Paterson says Clinton frustrated, not desperate
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/28/art.paterson.gi.jpg caption=" Paterson backtracked from his comments last week describing Clinton as desperate."] (CNN) - Hillary Clinton supporter and New York Gov. David Paterson appeared to backtrack Wednesday from his comments last week suggesting the New York senator's latest actions on the campaign trail showed signs of "desperation."
Speaking on a New York radio station Wednesday, Paterson said "desperation" was probably not the correct word to attribute to the New York senator.
"I think a better word would have been 'frustration,'" Paterson said Monday on Talk 1300. (Listen to the interview here.) "The frustration was that the senator had won votes in Florida and Michigan and would like to have those delegates. Certainly in Florida, I think there is a very good argument with that."
"I still believe that number one, she is the best person suited for the presidency and number two, she is the most likely to defeat John McCain," he also said.
Paterson's original comments came Thursday, when he appeared to express disagreement with Clinton over her continued push to get the full delegations of both states seated.
"I would say at this point we're starting to see a little desperation on the part of the woman who I support and I'll support until whatever time she makes a different determination," Paterson said then.
Paterson, a Democratic superdelegate, also said then he disagreed with the party's initial decision to penalize the states, but added he thought the party should now "leave it where it is."
Clinton won both states' primaries, though Barack Obama removed his name from the ballot in Michigan. Clinton uses popular vote totals from both Florida in Michigan in her claim that she is beating the Illinois senator in the overall popular vote. The Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee is slated to meet Saturday to determine if and how it will seat the two state's delegations at the party’s nominating convention this summer.
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Dirtbags support other dirtbags. They agreed to strip the delegates. Go away now Hillary you dirtbag. Go away. You're just like Bill is. (I know "it's depends on what the definition of the word "is" is.")
I am frustrated too... frustrated that she is still in the race.
GO Hillary – just GO away A LONG WAY AWAY!
She just a toast
To all you Hillary Haters with crushes on Obama,
How can you say you don't respect Hillary Clinton only because she is fighting hard for what she and millions of Americans believe in?
Just because Obama doesn't have the fortitude to close the deal quickly and win the nomination in his own right, you don't have to cry and whine about it. It isn't going to help him win the general election.
Grow up.
Don't stop fighting for the nomination, Hillary. You are the stronger candidate to go head-to-head with John McCain.
HILLARY CLINTON '08
Why not re-run Florida & Michigan, letting the voters actually decide between the 2? If not, then do a 60-40 split; after all, even though Her Highness was the only name on the ballot, that's all she got.
CLINTON SUPER DELEGATES ARE THE ONES DRINKING THE KOOL-AID. LOOK AT HOW THEY MADE HIM COME BACK AND CHANGE IS WORDS. SHE MISS SPEAKS, THEY CAN'T SAY WHAT THEY REALLY FEEL WITH OUT A BACK LASH.... I SEE AND SMELL TROUBLE
MI and FL or no, the race was over months ago.
Obama and the Democratic Party should think twice about enlisting Hillary Clinton to help in the general. She took her primary campaign from double-digit front runner status and, through her negativity, victim psychology, and snotty comments, destroyed her own campaign. Meanwhile, Obama is doing just fine without her.
Man, can she suck the fun out of a room, and drag us all down with her.
Wow, I wonder what Hillary has on Paterson backpeddle so quickly he said what he meant. If Hillary can't get what she wants she'll threaten, cry, complain, and cheat to get votes. That is pure despiration too me not frustation.
Brother if you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen the Clintons are devils seeking to destroy anyone who gets in their way.
Frustrated or desperate sounds the same to me.
cnn post this please!
Dude, if you think McCain would beat ANY democrat in CA – you have no handle on reality – then again, since you can't seem to separate a dem vs. dem race from a dem. vs. rep. race, maybe you don't have any handle on reality. Just because the spin-machine and name recognition of Clinton beat Barack in a few machine-politic states doesn't mean anything about Barack beating McSame. This is COMMON SENSE!!!! But lets go paragraph by paragraph shall we?
Pledged delegate allocation: You are right, it is a joke. It should be one person, one vote. No delegates, no electoral college, just citizens voting. BUT since that is the system we have currently deal with it. Quit comparing it to the REPUBLICAN system and whining because if we were Republicans Hillary would have the nomination. If that is how you feel – go join them!
Not taking Caucuses seriously: Hillary doesn't even consider those votes in her "I'm winning the popular vote" count. How can you claim to care about what the people want when to suit your own ends you COMPLETELY IGNORE the votes of millions upon millions of people?!?!?
Swing states: Again, if you think that Obama won't win CA and NY in his sleep against McCain, you are a total idiot! The rest of your favorite states (see, there are many swing states that he won and Hillary lost – but again, those states and those votes don't seem to matter to you or Hillary...) are VERY winnable by any democrat.
