Eight Edwards delegates now moving to Obama
Posted: 04:30 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby, CNN Senior Political Producer Sasha Johnson, CNN’s Beth Rotatori

Obama picked up several of Edwards’ delegates Thursday.
(CNN) – At least six of John Edwards’ pledged delegates in South Carolina will throw their support to Barack Obama following Edwards’ endorsement of the Democratic frontrunner, bringing the total number of delegates switching to Obama on Thursday to eight.

One Edwards delegate from Iowa, Machelle Crum, came out for Obama on Thursday morning, as did New Hampshire delegate Joshua Denton. Crum made the decision after receiving a phone call from Edwards supporters encouraging her to make the switch.

In South Carolina, Daniel Boan, Christine Brennan-Bond, Robert Groce, Susan Smith, Mike Evatt and Lauren Bilton — all elected as pledged delegates for Edwards following his third place finish in the primary there on January 29 — announced Thursday they will follow Edwards’ lead and pledge their support to Obama at the Democratic National Convention in August.

John Moylan, the Columbia attorney who directed Edwards’ campaign in the state and is now serving as an alternate delegate for Edwards, appeared on CNN’s “American Morning†Thursday. He stated his support for Obama and hinted that more members of the Edwards delegation would follow later in the day.

“I didn’t reach all eight of them, but I can tell you that at least six of the eight are prepared to endorse Senator Obama,†Moylan said this morning.

He added: “I think you will see overwhelming support of John Edwards delegates standing with John Edwards and now standing for Barack Obama.â€

Bilton appeared on the show alongside Moylan and confirmed that she, too, is now supporting Obama.

Boan, Brennan-Bond and Groce, all reached by phone or e-mail, confirmed they will switch their commitment to Obama. In a separate e-mail, Moylan said that Smith and Evatt will also move into Obama’s camp.

The remaining two delegates supporting Edwards in South Carolina are Marilyn Hemingway, who told CNN she would continue to support Edwards, and Tim Moore, who said he is waiting until the primary process concludes before deciding whom to back.

Obama had reached out to Edwards’ South Carolina delegation even before winning the endorsement of the former North Carolina senator. Last Thursday while in Washington, the Illinois senator arranged a conference call with the delegates to introduce himself and take questions about his campaign

— Posted by Long Tall Texan

This is the final icing on the cake. Senator Clinton has decided to exit gracefully…which means I will probably vote for her another term in the senate if she decides to continue in the legislature.

— Posted by Rashied Rushing

New charter plane? Really?

— Posted by Joe

John McCain’s maverick approach notwithstanding, the simple fact of the matter is that the Republican Party has forfeited its right to govern. Republican foreign “policy” has embroiled us in two wars that we are bound to lose, and has made the United States of America a laughing stock among the peoples of the world. Republican economic banditry has left the country on the edge of depression. All this cannot be laid only at the door of our dunderhead and war-mongering President, but is the result of a more than a generation of Republican simplistic ideology. It is the Know-Nothing Party.

— Posted by Mike

Clinton’s campaign may be “struggling” but her response to Bush’s comments in Israel is far more firm and coherent that that of the Obama campaign. Clinton had the guts to call Bush’s “Nazi appeasement” nonsense offensive. What did the Obama campaign do? They appealed to Nixon’s and Reagan’s (!!!) foreign policy for support…

— Posted by T. M.

To add to Joe’s post (#3): who, exactly, is paying for this fuel-inhaling form of travel for the presumed un-nominee?

— Posted by Gretchen

Well said. Democrats unite!

— Posted by Jessica from Boise

If I were a reporter and a campaign was $20 million in debt and had a new charter plane, I’d note whether it was saving them money or costing them more money.

Also I’d ask what company was idiotic enough to extend them credit.

— Posted by ellie

Could it be that she’s bowing out gracefully? If so, then (finally) I applaud her. We must be unified to defeat McBush.

— Posted by homedog

This is what she should be doing: tag teaming McCain with Obama. Glad to see them working together instead of separately!

— Posted by Joe

glad to see hillary’s reaction to bush’s speech in israel.

offensive? indeed!!

— Posted by bratboy

That sounds like the smart, incisive, truth-loving Hillary Clinton I know! Glad she’s back, hope it’s to stay.

— Posted by Michelle

Good for you, Vice President Hillary!

You deserve a place on the ticket.

