Support for Clinton Wanes as Obama Sees Finish Line

[JimGinPA]

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton struck a publicly defiant posture on Wednesday about continuing her presidential bid despite waning support from Democratic officials and donors. Some of her advisers acknowledged privately that they remained unsure about the future of her candidacy.

With the political world trained on Mrs. Clinton’s financial and electoral viability, Senator Barack Obama moved closer to becoming the first African-American presidential nominee of a major party. Mr. Obama spent the day at home in Chicago, after increasing his delegate lead in Tuesday’s primaries — a result that led David Plouffe, a top Obama aide, to say on Wednesday, “We can see the finish line here.”

After a decisive loss in North Carolina and a disappointingly narrow victory in Indiana on Tuesday night, Mrs. Clinton told advisers that she wanted to start campaigning for next Tuesday’s primary in West Virginia, advisers said. At 3 a.m. Wednesday, aides added a noon event there. She was also eager to get away from Beltway buzzards circling her candidacy and feeding off fresh tidbits like the revelation that she had lent her campaign $6 million to keep it afloat, aides said

-snip-

As adamant as Mrs. Clinton appeared on Wednesday, several advisers said that how long she would stay in the race was an open question. Some top Clinton fund-raisers said that the campaign was all but over and suggested that she was simply buying time on Wednesday to determine if she could raise enough money and still win over superdelegates, the elected officials and party leaders who could essentially hand Mr. Obama the nomination.

-snip-

One Clinton adviser said the campaign was struggling to arrange meetings with large numbers of uncommitted superdelegates. This adviser said that at least a few superdelegates might not want to meet with Mrs. Clinton because they did not want to hear another pitch or because they had all but decided to go with Mr. Obama.


much more at link

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/us/politics/08campaign.html?ref=politics

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. very interesting piece. thanks for sharing.

Even though I'm an Obama supporter, I think public calls for her to drop out might cause further division, and seems to only stiffen her resolve to stay in. I agree with Feinstein and Pelosi that it has to be her own decision. It will be interesting to see if she exits on a high note.

[Colobo]

5. She'll get out on her own in less than 15 days.

[kid a]

2. thanks for the link!

kick

[Tatiana]

3. My favorite part:

The Obama campaign was courting superdelegates in districts Mr. Obama carried. Calling trees were organized — with lists parceled out to supporters — to contact superdelegates this week. A separate list was given to Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle.

But Mr. Obama issued a directive, aides said, to maintain a tone respectful of Mrs. Clinton and her supporters in the days ahead.

“It would be inappropriate, awkward and wrong for us to tell Senator Clinton when the race should be over,” said Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri, who supports Mr. Obama. “This is her decision. This is only her decision.”

[FrenchieCat]

4. Thanks!

Went to the link and read the entire article.

[anigbrowl]

6. I remember Edwards was 'in it to win it' right up to the day before he suspended

The campaign music will keep playing until there's a sound of the needle pulling off the record suddenly.

[JimGinPA]

9. I Don't Think She Can Afford To Get Out Yet...

She has too much debt.

[JimGinPA]

7. Morning Kick

:kick:

[nomorewhopper]

8. she was booed at a WV rally yesterday

the tide is turning