She'll quit when she quits.

[cali]

I truly wish my fellow Obama supporters would stop demanding that Clinton quit. 3 more weeks of contested primaries are not going to hurt Obama or further damage party unity. There will be excitement and big turnouts in the remaining states. I don't think you'll see the Clinton campaign trying to damage Obama, something I do think they've attempted over the past couple of months.

Clinton will decide when to exit the stage and the demands that she do so do nothing to hasten that day. She certainly has every right to see it through until the last primary vote is cast. I sure as hell don't have a problem with that. If she stays on after Obama reaches 2025, and vows to take it to the convention, that's another story, but I think that's very unlikely. She may quit next week or she may hang on until shortly after June 3, but it's only 3 short weeks. Just grin and bear it. It'll end soon enough.

[dogday]

1. Absolutely, let's follow the rules of the party

What can it hurt?

[Genevieve]

9. "What can it hurt?"

The presumptive nominee, that's what.

[dogday]

12. Has he reached the number provided by the rules of the party?

No, so the race continues... After all Obama supporters are big fans of the rules of the party, right? I sure hope so...

[Genevieve]

14. She can't win. It's over. eom

[dogday]

21. Rules and all, aren't they a bitch?

If you believe that Florida and Michigan should not be seated because they did not follow the rules, then you must believe that the candidate must reach the number provided by the rules committee...

[Genevieve]

25. Even if Florida and Michigan were seated, she still can't win. eom

[dogday]

37. Do you believe they should be seated? eom

[JuniperLea]

22. No it won't

No one is getting hurt here. The party is fine too.

It's time we all took the high road and stopped the madness. I wish the candidates would join in on this too.

Two campaigns, and two camps of supporters, against McCain are better than one. It's time to unite against a common foe and stop the mutual back-stabbing.

[DMorgan]

66. "Two campaigns, and two camps of supporters, against McCain are better than one"????.......

Hello??? THAT WOULD BE NICE, except Hillary's folks are still fighting against Obama, spreading rumors, mischaracterizing him.

So Obama has TWO rival camps to deal with............not just McCain.

Not a good thing!

[niyad]

2. thank you for this post

[99th_Monkey]

3. Oregon is itchin' to put Obama over-the-top. I can't wait. ~nt~

[Tinksrival]

4. Who will pay for it??

I keep asking...
. Who has to pay her back 12 million????

???????? Obama supporters????? DLC????? Take it from the general election funds????
She can burn as much of her own cash as she wants. If she wants it back (LOAN) FORGET IT!
The only way to win is to cheat and I'm not paying for that.

[Justitia]

17. Obama supporters - when she blackmails him for her campaign debt, of course! -eom

[PVnRT]

23. The candidate is responsible for the debt they incur

The only person who has to worry about how to pay it back is Clinton.

[Justitia]

33. Is this your first campaign? She's running up the tab 'cuz she knows the rest of us will pay it.

It is tradition for the winner to pay off the campaign debt of the loser.

Trust me, she's banking on it all the way to Puerto Rico.

She's gonna take it out on Obama and his supporters any painful way she can.

[RazBerryBeret]

39. you know, I heard this brought up on CNN

this morning, how Obama may work out a deal w/her, part of the deal would be to pay off her debt....since I contribute to Obama, I'm not real crazy about that idea.....

[Justitia]

41. Yup, straight up extortion. It makes me sick that we Obama supporters will be financing her attacks

on him, us and the Democratic Party.

The Clintons are Democratic Party poison.

[Divernan]

49. It's not my first campaign and I've NEVER heard of the winner paying loser's debts.

Please provide some links on this.

On edit, I googled "campaign debt" and "presidential primaries" and got a few hits, none of which supported your claim.
I learned Chris Dodd is trying to raise money from his supporters to pay off his campaign debt.
"Dodd had this to say about Obama:

While both of our Party’s remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make excellent commanders-in-chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision.

I’m deeply proud to be the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Barack Obama. He is ready to be President. And I am ready to support him - to work with him and for him and help elect him our 44th President.