— Posted by larry buchas

Perhaps if President Clinton hadn’t been so busy with his intern affairs he could have spent more effort on foreign affairs. I believe that if Bill hadn’t made a mockery of the Presidency during his term we probably wouldn’t have been such a tempting target (9/11). Let’s face it, 9/11 was being planned long before President Bush was elected. He inherited a mess from the Clinton adminstration. How distracted will Hillary be if Bill is up to his old tricks again in the White House? How embarrassed will we be? Keep the Clintons out by keeping Hillary out! Are you listening superdelegates?

— Posted by L Watson

Bravo, Hillary! I’m starting to return to my early feeling that the Democratic party has two great candidates. I’m sure many of the questionable tactics she took in March were largely because of the extreme pressure of the campaign. Obama was acting out of character back then too (e.g. Annie Oakley comments). There are glimmers of hope for healing in the Democratic party these days, yes even after West Virginia.

— Posted by rich

Good for you Hillary! Lets all take note of this, and rally!

Dems 08!!!

— Posted by Paul

I still believe Hillary Clinton is the stronger voice in the democratic party and she should win the nomination for our party. If she does not it will be the doing of the media and their constant bedeviling of her. I have seen many presidential contests in my years, but never have I seen the bias against any one candidate. Not one other candidate (republican or democrat) could have withstood the the insults, ennuendo,or the trechery of their own party. Mrs. Clinton has
more “guts” than any candidate in the running.
God bless you Hillary.

— Posted by jerry

Don’t make me laugh.

Bush’s comment in Israel sounded so familiar to her when she was busy attacking Obama !

What made a change of her heart, perhaps a job application for VP ? Well, interesting. A woman VP ? But not this untrustworthy old politics as HRC. Not in million years !

Bush = Hilary R.Clinton

— Posted by holy

Amen Jerry. You hit the nail on the head. Hillary has maintained a strong, credible and intelligent position in the face of ridiculous and frankly, shameful attacks from the media, the DNC, the Washington Democratic fatcats and pundits. Where she gets the strength, resolve and perseverance to hold her head up high in the deluge that has been this primary season is truly amazing.

Any objective, unbiased observer will tell you the push has been on since before January to “get behind” Obama and Hillary went on to win each time they counted her out. New Hampshire, OH, TX, PA, IN, each time “this is it”, and she wins. Sometimes BY HUGE margins, like in West Virginia.
I personally will NOT vote in the GE for Obama, and will write in her name instead. I can no more, in good conscience, vote for an inexperienced, racist (contrary to what he and his supporters would have you believe, the signs, words and associations are all there), politician then I could vote for a Republican. Being from FL, I am not alone in my stance that not counting my vote now, as it stands, means forget me in the GE. Good luck.

Hillary, my humble message to you is this: If the “boys club” in Washington can’t take your strength, poise, intelligence and perseverance and the DNC chooses instead to nominate an inexperienced, slick, elitist politician, then PLEASE run as an Independent. Your 16 million supporters, to date, are behind you and we want YOU as our next President. Period

— Posted by sunny florida

Tell me, did Obama say that his respone to the Iranian’s threat to wipe out Isreal was to talk to them or not? How is that different form Chamberlain’s response to Germany’s threats to the world in the 1930’s? There are some people for whom any sign of weakness onl;y emboldens them to take the next step. Maybe Obama does not have the same cultural link to the preservation of Israel that most Americans do.

— Posted by Robert

This moronic attack on Obama is an attack on all Democrats. Glad to see Sen. Clinton joining Sen. Biden, Reps. Pelosi and Emmanuel and others to respond to this latest inanity from the Bush/McCain/Liberman trifecta of dead-enders.

— Posted by Tom

I already assumed this is what would happen after the Indiana results. Hillary is far from stupid, she knows the nomination is pretty much beyond reach. She gave it all she got, but simply never planned beyond super tuesday and it cost her dearly. Her tone towards Obama has become a lot less negative since then, and most of the negativity has been directed at John McCain. In the end, both Obama and Hillary would prefer each other in the White House over McCain, they have stated this on numerous occasions. Remember people, most of the idea of an unbridgeable gap within the party has been created by the media. As long as the notion of a close contest and sharp division is alive, they keep selling newspapers. Hillary and Obama actually get along very well on a personal level, and have very similar visions for this country (don’t take my word for it, check their policy statements).

