The American Prospect
by Thomas F. Schaller
05/07/08
At least for one more day the titanic and seemingly interminable Democratic primary continues, and only one person in America can bring it to an end: Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama coupled a solid, double-digit win in North Carolina with a narrow defeat in Indiana to stall the momentum Hillary Clinton showed in the 11 weeks since Obama’s last significant win. ‘We now know who the Democratic nominee is going to be,’ NBC’s Tim Russert declared shortly after midnight, as the late numbers trickling in from Gary-based Lake County in the northwestern corner of Indiana reduced Clinton’s victory margin in the Hoosier State to around 20,000 votes. It is a testament to how much the complex mix of expectations, performance, and spin figure in this contest that a proclamation by the dean of televised punditry matters more than the potential endorsements of the nearly 300 undeclared Democratic superdelegates. The crucial question is whether Russert’s ‘we’ includes the New York senator and her top campaign advisers. Does Hillary Clinton know who the Democratic nominee is going to be?
http://tinyurl.com/6s42fp
Clinton one step closer to exit
The Nation
by Ari Berman
05/07/08
Most reporters are bad at math, but I can still count. Hillary Clinton won by 214,000 votes in Pennsylvania and netted eight delegates, according to CNN. Barack Obama won North Carolina last night by 233,00 votes and picked up fourteen more pledged delegates than Clinton. Hillary’s narrow win in Indiana–by 18,000 votes and two additional delegates–will not be enough to slow Obama’s momentum or check his math. Clinton will likely stay in the race until June 3, but the contest effectively ended last night. The question is not if Obama will be the Democratic nominee, but when...
http://tinyurl.com/4fvarp
Hey, Democrats: Nominate faster!
Christian Science Monitor
by Tom De Luca
05/08/08
The Democratic Party should bring the presidential nomination battle to a conclusion as soon as possible. The fairest, most decisive way to do that is to move its convention from the end of August to the end of June. Why? Although Sen. Barack Obama won impressively in North Carolina and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton just managed to hang on in Indiana, the back and forth between them could last through the final primary on June 3. Unless Senator Obama reaches the 2,025 delegates needed to win outright, the bitter campaign just might continue into the summer, with deleterious results for the eventual nominee. It is far better for the party to end with finality the potential for mischief and dirty tricks in this nominating contest, from both within and outside the party...
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0508/p09s02-coop.html
A hobbled party
Boston Globe
by Jeff Jacoby
05/07/08
In his victory speech in North Carolina last night, Senator Barack Obama noted that ‘this has been one of the longest, most closely fought contests in history.’ That, he said, was ‘partly because we have such a formidable opponent in Senator Hillary Clinton.’ Then he raised the issue that has more than a few Democrats deeply worried: As it heads into the general election campaign against John McCain, just how badly has the Democratic Party been hobbled by the bitter feelings the primary campaign has engendered?
http://tinyurl.com/5yh2ad
The recurring case of Clinton Fatigue
Boston Globe
by Joan Vennochi
05/08/08
Every time Barack Obama’s pastor got him in trouble, Hillary Clinton bailed him out. After victory in Ohio, she invented the story of coming under sniper fire in Bosnia. That reminded voters of the Clinton tendency to exaggerate or lie when necessary. After victory in Pennsylvania, she embraced the idea of a gas tax holiday. That reminded voters of the Clinton tendency to pander. In each case, she helped Obama change the focus from his relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright to the country’s relationship with the Clintons. She squandered momentum from impressive victories by bringing back Clinton Fatigue...
http://tinyurl.com/4jd5dz
Time for a gracious exit
Christian Science Monitor
by staff
05/09/08
Dear Hillary: Enough. You’ve reaffirmed your standing as a fighter, reconnected with blue-collar America, forged an identity as a woman of heart and steel. Now you can be a uniter, too, hailed for your toughness and grace in recognizing when a losing cause is just that. It’s time to bow out of the Democratic contest. Yes, you can fight clear through to the convention, demand that the Florida and Michigan delegations be seated; bring in your attack dogs to question Barack Obama’s — um — masculine fortitude; wink at another round of Internet whispers that question your opponent’s funny name, his patriotism, and his religion. … You can post more ads of that irritating red phone and revel in your ability to nick your opponent just enough to keep him slightly off stride. But you’ll still lose. And the Democratic Party may lose with you...
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0509/p09s02-coop.html
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hillary
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Obama
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Ari+Berman
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Jeff+Jacoby
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Joan+Vennochi