Put simply, I believe Barack Obama is uniquely qualified to help us face this housing crisis, create good jobs, strengthen America’s families in this 21st century global economy, unite the world against terrorism and end the war in Iraq - and perhaps most importantly, call the American people to shared service and sacrifice. In this campaign, he has drawn millions of voters into politics for the first time in their lives and shown us that we are united by so much more than that which divides us.
Dodd took time out from his busy scheudle of actively opposing bills that would invade consumer privacy and begging his supporters to pay off his presidential primary campaign debt to lend his gray-haired gravitas to his young colleague."

RE: JOHN GLENN
Also, re the John Glenn campaign, from an old NYTimes article:
''We were basing a lot of our faith on the character of John Glenn,'' said Michael M. Van Buskirk, a vice president of the Banc One Corporation, a bank holding company in Columbus, Ohio, that arranged the loans. ''We would have lent to John Glenn to build a left-handed-widget factory.''

A widget factory may have been more successful than the Glenn campaign. Despite the financial aid, the Ohio Democrat's Presidential hopes collapsed. The unpaid loans still burden him politically and financially. Recent Cases Are Studied

The Glenn case, the financial difficulties of Gary Hart and cases involving loans to Congressional candidates have heightened the concerns of bankers about the risks of campaign loans both for lenders and for borrowers, particularly in high-stakes Presidential races.

[Justitia]

52. It's done at a special dinner just for the candidates at the end of the season, can't remember the

exact name of the dinner...I'll look for it or maybe another long-timer can jog my memory on it in the meantime.

I'll look and be back....

edit: okay, now it's driving me crazy that I can't remember the name! Here's a description...

There is a quietly held dinner (no public, no press, just former prez candidates from the current election cycle). It's a dinner held around the time of the convention, usually just before (like days or a week) and it is meant to soothe any remaining ruffled feathers.

During this dinner, campaign debts are settled as a unifying, symbolic gesture of goodwill going into the convention. Usually, not just one candidate picks up everyone's debts, it's kind of a doling-out process and the DNC helps out too. Often, even though a significant chunk is provided, it doesn't completely pay off the candidate's debt, it's just meant to relieve a substantial burden. I'm sure, if there is significant bad blood remaining, that is reflected in certain offers.

It's not a highly publicized event and the process is kept a little on the down low, but in reality, negotiating campaign debt to be paid by your same-party adversaries is very common. On the other side of the aisle, McCain paid off Ghouliani's debt already this cycle.

It is driving me nuts that I cannot remember the name of the symbolic dinner!

Here is a reference made to it in today's Washington Post. Please, please forgive me in advance that it comes from an interview w/Karl Rove (ack, I know!), but it's what the Google is giving me....

Atlanta: The Clintons have loaned Hillary's campaign a total of at least $11.4 million. Add this to her stated debt of $5 million and she's at least $16.4 million in the hole. A pundit last night speculated that Hillary's campaign will approach Obama's campaign and offer to drop out if Obama pays off her debt. Has this been done before? Would Obama have to pay this out of his personal wealth, or from his campaigns coffers?

Karl Rove: First of all, we don't know how much of her debt from the beginning of April is still there. It's not unusual for a candidate to end a primary campaign with a debt and then receive aid from the winner. The pay-off would have to be done by tapping the winner's fundraising lists, not out-of-pocket.

[Tinksrival]

72. Then someone needs to tell Timmey Potato head

He said it repeatedly last night.

[Blue_Roses]

56. whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

"a tradition for the winner to pay off the campaign debt of the loser"...? I've never heard this before.

[Justitia]

57. read my description, post # 52

[H2O Man]

5. Her campaign

has money troubles beyond what is being reported.

[Binka]

24. MY DC Buddy Told Me This Morning The Debt Being Reported Isn't HALF Of What She Owes

She is awash in financial turmoil. This is gonna get FUGLY. When the real numbers come out.

[H2O Man]

30. Right.

I don't follow campaign finance issues closely, but have an attorney friend who does. He explained a few things to me (in as simple of terms as possible, so I had an idea what he was talking about!), and I think that the debt-related issues are the reason she refuses to step aside.

