From a Hillary supporter: The verdict was clear tonight. The race is over.

[Zynx]

Barring unforeseen events, I see the same trend in Ohio and Texas that has happened virtually everywhere else with the exception of numerous Super Tuesday states which is a rapid trend towards Obama among the voters of upcoming primary states. There was a demonstrable breakdown of her vital coalition tonight and she will have a hard time putting in back together in time. The tides of change have swept her campaign away.

Wisconsin could have been a good state for her, but brushing it off until the last minute did her no favors among the swing voters. Voters who decided on election day were more favorably disposed to her than virtually any other group, but she just didn't give our state enough love. I don't think that after this she has much to look forward to. It was a crippling defeat for her tonight.

Texas, Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island, and all the other states large and small that haven't voted yet have their right to be heard. However, the trend is clear and the nomination is now Obama's. I will support him fully come November.

[babylonsister]

1. Thanks for your honesty and for all of her supporters, I'm sad for you.

Not much more I can say except that.

[Zynx]

4. It's fine. It's been a good race and as an election junkie I have data to look over.

Unfortunately I don't think the data is all that interesting because it is so one-sided. It's like analyzing the 1984 election.

[cloudythescribbler]

8. Hopefully, Obama will be on the winning side of similar data in Nov...

[XemaSab]

2. .

:hug:

[TheDonkey]

3. Thank you. Very classy.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Thank you!

Very much.

I know how it feels for you, cause I have experienced it a few times!

I, on the other hand, Have not felt what I am feeling right now, ever!

[JackORoses]

57. you mean the growing feeling that the good guys might actually win this time?

feels good, don't it?

[caligirl]

6. Its nice that you can move forward and work now to get a new POTUS.

I would have been just as gracious had the shoe been on my foot.

[Melinda]

7. *Cheers* to you, gracious DUer -- here's to a Democratic White House in 2009!!

Together we will take our country back!! :hug:

[Raine]

9. Aw gee

:hug:

[CalebHayes]

10. Thanks for being a good sport

[GreenTea]

11. Not really, they'll both go into the convention with hundreds of delegates....

shy of winning the nomination - And count on there being a fight....IF Hillary wins Texas (again, it will be another of the big states in her column) the fight will go on...if Obama wins Texas....he will most likely win the nomination....the rest of the states left over won't matter much they'll fall into place with the winner of Texas, (Oregon, which seems so firmly deep in Hillary's column, right now, However, Oregon is such a small state and it won't make much of a difference). IF, she doesn't win Texas!

Texas without a doubt is the final key, (in two weeks) it's BushCo & republican territory control...we'll see who they really want to face.

You can bet there's some big time back-room boogie (deals) going on, and, all the way until that primary occurs (March 4th)....and till the convention.

[grantcart]

24. something big is happening in Texas

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4675112

[girl gone mad]

36. Republicans will not decide the Democratic nominee in Texas.

Believe it or not, there are millions of Democrats in this state.

[Dawgs]

44. She loses almost all super dels if she loses popular vote, elected dels, and most of the states.

[Arugula Latte]

47. Oregon firmly in Hillary's column? Just wondering how you got that?

I haven't seen any polling, so I don't know for sure, but my impression is that we will go for Obama like our Northern Neighbor, Washington State.

[Mme. Defarge]

63. I am planning on re-registering

from Independent to Democrat in order to make sure that happens.

[GarbagemanLB]

66. I too live in Oregon and will be campaigning for Obama. The state is his.

[Hekate]

12. Thank you for that. My great hope is that we will all find a way to come together soon...

...and that the more partisan among us will forgive one another. We have all been where you are at one time or another -- some of us many times. Seldom in my life has my favored candidate made it out of the primaries and gotten the nomination. It's painful. Thanks for putting your hand out in friendship. :hug:

Hekate

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. Honorable statement n/t

[RiverStone]

14. appreciate your candor...

...and that you plan to support Obama. Not an easy concession. But you did so graciously.

Thanks for sharing.

:pals:

[Zynx]

15. I don't believe our politics need to be consumed by hateful anger.

A reasonable discussion of politics and policy is always an option among the mature.

[cooolandrew]

16. Welcome to team Obama we have in flight entertainment. Next stop the fture.

[TwilightGardener]

17. That was quite thoughtful. It's not over yet, clearly, and there could still be

surprises--but her campaign is fading, I agree. I know how you feel, I rarely back what ends up being a winning horse. Been disappointed myself in elections past.

[SKKY]

18. I wish more HRC supporters had the stones to say what you did...

...and I hope BO supporters will do the same should HRC pull this out.

[liberalnurse]

19. No it is not over because Hillary is ahead.

Michigan and Florida's delegates will be counted. Edwards and Obama may of taken their names off of Michigan but they were covert in good old CYA. They both campaigned on the sly to encourage INDEPENDENT voting as if they were putting them in the bank for later. Obama was
Florida's gift of PASSIVE CAMPAIGNING as he spent 2-3 million dollars on tv advertising and grassroots
/serogate support on the ground.

