Posted on 03/07/2008 10:45:08 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
With Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's decision to stay in the Democratic race to the bitter end, she has signaled a delegate fight all the way to the party's convention in Denver this August.
Both candidates appear in something of a stalemate.
Political strategists have concluded that Clinton cannot overcome Sen. Barack Obama's pledged delegate lead by winning additional primaries.
And despite his lead in electoral and delegate wins, Obama cannot seal his nomination without the support of the party's superdelegates.
Clinton's decision, after winning in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island this week that she would not capitulate has opened up the first skirmishes in a looming Democratic civil war.
Already the intraparty battle -- described by the Boston Globe as "trench warfare" -- has cost the Democrats a whopping $275 million. The war has no end in sight and is shaping up to be a take-no-prisoner's battle.
Consider:
Cash: Both sides are now swimming with the ammunition that politicians need to wage war. Obama announced this week that he raised a stunning $55 million in February. Clinton hasn't matched those numbers, but she is playing catch-up. Since Tuesday, she raked in a cool $3 million.
'Monster' Hillary: Obama foreign policy aide Samantha Power told Britain's Scotsman that Clinton is "a monster . . . she is stooping to anything" and described her circle as being on the "warpath."
Ken Starr: Clinton's campaign lashed out at Obama Thursday, accusing him of becoming another "Ken Starr" because he promised to be more criticial of his opponent. The Obama campaign has complained Clinton has dragged her feet in releasing her tax returns and her documents as first lady.
Florida and Michigan. Both the Obama and Clinton camps are deadlocked on the matter of the Florida and Michigan delegates. Party Chairman Howard Dean says he wants a new vote in those states but he won't use party money to pay for it. That benefits Obama, because Clinton would have likely won those states in a re-vote. If Dean and the Obama can keep the current slate of Florida and Michigan delegates off the convention floor, Clinton's position is further undermined.
Black Revolt: Influential African-Americans like Donna Brazile, Al Sharpton and former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder are warning that the Democratic Party may be fractured and crippled if it does not abide by the will of the pledged delegates in picking the nominee.
Meanwhile, the fraternal struggle among Democrats may be netting Republicans support.
Former Bush strategist Karl Rove notes Thursday in The Wall Street Journal "the interesting electoral phenomenon is the emergence of the 'McCainicrats' -- Democrats backing Mr. McCain."
Rove continued: "In three recent polls, (Fox, LA Times/Bloomberg and Gallup), almost twice as many Democrats support Mr. McCain as Republicans support Mr. Obama. Three times as many Democrats support Mr. McCain as Republicans back Mrs. Clinton."
A quagmire. They should both pull out.
Hey, this is FUN!
LOL! Barack should never take a seat in the back of the bus of that POS!
This is better than any phony so called reality show could ever be. It’s going to be historically hysterical!
But he'd never accept her as VP, anyways, unless he'd be willing to spend his entire presidency looking over his shoulder.
Neither one can win, time to cut & run and save the staff...
Yes, its a “Quagmire” No Blood for Democrats! lol
I hope they claw each other’s eyes out.
The dirt they will drag up will be great.....they will slander the crap out ah each other....True Colors will show
This is almost too good to be true. The RNC is crushing the DNC in fundraising and McCain can start whaling away at both of them since they have little in the way of policy differences. (No, McCain was not my first choice but he’s now my only choice)
it would be the #2 spot in name only-slick willy will be #2 for all intents and purposes
If Hilary manages to steal the election from Obama, the Dems are going to have a repeat of the ‘68 convention. They may also permanently alienate a large segment of black America. We can only hope.
Figured I'd fix it before any of the Lost Causers wandered by.
Which is why I believe that if it comes down to a choice between pissing off her and her supporters and pissing off Obama and his, then the DNC will toss her to the sharks.
Forget "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice," I'll take "Barack and Michelle and Hilary and Bill" for sheer entertainment value anyday. Is it possible for four people to stab each other in the back simultaneously? I guess we'll find out.
If McCain wins, it’ll probably be the greatest upset victory since Villanova in 1983.
You're probably right. They're stupid, but they aren't that stupid. I guess our only hope is that Hilary has FBI files on every delegate to the convention 8-)
And Republican cross-over votes in last Tuesday's voting were showing support for the Dem candidates but opposed to their message(s).
The same as super-patriotic (/s) libs "Support the Troops, but oppose their mission."
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