Republicans rejoice: Hillary claims “momentum”
posted at 2:50 pm on March 3, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Republicans had worried that Hillary Clinton might opt out of the Democratic primary race if she loses tomorrow in Texas, Ohio, or both. Fret not — the Clintonian ambition for power continues unabated. Today, Hillary claimed momentum after losing ten straight states in explaining why she’ll remain in the race:
Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested Monday she’ll press on with the campaign after Tuesday’s crucial primaries, arguing that momentum is on her side despite 11 straight losses to rival Sen. Barack Obama.
“I’m just getting warmed up,” Clinton told reporters, looking ahead to a busy day of campaign events in Ohio and Texas where polls show a close race ahead of Tuesday’s primaries.
Clinton’s husband, former President Clinton, has asserted that his wife must win both Texas and Ohio to keep her campaign alive. On Friday, Hillary Clinton’s advisers recast the stakes, saying if Obama lost any of the four presidential primaries Tuesday — Rhode Island and Vermont also vote — it would show Democrats are having second thoughts about him. ….
“I think I know what’s happening and I believe I’m going to do very well tomorrow,” she said. “I think that’s going to be a very significant message to the country, and then we move on to Pennsylvania and the states coming up.”
We may be through the looking glass with this statement. Her team spun the race so that any loss by Obama — who leads in pledged delegates by as much as 160 — somehow constitutes an end to his candidacy. Now she wants to claim that any kind of a good showing represents a victory, even if an actual victory does not appear tomorrow.
It looks as though the Clintons plan to take this race all the way to Pennsylvania, if not the convention in July. That gives John McCain more time to study Hillary’s attack strategy and tactics over the next few weeks, discovering what works and what doesn’t, and preparing for the general election. Obama will continue to fight a two-front battle.
With every poll but Zogby showing Clinton winning Ohio, can Hillary make the argument that one out of four ain’t bad? We’ve seen more desperate rationalizations from the Clintons before. Democrats used to cheer them, while Republicans jeered. The reversal may prove refreshing.
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I’ve got a sixth sense for these things. I’ve been feeling the momentum swing ever since the middle of last week. The phone commercial, Farrakhan, Saturday Night Live(twice), and Obama’s racist preacher have made people take a step back. Here is how this will all pan out. Hillary wins both states by minimal margins, but wins Vermont and Rhode Island convincingly. The states on the rest of the schedule may favor her by just a small margin, but ultimatley it will be a convention WAR!!! Yes, the whole time they are destroying themselves, Maverick the War Hero can just take it easy and rest his old bones.
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 3, 2008 at 2:55 PM
“I’m squeezing your heeeead…”
mojo on March 3, 2008 at 2:55 PM
If Hillary pulls out Texas and Ohio she has a strong arugment that she can carry big states while Obama only carries smaller ones. She will have won NY, NJ, CA, OH, TX, and Fl amoung others.
William Amos on March 3, 2008 at 2:55 PM
I personally hope Hillary does get the nomination. Obama scares the sh%t out of me, for one thing. For another, Obamas people hate clinton people. Maybe most of the moderates would vote for Mccain to keep Hillary out? You have to admit, more people hate hillary, than obama.
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 2:56 PM
BTW is a price to pay in running for and losing a race for President. We already heard that Ron Paul is in trouble now comes word that Kucinich might lose his seat as well.
William Amos on March 3, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Go Hillary! Anything (or anybody) that might keep the Obamas out of the White House is fine by me.
AZCoyote on March 3, 2008 at 2:58 PM
With that hand gesture, I do believe she’s questioning Obama’s manhood.
scatbug on March 3, 2008 at 2:59 PM
If Obama is defeated, I hope it is by a fellow Democrat.
RobCon on March 3, 2008 at 3:01 PM
I was at Hillary rally today…and it seems like Hillary supporters aren’t very fond of Obama either. I heard one person say they would vote for McCain before Obama because of experience.
terryannonline on March 3, 2008 at 3:02 PM
The Clintons owe SNL a huge favor. If she does well tomorrow, Olbermann, Mathews, and Russert will blow a fuse!!!
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 3, 2008 at 3:04 PM
We can at least engage and debate with the Clintons. Obama on the other hand is an “metaphysical force”.
ninjapirate on March 3, 2008 at 3:04 PM
Believe it or not, this is becoming a very popular thing! In open state races, repubs are actually voting for hillary, to help keep obama from getting the nomination. (These are people, of course, who know McCain has a lock on the repub nomination). They would never vote for hillary in the general of course, but are trying to help keep her in! Very interesting indeed.