There are a few reasons for her staying in the race. For one, if she were to drop out before Obama reaches the required 2025, I can already imagine the media frenzy about her supposedly “being bullied out” and a “stolen nomination”. She’s also in a position where she still receives a lot of nationwide media attention which gives her the chance to go directly and aggressively after McCain. If Obama were to do this, he would lose his image of being a new kind of politician (yes, image, I support him but I’m not completely naive, you can never make it this far without making some compromises along the way. I don’t mean to say that you have to be completely void of principles to make it big in politics, but pure idealists simply never cut it. And that’s probably a good thing.) And there is of course her campaign debt. The biggest reason in my mind however, is MI & FL. Granted, it wasn’t the greatest decision by the DNC and those state party leaderships (seeing how both are important swing states in a GE), but all the candidates agreed to the sanctions beforehand. Hillary is the one who made a controversy out of it, and they will need her to sell whatever symbolic solution they decide on. Face it, there is absolutely no way to calculate in a fair and satisfactory manner how the delegates of those two states should be divided among the two of them. My guess is that Obama will probably reach 2025 before May 31. Hillary, Obama and the DNC will then come out with a way to seat the delegates, without changing the outcome of the race.

As for her position, I don’t think she’ll be the VP or go for any other cabinet function. Being a member of Obama’s cabinet doesn’t give her the independence she would like (and besides, I don’t think Obama likes the idea of having Bill float around the White House). Majority Leader seems the most likely and most suitable option, a function which would be very suited for her and one that would give her more influence than being VP. With the backing of almost half the party base, it will be hard for the Dems to deny her the position if she should want it. And remember, a president without the support of Congress has very little power, so the democrats could definitely use someone like her. And the way things are looking now, the Democrats will make big gains in the upcoming Congressional elections.

Hehe, Obama as president, a Congress dominated by democrats, HRC as majority leader, Pelosi as Speaker and Edwards as AG … now that would be a dream team. (probably never going to happen, I know)

— Posted by Tom

I think Clinton is the best thing since sliced bread..I mean her Ideas are going to take us to new hights..I think everyone should be under her medical plan..How about from all of these canidates talk about issues instead of putting blame on others…Good God

After the way this election is going I can see why the Tigers eat there young

— Posted by Steve Lyndsay

Tell me, did Obama say that his respone to the Iranian’s threat to wipe out Isreal was to talk to them or not? How is that different form Chamberlain’s response to Germany’s threats to the world in the 1930’s? There are some people for whom any sign of weakness onl;y emboldens them to take the next step. Maybe Obama does not have the same cultural link to the preservation of Israel that most Americans do.

— Posted by Robert

See Chris Matthews on today’s Hardball for an answer to your question. As Matthews told the wingnut on his show, don’t talk about appeasement if you don’t know what it means.

(Or, shorter version, Obama offered nothing to the terrorists. Chamberlain offered half of Czechoslovakia to Hitler. See the difference?)

Talking does not equal appeasement.

— Posted by Tom

Hurrah,once again, for Senator Clinton. She forcefully and eloquently said what Obama should have said. She is so much better prepared to respond not only to McCain/Bush, but to step right into that oval office and get down to business on day one. No learning curve for her. Her statement today confirms why I am so proud to have been an ardent supporter of her presidential run.
Thank you to the Obama supporters who finally have something nice to say about her.

— Posted by Bea

First Clinton, then Obama, now Edwards…pretty soon the Democrat Party will have to bring back all the 8 primary candidates in order to create a coalition big enough to take on John McCain.

The current leader can’t even wear a 1/2 inch (or sorry, he’d prefer the metric 3mm) lapel pin and won’t say how he’d defend us. The rest of them end up defending Obama when their not tearing each other to shreds.

Bush defined the primary job of the President as defense. The budgets and powers of the states has increased to the point where almost all “domestic policy” is handled by the state Governors. Nobody seems to acknowledge this…why, New York Times…why?

— Posted by John Bailo

Here and now this new wave of suporters of Obama.
Let it be known that your goung down a road of loose rocks, open your small mind, unsure of footing.
you all, will see how your choice will be after a year in office.
Take this as a wake up call.
Francis

— Posted by Francis

George Bush is a dangerous and foolish idiot and an embarassment to America.

Please Mr. President, retreat back to your “ranch” in Crawford, Texas and spend your time cooking barbecue and playing golf- we promise not to watch you.

You are a stumblebum and disgrace to our great nation.

Thanks Hillary for adding your voice in defense of all Democrats.

— Posted by Elizabeth Gilmore

Obama should be capable of standing on his own 2 feet and defend himself. I wonder how he will defend us against Iran, Al Queda, etc.

