We live in an impatient world now - it’s hard to swallow but it’s true. If people can’t get their info in under 6 seconds from their blackberry, or google who cares? It’s a fundamental problem with the information age - Patience? What’s that? When i was teaching do you know how hard it was to make kids turn their cell phones off or blackberries? I’d announce it very respectfully, and without fail - one would go off have way through lecture. Personally, I’m trying to find a way to deal with it and not get steamrolled in the process…
Probably because this has been the longest party nomination process in living memory and we’re all sick of it and there’s no end in sight before late August.
I wonder whether it’s really hurting the DNC that much. It seems like alot of political campaigning is all about grabbing attention. How much attention is McCain getting right now? And how much will he start getting once there is a definitive DNC candidate?
Yeah, I know. That was really a rhetorical question. But I think it’s those who are passionately behind one or the other candidate who want it over. Meaning, of course, they want their candidate to win.
It takes more than six seconds just to get into Google on mine, and don’t think it doesn’t piss me off, but it’s a Samsung BlackJack, not a Blackberry. And a part of me that has enjoyed knock-down-drag-out primaries and conventions in the past (1968, anyone?) is enjoying this. But Nietzsche was wrong when he said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Sometimes it leaves you a bloody mess quivering on the floor and easy pickings for the Republican nominee. McCain’s pickings should not be easy, so I guess it’s better to work out all the shit early.
Frylock, that’s a good point but I am concerned because there are some Democrat-leaning people who claim they would never vote for Obama and others who would never vote for Hillary, and in both cases for pretty dumb reasons, and a prolonged, dirty, and mean primary season can only make them more entrenched. While this could have the advantage of keeping bullheaded and unreasonable people out of the election, it also might send them over to McCain or Nader, for whom the bullheaded and unreasonable are their natural constituency.
I agree. Speaking of backing your candidate strongly did you know Barack is offering Fellowships to certain students? Really getting those young voters to come out over the summer…that’s interesting stuff.
What makes you think that people who are choosing to donate to Hillary rather than Obama right now will automatically donate to himif Hillary drops out?
I prefer Obama to Hillary and I believe he’ll eventually be the nominee. But Hillary is only something like 130 delegates behind Obama right now. With that large a base of support, it’s better to let the process play out than risk making both sides angry with some backroom deal.
But my point is that they are supposed to do what the Party tells them to do and keep their mouths shut. Doesn’t ANYBODY know how to play party politics anymore?
I have a question that is tangentially related to the question at hand. I have been wondering lately why the two dem candidates don’t simply stop attacking each other and move onto McCain. Wouldn’t a concerted effort to show how they differ against who we know to be the Republican opponent do more to vet them as candidates in the public arena than the tiresome and repetitive attempts to destroy one another as viable candidates? I imagine I’m evidencing some naivety here, but I’m wondering why the DNC doesn’t simply press the candidates to stop fighting in the democratic sandbox and move on to the larger issue at hand. I realize that each has a personal stake in defeating their opponent, but it would seem better political strategy to start acting like a presidential candidate. At this point, is there really much more to say about one another?
Welcome to the 2008 presidential primary, Jillyvn. Obama has been going after McCain’s positions, changes in positions, and rhetoric. Perhaps you missed his speech in Indiana, the night of the PA primary wherein he mentioned John McCain a number of times. You’ve probably missed many of his town hall meetings wherein he goes into some depth on the differences between him and John McCain. The bottom line is Obama is doing exactly what you wish the candidates would do.
The problem is the MSM is only interested in and so only shows the conflicts and verbal barbs going back and forth between Hillary and Barack. However, if you examine these long distance repartee’s you’ll notice that in the majority of cases it’s Hillary who initiates the attacks, many of which, in my opinion, should not be considered germane to determining who should be the nominee as they are not substantive. The result is Barack is forced into making a choice between responding quickly and forcefully and possibly being deemed as engaging in pettiness that benefits no one, or not responding (or delaying a response), and possibly being considered weak. Lately he’s been choosing to respond. I’m not sure if it’s helping, but I do agree, as I’m sure he does, that it’s a distraction, and one he wishes he could forego.
