Hillary Clinton Should Suspend Her Campaign

There is no love lost for Hillary Clinton around these parts.  Most of our Clinton backing compatriots have fatuously gone on strike (one assumes myDD is providing their lost blogging income so that they can continue eating).  I have always tried to be a straight shooter when it comes to the Primary Wars.  I support Obama, but my support has always been soft, as Edwards was my first choice.  However, it is now obvious that Hillary Clinton has no shot at the nomination, outside of a coup by superdelegates, so we should all be Obama supporters now.  Still, I can understand why Hillary Clinton continues on.  She has a shot, and you can't win if you don't keep running.  Her supporters agree.

While I was watching Countdown tonight, RIchard Wolffe made an interesting point, one which I think is not only brilliant, but would satisfy both the Obama and Clinton camps, both of whom want to win.

Hillary Clinton should suspend her candidacy.

Now, as Mitt Romney and John Edwards has shown us, if one suspends a campaign, it does not mean the campaign is finished.  A candidate can resume a suspended campaign any time they wish.  Hillary Clinton would not need to concede, she would only need to pause.

Now, why should she do this.  Both Edwards and Romney will not be rejoining the race.  A suspended campaign is an ended campaign.  Not in this case.  In this case, a suspended campaign is the only way Clinton can secure the nomination without destroying her chances in the general.

Hillary Clinton's strategy at this point hinges on Obama's destruction.  We all know this.  What makes us so angry is that Clinton is taking an active part in destroying what is now the likely Democratic nominee.  She is taking the Tonya Harding strategy.  If she is succesful, she will have destroyed the first viable black candidate for president, splitting the party in the process.  It will guarantee electoral defeat in November.

However, there are many in Clinton's campaign, according to Wolffe, who believe Obama is going to implode, whether they have a hand in it or not.  So, if this is the case, why not simply suspend the campaign?  Allow Obama and the Democratic Party to focus on the election in November and John McCain.  Stop doing McCain's dirty work for him.  Let McCain cause an Obama implosion, if there is to be one.  

Should Obama become truly unelectable before the Convention (a long shot, granted, but Clinton's path is a long shot either way), Hillary Clinton would be able to reactivate her campaign and swoop in to be the savior of the Democratic Party and our chances in November.  Even better, she would do it without knee-capping a superstar black candidate and alienating his constituency.  Black voters would still turn out to vote for her, perhaps even more so to register their displeasure with McCain, who would be responsible for destroying Obama.

If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, she will be either one of two things.  Should she continue on her current course, she leads the ticket as a pariah, the woman who destroyed a sure thing election.  Should she suspend her campaign, she might still win the nom, but she would do so a savior, and our party's chances in November would be intact (hopefully).

Please, Senator Clinton, do the right thing.  Suspend your campaign.  

•  Tips.

  I'm not going to hold my breath, but this is the only way she can get the nom and still win in November.

  by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:31:14 PM PDT

  •  Obama won't implode.

    He's got a winning strategy right now, and unless he makes the mistake of taking on some of Hillary's campaign advisors, I don't think he can lose.

    by darthstar on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:44:31 PM PDT

    •  Oh, I agree.

      The chances are slim, but if he does implode, and she causes it, they both go down.  If McCain causes it, she rides in on the white horse and saves the day.

      by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:45:56 PM PDT

      •  I like it.

        It's a useful suggestion to a difficult problem.

        by kate mckinnon on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:46:13 PM PDT

•  Sign the Petition to stop her campaign!

  Sign here!

  by rpritchard on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:33:16 PM PDT

•  Not. Gonna. Happen.

  by MajorFlaw on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:33:48 PM PDT

  •  I know, but she should.

    by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:35:09 PM PDT

    •  Why now?

      I'm not a supporter of hers but why wouldn't she hang on through PA?  From her POV, if Obama does something really dumb she's right there.  In case it isn't clear, she's running for her not us.

      by MajorFlaw on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:38:17 PM PDT

      •  It doesn't have to be right now.

        She can wait until after Penn if she wants, but she can't win if she stays in the race.  Oddly enough, her only path to the nomination is to suspend.

        by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:42:06 PM PDT

        •  I don't wanna say this too loud but

          I expect her to drop out after PA.  The old 'law of diminishing returns' is gonna kick in then.

          by MajorFlaw on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:50:20 PM PDT

      •  April 15

        or thereabouts.  If she does this then maybe the chorus won't grow for those tax returns.  They don't want or need to go through that for a losing cause.

        by huckleberry on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:43:20 PM PDT

        •  Agree 100%

          There's a reason they haven't released the Clinton tax returns for 2001-2006: They really don't want to (probably some stuff in there pretty difficult to defend or explain), and are holding off until they're sure they need to. Don't hold your breath for April 15th, however... I can see them stalling with some lame excuse, and going through the PA primary.

          by scrape on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:00:32 PM PDT

      •  Well...

        they are giving every signal that there is no conciliation.  

        HRC relishes looking like she's on the ropes.  Her credibility has taken severe hits and her kitchen sink strategy has only served to "sink" her further...however, she loves being presented as being on the ropes.