Slam Dunk: You are right, this election should be a slam dunk. We'll see how much damage Clinton does. I'm sorry – you don't confuse being shot at by snipers with listening to poetry written by an elementary school girl. She lies to suit her ends. She has no regard for how her bitter, false attacks hurt the democratic party and the nation. Pull back a second and try to see simple facts...... I have faith in your ability to see the light.... I have... HOPE!!!
Someone got an "uncomfortable" call from the Clintons I see 🙂
Hillary you are saying that every vote should count yet in your funky math you are not counting the votes of the folks in caucus states. Shameful, absolutely shameful.
Its almost funny to imagine that Carter probably received a phone call to recant and he might have even been prodded quite a bit to do so and he just refused and put the phone down. In spite of Mr. Carter's firmness not to recant, I can just imagine what THE GOVENOR of the great state of New York must have felt like when they asked him to have a public recantation of his earlier comments. To some extent its like he seems not totally powerful in his position as govenor. Ultimately, he probably feels that his earlier comments were on balance, correct, but may feel that as he has only recently become govenor, plus the fact that he has already come out with his own family trash, and may have more skeletons in some closet for someone to dig up on him that he ought back down now since it really isn't costing him anything; it's not really his fight.....he's thinking, "go ahead and appease these people so we can go on."
New York is going to be an interesting place at the midterm elections.
Yes, I prefer Carter over a second BUSH term.. which is what you Clintonistas would like.
No, Bush is the worst. Nobody can top his record lows in our nation's history, sorry, where have you been these last 8 years?
You don't surprise me, Clintonistas, you prefer self-ambition over your own party... just like the typical political panderist you support.
It must be a vast right wing conspiracy that's prevented Hillary from getting the Democratic nomination. Or the number of votes she's gotten; one or the other. For those Hillary supporters arguing that Michigan and Florida should be seated, ask yourself whether Hillary would be arguing this point if she were leading in delegates and Barack Obama would get most of the delegates from those states? Hillary has proven over the last few weeks that she's not fit to be President of the United States.
He's right. Hillary has gotten more votes and will get more votes.
yea whatever, he had it right the first time........she's desperate!!!
Hillary is being pathetic, but the government of this country is even more pathetic to allow this charade. When will this country get it's act together and be able to have a normal, honest, patriotic election??? To have gone through the crap that Obama has had to endure and nw this......there is no doubt in my mind that he wants this presidency more than anything. And for the right reasons. To correct these very thi ngs. Hillary on the other hand is in it for the Clinton Legacy. i would love nothing more than to see a woman become president, just not this woman. Do the country a favor and step down now so we can get to taking down McBush.
Now that is funny. Not only Hillary but her supporters are flip-flopping.
Brian Knoxville, TN May 28th, 2008 5:44 pm ET
Hillary has way too many loyal supporters–millions–to be desparate.
The Democratic Party's primary and caucus process is frustrating, and totally ridiculous judging from the disconnect between what's happening within our Party versus what will happen in Nov. if we end up with Barack Obama as the nominee.
The whole point of going through this nomination exercise is to determine who can win a general election in the Electoral College in November, not shoot ourselves in both feet by strapping ourselves to a weak candidate with no experience and no resume like Barack Obama. Isn't that what the superdelegates were given power for? Show some leadership and endorse Hillary Clinton.
HILLARY CLINTON '08
The whole point is not to determine who can win a general election in the Electoral College in November. It is about who has the most delgeates. I'm sorry but it seems like you guys all way want to change the rules. In Nov. if she lose the Electoral College vote and win the pop vote I guess the argument will be that not fair. Play by the rules if you do not like the current rules then someone must change the rules before the game starts. This make sense to me. My 8 year old understands the truth she might not tell the truth but she understand. I know you adults understand the truth.
Okay and I'm pissed. What's the difference.
Patterson didn't want to be accused of being sexist. And he's too blind to notice when people are being racist toward him.:)
I hate Hillary supporters – they're close minded evil people! You don't open yourself up to other points of view, your more interested in hearing about how she worked through college and law school and how she gets emotional about her daughter talking a walk with her!
I'm so sick of it – cleary this gov' in NY got an ear bashing from the Clintons and is now backtracking – get over it – shut up and stop killing the DNC –
Extinct: You're a genius. That's the perfect solution. Hillary practices old politics and Barack brings fresh and new ideas to the democratic party. Have you noticed how Hillary would fit right in w/the Republicans - she's in denial, can't admit she's wrong, won't "step down" even though the country wants her to, won't listen to anyone who doesn't agree with her ideology, etc. I think she could beat McCain. Maybe you should suggest that the topic should be up for discussion at the DNC meeting on Saturday. Go Barack!!