[Binka]

44. If She Steps Aside She Has Markers That Are Due Ummmm....YESTERDAY!

She is in some deep shit. Bill isn't gonna be happy, they owe some kinda nasty people LOTS of money.

[HopeforChange]

6. I am an Obama Supporter but it is her Right to Fight. Can't fault her.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Until then, we fight.

[LakeSamish706]

8. I seriously don't care if she stays in this forever, just so long as she quits...

chopping at Baracks knees with her jabs. She cannot possibly win this, but continue to run your campaign all you want and do it above board and not just nasty attacks against Barack.

[ProSense]

15. This is what I don't understand about these claims, they pretend this is about Hillary staying in.

No one cares if she continues until the reality of defeat slaps her in the face. It's her campaign of smear and innuendo that's offensive.

[Egnever]

36. Exactly. Please hillary by all means stay in and fight mcain

time to put down the obama bacshing though. The tone of the campaign call though makes it pretty clear thats not their game plan.

[LVjinx]

10. Yes... By all means she should continue. But the message must change.

Continued voter enthusiasm, and a message of unity, is the best thing. If Obama and Clinton can begin to heal those divides between their supporters, we will emerge incredibly strong in November.

[futureliveshere]

11. Thanks for this Cali.

I have been saying this all morning to various overaggressive BO supporters. We need her supporters in November.

[Egnever]

13. I think he will survive it easily

but it doesn't mean he wont be damaged by it.

I also think i want some of what you are smoking if you think she is going to forge ahead with a respectable campaign. It is impossible for her at this point to do anything but smear and expect to win. She doesn't have the money to run adds she doesn't have enough difference with him to draw a clear distinction between them. There is nothing she can do to bring herself to a victory except to try to destroy him.

I don't think she has a chance in hell of destroying him however she will do damage in her desperate attempt.

[CakeGrrl]

16. I agree - as long as the Clinton campaign doesn't go negative

Besides, I'd like to get a chance to drive down to Oregon and catch one of his rallies!

[DearAbby]

18. I am not overly concerned...

If she stops her scorched earth policy...she can stay in till the end of the primary. I just don't want to see anymore time and money wasted, trying to beat another Democrat, when clay pidgeon McLame should be the objective.

[peace13]

19. I'm in a black mood at this moment so my comment is....

The more of her money that she wastes the happier I am. You go for it 'girl'!

[democrattotheend]

20. I'm with you

As long as she does not start attacking Obama in a way that will be damaging to his chances in November, I am fine with her staying in for as long as she wants. I think a lot of her supporters are coming to terms with her defeat, while others are still holding out hope, and I don't blame them for that. I stuck with Dean in 2004 until the day he dropped out and I imagine many of Clinton's supporters will do the same and that's their right. We need to chill out, stop getting worked up about everythng she and her campaign do and say, and focus on reaching out to Clinton supporters and getting energized for the fall.

[alcibiades_mystery]

26. I agree...what's the difference?

Let her run as long as she wants. The defeat will be objective and total.

[onenote]

27. I'm not demanding that she quit. But I wish she would, for everyone's sake

While I understand the arguments to the contrary (that the continued battle is good for democracy, helps keep people interested, etc), I think the continued fight for the Democratic nomination does not do anyone any good, except possibly John McCain (although I don't think it helps him that much in the long run). I don't think it does HRC, who I have long said I could support if she was the nominee, any good. I don't think it does Obama any good. I don't think it does the party any good. By stepping aside she allows many of the superdelegates to avoid having to alienate one portion of their constituency or another. That's not her obligation, I realize, but it is the right thing to do for the long term health of the party.

On edit: there is one circumstance under which her staying in could benefit the party -- if she focuses her campaign on McCain, not on Obama. If, in effect, she begins to wean herself and her supporters away from the notion that the important battle is between her and Obama when, in fact, the important battle is the one that will be fought after the nomination has been won.

[cali]

31. it's only three weeks. I just don't see it being a big deal and

it could even help. I think she knows she can't win and at this point is simply picking the time to leave the race.

