On Hillary Undermining Obama's Victory

There's been some agita in the left blogosphere over Hillary's ungracious way of conceding by continuing to claim that she won the popular vote and therefore has some claim to the nomination. Some bloggers say that this somehow undermines Obama's legitimacy as the Democratic nominee. I don't think this is the case. It seems to me like everyone - the rest of the Democratic party, the Republican party, the media, many Hillary supporters - are ready to move on to the general and are no longer paying attention to her. I'd prefer if she didn't make those remarks, but even if she does she'll just sound whiny and no one will care.

Over

Barack Obama will now go on to defeat John McCain:

Sen. Barack Obama captured enough convention delegates Tuesday to make a historic claim to the Democratic presidential nomination, the first African-American to earn a major party's nod.

The first-term Illinois senator defeated what had once been the most powerful machine in the party. His rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, the former first lady who sought to be history's first female nominee, saluted him. But she did not concede, even as she signaled openness to being considered as his vice presidential running mate.

Yes we can.

Obama Wins It

He's won the pledged delegate count and is leading in supers. Can we go home now and start kicking around John McCain?

OR, KY Primaries Today

Clinton will no doubt crush Obama in KY with WV-like margins, but Obama will handily beat her in OR and win a majority of pledged delegates. This race is over.

Debunking Clinton's Claims

That was easy:

One of her primary arguments (no pun intended) is that she wins the big states and the swing states. McAuliffe falsely claimed that she can win the states with the most electoral college votes. I'm not sure how they can make either claim, since she has never run a national campaign, but that's the assertion she and her campaign always makes. Unfortunately for Hillary, her primary wins in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and others really bear no relationship to how she, or Obama for that matter, will perform in a general election. Here's why:

First, it's a DEMOCRATIC primary. She's only hearing from less than half of the total electorate, less than half of whom support her. She and her campaign have asserted that only she can win the states that she won in the primaries. Of course, that's absurd on the face, and anyone with objective judgment can recognized that. The Democratic candidate WILL WIN New York, California, Massachusetts, and the other blue states in the general election.

Congrats on her win in WV. The following quote from last night has me optimistic:

"I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard," Sen. Clinton told supporters at a victory rally in Charleston Tuesday night.

Maybe this is just me looking for a pony, but it sounds like she'll drop out after the last primary (MT?). If that's what she needs to do to save face, that's fine, as it's impossible for her to win at this point. As a side effect, her continued campaign will force Obama to build his organization in every single state, which will come in handy in the general.

Onto McCain!

It's Over

Done.

Sen. Barack Obama moved into the lead today in the last category that Sen. Hillary Clinton had claimed to have an edge -- support among the Democratic Party's superdelegates.

The Illinois Democrat grabbed the superdelegate lead thanks to a switch by New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne and an endorsement from previously uncommitted Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon.

Can we end this now?

Moving Goalposts

Clinton campaign.

Operation Chaos

Obama outperformed expectations last night, handily winning NC and coming within breathing room in IN. To whom can Clinton credit her victory? None other than Rush Limbaugh:

Eleven percent of the voters in Indiana tonight were Republican, Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic reports -- and they went for Clinton over Obama 52% to 46%.

Over at the Huffington Post, Sam Stein crunches some of the exit poll numbers and wonders: “Thirty-six percent of primary voters said that Clinton does not share their values. And yet, among that total, one out of every five (20 percent) nevertheless voted for her in the Indiana election. Moreover, of the 10 percent of Hoosiers who said ‘neither candidate’ shared their values, 75 percent cast their ballots for Clinton.

Clinton's margin of victory was under 2%. Had it not been for those Republicans, who will not vote for Clinton in November, she would already be out of the race. I hope she can take a sober look at reality and concede.

It's Over

Really.

Pick the Democrat

Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Barack Obama on Monday for opposing proposals to suspend federal gas taxes this summer, a plan she and Republican John McCain have endorsed. Obama didn't take the bait. He ignored Clinton and focused on McCain.

"My opponent, Senator Obama, opposes giving consumers a break," Clinton said at a firehouse. "I understand the American people need some relief," she added, implying that Obama doesn't get it.

That was easy.

Update: I make a point.

Clintonball

Hunter has a rant.

After PA, Clinton now needs 71% of all remaining pledged delegates. Good luck.

And, despite the spin coming out of the campaign about a win, she's back exactly where she started.

The score is oogy to boogy.

PA Primary Today

My prediction - Clinton +7.

Yes we can!

Mark Penn Is Gone

Let the healing begin.

Classy

Hillary Clinton.

We Will Have a Nominee Before the Convention

Dean is on it.

At this point, the only remaining question is how ugly the Clinton campaign is willing to get. By all indications, pretty ugly.

The Audacity of Hopelessness

David Brooks writes a column. I can't believe I'm linking to it, but I am.

Read on.

Clinton's Electability

Evan Bayh, scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Clintons Want Obama as VP

Hillary and Bill Clinton have been talking up the idea that Barack Obama, whom they have called too inexperienced to be president, would make a strong running mate on a ticket headed by the New York senator.

I don't think so, especially not after you've trash talked him for the past couple months and he still stands a better chance of winning the nomination.

Link.

Shorter Hillary Clinton

McCain and I are experienced and tough. Obama is inexperienced and weak.

It's enough of a neocon lovefest that I think Michael O'Hanlon swooned on the spot.

More Class

More Clinton.