If Clark wins NH should all New England candidates drop out for the

[billbuckhead]

good of the party. Clark is now only 10points now behind Dean and ahead of Kerry and Lieberman combined, with plenty of time to go. If these guys can't win in their backyard after running there for almost 2years, doesn't this show a dramatic weakness in these candidates? For the good of the party, they should step aside.

[Gman]

1. That would be nice but

I doubt it would happen.

[Democrats unite]

2. No candidate should drop out of the race...

until they want to. If htey think they have a shot then by all means go for it. One loss should not be a factor even if it is in their backyard.

[KoKo]

3. Yes Bill, of course they should. Just like the Chimp doesn't have any

opposition we should declare a winner right after New England. Why bother to have those voters in other pesky states have a chance to voice their opinion.

Definitely. What a clever proposal. It would make everything so much simpler for all of us.

[Carrion]

4. Short Answer - YES!

If Clark WINS New Hampshire, it's over.

What are the latest NH numbers?

[ochazuke]

5. Maybe they should

It would let us focus on the remaining candidates.

Even if they do drop out though, I wonder if it's possible that no single candidate gets a nominating majority, and how good or bad that would be for the party.

[billbuckhead]

8. Dean supporters have been saying that winning IA and NH makes the

race over. Dean's fading performance in New Hampshire turns this argument on it's head. If longtime New England politicians with lotsa money and name recognition get beat by a neophyte who comes into the race at the last possible minute, what does that say about them? Actually, I think it says more about what a strong and uniques candidate Wes Clark is.

[HumanPatriot]

6. That makes as much sense as Clark dropping out...

when he loses his first southern state.

[CMT]

7. No

right now Clark has been gaining in NH since he basically has the state to himself. Whoever wins Iowa will get a boost in NH (like in '88 where Gephardt went from 3% in NH polls to a second place showing with 22% after winning Iowa by only 4-points).

I still think Dean will win Iowa in the end, as McCain's campaign manager from '00 told Chris Matthews last night Dean will probably run 4-5 points ahead of what he polls. So Dean should get an Iowa boost should he win.

On the other hand, Gep may get a boost with his showing, Edwards and Kerry as well. So we will just have to wait and see what happens Monday night before we discuss who should withdrawl.

Also so far Dean is the only one of the candidates to win a primary--even if the press is not talking about it, with the results in DC where he won 42% in a majority African-American state (I like to call it a state, it really deserves to be) against two African-American candidates.

[billbuckhead]

11. Doesn't DC have more residents than Vermont?

It is ridiculous that DC isn't a state, but we can't allow black people to have too much political power.

[Lefta Dissenter]

9. I'd be thrilled!

However, I won't endorse that idea any more than I endorse the idea of all of us banding behind HD now just because Al Gore tells us to.

It's such a messy system we have, but it's all we've got, so I'm planning on voting on Feb 17th and having my vote COUNT! I'm assuming that the field will have narrowed by then - but man, some of the candidates sound determined to stay in till the bitter end, and that's their right.

[Cuban_Liberal]

10. That not logical.

Why should any candidate drop out on the basis of a single race, especially if funding and organization are not a matter of concern? The loss of a single race, or even 2 or 3 races should not determine who should or should not drop out. By this line of thinking, should general clark lose NH, he should drop out, since he will have lost 2 consecutive primaries--- IA and NH.

Nope.

[billbuckhead]

12. This a neighboring state in DeanKerryLieberman home media markets

New Hampshire voters know far more about Dean, Kerry and Lieberman than other Americans would. Clarks startling poll numbers suggest these New England guys aren't very popular among those who know them best.

[Cuban_Liberal]

13. I'm well-versed in American geography.

A sinmgle contest is a poor basis for determining whether or not someone should drop out, or not; similarly, the fact that NH is next door to both MA and VT (but separated from CT by MA) is interesting, but dispositive of nothing. The factors involved in a loss in VT may have nothing whatsoever to do with geography, and may well be and are just as likely to be attributable to a myriad of other factors.

The logic of your argument frankly leaves me wondering, because it sounds very much like a Clark campaign meme, and as a former Clark supporter, I know them all.

John Kerry and Howard Dean and (possibly) Joe Lieberman are just as viable as general election candidates as is General Clark.

[LuminousX]

14. Absolutely. Anyone who poses the slightest of obstacles to Clark

should drop out the moment they lose one of the primaries. Isn't that how wars are fought? If you lose a battle, you surrender? Is that what Clark teaches in his book?

[Cuban_Liberal]

15. LOL!

Point to LuminousX!

[Caution]

16. ummm...absolutely not

gimme a break.

[Bluto]

17. Clark Win in N.H.

He has a shot at winning though I doubt it. Nevertheless, everyone knows that a second place here for him is almost as good as a win. Even if they don't want to admit it.