        Reuters:  Clinton - It's not Over

        Now for sure, some of this is bluff.  But I think the signal is quite clear for the nonce.  With the change in narrative and the Bosnia story underpinning her lies, it is quite possible that she'll be humiliated by keeping going forward...but I think her supporters think she's a fighter and she's giving 'em what they want.

        by mayan on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:27:02 PM PDT

        •  The last thing that every candidate says before

          dropping out is, "I'm in it till the end."  This game is older than mud and much more predictable.  

          by MajorFlaw on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 10:21:22 PM PDT

•  The only way it would work is

  If Obama implodes. That will not happen without her campaign to help it.

  I don't think she should quit or suspend, but I do think she needs to stop trying to destroy Obama in order to win. If she wants to continue with her campaign it should be focused on the issues and why peeople should vote FOR her. She may not win that way, but the party would end up stronger that way.

  by atlliberal on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:36:17 PM PDT

•  There is something frantic about

  the calls for Hillary to quit.  Like this is the moment, and it will be harder to make the case for it after Pennsylvania.  I dunno.  Just my impression.

  by bugscuffle on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:37:15 PM PDT

  •  It will be easier after Pa than now

    now she has Pa to look forward to. After Pa when she is still behind in delegates, states won, and the popular vote, and there are no more Big states left it will be harder for her to make her case.

    It is premature to ask her to stop now.

    by atlliberal on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:40:27 PM PDT

    •  Yes...but given her victory in PA...

      don't you think she'll claim that she's coming back again?

      Look, there are an eternity of news cycles between now and April 22.  There are times when I really think that there are things out there that will be happening that may render PA moot but for the most part I think this is going to go at least through N.Car and Oregon.

      by mayan on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:28:51 PM PDT

      •  She may claim it

        But the math will  not follow. If Obama closes the gap and she wins by 10% or less, she will not gain enough delegates out of it to make up for what he will gain in NC. It will be clear then that the only way for her to win is if he becomes unelectable.She will have to try to make that case to the super delegates while he is ahead in delegates, states, popular vote, and beating McCain in the polls.

        by atlliberal on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:41:53 PM PDT

        •  I agree.

          by mayan on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:07:31 PM PDT

    •  Goal posts

      Goal posts, they'll need a movin...she's not above doing this...

      by TexasDemocrat on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:39:54 PM PDT

  •  Nothing frantic about it.

    I think she's lessening our chances in November.  If she wants to win both the primary and the presidency, this is the only way she can do it.

    If she doesn't, she's either the pyrrhic winner of the primary she doesn't win at all.

    If she really wants to be president, this is her only way at this point.  It seems counter intuitive, but it's the truth.

    by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:40:30 PM PDT

  •  YES, HURRY

    I just can't stop running 'round the house.  

    The stakes at this point have only to do with November, and whether or not the Clintons continue to feed the beast and make it harder for Democrats to win.

    by huckleberry on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:45:20 PM PDT

  •  I agree.

    The problem is the math and the PR diverge.  If Hillary wins Pennsylvania 55-45, she scores a huge PR victory.  "Back from the dead," the dopes in the press will say.

    But in fact, 55-45 does her no good.  Play with the numbers.  It actually narrows her already slim chances.  Yet, ironically, she will take it as license to spend another six weeks beating our eventual nominee's brains in, while McCain gets a lap dance from the sub-alphas in the press.

    The fact is, at this point, everyone has pretty much woken up to how this ends, with the only question being when, and with what collateral damage.  Unfortunately, there is no clear opportune time for Hillary to bow out.  

    People are grasping for an endgame.

    by jhooversnyder on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:47:57 PM PDT

    •  The time

      The time was after she lost Texas...perhaps a big caucus win for Obama in Texas Saturday would do the trick...

      by TexasDemocrat on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:40:58 PM PDT

•  She's the Terminator

  She cannot self-terminate.

  by jkddude on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:38:25 PM PDT

•  She won't.

  There are so many more lies to tell before Denver.  She can't stop now.

  by clonecone on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:38:29 PM PDT

•  Pootie says

  

  by DWKING on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:38:53 PM PDT

  •  Pootie is a brilliant strategist.

    Twice as smart as Penn and 100 times as adorable.

    by GreenMtnState on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:47:52 PM PDT

    •  100x?

      You're underestimating the repugnancy of Mark Penn.

      by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:48:40 PM PDT

      •  You're right.

        I'm tired and cut him a bit of slack.  (I suppose his mother thinks/thought he's adorable, but maybe not . . .)

        by GreenMtnState on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:55:54 PM PDT

•  Stop it.

  She doesn't need to drop out. She knows she's lost, we know she's lost, let's just leave her her dignity, to carry on til the money runs out, which will be SOON.

  by Uniter on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:40:10 PM PDT

  •  SHUN HER n/t

    by scrape on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:03:04 PM PDT

  •  Her dignity is dropping by the day

    because of how she is conducting herself.  However, she seems as invulnerable to being shamed for making a fool of herself as GWB

    by Marie on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:05:44 PM PDT

•  We don't need that.

