Subscribe by RSS
Former President Jimmy Carter and former Vice President Al Gore have held talks recently. Sources are indicating that these private talks are in regards to the need for Clinton to step down. As Clinton’s lead in Pennsylvania dwindles, her chances of seizing the necessary delegate votes shrinks from slim to none.
Chris Stephen of The Scotsman reports, April 13, 2008:
Former president Carter and former vice-president Gore have already held high-level discussions about delivering the message that she must stand down for the good of the Democrats.
“They’re in discussions,” a source close to Carter told Scotland on Sunday. “Carter has been talking to Gore. They will act, possibly together, or in sequence.”
An appeal by both men for Democrats to unite behind Clinton’s rival, Barack Obama, would have a powerful effect, and insiders say it is a question of when, rather than if, they act. Obama has an almost unassailable lead in the battle for nomination delegates, and is closing the gap with Clinton in her last stronghold, Pennsylvania, which votes on April 22.
Clinton remains publicly defiant, insisting she will continue the battle with Obama all the way to the Democratic convention in August – when superdelegates, or party top brass, will have the chance to add their weight to primary votes.
But the party’s top brass have concluded her further participation in the race can only harm the party as Republican nominee John McCain strives to take advantage of her increasingly bitter battle with Obama.
Both Carter and Gore occupy the rarefied position of elder statesmen – in addition to their White House past, both are winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, giving them additional gravitas to carry the party with them.
If Al Gore and Jimmy Carter join together and demand that Hillary Clinton cease her bid for the White House, this could carry significant weight. Presumably they would do this privately. Another route would be that Carter and Gore would together publicly endorse Barack Obama. In any event, this dual decision will make significant waves across the Democratic circuit. Already top Democratic officials like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are putting pressure on Hillary Clinton. With the Pennsylvania election drawing near and her numbers still not where they need to be, a twin-endorsement by these two men could spell Clinton’s last primary.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Visit the You Decide 2008 Store »
Loading ...
Gore ends Clinton?
Like Picard ends Batman?
http://picardendsbatman.ytmnd.com/
More like Robin ends Batman after years of sidekicking.
Talk about a backroom deal. I am far from a Clinton supporter, but I can only imagine how her supporters might feel if just after or before the Pennsylvania election and with 9 contests left she gets a call or has a sit-down with Gore and Carter, and is forced to leave the race or else… I would be a bit upset and depressed, and would have a hard time supporting Barack and the Dems come November. I think the VOTERS need to decide this; The only danger the DEMS really face in this long protracted battle for the nomination is that each candidate is going to tear eachother down. If they can limit the personal attacks against one another and direct them towards McCain (Do Not Give the Republicans ammo for the General Election and do not eat eachother alive and make eachother a weaker General candidate) then this battle should strengthen either one of them as a nominee. I can’t stand Hillary but she has every right and reason to stay in the race, especially as it seems that the Obama koolaid might be getting regurgitated a bit over the last many weeks. One final thing, anywhere that the Dems can hold meaningful primaries and get the local and state population involved in that process the better there chances of a fall victory. Having meaningful primaries all the wayto the end helps to build stronger national organizations for each candidate. It about the people…!!!
Clinton obviously knows that she’s not going to get the nomination. I say this because if there is one thing she is not, it is naive. I believe that Clinton is staying in the race solely for the purpose of damaging the Democrats’ chances in the general election. She knows that if Barack Obama wins the general election, that she won’t ever be president. If she damages him enough that he loses in November, however, she’ll have the chance (in her mind, at least) to run again in 2012. Don’t be confused, Hillary’s already thinking ahead, and the only way she’ll ever be president, if not this time around, is for McCain to win in November. I have no problem believing that the Clinton’s would use this tactic, either.
Josh is smart! McCain and Clinton certainly do get along well . . .
People often talk about how the dems tear each other down. But the tearing comes from one side much more than the other - Hillary rips into Obama much moreso than vice versa, with much more enthusiasm and much less apology.
Obama attacks, let no one say he doesn’t. But he’s been nothing compared to the attack machine that the Clinton campaign has been running this whole primary season.
A week ago it seemed like she was trying to reform her ways - bless her heart - but she just couldn’t stick to it. Now here she is, a week before the PA primaries, and she’s back on the attack again. That’s why people like Gore and Carter fear she will hurt the party’s chances at nomination - because McCain couldn’t pay for better damage to his soon-to-be rival.
