Personally, I think there are some bright sides to HRC staying in the race.

[funflower]

1. In every state, Obamistas are working like crazy to register new democratic voters. That's going to help us at all levels in November.

2. Letting the Clinton campaign die a natural death (as it surely will)makes voters feel they've had their say. People outside of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and a couple of other states usually sleep through the primaries, because the whole thing is decided long before it gets to them.

3. As support continues to crystalize around Obama, the supposedly dead-heat campaign draws media focus away from McCain.

4. The continuing "controversy" drives people to really check out Obama, and he checks out very well. The more we hear about the "KKK of America" the more people will watch Obama's magnificent race speech on YouTube.

5. While it costs something to continue a contested primary, it also helps Obama raise money. He brought in $40 million in March, fer cryin' out loud.

6. Her goofball attacks seem to have the effect of immunizing him - when the R's start throwing the same swift-boat garbage at him, people will snore and change the channel. They also encourage the very good habit of checking out the allegation made rather than believing every pre-digested soundbite the networks spew forth.

So, yeah. I'm with Obama when he says let Senator Clinton continue her campaign for as long as she wants. I think it will help him and other democratic nominees win in the fall.

[scheming daemons]

1. #6 is the most important.....

Nobody is going to listen to Hannity et al rehashing the same bullshit in August that was already dealt with in April.

[funflower]

3. What really encourages me (beyond the campaign) is how people

are getting in the habit of digging up the footage of whatever and deciding for themselves based on their own reading of the events in full context. Really defangs the soundbite-peddlers.

[dkf]

2. 7. She will destroy her reputation and standing in the party.

and she won't bother us again.

[funflower]

4. I feel kind of sorry for her on that score. But it is her own doing.

Guess she can retire to some corporate boards.

[Diane R]

9. Oh please let that be true.

[donheld]

15. I think we are now learning what, or who, she really is.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. She's Doing A Fantastic Job

Obama's numbers keep going up - let her keep going!

[Lena inRI]

6. Agreed, Hillary is Obama's. . .

. . . Shakespearean foil. . . .

and he will always TOUCHE her attacks. . .game. set. match.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

[Tresalisa]

7. I'm torn on this.

On one hand, I think everyone should get to vote, but on the other, nominees are often known before all of the states have voted. :shrug: You make good points in your post.

Edited coz I forgot to add that I'm recommending this.

[funflower]

19. I agree it's not a crisis if the nominee is known early, but it adds a lot

of excitement (and new voters) in a late-primary state like mine when things last for a while. I'm hoping this excitement will strengthen Obama and November and will also help other local dems, such as the democrat who will be taking on our republican US Senator in the fall.

P.S.: Thanks for the rec!

[PseudoIntellect]

8. Mostly, I agree. However,

#3 isn't necessarily a good thing. McCain has been given a free ride for a while, now, and if he was being scrutinized as much Hillary and Obama are now, he might be getting destroyed in the polls. In other words, drawing the focus toward McCain might help Obama in some ways.

[funflower]

20. I agree it cuts both ways. I'm hoping the controversy will drive

people to the Obama speeches on YouTube.

[grantcart]

10. I agree if for no other reason is that she doesn't listen to me so its better to be positive lol

[Pawel K]

11. I just wish that she stopped throwing so many bombs

if she accepted that she lost but still stayed in fighting a clean campaign I would totally be supportive of that. What she is doing, like in the case of this bitter remark, is trying to hurt his chances in the GE just so she could steal the election from right under him with the super delegates. This does hurt the party, and there is plenty of evidance to prove that. All you have to do is look at recent polls with McCain vs Obama or at the fact that McCain could pretty much get away with murder.

I just hope this gets settled soon so we can move on to the GE.

[LiberalZrule]

14. Are you scared

of the SD's decisions? If the SD give the nomination to Hillary it wont be Hillary stealing the nomination...What do you think she is going to do? Hold a gun to their heads? Give them a little bit of credit. If they chose Hillary then they are basing that decision on presidential electibility. Basing it on who will have the best chance against McCain. Ignore all these early polls about Hillary's match up against Mccain. There is no way a democrat can lose this presidential election.

[Pawel K]

16. The SDs will never overt urn the will of the people

so no, I'm not scared because I know this. Hillary knows this too, why she continues to throw this entire party under the bus despite this fact is beyond me.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. I think the excitement in every primary/caucus state, the huge increase in Dem registration...

outweighs whatever negatives we might be getting as the race continues. I agree with you. Let's let Dems everywhere participate and support their candidate.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. Also, taking the primary all the way to Denver will have MILLIONS glued to the TV for it.

It will be the highest rated convention EVER. They will be showing it in sports bars!

[NoBushSpokenHere]

17. I would agree BUT

I watched a news report yesterday indicating McCain is hitting the rural areas while we argue. Obama could be hitting them if Hillary would concede. His message would resonate with rural voters if he had the time to talk to them.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5481135

[Left coast liberal]

18. Good points, well made! Cheers!