"We now know who the Democratic nominee will be." That's what Tim Russert said shortly after midnight on Wednesday, even while telection-watchers all over the world were waiting for the final results in Indiana. He was writing off Hillary Clinton. Done. Finished. Kaput. Whether she knew it or not.
A close win or a loss in Indiana, coupled with a resounding defeat in North Carolina, indicates that Clinton, Queen of Pennsylvania, is now the candidate losing altitude. The recent polls all showed her ahead by a decent margin in Indiana and closing in North Carolina. If those polls were on target, then somehow Barack Obama managed a late surge in both states.
But are Russert and the other pundits penning Clinton's obit prematurely? Does she have no choice but to say good-bye? She and her campaign aides immediately went into huddle mode--she canceled her appearances on the morning shows--in order to decide what to do now, as their cable news surrogates continued to talk up her chances in the coming primaries.
Given that it is likely that Clinton and her crew have not yet reached any decisions, a reporter or pundit can only at this point hazard a guess. And I would not count her out so quickly. Not that she has a chance. As the cable news analysts pointed out repeatedly on Tuesday night, Obama was racking up more delegates and more popular votes--further undermining any argument Clinton might be able to make to the superdelegates. But as I've noted before, the lesson the Clintons learned during the impeachment episode was this: no matter how bad it gets, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and ignore those calling for you to quit. The Clintons have defied the pundits before. They may give it another stab.
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Comments
We have a nominee!
Posted by: BrianInNYC
| May 7, 2008 4:03 AM
HRC is staying in - Barack is black and could be eaten by a bear so . . .
Posted by: capt
| May 7, 2008 7:23 AM
I was wrong yesterday. I said BHO would gain 4-10 delegates and HRC would stay in the race. He gained 12 and she still stays.
On Sunday Hillary said we need 18 cent relief and she would take on the oil companies. I left work last night and gas was $3.55. This morning it was $3.85. Thanks for letting them know your plan, it's doing a lot of good - for their profits.
Deficit spending, misguided policies - sounds like another 8 years of Bush.
ps. She is so broke we won't be seeing those MT Pandersuits anytime soon.
Posted by: geof01
| May 7, 2008 9:47 AM
Tim Russert is a fat gasbag and a bad journalist.
What Tim Russert says is not a product of incisive thinking.
What matters is whether Hillary chooses to stay in or not. Could you imagine that she would not?
If one is reporting news rather than reporting news and making bold statements then you would report the results, if they were anticipated by prior poling, and what primaries happen next. Good god, give it a rest.
Posted by: Neil
| May 7, 2008 10:14 AM
HRC loaned herself ANOTHER $6.4 million.
Is that like presumptive deficit spending?
Maybe Bubba does the checkbook thing at home? HRC doesn't seem to be the money manager.
Posted by: capt
| May 7, 2008 10:14 AM
The Double Talk Express
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUWYf4cPtzU
Posted by: Neil
| May 7, 2008 10:34 AM
Bush-McCain Quiz. See how well you know these two men's policies. Take the Quiz.
http://www.bush-mccainchallenge.com/challenge/
Posted by: Neil
| May 7, 2008 10:36 AM
Tim Russert is a fat gasbag and a bad journalist.
Now, tell us how you really feel? (kiddin)
Posted by: capt
| May 7, 2008 10:38 AM
A little nugget from MSNBC:
A little nitpicky, but he's still citing a country that no longer exists... McCain just said the United States should set up a missle defense system in Czechoslovakia. Should we assume he meant the Czech Republic?
Note to MSNBC: When you screw up Shia and Sunni over and over, anddon't know who's in charge of wars, it is not nitpicky to point out that John McCain has had 15 years to learn that the Cold War is over.
Posted by: Neil
| May 7, 2008 10:43 AM
Capt, I should probably substantiate that.
When Russert speaks on the phone to senior White House officials such as Scooter Libby, he ASSUMES everything is off the record and asks permission to for it to be on the record. That's fucked up.
Cheney and the White House Iraq Group considered Meet The Press to be the best forum to get their propaganda out.
Russert plays gotcha journalism, to great effect but frequently off the issues. I think he's a bad journalist of average intelligence (average in society not average in journalism.)
Posted by: Neil
| May 7, 2008 11:05 AM
What's the difference between Indiana and North Carolina, and Ohio and Pennsylvania?
Indiana and NC are in much better economic shape.
Economically comfortable, upscale Obamans only need a "symbol for change."
Clinton voters need the real thing.
Posted by: Diff
| May 7, 2008 11:58 AM
And, oh yes, Ohio and Pennsylvania are actual "swing states," whereas Indiana and NC are both in the "safe" red column...
Posted by: Diff
| May 7, 2008 12:00 PM
Russert sucks (in my book) I totally agree.
He in one of the reasons I have no cable news channels in my dish line-up - I watch a little local news in the morning and they seldom mention anything national.
The M$M is like a drug, and addiction. I was detoxing for about 90 days before I didn't need a M$M fix. That was over five years ago. I am better informed for it.
IMO
Posted by: capt
| May 7, 2008 12:09 PM
Not hearing much about the fact that McSame can't break 75% as the presumptive nominee of his party with low GOP turnout?
That should be all over the news - well when there used to actually be "news". Huckabee and Paul are still getting one in four? That is huge yet the M$M is more interested in exit polls asking about Wright?
UGH!
Posted by: capt
| May 7, 2008 12:33 PM
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