What should Hillary Clinton do next?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton "was a good senator before, and she can be a great senator in the future."
Those are the words of Obama supporter and Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy. He tells The Washington Post Clinton will need to decide what to do after the campaign since it is now a foregone conclusion she is not going to be the nominee.
Kennedy would know a thing or two about this. After losing the primary battle to Jimmy Carter in 1980, Kennedy returned to the Senate and resumed his career as a lawmaker, authoring landmark bills on issues like health care and education. Many Democrats think that's the path Clinton should follow to reshape her political career... for example, she could champion a major piece of legislation – like health care – in a potential Obama first term.
But within the Senate, Clinton doesn't have many options to advance. Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't going anywhere, especially if Democrats increase their majority in November, and his deputies Dick Durbin and Chuck Schumer appear to be interested in replacing Reid, if and when he steps down.
There's also the question of whether or not Clinton would choose to run again for president. Some are suggesting she might set her sights somewhere else, like a run for governor of New York.
In the meantime, many Democratic senators say they expect Clinton to campaign hard for Obama this summer and fall. They agree that if she does, any leftover feelings of resentment from the race will disappear.
Here’s my question to you: What should Hillary Clinton do next?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Can Clinton muscle her way into V.P. slot?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Senator Hillary Clinton is reportedly trying to muscle her way onto the ticket as Barack Obama's vice presidential candidate.
Politico reports a senior Obama adviser says that some Clinton supporters are "pushing real, real hard to get her on the ticket." According to Time Magazine, one of those supporters is her husband, former president Bill Clinton, who apparently thinks his wife has earned a place on Obama's ticket.
Clinton's wins in key states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia – along with her support from women and white working-class voters – are all strong arguments why Obama should include her.
However, the unnamed Obama adviser suggests Clinton would "take away" from the ticket, citing her "baggage" and the fact that a majority of voters think she's "dishonest." It would also detract from Obama's message of "change," and a shift away from politics as usual.
This aide believes Obama will wind up attracting a lot of Democratic women who have been voting for Clinton, once they have the choice between Obama and McCain. Also, this person claims that even though Clinton attracts some white voters Obama hasn't been getting "some of them will never vote for Obama anyway."
But not everyone agrees that Hillary Clinton would weigh down the ticket. One former congressman and associate of the Clintons says putting Hillary on the ticket makes sense. He says the race is "as close to a tie" as anything in recent memory and uniting the two candidates would merge the party.
Here’s my question to you: Can Hillary Clinton muscle her way into the V.P. slot?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Why is Hillary Clinton still in the race?
Clinton has said to her camp she will stay in the race until June because she believes she can still be the nominee. Click the Play Button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: AP PHOTO)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Barack Obama took another big step toward becoming the Democratic presidential nominee last night. He now has a majority of the pledged delegates – which means it is now impossible for Hillary Clinton to catch him. He also reminded those superdelegates who remain uncommitted that if they endorse Clinton now, they will be going against the will of the voters.
None of this matters to Hillary Clinton. She's staying in, telling supporters she's determined to see every vote counted. She's $19.5 million in debt, hopelessly behind and probably further damaging the party's chances in November, but no big deal. This is all about Hillary.
The New York Times reports she has told her inner circle she thinks she can still be the nominee. And, if she isn't, she can still accomplish some final goals. For one thing, Clinton is now saying that sexism – not racism – has played a key role in her loss. Advisers say by fighting on she's showing young women she's not a quitter.
Clinton clings to the hope that Michigan and Florida will magically be awarded to her despite both states primaries being invalid. She'll press that case when the DNC rules committee meets at the end of the month.
Oh, and about those who say Clinton is dividing the Democratic Party, or causing more of a racial divide among some white voters, by staying in the race, she disagrees. She believes that if and when she quits, her supporters will quickly support Obama.
Here’s my question to you: Why does Hillary Clinton continue on when Barack Obama now has a majority of pledged delegates and her campaign is almost $20 million in debt?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What role did sexism play in Clinton’s likely defeat?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton says she's running for president "to break the highest and hardest glass ceiling" in the United States. But every day, it looks less and less likely that she'll succeed.
The New York Times reports today about what Clinton's all-but-certain defeat will mean for women. Clinton set records for a campaign by a woman, raising more than $170 million, often getting better debate reviews than her male competitors, rallying older women and getting white men to vote for her.