[crankychatter]

28. Obama needs the campaign time and being philosopical about her "rights" is crap

it's hurting the party and fucking over the nominee

[RichardRay]

29. Concur.

If some of the heat leaks out of the contest there could even be some positive aspects to a wind down rather than a screeching halt. At this point she can't really hurt him, so let it run the course.

[islandmkl]

32. the clinton campaign is like that car wreck on the highway....

you marvel at the amount of damage and destruction done to the vehicles all the while hoping that no one was hurt....

at this stage, the long-term damage to the Obama campaign and the party is probably limited in effect....

i, for one, am just ready for it to be over...

[backscatter712]

34. I agree. She'll bow out - it's inevitable. Don't push it.

We broke her campaign's back last night. Obama WILL be the nominee - the primary season is over except for the shouting and crying.

I'm trying to hold off on the flamage (except the flamage directed at Republicans.) I even cleared out my ignore list - Hillary supporters can feel free to open fire!

[redqueen]

35. I'm with you!

I'm tired of having Obama/Clinton beaten to death... I'm sure they're just as tired of seeing the threads about how she should quit.

[JuniperLea]

42. Me too, redqueen!

Time to turn that energy toward John "Bush's Third Term - Four More Years" McSame!

There is nothing stopping this, you know.

[dogday]

50. Good for you, time to reunite this party and fight the Republican Dog and Slime Machine

There is something coming in October, I have heard in numerous times, that the republicans have something up their sleeves for the October Surprise.. We need every Dem we can get now....

[JuniperLea]

38. K&R

[woolldog]

40. It gives him less time to focus on the GE

Every hour that he has to think about this primary is an hour he can't work on the GE: can't work on electoral strategy, can't vet a potential VP etc.

He now has to divide his time and resources between primary and GE mode and that has a big opportunity cost.

[JuniperLea]

43. Nowhere is it written that he can't stop right now

Ignore everything, and turn his campaign AGAINST McCain right now.

I think both candidates would put a shine on their campaigns with this sort of action. Beating each other up has become so unattractive.

[cali]

45. That's way too dramatic.

His team is already hard at work on the general, of that we can be sure. There's no big opportunity cost here. The remaining few states will get to feel like they're part of this historic primary. That's not at all a bad thing. Obama is already shifting into GE mode and he'll be making that case in the weeks to come. This may also serve as a good transition period for Hillary supporters, and they won't be able to say she was pushed out before all the states voted.

[JohnnyLib2]

73. This makes the most sense to me, and thanks.

In KY, like the other remaining primary states, the ballot is set. Those of us who have worked for (and publicly endorsed Clinton) obviously want to see our primary through. It makes no sense to suggest that active Democratic volunteers close the doors and stay home in this last two week stretch, IMO. Any local I've talked to plans to support the Dem. nominee
this fall.....

[bigtree]

46. well said, cali

[TBF]

47. I'd like her to step aside but I do see some opportunities for Barack here -

he visits every single state, his grassroots methods are instilled in every single state, local "precinct captains" everywhere to help out in the fall with the real race. I tend to think Cali is right about this.

[swishyfeet]

48. I'm cool with it. nt

[my3boyz]

51. I don't care if she stays in IF she stops bashing Obama. nt

[JuniperLea]

53. Then encourage Obama to ignore her...

And carry on with the business at hand. If one candidate rises above the stupidity, the other will look very foolish if they continue. What I'm hearing from both candidates is that they are willing to stop, and that they will both support the nominee. What I don't understand is the reluctance of their supporters to follow suit. Baffles the hell out of me. It reminds me of all the Bush Backwash who still insist that Saddam Hussein had a hand in 9/11, and that he had WMD, even after Bush himself said these things were not true. Even after both things were posted on the White House website, there are still those who choose to believe the lies. That's what I'm seeing happening to Democrats now with their refusal to join both candidates in rallying behind the party.

[my3boyz]

54. He can't ignore her when she lies about him. He learned from John Kerry

what will happen if you don't respond to attacks right away.

[JuniperLea]

60. If they are lies

He has nothing to worry about. He has responded, and he's flung shit back. It's time to just stop.

