She is sending a message that is not being received... There is nothing that she is saying that is signifying that she's getting out of this race. If the Obama people and Obama supporters believe that something organic is going to happen after another magical two week period passes, they are deluding themselves. If they want her out of the race, they're gonna have to push her. If her only way to get the nomination, if her only way to win, is to win at the convention... then it is a matter of strategic importance for Obama to figure out a way to get her out of the race even if he looks mean doing it.
And here's what John wrote only an hour ago:
That's Hillary's plan [to take this to the convention]. And why shouldn't it be? What possible penalty does Hillary pay for dragging the race until August and putting our party on the verge of, in not in a full-fledged, civil war? What - her histrionics might make Obama lose in November? Yeah, she's really worried about doing something that might allow her to run again in four years. No one in town is standing up to her. No one in the party, no one on the Hill. Hillary is paying, and will pay, no penalty for dragging this out until August, so why should she stop now?
Today we learned that Hillary Clinton is so selfless, she is going to fight all the way to the convention to get Florida and Michigan seated -- the way she wants them seated:
Hillary Rodham Clinton says she is willing to take her fight to seat Florida and Michigan delegates to the convention if the two states want to go that far. In an interview with The Associated Press, Clinton was asked whether she would support the states if they continue the fight.
The presidential candidate said Wednesday, "Yes I will. I will, because I feel very strongly about this."
Great. Just great. That should make all Democrats really happy. She's willing to screw up the convention for her own political agenda. The Florida and Michigan situation can be solved soon and judiciously. But, apparently, it can only be solved on Hillary's terms.
It's hard to take Clinton's call for fairness seriously when she was the only person on the ballot in Michigan. I mean, come on, that's so Soviet. This just rings hollow and really lacks credibility. Not to mention, Hillary herself said the Michigan election didn't count and she didn't even care if her name was on the ballot. She only cares now that it gives her a way to keep her name in the papers, and hurt Obama's chances in the fall against McCain. Remember, the only way that Hillary can credibly run for president again in four years is if Obama loses. And that's exactly what she wants. That's why today she basically called the Democratic party unprincipled (pot meet kettle).
So, everyone who thought Clinton was going to find a way to wind down the race was wrong. Instead, Clinton will take this to the convention -- not for Florida and Michigan -- but for herself.
Obama should be out campaigning against McCain, but he has to deal with this lunacy instead. When will the superdelegates put an end to this nonsense?
One more thought: Does anyone else find it disturbing that despite knowing Obama, our nominee, was heading to Florida to mend fences and start the general election campaign against McCain, Hillary Clinton decided to go to Florida to rub salt in the wound? That says it all, really.