There are even those who believe Clinton was able to use sexism on the trail to her advantage, by bringing in more votes and donations after instances where many believed she was being unfairly picked on because she is a woman.
There is no question she has done exceedingly well only to finish second behind Barack Obama. Nevertheless, many of her supporters insist the race was unfair – focusing on things like her clothing, her voice and calls to exit the race. Some, including Clinton supporter and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, even think Barack Obama was sexist.
But despite the new markers for what women can do in a presidential campaign, there's still work to be done. Clinton had difficulties with some of the classic hurdles that face female politicians – things like trying to show toughness and warmth at the same time. Also, many women say they wish Clinton had inspired some kind of deep, national dialogue about gender issues between the sexes like what Obama did on the topic of race.
Here’s my question to you: How much of a role did sexism play in the likely defeat of Hillary Clinton?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Will gay marriage be a factor in prez race?
California's Supreme Court ruled that gay couples in the nation's biggest state can marry. (PHOTO CREDIT: AP PHOTO)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
There's a chance the issue of gay marriage could make an appearance in yet another election cycle.
The ruling by California's Supreme Court yesterday to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage has put the issue back in the political spotlight. It's something the three presidential candidates pretty much agree on. John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton all oppose gay marriage – saying marriage should be between a man and a woman. They also say it should be up to the individual states to decide.
In 2004, Republicans used the issue of gay marriage to get socially conservative voters to come out and support President Bush in the battleground state of Ohio. But four years later it's very much an open question whether voters facing a shaky economy, skyrocketing gasoline prices, an ongoing war in Iraq will even make gay marriage a priority.
One Republican strategist told The New York Times, "At best, it doesn't move voters, and at worst for Republicans, it works against them." He says the GOP could face a backlash for focusing on gay marriage when there is so much more at stake. A gay rights group also says it doesn't see this being "the same kind of issue that it was in 2004."
A poll taken last fall found that 55% of those surveyed said gay marriage would be not at all important or not too important in their vote for president. And that was before gasoline was flirting with $4 a gallon and the economy was staring at a recession.
Here’s my question to you: Will California's decision to legalize gay marriage be a factor in the presidential election?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What would you ask Hillary Clinton?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/14/art.clinton.wv.rally.gi.jpg caption=" Clinton after her win in West Virginia."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton is sort of starting to look like the last guest at a dinner party who doesn't recognize that it's time to go.
Her win in West Virginia is being called "large but largely symbolic." That's because the numbers just don't add up. In West Virginia she won 20 delegates. Barack Obama won 8, a net gain of only 12 for her.
In fact, Obama's lead over Clinton has actually increased in the last week despite her big West Virginia win. He picked up two more superdelegates today, a sign that the Democratic leaders know exactly where this thing is headed. The Associated Press reports Obama has picked up an additional 30 superdelegates in the past week. He now leads Clinton by 11; she once led him by more than 100.
One of these new Obama superdelegates is Roy Romer, former Democratic Party chairman, who told reporters, "This race, I believe, is over." He says only Clinton can decide when to withdraw, but that it's time to focus on the general election.
Obama is also being endorsed by three former chairmen of the Securities and Exchange Commission, one of whom was appointed by Hillary's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Rubbing salt in the wound, this afternoon Obama received the endorsement of NARAL Pro-Choice America, a leading abortion rights group which has supported Hillary Clinton throughout her entire political career.
All this seems to beg the question: What part of "go away" doesn't Hillary Clinton understand?
Here’s my question to you: If you could interview Senator Hillary Clinton, what would you ask her?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Will Pres. Bush or Rev. Wright cause more damage?
George W. Bush may do as much damage to John McCain's chances of being elected as Jeremiah Wright does to Barack Obama's, according to results of a recent USA Today/Gallup poll. Click the Play Button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Turns out President Bush might do more damage to John McCain's campaign than the Reverend Jeremiah Wright does to Barack Obama's.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds 38% of likely voters say McCain's ties to the president make them less likely to vote for the presumptive nominee in November. 33% says Obama's relationship with Wright has the same effect.
However, there is more of an upside when it comes to the relationship with President Bush, with 7% of those surveyed saying they're more likely to vote for McCain because of his association with Mr. Bush. That's compared to only 1% who say they're more likely to vote for Obama because of Wright.