Whereas McCain is Obama’s rival, Hillary has become Obama’s nemesis, seeking to rain destruction down on his head any way she can as retribution for the effrontery of his designs on a presidency she feels is rightfully her due. It’s a challenge for Obama to concentrate efforts on his rival when his nemesis keeps nip, nip, nipping at his leg like an annoying chihuahua that not only keeps yapping and won’t shut the Hell up, but with teeth that probably won’t do enough damage to kill him, but can definitely, with enough bites, hobble and main him, possibly taking him out of commission, and is absolutely drunk with glee at the prospect.
I think the DNC is going to do something, but they know they have to be careful. Alienating Hillary’s supporters would spell disaster for the party. I’m hopeful they’ll wait until the saga of the remaining contests plays out, if it goes that far. The writing should be on the wall large enough for even Hillary to see after NC, so everyone should probably cool it and wait at least until then. There will probably come a time where calls for Hillary to drop out will make sense, but we’re not there yet.
Why does this not match up with this “This pressure may not be enough to get the tenacious Hillary Rodham Clinton to quit the race, but, says a leading Democrat, “Sometime in June we will make it clear to her that this thing isn’t going to the convention.””
So, it is the DNC’s place to tell a Candidate to quit before they have lost?
:dubious: :rolleyes:
It’s all very nice that Obama has more delegates right now than Hilary. But neither can win without SuperDelegates.
And, athought the “will of the people” argument was being tossed around for a while by the Obama camp when he had a small but significant lead in the Popualr vote, he no longer does so, and thus the argument is no longer getting much play. Nor did it ever have any validity in the first place. Sure, Hilary has taken advantage of the wierd not-so-100%-“will of the people” Superdelegate clause, but Obama has done even better by taking advantage of the wierd not-so-100%-“will of the people” Caucus clause. Look at Texas- where Hilary won by a significant % of the popular vote, but Obama got more Delegates.
There is no more reason for Hilary to quit than for Obama to quit. Neither can win outright at this point in time (without SuperDelegates), and you need a Majority not a plurality to win.
In reality, both Candidates have strong roots in parts of the party electorate that the other does not. A joint ticket would be best. At this point in time, Obama has a better claim to be Prez, and Hilary Veep, mind you.
Of course Shayna’s cite is worthless (not to mention biased as hell). Note that the author quoted “says a leading Democrat”. Without a name, that’s worthless, and no one, not even Dean has the authority to " make it clear to her that this thing isn’t going to the convention.”. If they had the *authority *to do that, they could make Obama becomes Hilary’s Veep. Or dance the fandango, nude, with a rose in his teeth for that matter. The DNC simply has no such athority and forcing Hilary to quit would be as undemocratic as forcing Obama to quit. Eliz Drew is a wellknown Obama supporter, and is even cited on Obama’s home page: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/hope4/gGCVpK That doesn’t make her wrong mind you, but it does make a quote from “a leading democrat” suspect as hell. That leading Dem could be Obama, or no one, for all we know. In any case, things don’t work like that.
I know that Barack Obama has been going after McCain, so perhaps I should have noted that in my original question. Since I’m a canuck, I’m slightly distanced from the American media coverage, but I take your point. The in-fighting between the candidates is much more salacious and I suppose it is a bit chihuahua-ish. Still, I would like to see the candidates *completely * stop picking at one another now… it’s getting ridiculous and they are only feeding the machine. Instead,everytime they hit the media and campaign trail, they should relentlessly hammer on McCain. I’m seriously worried, from my safe seat in the North, that the infighting is going to give McCain a leg up. If the DNC can’t/shouldn’t stop the candidates from running to the primary, I can’t see this being a good thing for the party.
