Drop Out, Obama (in Slate)

[proud2BlibKansan]

Drop Out, Obama
By Chris Wilson

Even as Hillary Clinton trails Barack Obama in pledged delegates, the popular vote, and number of states won, she has made it clear that she plans to stay in the race for the nomination. All of which brings me to this logical conclusion: It is time for Barack Obama to drop out.

If Clinton had the good of the Democratic Party in mind, she would have given up her bid the day after the Mississippi primary, which Obama won by 25 points. The delegate math was as dismal for her campaign then as it is now, even after Pennsylvania, and she was facing down a six-week gulf before the next election.

But Hillary Clinton isn’t going to drop out. There simply isn’t a function in her assembly code for throwing in the towel.

Obama, on the other hand, is fully capable of it. And if he’s really serious about representing a new kind of politics, now is the time for him to prove it in the only meaningful way left. Moreover, were he to play it right, dropping out now nearly guarantees that he’ll be elected president in 2012. Here’s the roadmap:

more . . . http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/24/drop-out-obama.aspx

[JKaiser]

1. I think he should too! Go Hillary!

[NYCGirl]

14. Did you actually read the article?

Do you want four years of McCain?

[JKaiser]

23. No! that's why hillary needs to win..

[NYCGirl]

44. The article says Obama dropping out would give us McCain. NT

[TahitiNut]

62. It matters not. EITHER Clinton or McCain in 2009 is a guaranteed ONE-TERM Presidency.

There's no fucking question about it. None. They'll inherit an utter disaster of an economy, budget, and foreign relations.

BOTH Clinton AND McCain have amply demonstrated an utter cluelessness regarding the catastrophic policies that've gotten us there .... and stunning tone-deafness to the working class.

That's NOT to say Obama would get two terms for sure ... but he's got a 500 times better chance.

[guyanakoolaid]

2. Haha, Veruca Salt won't stop whining, give her what she wants! Hahahaha

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. LOL!

An incredible likeness!!

[SoonerPride]

3. Instead, I suggest we drag Hillary from the room kicking and screaming.

If she won't leave quietly, make her leave noisily.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I would agree

[Cha]

48. There's gotta be some genius

out there who can come up with a magic hilary hook.

[whatchamacallit]

4. You mean this isn't satire?

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I wondered too until I read it

[Irishonly]

57. Eyebrow raiser until you read it

For an alleged fence sitter (me) I was hoping Senator Obama would win in Pennsylvania so I am thinking I am not a fence sitter anymore.

[Barack_America]

5. This is hardly complementary to "your girl"...n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. She ain't my girl

I support Obama.

[Barack_America]

21. Oops! I got you confused with that other "Proud"

The one with "200" or something in the name, instead of "2".

My bad. Apologies.

But, hey, at least I didn't get you confused with Proud2BAmurkin! ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Oh I didn't realize that

Someone has bastardized my name and they support Hillary?? :puke:

[still_one]

6. if clinton had the good of the party at stake she would have never said she and mccain were

qualified to be president, but Obama wasn't

In fact clinton not only doesn't care about what is good for the Democratic party, she doesn't care what's good for the country

If she did she would have never voted for the IWR, the Kyle/lieberman ammendment, the use of cluster bombs in civillian areas, inferring that Obama isn't patriotic, inferring that Obama "might" be a Muslim, inferring that because Obama's associations he might be anti-Jewish, and so much more

No, clinton has made very clear what she cares for, and that is clinton over country and party

[scheming daemons]

9. An interesting idea... except that this country cannot withstand 4 years of McCain in the interim...

...

The time is now.

[blogslut]

10. Cute

But I don't think that's going to happen, Mr. Wilson. :)

[redqueen]

12. That's a joke, right?

:wtf:

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Sadly it isn't

[madwivoter]

16. That article is pro McCain: "McCain will be eminently more beatable in 2012"

*snip*

In one stroke, Obama will regain his messiah creds by making the ultimate sacrifice for the good of the party. His followers will be furious. The mere mention of Clinton’s name will provoke unspeakable acts. They will abandon Clinton in numbers sufficient to hand McCain the election in November.

Losing the presidency again after eight years of Bush will ruin the Democratic Party. It will become obvious that Clinton’s decision to stay in the race was the turning point in the election. The base will turn its wrath on party leaders like Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi, who failed to push Clinton out. Obama, as the de facto head of the party, will broker negotiations to install new leaders loyal to him.