— Posted by allison

So the Democrats are outraged at the President’s “appeasement” remarks. Big deal. The truth hurts.

— Posted by Bubba Nelson

Clinton said what a presidential candidate should have to say about Bush’s comment. Obama was more interested to defend his back… and to denounce the attack against HIM. Everything that is not applauding him is ‘dirty tricks’, ’smear politics’, ‘old politics’. BTW, did Bush refer to Obama or to Carter? This guy is not even the nominee and he thinks the entire world revolves around him.

— Posted by Amy

Wake up, America. Bush Jnr. is history. Who really gives a fig about what the worst President in history says about anything?

— Posted by Elliott Herd

Beware Obama, please… the “Fat Lady” has not sung yet and more than likely has a self-serving plan unfolding. Double beware. Take NOTHING for granted.

Again, watch your back Barack. Something’s going to be coming from her corner…

— Posted by Seymour Goode

Her new plane with plush seats?? This is a woman we think might actually help the US economy? What in the world would possess a person to buy a get a new charter jet with all the “extras” when their campaign is in debt over $20 million??? She is showing leadership ability and intelligence? I’m trying to give her some credit for being a tough fighter but she really isn’t running a very smart campaign and can’t balance her own budget. Then she gets a new charter jet? Does this make sense to anyone?

— Posted by mj helton

HRC was the best candidate to enter the field. The media have been biased against her from the start. She has had everything thrown against her, including the kitchen sink. Obama is raised to mythological proportions by a media that refused to vet him. He can be vetted, and what is there is far from noble. The second best candidate is John McCain. I would never trust Obama with U.S. foreign policy. If not HRC, McCain is the only other alternative.

— Posted by Lisa Donohue

Kurt Vonnegut said it better than anyone when he called Bush

“the sleaziest, low-comedy, Keystone Cops-style coup d’état leader imaginable”.

Unfortunately even Vonnegut didn’t realize what a disaster this man would become.

We simply can’t afford another Bush in the White House.

— Posted by Elizabeth Gilmore

This won’t be over when the primaries are done. It won’t be over when all the superdelegates have declared. It won’t be over when Obama is nominated at the convention. It won’t be over until Hillary forces her way onto the ticket and gets elected as VP and then she and Bill drive Obama nuts and out of office whereupon the Clintons will be restored to their rightful place in the White House. Then it will be over.

— Posted by Nomis

#15: the Democratic party had one great candidate. Soon, they’ll have none.

— Posted by Patricia Barry

Whatever the compromise is for you; you CAN be a unifier painfully I must admit. Keep up the good work, Hillary. You just may get a fundraiser to help pay your campaign debt; since OBAMA CANNOT USE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP YOU BUT CAN DO FUNDRAISING FOR YOU.

Finally you are beginning to look like a real woman; even your interview with Wolf Blitzer was civil. Remember, the key to success is UNITY.

— Posted by Beverly

Its funny, Obama automatically thinks he was talking about him, when obviously he was talking about Carter… How conceited can you be.. Obama is nothing right now, hes not even the nominee.. How big is this guys head.. Gimme a break, Obama is nothing right now, Carter, who was a president is the one who met with Hamas.. What a terrible display Obama has made here.. This guy needs to go back to the senate and work on his own issues, cutting off a woman and calling her sweetie on top of it, this guy makes one bad judgement after another.. I cant believe he is seriously being considered for the presidency of the USA.. We can do better than this period!!

— Posted by Jr

Nice to see the Dems focusing on the real target - the incompetant administration which has made America poorer, weaker, and less respected - along with its would-be successor, McCain.

John Bailo @ 8:36, I don’t wear a flag pin on my lapel either. Would you like to question MY patriotism?

Sincerely,
An Iraq War Veteran
(Purple Heart, Bronze Star recipient)

— Posted by DC

All the HRC backers out there at this stage are like the Japanese soldiers in the post war era who kept visiting the pacific islands on the hope that war has been won even after months of the Japanese surrender.

— Posted by Arun Mehta

It is clear that there should be a penalty for violating the rules set by the DNC, but on the other hand the penalty cannot be so great as to totally disenfranchise, and therefore alienate, the voters of those very important states.
My proposal for seating Florida and Michigan at the convention in Denver is to give each delegate from those states half a vote. That way, you would preserve the authority of the DNC to set the rules for the primary process, while at the same time allowing the votes of those states to be counted. The uncommitted vote in Michigan should be assigned to Senator Obama, because to do otherwise would be to unduly penalize him for following the agreed upon rules. Senator Clinton still gains an advantage by receiving the majority of the delegates from those states, but not to such an extent as to make a mockery of the whole process.
This approach is in line with the treatment of the overseas territories and seems to be the fairest means to settling the dispute. Maybe the rule could be permanently adopted as a guide to resolving future disputes.

