Sunday morning round-up: Should Sen. Clinton drop out?
WASHINGTON (CNN) - This week, the spirited back-and-forth between the camps of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama led some in the Democratic Party to suggest that Clinton bow out of the race in order to unify Democrats against Sen. John McCain in the general election. The debate over whether it was time for Clinton to exit the race dominated the Sunday morning political talk show circuit.
CNN’s “Late Edition” featured a showdown between two Democratic strategists, Clinton supporter James Carville and Jamal Simmons, who backs Obama. Carville quickly downplayed any suggestion that Clinton drop out.
“The Clinton campaign has not had one one-second meeting about getting out of the race,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “Calling on her to get out of the race is…going to hurt him in terms of getting votes. And it is going to make it more difficult to reconcile the party.”
Simmons responded that it’s the negativity coming from the Clinton campaign that’s tearing the Democratic Party apart. He said that Democrats “feel like Senator Clinton is fighting Barack Obama like he's a Republican and not fighting him like he's a fellow Democrat.”
On CBS’ “Face the Nation”, former presidential candidate-turned Obama supporter Bill Richardson told host Bob Schieffer that while he has no issue with Senator Clinton staying in the race, he feels an Obama nomination is inevitable. “I personally believe that Senator Obama is reaching a stage where his lead is insurmountable,” Richardson said. He later added, “[But] I don't agree with those that say that Senator Clinton needs to drop out.”
Richardson also responded to comments by Carville, who was recently quoted by the New York Times as comparing the New Mexico governor to Judas for supporting Obama. Richardson, who served in the cabinet of former President Bill Clinton, said he would not stoop to Carville's level.
ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” featured Clinton surrogate and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who chided Obama supporters for attempting to end the nomination process before all states have their say. “It's a disgrace that the Obama forces say, he's won the popular vote so he should be the nominee,” Rendell told Stephanopoulos.
Senator John Kerry, who has endorsed Barack Obama, also spoke with Stephanopoulos. He argued that his own experience as the Democratic presidential nominee taught him an important lesson. “This time right now is critical to us,” said Kerry. “We began four years behind George Bush, and I think every day does give John McCain an ability to organize nationally. So the sooner we resolve it, the better.”
Related: Richardson: 'I'm not going to stoop to Carville's level'
–CNN's Jessica Rummel
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- Untitled
Has anyone noticed that Ed Rendell's charges against the Obama camp are–like LaClinton's memory of Bosnia–not grounded in reality?
Hillary Clinton should drop out. However, consistent with all her other bad judgment calls: lying on her FEC reports (Peter Paul v. Clinton Trial coming this October!), NAFTA lies, lies about running from "sniper fire", continuing to not pay hundreds of bills along the campaign trail to small business owners, etc. she won't.
I think the longer she stays in the more it hurts her party. She needs to become a good team player, which I don't think she is capable of. She does have the right to stay in. It just would be wise for her to drop out.
Yes she should!
If the DNC does not seat and count the FL and MI delegates and its superdelegates, then the remaining superdelegates able to vote should cast it for those unseated/uncounted delegates. Let's see – that's 300+ superdelegates for 300+ FL and MI delegates. Now that would be fair and representative of the people's will.
Obama is the one that should drop out. He had his time before the Texas primary, but now things are different. Now Obama isn't electable.
If her last name wasn't Clinton, she would have been advised to concede graciously after losing 12 States in a row..
Her scarcely concealed blind ambition is distasteful. So are the comments and heavy handed tactics of surrogates like Carville and her wealthy backers.
Instead of virtually endorsing McCain over her democratic colleague and rival, it would be more honorable if she demonstrated the same loyalty to party and country as Governor Richardson, who did just that when he endorsed Barack Obama.
Hillary should not quit. This election appears to be Fixed and Not Democratic. Howard Dean and DNC committee Leaders are Splitting the Party by setting up new rules that override American Citizen Votes!
The television reporting in all media have not lived up to finding the truth out about all the candidates for voters to make a honest decision. No matter what the media has tried in the course of this campaign. Hillary has continued to remain Presidential.
Hillary has a proven record and would definitely be able to lead the country now. Obama has not really worked long enough as a Senator to have any record for his state. Now that new information about Obama comes out Americans are asking questions. Does he have the ability to lead to bring the party together or will it divide all Americans?
Yes, Hillary should drop the race. The Clintons say they "are not quitters". Well, I say they are too proud and their immense sense of entitlement would never allow her to drop the race. Lest anyone think I'm saying this because I'm an Obama supporter, let me state that I supported Hillary wholeheartedy until a few months ago – I have observed many occurrences that turned me off completely, and I cannot continue to suppport Hillary's campaign in good conscience.
YES she should drop out!