McCain will be eminently more beatable in 2012. Demographics will continue to shift in Obama’s favor as his 14- to 17-year-old supporters come of voting age. Anyone foolish enough to challenge Obama for the nomination—and don’t rule out Clinton—will go nowhere. Obama’s utopian vision for a Democratic party unified around him will be complete. QED.

*snip*

[roseBudd]

30. yeah we can afford 3 GOP SCOTUS picks, sarcasm off

[madwivoter]

33. No shit.

I guess I don't understand why this was even posted, it doesn't make any sense.

Oh, wait. Up is down these days (I keep forgetting).

For me, sarcasm is always on :P

[roseBudd]

66. Why the Female Hillarey supporters are not worried about SCOTUS is beyond me, she is unelectable

because people don't like her. Some of the early voting primary supporters have moved into the "don't like her" column

[mopinko]

17. and people here jump on the idea without reading the rest at the link.

typical.
spoiler- the democratic party is destroy.
but then again, maybe they did read the link.

[Dyllyn]

18. Read Galway Girl no one has to drop out. The SD's have to pick one and move on

SD's hurry up

[floridablue]

19. Is that the "new" San Diego Chicken ????

[nichomachus]

20. Beautiful idea, only if

you're smoking crack.

Four more years of fascist government and the 2012 elections will be irrelevant.

[Buzz Clik]

22. Dumbest fucking concept ever, but it fits the trend.

Hillary is too goddam stubborn to take the right steps for the Party -- she's losing and has essentially no chance of winning.

However, Obama isn't an asshole, so he should drop out even though he's probably going to win. Because Hillary is a selfish asshole and will destroy the Party in pursuit of her blind ambition.

Great "thinking".

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Great summary

Sickening, isn't it?

[Catherina]

31. Exactly n/t

[CatsDogsBabies]

26. This doesn't make any sense

silly

[high density]

27. The "quit while you're ahead" strategy

It's employed all the time in politics.

[1776Forever]

28. Sarcasm I would hope - Rush might get his way for riots in Denver if this happens!

This is why the Super D's MUST start to choose their candidates NOW! I don't care if they choose HRC or Obama - it is TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

[Colobo]

29. Ridiculous at best.

[lumberjack_jeff]

32. I've been saying for some time that Obama supporters don't want to win

Here it is in black and white.

Reconcile this for me. Every. Single. Day, Hillary is accused here of using her "kitchen sink" strategy to undermine Obama to enable her to win in 2012.

Yet, Chris Wilson is applauded for doing exactly that.

I agree with one thing: Obama, like Kerry is a much more skilled quitter.

[bowens43]

36. here it is in black and white

hillary lost , get the fuck over it. America has soundly rejected your unethical, power crazed candidate.

[lumberjack_jeff]

38. See what I mean?

Your victory won't be adequate unless you can do it while actively campaigning to discourage people from voting for your candidate. "Get over it" is so... 2000.

[ampad]

39. Wow thank you

Hillary supporters act as if we are installing a god damn queen. We have elections here, it's called democracy geesh. I am so damn sick of their whining and crying already. If she cannot win amongst her own party how is she going to win the GE. I mean shit get over it already.

[dionysus]

41. when did obama quit, shillbot?

truck your ass back over to freepville...

[lumberjack_jeff]

45. Present company most definitely included.

If Obama is the nominee and if you can get your collective egos under control us "shillbots" might just bring a win to your candidate.

But as your reaction makes plain, you don't really want that. That looks like too much hard work and too much compromise with your principles.

Swimming is hard work. Surfing is much easier, but waves are unreliable. Hillary is a swimmer. Obama is a surfer and you are his wave. At the first hint of adversity, his supporters will fold like a cheap lawn chair, incredulous that the world is such an unfair place but taking comfort in knowing that they are so much smarter than the stupid masses.

[dionysus]

46. people arguing on a message board isn't going to affect the elction either way...

99.999999% of people are not political junkies like people here.

[lumberjack_jeff]

51. You've seen the Monty Python argument sketch.

"SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TIT! YOUR TYPE MAKES ME PUKE! YOU VACUOUS TOFFEE-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!"