Baby, it ain't over.

[RummyTheDummy]

20. If you could only see how delusional you are.

It's not your fault, but it's a little sad.

[Zynx]

21. We shall see. This is my opinion.

[Political Heretic]

27. Hate to break this to you

But FL and MI still don't give her enough.

I'm sorry. :(

[totodeinhere]

64. Even if they count those two states,

which I doubt, under the proportional system Clinton would not get enough of a net delegate gain to make a difference in the long run.

[krkaufman]

67. I'd love to have a list of all your posts decrying election fraud by Republicans ...

... over the last 8 years.

So, Hillary's route to the nomination is via the tainted delegates of FL & MI, and through a sufficient number of superdelegates overriding the pledged delegate count.

:applause:

[Blondiegrrl]

68. Errr ... she most certainly is NOT ahead.

Even her own campaign admits that Obama is the frontrunner.

There remains a slim chance she might pull off a win, but as of right now, Obama has a comfortable lead.

[BrightKnight]

22. Lets count ALL of the delegates first. - n/t

[grantcart]

23. You are a credit to her cause

[intaglio]

25. I believe that, eventually, Hillary will be as gracious as you n/t

[Political Heretic]

26. Thank you. Class Act. I likewise support Hillary if she wins the nom.

[Tatiana]

28. As others have indicated, you are a class act.

Yes, after the nomination has been decided, there will be lots of data to pour over.

But I don't think the data will really tell the story.

Unfortunately, Hillary did not lose this race. Her husband, along with Penn and Wolfson ran her campaign into the ground. Hillary bounced back in NH, not because of some great Penn strategy or Bill's support. She bounced back because voters got a glimpse of the woman behind the mask. And they liked her.

Unfortunately, we only got a glimpse of that woman. Because after that win, instead of letting Hillary do Hillary (no, she doesn't have to be the most skillful orator; she just has to demonstrate her knowledge and competence), I believe Bill tried to insert himself into the picture (both literally and in behind the scenes strategy). They were trying to re-run Bill's 92 campaign. It was almost like Bill forgot it was Hillary who was the candidate and not himself. HE is the one who turned the campaign into a referendum on his past administration and I think, due to Bill's political savvy, Hillary deferred to him in terms of strategy.

She should have gone with her own instincts. Patti Solis had been so loyal to Hillary and was one of her staunchest defenders. She managed successful Senate campaigns for Hillary. But Patti was overruled by Penn and others. I don't buy the whole Patti was incompetent story AT ALL. This lady was well-versed in Chicago-style politics and schooled in Daley's City Hall. She knows how to build and operate a Democratic machinery. She was no fool.

When Patti was let go, I figured things would go downhill from there and they have. Sometimes, I wonder if Bill Clinton's ego is really that big or if he intentionally damaged his wife's campaign.

[psychopomp]

31. Agreed that Bill Clinton played the spoiler

That man could not help himself and now he has helped to ruin Sen. Clinton's chances...though he alone did not sink her campaign. There will be plenty of time for people to analyze the mistakes of the Clinton campaign.

Zynx, that was an honest post and I thank you for saying your peace in such a non-divisive way. The real fight is with the Republicons!

[blocker]

42. i also think bill costed her the nomination.

The tide changed when Bill went nuts and the MSM loved it, and then there's Penn and Wolfson...Hillary stayed on message. It's a fact but too late now.

[creeksneakers2]

52. I don't think it was all Bill

All the negative campaigning hurt her. I wonder how they didn't see that. She was going downhill before Bill started pitching in.

They say generals always plan to fight the last war rather than the one they are about to face. I think Hillary determined that Kerry lost from not fighting back enough. She probably concluded the Clintons took a beating in the 90s for not being aggressive enough on defense. She also believed she had to be tough to be considered for commander in chief. So they figured negative was the way to go.

Every splurge of negativity ended up with lower numbers for Hillary. If they'd adjusted early and gone with a positive race they probably would have it in the bag by now.

[krkaufman]

69. Bill sealed it for me.

I was indifferent between Barack and Hillary, until Bill started attacking Obama using questionable statements and distortions, between Iowa and New Hampshire. When JE bowed-out, the choice between the remaining candidates had been made simple.

[Window]

29. Thank you for being a great sport.

I agree Hillary shouldn't have brushed Wisconsin off until the last few days.



Peace:thumbsup:

[Eurobabe]

30. Good for you, classy post

I will vote for either candidate come November, but of course my preference is for Obama.

It's nice to hear from someone who hasn't been been turned into a lunatic by GD: P

[BringBigDogBack]

32. Very classy post.

[shadowknows69]

33. Well said

It's what the party needs now. Miles to go before we sleep.

[EmilyAnne]

34. We will need your full support in November. I'm glad you see it that way.

I hope that you come to appreciate Obama more and more.

I also hope that Hillary eventually embraces Obama. The Democratic Party still needs her!

