The Political Voices of Women

Who is hurting the Democratic Party more? Obama? Clinton? Or the media? - by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at the Care2 Election Blog)

Why is the media trying to convince Democrats that if Hillary doesn’t drop out now, it’s the end of the Democratic Party as we know it? The Democratic Party has already, single handedly, ostracized all the voters in Florida and Michigan. Now they want to alienate even more voters, by suggesting that Clinton supporters don’t really matter, and later primary states aren’t relevant to the nomination. As far as I am concerned, the only people hurting the Democratic Party, are the people suggesting Hillary should drop out, as well as the media who are sacrificing their journalistic integrity for sensationalized stories and ratings.

This is from USA Today

Allowing the Democratic presidential race to continue several more weeks will not hurt the party’s chances in November, former president Bill Clinton said Sunday in San Jose, Calif. He urged people to “chill out” and let the balloting run its course.

This is from The Washington Post

THE GROWING chorus among some Democrats and other interested observers for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) to get out of the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president is troubling. We’re not promoting Ms. Clinton over Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), or either of them over Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), for that matter. A time may come when someone should gracefully bow out. But their extended contest informs the electorate and serves to battle-test them both.

From an Associated Press article…

Debra Starks has heard the calls for Hillary Rodham Clinton to quit the presidential race, and she’s not happy about it.
The 53-year old Wal-Mart clerk, so bedecked with Clinton campaign buttons most days that friends call her “Button Lady,” thinks sexism is playing a role in efforts to push the New York senator from the race. Starks wants Clinton to push back.
“The way I look at it, she’s a strong woman and she needs to stay in there. She needs to fight,” Starks said at a Clinton campaign rally. “If you want to be president, you have to fight for what you want. If she stays in there and does what she’s supposed to do, I think she’ll be on her way.”
Amid mounting calls from top Democrats for Clinton to step aside and clear the path for rival Barack Obama, strategists are warning of damage to the party’s chances in November if women — who make up the majority of Democratic voters nationwide, but especially the older, white working-class women who’ve long formed the former first lady’s base — sense a mostly male party establishment is unfairly muscling Clinton out of the race.

From Taylor Marsh

As to whether the Republicans could be picking our nominee, I’ve answered that question before.

It’s really simple. If Michigan and Florida are not counted before the nomination is complete, the Democratic nominee will not be fully legitimate. Obama is giving all Democratic voters, especially Hillary suppporters who are dug in against him, a reason to stay that way. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Boy’s Against The Girls?

Hate to bring up that gender thing again, but here they are:

Senator Patrick Leahy (Elected for life in the 80% Obama state of Vermont, his hemorrhoids are so bad he has to speak in a whisper lest he break out in a cold sweat.)

Senator John Kerry (The quintessential Momma’s boy, our worst candidate since Ohio Governor Cox lost to Warren G. Harding.)

Senator Ted Kennedy (”I knew John Kennedy, Ted, and you’re no John Kennedy.” Got drunk, murdered Mary Jo Kopechne, failed presidential candidate (twice), appointed to a lifetime sentence in the Senate. Everyone leaves when he gives his speeches. Resents the Clintons, especially Hillary.)

Bill Richardson (No more Mr. Nice Guy, Richardson has been viciously biting the hands — Bill’s and Hillary’s — that gave him a career in Washington in Bill Clinton’s Cabinet.)

Howard Dean — (Responsible for the Democratic primary mess that is leaving the voters of Florida and Michigan out in the dark (to Hillary’s disadvantage). Remember, also, that many of his former supporters from Blue State Digital now work for Obama, Kennedy, and Kerry. Remember that “1984″ anti-Hillary video? That came from Blue State Digital. Dean is doing “the right thing” and not letting Florida and Michigan count because it helps Obama. There’s no other reason. The only way those votes will count will be after Dean resigns.

So there you are: the chorus asking Hillary to quit are men with agendas of their own.

From Talk Left

On George Stepanopoulos’ show, Ed Rendell represented the Clinton campaign and John Kerry represented the Obama campaign. Here is the video.

It seems clear that the Obama camp has completely backed down from the “Hillary should quit” campaign. That’s good. Now they are engaging the the winning metrics. Especially the Michigan and Florida issues. Frankly, I think Kerry did as well as he could with a tough hand. Rendell has become quite adept at this though and he talked “popular vote,” the will of the people and MI/FL. For me the Clinton argument is better than the Obama argument.

What do you think? Who is hurting the Democratic Party more? Obama? Clinton? Or the media?