She can write a book and cover all her losses. She doesn’t need this for that.
The LA Times said last month that her debt was more than $20 million. She can’t get that much from a book, and it’d probably take quite a while for Bill to raise it from his speaking fees. (Who knows what this campaign will do to demand for his services.) So why do all that work when her good friends and donors might be willing to help out?
Bill got a $10 million dollar advance for his book, and Hillary got an $8 million dollar advance for her book. Those were just advances. If she has to work a little bit to offset her reckless spending, then waaaaah. Meanwhile, continuing to hold the Democratic campaign for president hostage just because she couldn’t control her own purse is egocentric and myopic beyond belief. She chose not to quit. She chose to borrow money. She can choose to accept the consequences.
Meh. Closing the thread was premature given the activity level, the interest, and that the final chapter is just unfolding in these next two days. Yes she is forked, yes she has now unofficially admitted to it. But why not wait for the credits to actually roll?
The debate now is how she plays the very belated concession and what her role will be after that. And how much influence what she does now will have. In truth, as she has pointed out, she has no absolute control over her delegates and her “release” of them has nothing other than symbolic value. But I will be unsurprised if she avers “holding on” to them and tries to force some issues into planks at the convention. I doubt she really has much power any more. Many of those who resent Obama enough to follow her against him if she asks will not go to him if she does ask them to. Those who would rally to him would do so in the main with or without her blessing.
I really don’t want to see her campaigning for him much and I doubt she wants to.
She’s not holding anybody hostage. She won’t be out there holding rallies for people chanting about cities in Colorado. Maybe I’m off, but I’m picturing some $1,000-a-plate dinners where she “thanks” her fundraisers for their support by way of asking for more help. The Obama campaign is already starting to recruit those people on its own.
I fully expect a statement that technically adheres to, but subverts, pledges to that effect extracted from her by the party leadership (in much the same way Marc Antony’s eulogy in Julius Caesar did with respect to his promise not to denounce the assassins, but less cleverly – Hillary is no Shakespeare).
Perhaps she needs to put on some weight? 
“She will not go away. The Clintons will never go away. And they will do all they can to cripple any Democrat who tries to replace them. In the tent or out of it, it is always about them. And they are no longer rivals to Obama; they are threats.” --Andrew Sullivan
Bingo. Just like Kucinich and Huckabee and a few others, she’ll use the term “suspend” so her lawyers and accountants can argue that she’s still technically a candidate. That allows her to keep raising funds, pay off her campaign debts and repay that loan she made to herself.
Don’t listen for whether she says “suspend my campaign,” “withdraw,” or any of that stuff. Listen for how enthusiastically she tells her supporters to go out and work for Obama.
I like the way Chuck Todd put it this morning. (My transcription.)
It’s almost as if she had to cry, “Uncle!” That’s what it looks like. I mean, I think this is as bad of a way to exit as she could have choreographed, because it’s her supporters saying it’s time to go: Ed Rendell, Charlie Rengel, people like that, rather than her going out on her own terms. She lost control of this apparently Tuesday night when, on a night of what some would describe as huge historical significance, not just because Obama became the presumptive nominee, but it was the first time an African-American became the presumptive nominee of a major political party, that she sort of stepped on it a little bit. I mean, you could tell, when Charlie Rengel, Ed Rendell, and others — they were just uncomfortable that she seemed to be so reluctant to even acknowledge his victory.
I agree. She’s got to get on with her own business, so I don’t see that she has any obligation to run around the country campaigning for him. Endorse him and move on. If he needs the Clintons in order to win the election in Nov, then maybe the Dems picked the wrong candidate. Don’t blame Clinton if he loses (unless she deliberately undermines his campaign).
Heh. I counted 28 uses of “I”, “me”, and “my” in that letter.
But can she afford to hire the ghostwriter?
If this is her response to this crisis/defeat – what might she have done if office, as President, if a crisis of similarly large proportions had come along?
I don’t understand. She fought hard not to give up-- that’s what you’d want her to do in a crisis, no?
I was wondering about that too. The country lies in ruins. Chinese tanks roll down Wall Street. Hillary’s in a basement bunker with 200 people cut off from all communication, telling them we’re winning and would they please visit her website/donation page.
Holy crap, how many times does this nonsense have to get debunked!?
I’d say it’s more worthwhile to have realistic expectations, a view that goes past “must win current battle at all costs”, and a noticeable level of diplomatic skill.
To me, she’s shown herself to be disassociated with reality, twisting facts to show the one positive face, and wholeheartedly believes that it is the only possible interpretation. She’s shown no class. She has damaged her relationships with people from her own political party over a campaign that any novice could see has been doomed for some time.
Well, I guess we know now.
Andrea Mitchell says that Clinton advisors told her, “Senator Clinton will leave open the option of having her name placed into the nomination at the Democratic convention just in case.”
HAH!!! Whenever I think she can no longer surprise me she does. Amazing.