— Posted by David

This whole primary stinks. I think Bush is the worst president of my lifetime, but the democrats can’t even hold a primary with any integrity. Endorsements not votes, two states discounted, people crying (and worse) to end the process short, what a mess. It’s like all the naive Obama kids are running the show … you know the fanatical ones who don’t even bother to read their candidate’s proposed policies before they vote. God help us.

— Posted by brien

Obama is without a comprehensive, realistic foreign policy plan…remember Canada and Nafta?? real experience, judgement (wright issue-racist comments about white, bitter workers, his grandmother..)He is a product of the media and the special corporate interests that are pushing him. He can’t stand up for himself, as a politcian he doesn’t know himself…If you pick him , you get him. What happens is the future, November, is anyones guess. But don’t expect Hillary endorsers to come into the fold after the hate that gets flung here against her and her supporters-48% of the democratic voters..you are
sadly mistaken.Change will not happen for you with Obama-its a great slogan, a force fed media inspired idea..but there is no defined demonstrated understanding of the world today in Obama’s campaign, and America’s place in it.

Things are quiet as NYT and the media set the stage for her supposed exit assuming baracks win, pitting him against John McCain, talking about HIS future in the elections..letting the campaign stories die down..assuming her defeat. …maybe she will just go away and we can fool her supporters into forgetting…

not likely.

— Posted by Colleen

Jr at #36,

Bush’s aids admitted BEFORE the speech that it was directed at Obama before Perino later offered her non-denial. Get your facts straight.

— Posted by bb

Hillary has more class in her little finger than Obama has in his egotistical big head. She is way more intelligent than he is in how to lead this country on a successful path. It’s too bad that the biased media have slammed her and called her everything but a human being. Hang in their Hillary. Run as an Independent. Please!!!! Believe me you have plenty of support.

— Posted by Lois in Mo.

Former Republican to the GOP: I know you not. You have no morals, no honesty, no decency, no ideas, no leadership, no courage. You are bankrupt.

If anyone wants to see a rightwing automaton being melted by truth and hanging himself with bluster and ignorance, check out Chris Matthew’s interview with talkradio moron Kevin James. This will make your day.

— Posted by JTS

Bush’s “nazi enabler” comments, far from rallying opinion against those, like Jimmy Carter, who had the good sense and audacity to engage the democratically elected representatives of Hamas (however ill-disposed they may be toward Isreal and it’s ally), seems to have only provided more easy discursive fodder for the Democratic candidates’ derision of Bush’s failure to chieve anything remotely positive in the Middle East.

Who, in their right mind, thinks that “non-negotiation” works? It has not, and will not. Certainly going to war has proven no solution; and equating “negotiation” with “appeasement” - especially with Hamas - is downright nutty.

The more Bush talks this kind of nonsense, the more Obama, and Clinton (for the time being) will be enabled of taking very easy shots at him over his many and obvious failures, and the longer and more meaningful will be the issue of Bush’s miserable presidency in the forthcoming presidential campaign.

— Posted by WJCJR

I’m an Obama supporter. It’s only now that I start to respect Hillary a bit. I think she finally got a clue. A little too late though.

— Posted by RFR

Obama is a terrorist sympathizer. So is his pastor…so is Minister Farakhan…so is Jimmy Carter (endorsed Obama)…so is Hamas (endorsed Obama)…oh…I forgot they are terrorists. Quote of the day, “I will meet with enemies of America without Preconditions.” Congratulations Democrats…Thats when you lost me-a lifelong democrat.
Lets sit back and watch how the medias play it.

— Posted by Nelson Roman

Typical Clinton politics, bash and run. What is her plan? Her focus is on telling the people what they want to hear, not about the real issues in front of us. As for the war, when will America wake up! Things are going better over there then what the media tells us and the politicians are playing off of the media, if we leave now, we’ll be back over there again shortly. Thanks Bill for starting this and thank you Pres. Bush for trying to put an end to it.

— Posted by Brian

As Kathleen Parker at RCP this morning puts it:
“…Obama and Edwards look and talk pretty, but Clinton exudes pure brawn, unflinching and steely. When the time comes to sit across from the likes of Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a chill in the heart may beat a thrill up the leg.â€

As you all know by now, women are rising up across the nation this week and as Clinton Supporters Count Too has said, “We’re tired of being told to sit down, shut up, and get with the program.”

