Pressure Mounts on Clinton to Withdraw from Democratic Race

Last updated on July 1st, 2012 at 04:57 am

ImageOn the same day that Pennsylvania super delegate Sen. Bob Casey endorsed Obama, Sen. Patrick Leahy released a statement calling for Clinton to withdraw and support Obama. However, Clinton continues to vow to fight on.

Leahy, an Obama supporter, and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said today, “Senator Clinton has every right, but not a very good reason, to remain a candidate for as long as she wants to. As far as the delegate count and the interests of a Democratic victory in November go, there is not a very good reason for drawing this out. But as I have said before, that is a decision that only she can make.”

Clinton’s recent tactics are starting to look like she wants to sabotage an Obama nomination in 2008, to open the door for herself in 2012. For instance, let’s examine Clinton’s comments during an interview with Greta Van Sustren on Fox News. “You know, I keep beating this drum, we cannot disenfranchise two of the most important states for Democrats, Florida and Michigan. I don’t think we can win if we don’t win Michigan and Florida. So… In November. And we are essentially saying to the voters — we, the Democratic Party, is saying to the voters, your votes don’t count, we are not going to have a re-vote, you are out of luck. I don’t think that the nominee of the party will be considered legitimate if we don’t figure out how to count those votes for Michigan and Florida.”

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The dirty little secret here is that the Clintons have always only cared about what the Democratic Party could do for them. Bill Clinton always put his own reelection and legacy ahead of the needs of his party. He had a terrible relationship with Congressional Democrats, and the Clintons only began to be team players when Hillary launched her first Senate campaign. It would seem that Clinton is trying to delegitimize the entire Democratic Party in 2008. Can anyone think of a more selfish strategy than this?

I think Hillary has every right to stay in the race through the final primary. If she would be able to somehow take the delegate lead away from Obama, then it would be time to discuss who the Democratic nominee should be, but she is practicing slash and burn politics here. She is willing to destroy the Democratic Party now, in the hope of being its savior later.

I don’t believe that the Clintons large egos can comprehend that Democrats might want someone other than them to lead the party. It is looking more and more like Hillary Clinton should make a classy and graceful exit out of this race, but when have the Clintons ever been associated with the terms class and grace?

Clinton interview:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342151,00.html



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