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Hillary Clinton Should Withdraw — But She Won’t

By Daniel Koffler / February 20, 2008

With crushing victories in the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucus last night, by 17 and 52 points, respectively, Barack Obama extended his winning streak to ten consecutive contests since February 5, and all but wrapped up the Democratic nomination for president.

Obama's dominance in Wisconsin is particularly telling. On paper, Wisconsin is an ideal state for Hillary Clinton, with its large white-working class population, long tradition of organized labor, and few African-Americans. But exit polls from America's Dairyland show just how much Hillary Clinton's core support has hemorrhaged. Obama tied Clinton among women and won men 67-31. He won every age group except for 65 years old and up; he won every income group; he won the religious and the secular; he won college-educated voters and non-college educated voters; he won every region of the state; he won union and non-union households; he won on every issue except experience; he won the married and the unmarried; he won Democrats, Republicans, and independents; he won liberals, moderates, and conservatives; he won whites and blacks. In short, he won everyone and everything.

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  • By Phantom 2/22/08 at 4:07 p.m. UTC

    I agree with Zbird.  For the most part, Obama and HRC haven't ripped each other to shreds so far.  Some of the Dem debates, like the one in L.A., in fact, have been called "lovefests".  Obama needs to do some scrimmaging with the swift-boat types before he faces McCain.  I shudder to think what will happen if he goes in unprepared against the predators that await on the other side of the primaries.

  • By zbird 2/21/08 at 11:19 a.m. UTC

    I'm also pretty disgusted by HRC's talk of fiddling with the delegates and the nomination process.  But I don't think she should withdraw.  Having the Dems' campaign keep going could be good for the Dems in the general election–it gives both candidates added media attention, which can only help Obama–who is still relatively unknown (political junkies like you and I can easily forget how little the rest of the country is actually paying attention).   

    And negative campaigning is a 2-edged sword.  Sure, it's dirty and nasty–that's why Republicans are so good at it.  And HRC is right that the Republicans will send every demon in Hell after whoever wins the Dem' nomination.  If the nominee has already been through a negative primary, it might make him stronger in the general election, because any dirt the Republicans throw out will be old news.  It's arguable that Kerry wouldn't have been blindsided by the Swiftboaters' nonsense if he had faced more resistance in the primary.  

    –Z

  • Daniel Koffler
    By Daniel Koffler 2/20/08 at 9:05 p.m. UTC

    I'm assuming this is Elvis whatever's sockpuppet?

  • By Avigail 2/20/08 at 8:04 p.m. UTC

    Sheesh, Monosodium! Tell us how you really feel. Maybe a substantive critique of what he wrote, rather than an ad hominem attack? You were young once, too, weren't you?

  • By Monosodium glutamate 2/20/08 at 7:41 p.m. UTC

    from the blogosphere. You would have more credibility if you had a job. You need not look farther than your local US Army recruiting center. Experience in Iraq/Afghanistan might provide you the life experience you so far lack

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