supporter) had NO chance.  He knew it and bowed out.  Telling her she should "just quit" what will probably be her only shot at a job she is very well qualified for, to clean up an ungodly mess she passionately believes she needs to do (I'm reminded of Winston Churchill's comments on finally getting the P.M. slot in 1940) is much like telling the Mets to "just quit" before the game's over.

      And to look at things from a different perspective having nothing to do with sports, right now the Rs are still going back and forth.  They don't have a clear target.  They're starting to shift to Obama, but they haven't any way, shape or form gone for him full bore because they've still got to keep an eye on her.  In fact, anything they can do to bring one down will just support the other.  So what they are mostly doing right now is trying crap (like the picture of Obama in African garb) while saying they got it from "a Clinton staffer" and then getting out the popcorn.  (Our side attacks each other and they get to see if their attack actually gets traction with their own people at the same time.)  As long as we've got 2 people in the race, neither one will take the full heat - and the Rs will be spending more money they can't afford in trying to attack both.

      by bfitzinAR on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 02:19:03 PM PDT

•  is this a snark diary? she WON'T drop out

  unless she loses Ohio.

  by Zacapoet on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 08:04:46 AM PDT