It appears we’re going to see how the Democratic party fares in November without the women’s vote. Maybe next time around the good old boy network of party operatives and pundits won’t be so eager to select the less qualifed male candidate over the better qualified female candidate.

— Posted by sister

You don’t have to hit Hillary over the head more than several dozen times before she gets the idea that negative campaigning against her Democratic opponent by telling the public that the Republican would make a better President can lose her respect and votes!

She is not giving us new information. Someone in her campaign has gotten her attention and explained that those gratuituous attacks on Senator Obama are not making her very popular with thinking Democrats.

What can one say about a candidate who has so wasted a vast opportunity by playing to the worst instincts in our natures. The reality is that you cannot seek out the worst in people and not have it come back and bite you in the butt!

— Posted by anghiari

So the Democrats are outraged at the President’s “appeasement†remarks. Big deal. The truth hurts.

— Posted by Bubba Nelson

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24655385#246553 85

Watch this, and find out how moronic that statement was. If you don’t want to, it’s a Hardball interview where Kevin James makes a complete fool of himself by not knowing what appeasement actually is (something you two seem to have in common). If the majority of americans keep buying into these unsubstantiated scare tactics, we will end up with exactly the president we deserve. I for one hope that we have learned from the past 7 years.

— Posted by Kenny

Obama is idealizing the real and Hillary needs to realize the ideal!

Hillary needs to bow out of the race and allow Obama to thrust the Dems into a collected front instead of creating anti-Obama voters to vote for, God help us, McCain, in November. “we will be out of Iraq in January of 2013…” John McCain 5/15/08. That’s 2 months after the NEXT election date! What is that old man saying??? No commitment to withdrawing those poor troops. Osama Bin Laden may be dead by then, but we are in Iraq looking for weapons of mass destruction and in Afgahanistan looking for others! What a screwed up administration.

D Bob

— Posted by Democrat Bob

I am a life long Republican who will vote for Obama in November. I think that most people have short memories, because Hillary reinvents herself every few weeks… that has been her problem…. “Will the real Hillary Clinton please stand up” Funny how many Democrats are willing to jump ship and join the Republicans…. Just look around you and see if there is anything that you like… This is what the Republicans gave you. It will get a lot worse if John McCain gets to appoint a couple of Conservative Judges to the Supreme Court…. Especially since McCain is going on his FINAL tour where he is promising everything in the next four years… Did the doctor’s give him a death sentence or does he live in the land of OZ ? “There’s no place like home There’s no place like home” Wake up senator, you need to take your meds.

— Posted by Ron

senator clinton is far and away the better democratic candidate - the tribal elders of the DNC will deeply regret not nominating her. she was right al along - obama is simply not electable (and that’s why she ould NEVER be his VP or anything else in his proposed adminstration - there will be no obama adminstration). even worse, the DNC elders will get to regret it for the 4 years as mccain occupies the white house.

— Posted by shaman

Hillary’s finally showing some intelligence and integrity may be too little, too late: the damage she has done is real, disgusting, and possibly lasting. It’s been a long time since a public figure has encouraged racial division - which is precisely the tactic she used to try to advance her campaign. How disgraceful she has been!

— Posted by Daniel, NYC

Tell me, did Obama say that his respone to the Iranian’s threat to wipe out Isreal was to talk to them or not? How is that different form Chamberlain’s response to Germany’s threats to the world in the 1930’s? There are some people for whom any sign of weakness onl;y emboldens them to take the next step. Maybe Obama does not have the same cultural link to the preservation of Israel that most Americans do.

— Posted by Robert

The difference is Chamberlain gave Hitler Czechoslovakia. Gave it to him. That’s not talking - that’s appeasement. Territory vs. talking, big, BIG difference. Read a history book.

— Posted by jemd

Even with Obama as the nominee, Hillary is going to do some severe damage to the Republican party this fall. I predict she’ll be a very significant factor in his election.

— Posted by Joe

Tom #22 hit the nail on the head with Hillary as Senate Majority Leader which was going to be my response to Rashied Rushing at #2 and Hillary staying in the Senate.

Hillary has been a political animal her entire adult life. I’m actually somewhat surprised she never ran for Congress while First Lady of Arkansas. But, that probably would have seemed too impolitic to the residents there. And, she also had to consider Chelsea.