The pollsters say it's also important to look at how these personal associations affect the candidates among their bases. If you do that, it looks like Wright may do more harm to Obama. That's because 19% of Democrats say they're less likely to vote for Obama because of his ties to Wright, while just 10% of Republicans say they're less likely to vote for McCain because of his ties to President Bush.
However, among the general electorate, the two appear to do the same amount of damage. In particular, President Bush may hurt McCain's ability to attract Democrats and independents.
Here’s my question to you: Which is more damaging to the campaigns: President Bush's relationship with John McCain or Reverend Wright's association with Barack Obama?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Landslide victory in W.V. put Clinton back in race?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton is expected to win big tomorrow in West Virginia. A new poll there shows her leading Barack Obama by 34 points. Clinton remains strong among working-class whites, women and older voters – and those demographics should play to her advantage in West Virginia as well as next week in Kentucky.
But, how much does it really matter? Obama seems to have this thing pretty much in the bag. He leads Clinton in overall delegates, states won, popular vote... and now for the first time, in superdelegates. You may remember, at the beginning of the year, Clinton led the superdelegate race by more than 100.
Clinton is vowing to stay in the race until someone gets enough delegates to clinch the nomination. Her campaign is also pushing the idea that she's "within striking distance" of winning the popular vote, which should make her the nominee – even though the rules are clear – the nomination is won with delegates, not the popular vote. It's clear that Clinton has a steep road to climb for any chance at the nomination. Her campaign is also confirming that she is now $20 million in debt.
For its part, the Obama camp seems to have its sights set on November already. Instead of waiting for election night results in West Virginia tomorrow, Barack Obama will travel to Missouri, a swing state in the general election. Next week, he's headed to Florida. It's also worth noting that the tone of introductory speeches at his events has turned much more partisan, focusing in on John McCain.
Here’s my question to you: Is it possible for a landslide victory in West Virginia to put Hillary Clinton back in the race?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How will history view the Obama-Clinton race?
Click the Play Button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
For all those like Mitt Romney who said, when talking about Barack Obama, "The presidency of the United States is not an internship," consider this.
The young guy with not nearly as much political experience is on the verge of toppling one of the most powerful political names of the last 50 years, Hillary Clinton. For all her claims of having more experience, the relative newcomer proved to have a lot more moxie.
She said "experience." He said "change." Voters bought change. He planned beyond Super Tuesday and paid attention to the caucuses. She pretty much ignored the caucuses and assumed she would be the nominee the day after Super Tuesday.
When she wasn't, she was in trouble. Poor planning on the ground and a shortage of money immediately put her at a disadvantage for the rest of the way. She relied on friends and people who were loyal to her. In time, as things began to sour, there was friction and key people left. Her husband hurt her – some say a lot.
As things got worse, she grew more desperate. The kitchen sink strategy appeared. So did demands to count the elections in Michigan and Florida – elections that are invalid. So did false claims about things like her trip to Bosnia.
And all along, she failed to recognize the overriding theme of this election year. The people in this country are sick and tired of their government. They want "change." How could someone with so much "experience" not see that?
Here’s my question to you: How will history view the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Are the Democrats wounded beyond repair?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"And the winner is".... Barack Obama.
At least that’s according to the cover of the latest issue of Time magazine. There seems to be a collective sigh of relief that this race between Obama and Hillary Clinton is all but over. Many believe it's just a question now of how Hillary Clinton will choose to make her exit. Will it be graceful? Or will it be something else?
This might give us an idea. Beneath the surface there are things lurking that could taint this sense of celebration and unification of the Democratic Party. Not only is Hillary refusing to go quietly, she's refusing to go at all. And despite her repeated assurances that she will be a team player in the fall, Clinton is still out there making some pretty incendiary remarks about race.
Clinton told USA Today she will be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters. She said, "Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and whites in both states [meaning Indiana and North Carolina] who had not completed college were supporting me." Clinton says this shows an emerging pattern… that whites are voting for her. The Obama camp calls these statements untrue and disappointing.
Then there was Clinton supporter Paul Begala right here on CNN Tuesday night. He said that Democrats couldn't win in November with just, "eggheads and African-Americans." This all makes it seem like there's a long way to go before the Democratic Party can make any claims to being united.
Here’s my question to you: Are there wounds in the Democratic Party that just won't heal?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Recent Comments