[madrchsod]

55. axlerod stated that they were shifting his focus to john

and there is a very good reason to do that right now.....

[JuniperLea]

62. I just heard that too! Excellent!

Then it's absolutely time for his supporters to fall in line behind him and do as he is doing. Good for him.

[Johnny Potpie]

58. She should quit

And she should quit now. She simply cannot get the numbers to beat Obama. I see many Hillary supporters and other "Obama supporters" cannot give up their delusions.

[merh]

59. I'm being selfish

I want her to quit so the admin will shut down all attacks on Obama and those that support Obama here at DU.

I'm sick of the whiney posts "since you hurt our fewwings, why should we like you" posts and the posts about how horrific Obama supporters are and have been to the innocent, white as snow, pure of heart Hillary victims.

I want it to stop now, it's disgusting.

Oh, and if Hillary wants to be Norma Desmond, more power to her, it's her legacy and career she is screwing with.

[Texas Hill Country]

61. the worst it does is raise more money and register more voters... OH NOES

[curious one]

63. Senior Hillary Official Says She'll Drop Out By June 15

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-odonnell/hillary-will-drop-out-by_b_100625.html

A senior campaign official and Clinton confidante has told me that there will be a Democratic nominee by June 15. He could not bring himself to say the words "Hillary will drop out by June 15," but that is clearly what he meant. I kept saying, "So, Hillary will drop out by June 15," and he kept saying, "We will have a nominee by June 15." He stressed what a reasonable person Hillary is.

Everything about our conversation implied that he had already had this reality-based discussion with Hillary. He said the Clinton campaign plan is to collect as many votes and delegates as they can right through June 3, then take no more than a week or so to make their case to the superdelegates. Nothing he said indicated that he actually expected the superdelegates to move to Hillary in the week after the final election. The Clinton campaign has not lost its grip on reality. Yes, Clinton spokespersons publicly seem to be lost on gravity-free planet Clinton, but privately they know the end is near.

[Fox Mulder]

64. If she's going to drop out in three weeks, then why not now?

What's the point of her prolonging her inevitable defeat?

[still_one]

65. it won't hurt, that depends. If her race-baiting, mccain more qualified tactics continue...

and if you listen to that ass lanie davis we will be setup to lose the GE in real style

This is another example of her judgement

Even Mcgovern told her to stop

this is only about Hillary, not what is good for the party or country

SD better put a stop to this bs NOW

[chieftain]

67. I've said all along that it is up to her when she bows out. But

with it apparent to everyone that she has lost, she should knock off the praise for McCain and the attacks on Obama. It will be stunning if she doesn't. I have little doubt that the Clintons will work hard for the ticket.

[TragedyandHope]

68. K & R

Relax and be patient. As of last night, there is no question that Obama will be the nominee. Enjoy our moment!

Give Hillary and her supporters some time and space to come to grips with that. We need to focus on working towards reconciliation and unity. It's not going to be easy for either side, but we need to come together to challenge McCain. We all have to move beyond what has been said on both sides and look towards the General Election.

Obama himself has told us as much with his speech last night in NC.

Hillary's supporters are fellow Democrats and they are the KEY to November.

[susankh4]

69. Thank you.

West Va. and Ky are excited about meeting the candidates and voting for one of them. It's not likely to change anything about our eventual nominee .... But it will bring two more swing states into active party involvement. That's WONDERFUL! These staes never have an opportunity like this!

In the end, the nominee will have to do something to woo over the supporters of the "loser." The more supporters that "loser" has... the better.

[book_worm]

70. I agree three weeks won't kill us. But after that she should endorse Obama and get out so we can

start uniting for the fall.

[shaniqua6392]

71. Everyone forgets how incredibly hard it will be for her

and for her supporters. I can not even imagine how difficult it will be after all the hard work and months of this grueling campaign. But she is strong and tenacious and we are lucky to have her as one of our excellent Democratic United States Senators. I am proud of her and of her supporters. I don't give a crap how badly Obama supporters want her to quit so they will feel better. Maybe GD-P posters need to go look up the most important word in the dictionary...and in life: EMPATHY

[BootinUp]

74. K&R