She will not accept the VP slot for several reasons, in my ever so humble opinion.

1 - She has been second fiddle to Bill her entire life save for being in the Senate. She probably has no interest in being second to Obama. She could become #1 in the Senate instead.

2 - Deep down she fears, as do I, that Obama won’t win in November, even with her on the ticket. It would look better in the long run for her to exit this race on something of a high note and to get back to work in the Senate.

3 - As Tom mentioned, the Majority Leader is actually a fairly high profile and powerful position. Hillary would be able to set the legislative agenda in a way that she could not as VP or any other cabinet post if Obama won.

And, if Obama loses, she would have a lot of power over McCain as well and could keep him in check and pull him back to the center where he was in 2000.

4 - After all the ‘Good Ole Boys’ went to the Obama camp early, there is no way they would deny Hillary Majority Leader, especially if Obama loses.

— Posted by Roger Binion

To all the Obama supporters acknowledging Hillary’s tone and message, thanks for the belated recognition of her skills and talents.

To those of us who have supported her from the beginning, this is nothing new. She has been this way from day one. It’s just that too many of you were too wrapped up in the Obama frenzy and media circus to take a good hard realistic look at her. Too many of you bought into the caricature instead of the reality.

She would have made a wonderful president but thanks to the perfect storm of Obama Mania, the media bias and her running a really bad campaign (what was she and her advisers thinking?) we may never know.

— Posted by Roger Binion

To those of you questioning the charter plane, it’s a non-starter.

Remember, Hillary is sitting on a pile of cash that is earmarked for the General Election. Since it appears that she won’t be the nominee [the more I say it, the less painful it will be when it truly does become reality], those funds revert to her and she can use them to pay off all the Primary debts.

Whatever balance is left over, she can put back into her Senate campaign fund since she transfered a good amount of the money from there to her presidential campaign.

Or, she can put it into a PAC [I think, I’m not 100% certain on this one] and donate to other Democrats running this year, including Obama if she’s so inclined.

I don’t know off hand how much money she has that has been earmarked for the General but I’m guessing it is more than enough to cover her campaign debts.

— Posted by Roger Binion

Lois in Mo. wrote:

“Hillary has more class in her little finger than Obama has in his egotistical big head. She is way more intelligent than he is in how to lead this country on a successful path. It’s too bad that the biased media have slammed her and called her everything but a human being. Hang in their Hillary. Run as an Independent. Please!!!! Believe me you have plenty of support.”

She sure does have a lot of supporters and many of us will simply have to write-in “Hillary Clinton” on our ballots in the fall.

It’s the only way to be certain that our votes count in the Democratic party.

I for one am making out an absentee ballot to register my vote, hopefully others will follow my lead.

Go Hillary!

— Posted by 8th Man

Perhaps one of the more outrageous footnotes to Bush’s address to the Israeli Knesset is the well documented fact - sadly something that our mainstream media has delegated to the amnesia bin - that his own fraternal grandfather, Prescott Bush, was an ardent Nazi supporter and financier. Prescott Bush was one of seven directors of Union Banking Corp, a NY investment bank owned by the Thyssen family. In 1942 Union Banking was seized by the US government for violating the Trading with the Enemy Act!

I would say Prescott Bush was involved in more than just appeasement of the Nazis - he supported the fascists even while our own country was at war with them.

Who in the mainstream media even bothers to mention this fact?

— Posted by Howard Brodsky

To MR Brodsky:#66

You can’t blame Bush for what his grandfather did any more than you can blame Jack Kennedy for what his father did - bought Nazi stocks

— Posted by jw in Boise

Well, jw in Boise, the cult of fascism seems to be alive and well in the George W. Bush administration. He’s been a faithful torchbearer for his grandfather, Prescott. Fascism is not a term I throw around frivolously. It’s classical definition is state corporatism, which is essentially corporate socialism and a system of government that is essentially controlled by and for elite corporate interests. This is exactly what the Bush administration is all about. It is a massive transfer of wealth from public tax livestock into crony corporate coffers and on into the pockets of profligate executives who have prospered immensely from Bush’s phony war on terrorism.