  Why would anyone think there's a greater chance of Obama imploding than any other nominee?  We don't need to have someone sitting on the sidelines, rooting for the nominee to fail (and no doubt undermining him).  

  She needs to be beaten, fair and square, and then needs to get out.  Then, if she wants to retain any cred as a dem, she needs to buck up and support Obama.

  I'm sorry if that sounds brutal, but that's life.  

  by jhooversnyder on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:40:25 PM PDT

•  Look Obama will win the pledeged delegates when

  the primaries end in june, the SD will not want to overtun the will of the people and back him and Clinton will leave with her tail between her legs.

  by SensibleDemocrat on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:41:28 PM PDT

•  Enough.

  No more calling for Hillary to quit, no matter the rational behind it. She won't do it. There is only one option left, squashing her and the Clinton campaign.

  It's time for the Clinton political machine to be 'beaten', flat out. Lets focus on that.

  by thedarkman on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:42:09 PM PDT

•  No one believes in "suspending."

  You can't suspend a campaign.  All the people involved, the organizations, etc., they all will move on with their lives.  Suspend = end.

  When Ohio didn't put a steak in her, it was clear Hillary was in it till the bitter end.  Maybe she'll have a very narrow win in Pa, or even lose (hell, anything can happen); until Pa, she's in it - and probably even after.

  A major problem here is the freaking geological time frames of this campaign season.  It's fucking ridiculous, and a big reason we have the sniping (that, and the fact that there's a zillion cable shows an bloggers that have to fill up all those hours every day and night).

  by bethrsingleton on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:43:44 PM PDT

  •  All Edwards people have moved on.

    by DWKING on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:46:39 PM PDT

    •  Not all.

      I haven't found me another candidate yet.

      by raatzie on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:42:43 PM PDT

      •  I didn't mean voters. I meant staff.

        by DWKING on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:55:47 PM PDT

•  How 'bout if she just ran a positive campaign?

  That would be fine, right?

  by livosh1 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:45:03 PM PDT

  •  Or that, sure.

    I won't hold my breath.

    by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:46:51 PM PDT

    •  Don't hold your breath for the suspension either

      by livosh1 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:49:03 PM PDT

      •  I'm not.

        Said so in my tip jar.

        by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:49:42 PM PDT

  •  It's funny that that suggestion

    is the one that seems less plausible.

    by Seneca Doane on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:49:13 PM PDT

  •  Why???

    I mean, if she's in the game, you assume she's trying to win.  There's certainly no chance of winning by being positive.

    by jhooversnyder on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:52:06 PM PDT

    •  None by going negative either.

      by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:52:41 PM PDT

      •  I don't think Bill Clinton went negative in '92

        Didn't seem to hurt him then.

        by livosh1 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:58:29 PM PDT

  •  Hey, I know, she could tell the truth, too!

    not likely

    by scrape on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:04:06 PM PDT

•  For the sake of her supporters, it cannot appear

  that she is being forced out. I don't think we want Hillary to become a martyr for millions of white women who we need to vote democrat in November.

  At the moment, I think they are sort of shell shocked.  How could this happen?  She was inevitable.  We saw her tell Katie Couric that she knew she would win.  But they are not ready to give up yet.  But they might be sooner than you think.  One more Bosniagate might do it.  Or the revelation in the Clinton's tax returns that their heroine is not in their tax bracket. I think the Clinton supporters are getting as weary as their candidate looks.  Today my mom, the die hard Clinton supporter, asked "aren't you getting bored with this election already?"  I said "are you kidding?  Bored?  My kids come home from school every day and search for the latest Bosnia-gate video on youtube or we all sit around the computer getting teary-eyed while watching Obama's speech on race . . . again.  Or we dash off irate emails to MSNBC or the DCCC?  

  by nycmom on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:53:21 PM PDT

  •  Isn't it sexist the way women of a

    certain age feel "this is their turn" ? Voting for a woman because she's a woman is just as bad as voting for against a woman. You vote for the person, not their gender or race or age or shoe size.

    by scrape on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:07:08 PM PDT

    •  I am 47 and I don't get it at all but my mom, her

      sister and a few of my college classmates have all fallen for that Gloria Steinhem, Erica Jong, Robin Morgan shtick.  I've sent more than one email to them explaining that I am supporting Barack Obama because I think he is the best human running for president, not best man or best woman but best human.

      by nycmom on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:18:02 PM PDT

•  Tonya Harding

  I'm almost feeling sorry for her these days.  She didn't do that boneheaded attack, but it's all she'll ever be known for.  Kinda sad.

  Hands off Tonya!!!

  by Land of Enchantment on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:57:07 PM PDT

  •  Hey LOE,

    I posted a video for you below, which I meant as a response to you.

    by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:59:37 PM PDT

•  I have a song for you.

  "Tonya's Twirls" by Loudon Wainwright III

  by filmgeek83 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 06:58:38 PM PDT

  •  I love his song about golf.

    "Golfin' Blues" or some such.  Wicked snark.

    by Land of Enchantment on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:01:18 PM PDT

•  "The woman who destroyed a sure thing election"?

  Since when is Obama a sure thing in the general?

  by raatzie on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 07:39:39 PM PDT