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:08 PM
And Michigan. Don’t forget michigan.
lorien1973 on March 3, 2008 at 3:09 PM
McCain ‘08- Since your candidate of choice didn’t win, vote for me.
terryannonline on March 3, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Should we be suspicious? ; )
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:11 PM
One nitpick: The Democratic Convention isn’t in July — it’s the last week of August (http://www.denverconvention2008.com/)
If this really does go to the convention, there will be only nine weeks of regular campaign following the nearly two years of primary campaign. Something’s definitely wrong with this picture.
ClintACK on March 3, 2008 at 3:12 PM
No, no.
Former President Clinton was in town today speaking so I went to record it for my blog.
terryannonline on March 3, 2008 at 3:13 PM
It’s getting ugly out there. And I mean U-gly.
pilamaye on March 3, 2008 at 3:15 PM
As I have stated before, If hillary people will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination OR Obama people vote for McCain if Hillary gets the nod, won’t it be funny if those votes are the ones that put McCain in office?
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:15 PM
The obvious answer is to start campaigning earlier!
/killing myself
James on March 3, 2008 at 3:16 PM
LOL! I was just kidding! ; )
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:16 PM
I think Obama is the weaker candidate, but we are much better off the longer her Thighness is making the attacks.
Obama’s thin message worked for a little while in the Dem primary, but it is already getting old, and he has nothing left after that. Hillary’s nerdiness will make her come off as a more serious candidate in the long run.
pedestrian on March 3, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Hang in there, Hillbags! The longer these two go at it, the better it is for conservatives. Hillary’s entire life has been geared for this moment, this campaign and she is not going to give it up that easily. If she can give Barack some bruises and a black eye or two before she bows out, all the better!
mattyj86 on March 3, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Bruises, Black eyes, Bodybag…
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Forgive me for being a cynic. I would prefer that conservatives focus on a scorched earth effort to win elections. By this I mean, don’t even think about the merit of Hillary’s over B. Hussein Obama’s candidacy. I’d prefer a total focus on an all out attack on liberal philosophy and the failures of the two candidates, their moral lapses and policies. Bottom line, take nothing for granted and take no prisoners or worry about being accused of being misogynistic or racist.
MNDavenotPC on March 3, 2008 at 3:20 PM
Isn’t that caused by global warming? ; )
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:22 PM
You know, I don’t exactly see the B.O. crowd wringing their hands and quivering in their boots over this. I think they know something.
pilamaye on March 3, 2008 at 3:22 PM
I voted for Hil in Texas. I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about Obama actually being weak once “the word” gets out about how liberal he is. May be true. I still say that a vote for Hillary is a vote for McCain. Anything that keeps the Democratic nomination up in the air helps McCain.
Don’t polls show Hillary leading in RI, though? I thought Hil was leading in Ohio and RI, Obama was leading in Vermont, and Texas was close. Am I wrong?
PurpleWombats on March 3, 2008 at 3:23 PM
All they KNOW is, the messiah speaks,(without saying anything), people faint and they love him…
kcd on March 3, 2008 at 3:24 PM
In response, Obama called Hillary’s claim of gaining momentum as fearmongering.
He threw the race card back at Hillary saying “morementum” would have been a more appropriate choice of words.
fogw on March 3, 2008 at 3:35 PM
I ran into a woman in my gym today wearing a “Texans for Obama” shirt. I think she was offended at the way I couldn’t stop chuckling. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but the damn shirt could just as soon read “I’m with Stupid.”
Here’s a McCain tee shirt idea. On the front, simple bold text that reads, “Get serious America.” On the back, “McCain 2008.” Just a thought.
Sugar Land on March 3, 2008 at 3:35 PM
I’d rather have her problem than the one the GOP got foisted on it.
Hillary Clinton won all those places that John McCain won Obama won all those places that McCain lost. Only a fool would think that Triceratops will win in California or NY over Obama or Clinton but it is easy to see how Triceratops loses the South completely on the strength of the black and conservative vote in the South.
Clinton’s campaign is sputtering and may have some wind back in its sails. I’m very pessimistic that McCain’s campaign from this point forward is anything but a long slog as one McCain apologist after another gets up and tells us how conservative the man is despite the fact he’s told social conservatives to f**k off for the last eight years.