Isn't an argument either, but it is at least quite a lot more imaginative than "Shillbot".

http://www.jumpstation.ca/recroom/comedy/python/argument.html

I've heard that "only idiots will hold what I say against my candidate" argument often. Always by Obama supporters. Admittedly, part of the reason I only hear it from Obama supporters is because that is pretty much all that is left here, after "the idiots, white trash and ignorant white fucks" had their fill of incessant systematic abuse.

People do hold what is said by supporters against their candidates. This is why we find the following photo funny.

[NashVegas]

50. That's An Interesting Take On It

Are you saying that Obama supporters want Obama to be *their* president, much in the way some music fans want to have a favorite band that only the cool kids are into, want the band to be successful, but don't have to share any concert hall space with the unwashed?

[lumberjack_jeff]

53. Yes. 28% of them to be precise.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5666226&mesg_id=5666226

[dionysus]

58. yes, what a scientific and accurate "poll"

:rofl:

[lumberjack_jeff]

60. Conduct a better one.

Perhaps it could be improved by some smileys.

29% of DU'ers who responded think that a HRC spot on the McCain campaign is either inevitable or desirable.

Either way, they are either bad at math or desirous of losing.

[dionysus]

63. well, looky here!!!

[lumberjack_jeff]

64. How is that relevant?

If anything, it proves a point that some are trying to make about electability.

There are 15 million Clinton supporters. Obama supporters number 15 million. If Obama wins, the combined supporter base is 1.5m less than if Hillary is nominated.

Sadly that isn't enough for the 28% of respondents to the DU poll I linked - they want Hillary to take all 15 million voters to McCain. Anything less is too much compromise.

Speaking of compromise, it wasn't always this way.

[bowens43]

34. Wow. What nonsesne!!

[Eurobabe]

35. Not even funny, US can't afford 4 more years of Repubes.

[damntexdem]

37. Hmm, McCain would be more-beatable in 2012 -- except ...

there would be no more Democratic Party to defeat him. Nor, should a party by that name still exist, would many of us be willing to have anything more to do with it.

Should Obama betray the Party and the voters by dropping out, then the Party would become anathema to me.

[liberaldem4ever]

40. I don't want President McCain or President Hillary Clinton

We don't need another Republican president and a vote for either one of them is a vote for a Repub. Hillary is not a Dem-no Dem would do what she has done to the Dem party this primary season. It is disgusting how much she has helped the Repubs win the presidency to satisfy her desire for power. :mad:

[JoFerret]

42. Absolutely. Faces saved and dignity preserved all round

and a clear victory in November.
Omama would be GOLDEN forever.

[newmajority]

43. While the writer's assessment of Hillary Clinton is correct

His solution to the problem is horrible. This country will not survive another term of BushClinton, from either Hillary or McLoon.

[Hippo_Tron]

47. That's a load of crap

Essentially the author is saying that Obama should make sure Democrats lose by dropping out of the race as a martyr and he isn't going to do that.

Also god knows what 2012 will look like. Incumbent Presidents aren't always beatable. If McCain is popular he'll get another term just like St. Ronnie did.

[OzarkDem]

49. More whining from the boys club

:nopity:

[BlooInBloo]

52. Is that article satire? I wouldn't have thought that anyone except a DU would be so idiotic....

... What a bizarre article.

[SeaLyons]

54. Yes, Drop out Obama...

get some experience, grow a backbone and run in 2016.

[barack the house]

55. If Hillary was ahead I'd be lunacy for me to say she drop out, but she ain't.

I say let her stay in mostly as Barack Obama believes shehas the right.

[Vinca]

56. The one in the lead should drop out . . . right.

And the rich guy down the road should drop his Tiffany lamp off at my house, just for the heck of it.

[EFerrari]

59. "McCain will be more beatable in 2012".

I agree! :rofl:

[zam]

61. If he drops out now with a lead in pledged delegates, he will be called the wimp of the century.

And he certainly will not be winning any elections, not even his own senatorial seat.

Clinton WILL quit after the North Carolina and Indiana elections if the remaining super delegates will all cast their votes.

[krkaufman]

65. Wow is that some bad writing. A ridiculous hypothesis matched only ...

... by a failure to even attempt to convince the reader of its merit.

[indimuse]

67. Obama must go!

Good article, read it earlier.

[BootinUp]

68. K&R

lol.