James Carville on California : "If she loses it would be really bad"

[peoli]

WASHINGTON - Heading into the Super Tuesday primaries, Republican John McCain looks pretty comfortable against Mitt Romney — at least compared to the heated battle between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Republican and Democratic strategists said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Factors at play in the Clinton-Obama battle, they noted, include the Iraq war, the economy, political machinery and even the notion of a new Camelot in the tradition of John F. Kennedy when he created an image of youthful hope.

"If it's 'the economy, stupid,' in their minds, she'll do better," Democratic strategist James Carville said. "If it's Camelot in their minds, Obama will do better."

The strategists agreed that Clinton's support of the congressional resolution authorizing the president to declare war on Iraq could come back to haunt her.

"She believed the Bush administration. That was a mistake," noted Carville.

Democrat Bob Shrum went further, saying "she would have been a lot better off" had she immediately apologized.

Republican Mike Murphy said that lack of regret revealed a deeper flaw. "Every politician has a blind spot," he said, "and hers is never admitting failure or mistake, and she's paid a price."

The analysts agreed Obama had seen a surge in momentum in the last two weeks, especially with endorsements like that of Sen. Ted Kennedy, but Republican Mary Matalin cautioned that Clinton has at least one significant advantage in many of the states where the race is close: a political machine that gets her message out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22977844/

[Demeter]

1. Bad for Hillary, Maybe

It might stop her bid for presidency, but lead to a more rewarding life. One never knows until the funeral (with the exception of psychopaths, who should be strangled at birth, if only we could identify them that early...)

[newmajority]

16. Yep, bad for Hillary

Good for America.

[exchange77]

18. 47 % mail votes in California..

[Cha]

2. I don't care if mike murphy is a repuke..

he got this right. "Republican Mike Murphy said that lack of regret revealed a deeper flaw. "Every politician has a blind spot," he said, "and hers is never admitting failure or mistake, and she's paid a price."

That reminds some of us of the last 8 year nightmare. hilary's nothing if not a load of mistakes.

[Evergreen Emerald]

3. more bullshit.

different day. Everything Clinton does is bad. Everything Obama does is good. We get it. Dang.

[billbuckhead]

4. More help for Obama from the Republican side

It's monotonous at this point.

[in_cog_ni_to]

19. The repukes want Obama to win so bad, they're foaming at the mouth over it.

They cannot wait to dump all the Obama garbage they are surely sitting on. If Barack wins...there's no way in hell he will beat McCain.

[WinkyDink]

6. Has Mr. Murphy noted this about the Psycho-in-Chief yet?

[polichick]

5. "She believed the Bush administration. That was a mistake," noted Carville.

It was more than a mistake ~ it was a massive error in judgment that she STILL hasn't learned from, given her recent vote on Iran.

There are many things I admire about Hillary Clinton, but it's hard to get around that kind of judgment error.

[WinkyDink]

8. She must have weighed doing so against not, and determined that she would not gain an

appreciative number of votes by apologizing.
She's looking to McCain, not Obama.

IMHO.

[Cha]

11. Did hilary believe bush or she was

afraid of her political career if she didn't vote YES on the IWR and sent thousands to their deaths?

[polichick]

12. I don't know but, either way...

Sucks for us!

[Cha]

17. It totally sucks for

everybody..one way or another.

[CoffeeCat]

7. I was absolutely stunned by Carville's...

..defeatist attitude regarding Clinton's upcoming performance on Super Tuesday.

My husband and I sat down to watch the Sunday political shows, because we wanted
to see how the candidates were doing. The candidates pretty much know by now--
who is going to win, and the dynamics of nearly every voting precinct and district.

The campaigns' internals tell the entire story, and the trends. Barring anything
extraordinary--they know how this election will come out.

My husband and I were stunned at how gloomy Carville was, and his comments on
her losing California were very revealing.

We've all seen the polls trend upward for Obama, with Obama creeping up in the polls.
One of the pundits on "Meet The Press" said that the polls are a day behind---and that
Obama is gaining a percentage point daily.

I think we're going to have a repeat of Iowa. All of these Super Tuesday states were
just introduced to Obama, in the same way that Iowans were. Most of them weren't paying
attention until recently. Obama is gaining in exactly the same way he did in Iowa. I
can feel it.

Obama supporters should be very optimistic. :)

[FrenchieCat]

9. But Obama will have to overcome the early absentee ballots......

which will lean greatly towards Hillary.

His victory has to be ovewhelming in order to come out ahead.

Carville might simply be managing expectations...because yeah...the trends are favoring Obama more and more everyday.

[madrchsod]

14. i would`t believe carville if he said the sun set in the west

he and his wife are losers and should be never heard of again...

[CoffeeCat]

15. The fact remains...

...that he is great friends with the Clintons and has been for a while.

He would know about their internals.

[anitar1]

10. Carville is a total ass and a DINO. n/t

[Cha]

13. Who's for hilary..

Of course.