Holding my nose or not, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find reasons to vote for a man who called me unpatriotic and a racist because I didn’t support the amnesty deal he cooked up with Teddy Kennedy. In the absence of a real leader for the GOP, Obama is beginning to look more appealing since he isn’t the entrenched politician of either Clinton or Triceratops. It may be the Carter administration all over again but so be it.
highhopes on March 3, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Rhode Island, the swing state….and home of Patches “Crash” Kennedy. Hillary is either showing the size of Rhode Island or how close Patches almost came to becoming a homicidal driver like his pop.
Hening on March 3, 2008 at 3:42 PM
How about “Get Serious America” “None of the Above 2008?”
highhopes on March 3, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Can’t you wait for the next McCain thread to call him Triceratops again.
Sheesh.
fogw on March 3, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Finally, we get to hear that phrase from a Clinton without wondering how many shots of penicillin we’ll have to prepare.
emailnuevo on March 3, 2008 at 3:48 PM
I’m with PurpleWombats on this one and voted likewise. Anything to help QWOTU continue beating on Bambi (QWOTU = Queen Witch Of The Universe; nicer version of QBOTU).
PW; remember to caucus tomorrow night; should be fun to hang with the moonbats for one evening- or longer. My precinct send a bunch to the county convention and two directly to state. The question is; can my stomach- trained by accompanying my father on coronor calls- stand that much liberalism before rebelling?
michaelo on March 3, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Ahhhh but you aren’t looking in the right places….
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/3/152127/4802/805/468034
and
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/3/114731/9593/973/467882
The nutroots are eating their own and oh how I LOVE IT!!
ArmyAunt on March 3, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Did MSNBC just used a full name of a Democratic Presidential contender? Why those petty, bigoted, racist….eh….what? It’s Hillary and not Obama?
Oh, sorry, my mistake. You may go on.
Aristotle on March 3, 2008 at 3:55 PM
I’m actually in a rural area. Nobody knows where to caucus. It’s too bad. I’d wear a tie dyed shirt and flash the peace sign a lot.
PurpleWombats on March 3, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Based on their record, if Zogby is projecting Shillary losing Ohio, that is the same as confirming Shillary’s win.
Mallard T. Drake on March 3, 2008 at 4:01 PM
The Clenis was how big?
NoFanofLibs on March 3, 2008 at 4:04 PM
We have a winner!
txsurveyor on March 3, 2008 at 4:05 PM
So I have two Republican friends who crossed over during the early voting here in Texas and voted for Clinton. And I think I’ve just about made up my mind to do the same in the morning.
I’m not quite there yet — I’ve never in my life voted in a Democratic primary — but I’m leaning hard. Mama must go on.
paul006 on March 3, 2008 at 4:15 PM
kcd:
Scorched earth caused by global warming? Nah, just the sun shining an antiseptic light on liberals and democrats finally; that’s the result I would see.
MNDavenotPC on March 3, 2008 at 4:17 PM
It’s actually 8 states. Of the 11 Obama wins: District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and Democrats Abroad.
Typhonsentra on March 3, 2008 at 4:40 PM
I want a cage fight to the death.
jukin on March 3, 2008 at 4:48 PM
eeeeewwwwww!!!! Glad I am not a Dhimmi ‘fluffer’
brtex on March 3, 2008 at 5:16 PM
You go girl! Let them fight it out all summer, spending their donor money.
dedalus on March 3, 2008 at 5:48 PM
She can also claim she can win the states that will matter, save Texas, in the General Election. Trust me, AL/TN/GA/SC/MS/LA/AK (VA?) will all be RED in November. (I would’ve added NC, but we haven’t voted yet).
SouthernGent on March 3, 2008 at 7:48 PM
SurveyUSA says Hillary Rodham Clinton is winning the early voting. From the poll:
SouthernGent on March 3, 2008 at 7:53 PM
^^^ That was their TEXAS POLL.
SouthernGent on March 3, 2008 at 7:54 PM
I’m here to say I’m running for president in 2028. It’ll be time for change, and I’ll feel your pain, and we will be the change we hope for. VOTE P40TIGER 2028!!
p40tiger on March 3, 2008 at 8:27 PM
That’s your problem, silly-billy.
Reaps on March 3, 2008 at 9:31 PM
>> Only a fool would think that Triceratops will win in California or NY
LOL – the nicknames are getting more elaborate all the time. I’m a newbie poster, but have been reading the site for about the past year… The Clenis, Cankles, the Ghoul… I’m addicted – I need my daily dose of political humor. Just wish there was a daily video, like back in the old days…
gxpgxp on March 3, 2008 at 10:59 PM
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