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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton is offering Barack Obama half a loaf on her way out the door. No joint appearance with the presumptive nominee and their families in prime time – which would be carried live on television. No appearances by folks like Harold Ickes and Terry McAuliffe who ran her campaign telling her supporters to unite behind Obama. No appearance by Bill saying "let bygones be bygones, and I'm going to offer to work hard to get Barack Obama elected."
Instead Senator Clinton is planning a public appearance on Saturday to talk about how "we can rally the party behind Senator Obama. The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise."
Meanwhile, it turns out Clinton had to be pushed to get out of the race by several of her Democratic congressional colleagues... and reportedly she didn't even bother to call Obama to tell him of her decision. One more thing, and it's important: Clinton is expected to suspend her campaign instead of dropping out altogether. That means she will technically remain a candidate, and she will hold on to her delegates.
Some Obama supporters worry that questions about what Clinton does next will turn into a "second campaign" that won't end until Obama chooses a running mate, a job that Clinton is apparently interested in even though no one has asked her.
Mike Lupica writes in the New York Daily News that even at the end of this, Clinton is trying to rewrite the party rules that her people helped write in the first place, adding: "She acts as if she is the shadow president of a constituency that includes the 18 million people she says voted for her, as if those votes belong to her, as if all 18 million people are waiting for her to give them their marching orders. She leaves the race with the same air of entitlement with which she entered."
Here’s my question to you: How would you describe the way Hillary Clinton is handling her exit from the race?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Emma from San Jose, California writes:
I am sorry to see her traumatized by her loss. It seems she is inviting Democrats who supported her to stay bitter. No wonder the polls show McCain and Obama in a dead heat. When she does support Obama, the polls may change. Unfortunately we will be left with the memory of how she dealt with the loss in the early days after the Primary Election.
Chuck from Minneapolis writes:
Jack, Please go to Hillary Clinton's web site. What you will see is an embarrassing testament to Hillary's egomania. The first two pop-up responses and the only ones you can send to her easily are: (1) a stock "support me" message and (2) a "contribute money" message. Nothing about unifying the party. To the contrary, it's "continue to support me” not Obama, in big, bold type. There's nothing there about congratulating Obama, either.
CJ from Atlanta writes:
She's handling her exit like a lady! She has over 17 million reasons to hold her head up high!
Caryn in Washington writes:
Hillary and her $110 million are going to be just fine. It's the rest of us that I'm worried about. All of her supporters who claim that they'll vote for McCain, exactly who does that help? You're so worried about protecting her, she'll be living in her mansion when McCain's in the White House and the rest of us will be out on the street.
Susan (who calls herself an older woman) in Pennsylvania writes:
And she speaks for us women? I think not, not for this woman. She had a chance Tuesday night to show her strength, to be gracious and classy. And she showed her selfish side. Most were willing the next day/evening to cut her some slack. But now? She is just the same ole, same ole, selfish, self-centered woman she has and will always be. She gives us women a bad name. How embarrassing.
Mark from Arizona writes:
Jack, It’s been an historical campaign and an historical exit. No one in history has ever conceded 5 days after losing. Just imagine the possibilities of this strategy for the World Series or the Super Bowl!