And people do pay for such damage. They will. If Hillary had dropped out last month, the republicans would be doing so already. But as it is, it’s democrat-funded throat slitting. Who would even know that Hillary and Obama are on the same team anymore, running on very similar platforms with very similar goals for America?
Josh is right. This has been discussed on Stephanie Miller show back when Hilary for almost 2 days was alluding to McCain being a better candidate then Obama. Remember when she said she has years of experience she will bring to the White house, McCain has years of experience he will bring to the white house and Obama just has a speech he gave in 2002? Then the other statement which was similar about she and maccain being ready on day one but what about Obama?
I believe this was in Wyoming when she made those statements. At this time she was down like 12 or 13 contests in a row and had fears of losing Texas and Ohio or not winning by the much needed Margin. So the elevating McCain to her level and showing how she feels that McCain is better qualified then Obama.
So yes i agree as well that the Clinton possibly has the attitude that if they can’t get in, then they sure don’t want Obama in and McCain is already the easiest of the Republicans to defeat. Imagine how much more easier it will be to defeat him after he does one term.
Now they have a better idea of how to run a campaign against Obama if they get another go at it. but that can only happen if McCain gets in because THEY PROBABLY KNOW that Obama has a chance at winning a 2nd term which would mean she would be very old.
I hope that if Gore and Carter decide to meet with Sen Clinton that they don’t threaten her with stepping down but threaten her with a double endorsement to Obama if she doesn’t refrain from any attacks on him and push all of her efforts after McCain.
This is indeed the best that can be done for the sake of the democratic party. Hillary cannot win this without something underhanded and dirty. She cannot catch Obama in delegates at this point. The party should indeed be putting pressure on her and I am delighted to hear that Gore and Carter are willing to reign in the woman who would seize reigns as if entitled to them rather than by facing the facts that the a majority of the American public prefers Obama.
It’s funny how the democratic Men want to end things and not wait until the end. If they do this, the democratic party will go down in flames if they don’t let the people vote. People that are behind Clinton will not vote for Obama if this happen. They should let it go to the convention.
You can only hope that someone can persuade her not to ruin her reputation & Bill’s any more than has already been done. Not to forget the party, her attitude is all wrong.
!!! GO OBAMA !!!
Uh, “dwindling?” I kind of doubt that. The “poll” that supposedly shows her lead narrowing is in reality a composite of polls selectively chosen to meet this trend. If one tracked the polling data from any individual poll over time, her lead has stayed pretty constantly 10 or more points over Obama. Moreover, Obama has again shot himself in the [foot].
SR:
One of the largest poll surveys for Pennsylvania recently was Zogby. According to that poll, Hillary Clinton had a 4 point lead on Obama. RealClearPolitics is showing that her current average is 7.3 points.
There is a reason why she is going door-to-door right now.
Point: Hillary’s continued run only hurts us if we are paying attention to what is going on.
Exposition: I have been following the Democratic Primary race closely (and I confess to being an Obama supporter), but this last week I have haven’t had time to keep up with the latest in election news.
With a week gone, there should be no new reason for H. Clinton to stop running; so many people support her, and the contest for the primary isn’t even over. Yet, the longer we wait, the more feel like she is hurting the party. But really she really seems to have no choice but to continue running, at least until she can give a reason to her supporters to stop.
If only we could have the all the states vote in the primary election tomorrow, that way if Clinton loses, she could bow out gracefully.
It is amazing that even though Barack and Hillary are on the same side, we see how much campaigning polarizes and demonizes an opponent, even if you agree with them about 98% of the time.
And again, the polls can be wrong, they were before in states that showed Obama gaining on her. With his recent statement over the weekend, you may find that close in the gap widened again.
As to Carter and Gore, they should stay out of this one. With all due respect, I live VERY close to Jimmy Carter, he’s a well known member of the community, but his age is wearing on him. So is his judgement. I think he’s giving in to pressure around him. Gore, I won’t even comment. *L*
I assume the Democrats call themselves so relating themselves to “democracy”. This is no way resembles democracy, Clinton should be defeated by the people’s vote, not by pressure from the good old boys camp. But then, I think all votes should count, and apparently they won’t. So what do I know.
Did you just suggest that Jimmy Carter is losing his mind because of old age? He’s 83, right? Does this mean that if we don’t elect McCain now, his opinion will be no good in a few years?