[Kahuna]

35. You've always been a class act, Zynx.

:hi:

[Zynx]

46. Certainly not always. I've had quite a temper before.

I do my best now. :-)

[cyclezealot]

37. I suspect Ohio, Penna, and Tx will decide things.

Penna in particular is a bell weather for labor.

[dicknbush]

38. Well thats nice but I will not vote for Obama.....I will vote local and skip the prez thing

May even vote for McCain.

[onenote]

43. chimpy and cheney and scalia and roberts and alito all thank you

[intaglio]

50. Soooo

You really think that McCain (or whoever is his Veep) will be better than Obama?

Vote, always vote, even if you have no-one you want to vote for there must be something you want to vote against.

[krkaufman]

71. Just pitiful.

I've grown to loathe Carville/Clinton-style politics over the last month-plus, but I'll still vote for Hillary in November, 'cause we can't afford more Right Wing judges on the US Supreme Court. We can fix a lot of executive orders in 4 years, but SCOTUS appointments last a lifetime.

[paperbag_ princess]

39. It is hard to fight against the tide

It is looking pretty grim for her. I think it makes sense to still debate and stay in until March 4. If Obama can win those then it only helps his cause to beat her in those 2 big states and solidify his standing. I hope I am wrong and I do see the point people are making that he has not yet earned a majority of the delegates.


I am not as easily going to come around to Obama though. I am a loyal dem...and have been for 20 years. I have never felt so abused, stepped on and stepped over as I have this primary season. I have never once said anything bad about Obama so I feel more than justified in saying that he is going to have to earn my vote and pursue me as much as he is pursuing indies and repubs. I am not convinced that I want anything to do with this "movement"

I am writing Hillary in as of now.

[krkaufman]

72. Hell, she should stay in all the way to the end of the primaries in June, at a minimum.

But she doesn't have to run such a negative bloody campaign. If she has 35 years of experience, there should be plenty of material to demonstrate why she's the better choice.

[Jim Lane]

40. I didn't realize that posts like this were allowed in GD:P....

You mean there's not a rule requiring each DUer to pick a side and then to see the other candidate as totally evil?

Thanks for the clarification!

[blocker]

41. Remember nobody's perfect

hillary and obama are not perfect, they both have something that will thick people off.

I'm also supporting him now!

[BadgerLaw2010]

45. Agree. There was no reason for her to get blown out here, demographically.

Bluntly put, her trying to play to her base doesn't work anymore. With no base, she won't win other states anymore than she won this one.

Wisconsin is a very moderate, white, "down-to-Earth" sort of state with a ton of blue collar workers and that whole general ethic. It's not much different from, say, Ohio in that regard. You have Madison, but you also have the Fox River Valley, the North Woods, and the Milwaukee metro area which is pretty damn "Clinton" outside of the actual City of Milwaukee, according to the base theory.

People seem to have decided they just don't like her.

[Zynx]

48. The fact that she lost Brown, Outagamie, and a bunch of those other counties

up there that really should have been hers is nothing short of stunning.

[Barack_America]

49. I'm sorry for you that you had to see...

...her shortcomings in your own state. That must've been tough. I honestly mean that.

I don't know if the race will make it to PA (where I am). But if it were to and Obama miscalculated here, it would be doubly painful. The major miscalculation I've seen on the part of his campaign thus far was not giving South Jersey enough love. I volunteered for him there so the absence of a strong effort from the official campaign was extra tough.

[ORDem]

51. Thank you!! Now on to November!!! n/t

:kick:

[AJH032]

53. I want to support Obama in November

but after all the hate and horrible things that have been said by his campaign/supporters about Clinton, I'm going to have a very very hard time doing it. The most his campaign will get from me is my vote.

[creeksneakers2]

54. One small matter isn't settled yet

Obama is just starting to get the right wing smear treatment. Is not clear which side the MSM will take. The couple weeks between now and March 4 should be a good test for him. If he doesn't collapse then Obama is good to go. If the right wing has something lethal to hit Obama with now would probably be the time.

[Zynx]

55. Well, that's true. We'll see, but I think it will be hard to stop him now.

[loveangelc]

56. very smart.

[kwassa]

58. The race isn't over until it is over. Sorry folks. Celebration premature.

I'll support her until she actually loses. Anything else would be idiotic.

This is politics. Anything can happen. Look at what is happening to McCain.

[Mezzo]

59. As an Edwards supporter, I agree.

we need to be a bit more on our game now. I hope his stump speech grows more substantive. (Don't get mad)

[BlackVelvet04]

60. I never much was for trends. n/t

[Zynx]

61. The data is inescapable barring unforeseen events.

[BlackVelvet04]

62. I don't really care what the data says....

I'll write Hillary's name in.

[GarbagemanLB]

70. Going down with the ship? There's still room on the life rafts!

[krkaufman]

65. Well, she's obviously putting more effort into TX & OH than she did WI ...

... so she likely hasn't lost her key demographics, yet. Double-digit wins in both states may resurrect her campaign.

It should be an interesting 2 weeks.

[nomorewhopper]

73. I am convinced she will lose Texas. Her campaign is over.