— Posted by Howard Brodsky

_From Lagos, Nigeria
-Scenario Check
>Mrs Clinton remains in the race which is probably no longer about acquiring a number of pledged delegates (route one) and so qualifies for the ‘Superdelegates’ run-off’ (’route two’).
>I’m sorry I don’t buy the interpretations that keep a ‘definitive’ tally based on the superdelegates’ endorsements before the deadline after which they are not permitted to change their minds. In my opinion counting them applies after the deadline unless only one candidate has qualified via ‘route one’ (above). Sorry but what Math?
>There is yet hope that Mr President of the USA can be a woman. May the best woman win! Secretary, Speaker, NASA Mission Captain, ISS Commander, Olympics Torch on Everest.. .. Peace
>Please let the race run its course. A lot has happened since 1/1/2008 and we are in May (5th month).. Mr Richardson and Mr Edwards have endorsed Mr Obama. Ms Pelosi and Mr Carville have had a lot of time to watch and review.. And they still have a couple of weeks before the ‘run-off’. Florida and Michigan are being looked at. Surely the leaders who decided Convention in August realise how many months later an election in November is without taking time from ‘Primary Season’. Plus the message gets out faster and farther these days. And if it is about keeping some things from the GOP (and electorate) then have mercy.
>And too, add interest from around the world which has caused President Bush problems in deciding how best to answer questions about matters he thought he left at the shore but which had gone ahead of him in cyberspace.
>It appears some of the wisdom of the elders is about to be made manifest.. AS LONG AS the supporters stay with Mrs Clinton.. the choice of their heads AND hearts.
>Straight on to the white house
>Thank you New York Times for sticking with your endorsement without being bound too. I’ve been on the ‘winning’ team and I wouldn’t be budging!

— Posted by Richard Adetola Adegbesan

“President Bush’s comparison of any Democrat to Nazi appeasers is offensive and outrageous,†Mrs. Clinton said. “Especially in the light of his failures in foreign policy. This is the kind of statement that has no place in any presidential address.â€

HRC unlike that fanatical/delusional portion of her support base knows what she hears when she hears it.

So if Bush was referring to the Dems then who are 2 of the obvious choices? Carter and BHO. Simple logic that one or the other if not both were being referred to because those are the 2 that fit that description.

But… I guess for some that would require some honesty and it might give others the impression that they can think for themselves and who wants that. It may look like they have something in common with some of BHO’s supporters. “Yikes!! I’m an egghead!!” Better to stick with the herd mentality and go over cliffs together.

May 15th,
2008
11:20 pm

This won’t be over when the primaries are done. It won’t be over when all the superdelegates have declared. It won’t be over when Obama is nominated at the convention. It won’t be over until Hillary forces her way onto the ticket and gets elected as VP and then she and Bill drive Obama nuts and out of office whereupon the Clintons will be restored to their rightful place in the White House. Then it will be over.

— Posted by Nomis

As some have said all along. That the Clintons think its their “rightful place” to be in the WH. The only problem is that only some of her loony supporters also believe it. So how can anyone say its not true. Some of her know it all “fans” think so. Who are some of us to argue with them.

Well some of her “loco” supporters can imagine that its so because thats about as close to the WH the Clintons will ever get; in the imagination of her supporters. Unless the Clintons go and visit BHO for lets say a Sun brunch or some special party.

What a bunch of wackos some are here. The kind that HRC would surely stay away from if she heard they were anywhere within sight of her. These type are what the SS gets paid to looks out for when on the “trail” with HRC.

No wnder we’ve had such poor results in politics for so long. Look at the mindset of some here who also claim to vote!!! Scary!!

The lunatics have taken over the asylum and refuse to leave!!

— Posted by FR56:B'klyn

Once again, proof that Senator Hillary Clinton is the best choice for President. She is awesome, and should keep on pushing, because she will succeed in this quest. The majority of the Democrats who have voted in the primaries believe this to be the case and their voices and votes will be counted to ensure Hillary’s victory, will be the nation’s victory.

— Posted by Jeanne

I would like to remind your readers that I am still a loyal John Edwards supporter and an elected John Edwards National Delegate from SC as mentioned above from Long Tall Texan and I will be voting in Denver for Barrack Obama at the request of Sen. Edwards. I could have and would have just as easily voted for Hillary Clinton had my friend John asked me to. I just want the party and the ticket to adopt the Edwards platform of stnading up for the working class and the poor. We can and must give voice to those who have no voice, as John said so well on the campaign trail. I am fine with an Obama presidency, for I am a life long Democrat and always will be. I do hope Obama has the good sense to pick a Southern Democrat to help carry a few southern states, Sam Nunn of Ga come to mind along with Sen. Nelson of Florida. Thank you John Edwards for bringing our party back to a populistic message and offering hope to the hopeless. God Bless the USA.

— Posted by Mike Evatt