Jimmy Carter lost his mind when he decided to leave the peanut farm.
No Whobody, I certainly didn’t suggest that, but leave it to an Obama fan to twist it like that. *L* Jimmy Carter is a good person, but should focus on his Habitat for Humanity, his policital career is long since over. But now that you bring it up, Whobody, as far as I or anyone else around here knows his mind is as sound as it was at 21, and yes, he’s about 83 or so. As my Mother’s mind is very sound at 90. So get off the age kick, it won’t work with me.
right, get two losers to end someone campaign. Why dont the pundits just do their job and leave the nomination TO THE PEOPLE. Carter and gore had their time, both have failed. Hiliary is a better politician than those two clowns. The only one to tell hiliary to finish out is the people, not gore ,carter nor rahn emmunual. obama is loosing credibility faster than anyone, yet yr telling me its time for HER to step down. Why doesnt obama step down., he’s the one this is UNELECTABLE.
If any of you aren’t comfortable with the way Hillary is conducting herself now during her campaign, wait until her administration! Imagine 4 or 8 more YEARS of this crap.
I don’t know if he’s intentionally twisting your words, Babs - it’s not so clear from your message why you know best how Jimmy Carter or Al Gore ought to focus their lives. Age is the only thing you gave Whobody to go on.
But I think if Clinton could at least focus her venom outside her own party, her party leaders probably wouldn’t see the need to interfere. If she can get elected by her own merits, I say let her run as long as she wants.
Barack’s the hope candidate, he and all his supporters should understand when Hillary clings onto hope of her own. The problem is, she thinks she’ll only win if she can make him look unappetizing, and so rather than make herself look extremely presidential, she tries to make him look as unpresidential as possible. Perhaps she focuses on this tactic because she’s better at the latter than the former.
Just a joke, Babs.
The age topic was your idea.
Actually, (while Obama is the best person for the job) I’m a McCain fan too.
Just don’t twist that as a vote for McCain, because THAT is *L*-able.
When will the democratic party wake up and realize that elitists like obama and John Kerry don’t win general elections?
Hillary has a very realistic chance of getting this nomination. Just keep it close and wait for obama to implode, which should only take about 2 more months. Remember only 2 months ago he was leading John Mccain by 10 points in the polls. He is now losing to John Mccain by 10 points. Just think how weak he will be come November.
THE MORE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW OBAMA THE MORE JOHN MCCAIN RISES IN THE POLLS.
I know, Whobody, and IndiMinded is right, I didn’t do a good job with my message. I meant that his age is wearing on him, you only have to look at him to know that, but I didn’t mean his judgment is impaired because of his age. Really just that he’s long been out of political office, and shouldn’t insert himself back into the fray at this late date in his life. There is a point where one should retire, I think.
Glad to hear you’re a McCain fan, too. There’s hope for you yet, Whobody. =)
Hillary will never quit. She is going to accuse Gore and Carter of being new recruits to the conservative right wing conspiracy to attack all things “Clinton”.
She is showing how repugnant she can be, how intensely incapable of accepting any viewpoint but her own.
She is not a team player, she is a lousy fiscal manager due to the obvious screw-up on her own camp, and she is lousy at selecting top minds around her.. they all keep being dropped, removed, or resign due to issues that are nasty.
Who wants her?
Oh yeah.. Clinton-maniac types that obviously have a problem with reason and reality.
A little strange coming from Al Gore…how long did it take before HE conceded in 2000?
gregg
You say the election should be left to the people then you voice your opinion that Obama should step down before the people get to voice their opinon.
Tina
Al Gores’ run and this Primary run is comparing apples to Oranges.
Think realistically for a moment: there is literally no way that Clinton can win the nomination through pledged delegates.
She needs 60/40 leads in every subsequent race just to come close to Obama’s current pledged delegate count. In light of North Carolina’s almost assured win for Obama, this just won’t happen.
The only way she can clinch the nomination at this point is a shady back room deal with the super-delegates. Considering the opinions of several Hillary supporters on this thread to “count the votes”, I’m sure they wouldn’t want a win on such non-egalitarian grounds.
As such, a drawn-out democratic nomination only serves to funnel campaign cash to an already-clinched primary instead of the general election. McCain is currently standing unopposed out there on all the Sunday morning talk shows, enjoying his free ride from the press. Clinton extending this primary might result in a pyrrhic victory in a couple states, but only to McCain’s benefit.
