FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Clinton says if his wife doesn't win Texas in a week and a half, it's over. And in case you've forgotten, Bill Clinton knows something about campaigns and elections.
At the moment, polls show Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama practically tied in Texas.
And while she hopes to get a big share of the Latino vote, there are factors in Texas that actually might tend to favor Obama. For example, Texas has its own unique system where two-thirds of the delegates are decided on the primary results. The remaining one-third are based on the results of caucuses that take place that night. Obama has killed Clinton in every caucus state but one.
Texas is also an open primary, which means independents and Republicans can vote. We've seen this type of contest work to Obama's advantage time and time again. Think Wisconsin.
And Texas Democrats have set up a system that rewards parts of the states that have voted heavily Democratic in the past with more delegates – places like Dallas and Houston, which have lots of African-Americans, and Austin, which has lots of white liberals. Advantage Obama. On the other hand, low Latino turnout for Democrats in the past two elections means some of those districts are awarded as few as 2 delegates each.
Here’s my question to you: Bill Clinton says if his wife doesn't win Texas, her candidacy is doomed. Is he right?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Andrew writes:
There is no doubt that Texas is, quite appropriately, Hillary Clinton's Alamo. Not only is she falling behind in the delegate count, the recent primaries in Virginia and Wisconsin have raised questions about the loyalty of her base. If she can't decisively win among Latinos and working-class Americans on March 4, there is no reason for her to continue.
Blake from Texas writes:
I think so. However, I do intend to help get Hillary a Texas victory. I think she is a well-respected leader and has the necessary experience. I think Hillary is in the position she's in, a losing one, because the media in general have focused all their attention on Obama.
Dan from Colorado writes:
Actually, he is wrong, Jack. She has already lost. To go from so far ahead, to be losing at this point in time, makes it clear that she has already lost and is only staying in for her own ego.
Uche from Brooklyn writes:
He's right, Jack. For the first time in this campaign, Bill Clinton is right.
A Texan from Fort Worth, Texas writes:
It's doomed. Texas won't support Hillary. Too many people down here despise Clinton politics and remember Bill for all the wrong reasons. Any margin of error is skewed.
Bibi from Texas writes:
Pretty much. I hope Texans don't drink the Kool-Aid and that they vote for the most qualified candidate. There are too many red flags on the Obama side.
J. from State College, Pennsylvania writes:
Of course. Like they say, everything is bigger in Texas. That includes the stakes for Hillary.