You said it right:
“The only way she can clinch the nomination at this point is a shady back room deal with the super-delegates.”
This is absolutely what she is counting on.
If she’s depending on that, Stalin, she better get to paying some more of them off. Statically, Super Delegates vote for the candidate that “contributes” the most money to their own campaign (80-85% of the time), and Hillary is way behind Obama in that. Check it out, Obama has paid off - oops, out - 3 times more than Hillary:
http://www.capitaleye.org.....egates.asp
So THAT explains why they’re part of the system! It all makes sense now… ugh we need election reform so badly
HAHAHAHA GORA AND CARTER. wow one was a horrible presidential nominatiion and the other was a complete pussy and a horrible president. Carter never got our hostages back with his diplomacy but once Reagan became president( a republican) the terrorirst realeased them right away showing that a republican has much more power in the world and scares people. GORE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND IS BEING CHARGED AND SUED FOR FRAUD ON HIS GLOBAL WARMING CLAIMES AND ON THAT HORRIBLE MOVIE HE MADE. GORE JUST LIES ABOUT EVERYTHING, ALL THE GUY WANTS IS JUST ATTENTION. THE WORST PART IS THAT THERE ARE STILL LIBERALS WHO ACT LIKE THEY THINK HE SHOULD BE PRESIDENT. HE IS A JOKE I WOULD KILL HIM IF I SAW EITHER OF THOSE 2 ASSHOLES
ONLY WAY AMERICAN BECOMES BETTER IS WITH A MAN WHO KNOWS AND HAS BEEN THROUGH RECESSESIONS AND KNOWS HOW TO DO WITH THE ECONOMY AND KNOWS HOW TO DEAL WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THAT MAN IS JOHN SIDNEY MCCAIN!
OBAMA_SUCKS spewed:
“Carter never got our hostages back with his diplomacy but once Reagan became president( a republican) the terrorirst realeased them right away showing that a republican has much more power in the world and scares people.”
Yes, he got the hostages back right away because he cut a deal with the Iranians beforehand to trade weapons for them.
I wouldn’t call that a shining moment in Republican history. When the minority party goes behind the back of the standing president to negotiate a deal with terrorists over innocent American lives, we call that “treason”. I recommend you do a little reading about the Iran-Contra affair.
OBAMA_SUCKS then went on to spit up the following:
“HE IS A JOKE I WOULD KILL HIM IF I SAW EITHER OF THOSE 2 ASSHOLES.”
Good for you, you found your caps lock key! I didn’t think they gave you one inside those padded walls. Sound like they still need to up your medication, though, those violent tendencies are still shining through.
*L* IndiMinded, sometimes I can’t tell when you’re being serious and when you’re being sarcastic. But either way, I agree with you. At least take the money out of the equation and let’s see how the SD vote then.
Yeah O_S… let’s bring up Al Gore. The candidate that allowed us all to realize that our president isn’t elected by popular vote, because technically we live in a democratic republic, not a democracy.
And so we got GW, whose personal mission on earth seems to be to spread what we lack - actual democracy - to the rest of the world. Through military force. Wow. I mean, I’d be more upset if the irony didn’t make that so funny.
Thank god historians write this down, I mean you just can’t make this sort of stuff up, can you?
i never said anything bout GW i just need to laugh whenever i hear of Gore and Carter. They just were complete jokes to me. The only reason Al Gore made his movie and came out for global warming was so left wingers like yourself would follow him and so he could get attention, thats what he has always wanted and still does. The man tells Hillary to end this because itll ruin the party. Your last two candidates ruined the party! they both were just plain jokes. Look everyone said oh the democrats are a sho-in in the 2004 election and look who won GW and then the past 2 years since 2006 everyone has been saying the democrats in a landslide well now that us conservatives have a strong candidate your nominee whoever it may be is going to be in a tight race and could possibly lose. So all in all your party ruins itself over and over and over again with candidates like Gore, Kerry, OBAMA (a joke) or even Hillary. And lastly the liberals like obama will ruin this country. I dont know or understand how a democrat can ever support this man, yes he speaks well but he screws up so much and pretty horribly if i may add but is still leading because the liberal media will never badmouth this man. Just think you will vote for a man who’s mentor,pastor, man who performed his marriage, and a leader in his life is a racist Bigot! How can you support someone for a presidency who has no experience and whos credentials are minute. It makes no sense and if Obama were a white man and screwed up like he has talking about the black community he would have been tormented by blacks forever and would never get anywhere ever. OBAMA IS A HORRIBLE CANDIDATE JUST LIKE EVERY DEMOCRAT IS!
No Babs, I’m glad you posted that link. I’ve spent a long time trying to understand the role of superdelegates in this process. And this is the first and only explanation I’ve got.
On the surface of it, one might conclude that the most important role of superdelagates in the primaries is to accept “donations”. I don’t blame Hillary or Obama for taking part in the system, I mean they both want the nomination, but it’s obviously not a clean part of the process.
O_S, when you say that “THE WORST PART IS THAT THERE ARE STILL LIBERALS WHO ACT LIKE THEY THINK HE SHOULD BE PRESIDENT.” or even that GW won in 2004, I’d like to point out what countless “Re-Elect Al Gore” stickers do - Al Gore won the popular vote in 2004.
So if the people like Obama, and vote him in - but McCain gets the presidency, just like GW did - well that could happen again. Sure.
But I only get a vote, I won’t have control of much else here unless the Armed Revolution begins. So what’s your point?
The part that shocked me about it was the statistics. I saw a few in the list that endorsed the candidate that didn’t give them the most money, but by and large it looks like the historical data held up. And I agree, it’s not a clean part of the process, and really makes of mockery of calling it “democratic”, doesn’t it? I’m watching the rest of the uncommited myself to see if they play the way the money flows.
This is another good site to monitor, you can see everything from the candidates biggest money supporters to how they are spending their funds. It’s very telling, really.
http://www.opensecrets.or...../index.asp
Wow, Babs, that opensecrets is a really interesting link. Just look at the debts the Clinton and McCain campaigns are racking up…and we’re expecting these people to fix our economy?
On the other hand, Mike, just look at all the cash Obama has gone through, he seems to spend it like water. Easy to see the weaknesses in all of them here, isn’t it? And easy to see where some might not be quite so honest in who supports them, either. Take a look under “lawyers & lobbyists” on this page, and see who’s the top 2 recipients:
http://www.opensecrets.or......asp?sec=K
These are just a couple of the websites that I researched in trying to come to a decision between the three this election (I’m party affiliated).
I meant I’m NOT party affiliated. *L*
Indiminded– there are a couple reasons for the Superdelegates. One is the issue of money. The second, and more dangerous in my opinion, is racism. The opening up of the Democratic Party in the 1970s led to person fears that the “masses” would run away with the “wrong” candidate, and the Party elites needed to circumvent that.
Remember, nearly half the Superdelegates are UN-elected people.
O.S. man you beat a dead horse. What did Obama’s preacher say that was racist?
And while you are pointing at his “preacher”
Maybe you should look at the two ministers that McCain sought out and even defended when asked to distance himself from. Hagee who has made racial statements which I can quote McCain refused to denounce. If you know someone is a Racist/bigot before you associate yourself with them, seek them out and when questioned about it proudly defend your stance? This speaks volumes. He has used a derogatory term and when called on it said he would do it again. Voted against MLK’s birthday being a Holiday and a Civil rights amendment. Put all of these things together and look at the picture. These are the things HE’S done along with who he chooses to surround himself with.
Now you are saying he has “no” experience and has no credentials. Are you saying that out of all of the presidents every elected he has less experience and credentials then all of them? Please THINK before you answer that one.
I really can’t stomach the Obama_Sucks guy. If you, sir, are representative of McCain and his suporters, you simply further my case not to vote Republican in November.
I at least respect Babs for blogging her views in a very civilized manner and uses facts, not asinine judgements and insults, to convey her opinion.
Michelle, thanks. OS is likely one of those people we were discussing on the other board. *L*
OS, if you are a McCain supporter, and that’s not really clear to me, take a look at what you’ve accomplished. Michelle is not the only person who is going to judge McCain by how his supporters act. Do you want the responsibility of LOSING votes for McCain? I don’t think you do. Debate the issues, not the mud. Please.
Don’t forget Rod Parsely, McCain’s “spiritual guide”. This guy honestly believes that America was created by god to eradicate Muslims, because of course, the Muslims are demon-worshippers…at least Wright didn’t advocate “eradicating” white people.