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SHOULD OBAMA DELCARE VICTORY?
Polls show Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will likely split Tuesday's primary states one-for-one once again, with Obama picking up Oregon and Clinton winning Kentucky. What was true last week, and the week before, and the week before that (etc.) remains true today: Clinton cannot win the nomination without a now totally unlikely superdelegate coup overturning both the popular vote and the pledged delegate count. So given all that, should Obama declare victory in Iowa on Tuesday night -- as he's expected to do -- regardless of Clinton's willingness to drop out of the race?
I'd argue the answer to that question is no: The Obama team should be pressuring, cajoling, and threatening the Clintons and their machine behind closed doors to drop out well before the convention. But until the voting ends on June 3, Obama should not publicly declare victory unless Clinton agrees to admit defeat. That's very unlikely to happen as long as she continues to win primaries; she's just too focused on finishing the process. And it's true that people in the late voting states are mobilized and excited. Why tamp down on their engagement?
As we saw with the outrage over NARAL's endorsement of Obama last week, many Clinton supporters, even if they've essentially accepted her loss, will not accept any appearance of her being pushed out of this long, exciting race before every Democrat has had the chance to vote. Now that we're just 15 days from the finish line, he should hold tight. After that, it will look much less unsightly for Obama to declare the race over and himself its winner, whatever Hillary Clinton thinks of the matter.
--Dana Goldstein
COMMENTS (12)
Looks like he doesn't plan on doing it. link
But he will be in Des Moines on Tuesday night, where this all started. So, I guess, he'll just let everyone else declare victory for him?
Posted by: Trevor J | May 19, 2008 9:37 AM
Then again, I did just get an email from the campaign saying they're only 16 delegates away from "an absolute majority." No mention of "victory," just an invitation to watch tomorrow night's speech.
Posted by: Trevor J | May 19, 2008 10:23 AM
If I thought Clinton was going to drop out once the voting was done, I'd be more in favor of this position. As it is, I think she may take it all the way to the convention-- though it will become easier after 6/3.
Posted by: Anthony Damiani | May 19, 2008 10:30 AM
I think he should declare victory if and when he achieves a victory. I can't believe he's even thinking about such a dumb move. "Mission Accomplished"?
Posted by: John Petty | May 19, 2008 11:23 AM
I think he should refrain from claiming victory outright, give a rousing summation of campaign accomplishments, and let the public draw their own conclusions.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 19, 2008 1:05 PM
I have felt all along that Hillary should have her name put before the convention for nomination. What I would suggest is that the Obama camp offer that as the carrot to the stick of discontinuing any and all attacks on Obama and refocusing her efforts - as much as she wishes to continue - on McCain. There is no need to preen or crow, that is not his style anyway.
Posted by: Dan | May 19, 2008 1:33 PM
At this point, Obama is losing crucial party mending time to McCain. Keep in mind that it's Memorial Day weekend coming up. Three months until the Convention and five until the election. In that time, Obama has to solidify the party, smooth over burnt bridges, and pick a running mate.
Worse, Clinton's insistence on taking this to the Rules Committee of the DNC has the potential to be a total disaster. Given the way things are headed, it isn't a stretch to see her side viewing it as a cabal of men in a back room that denied her the nomination by excluding Michigan and Florida. For Obama's win to be legitimately accepted, it has to be viewed as coming at the ballot box. That's why Obama should declare victory tomorrow night.
Posted by: The Bag of Health and Politics | May 19, 2008 3:38 PM
Why, I do delcare!
Posted by: bart | May 19, 2008 5:50 PM
Yeah, he should make a substantive sales pitch directed toward the GE, and also thank *all* his supporters for their support throughout a long, successful campaign.
I'll be waiting for it.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 19, 2008 7:07 PM
Obama doesn't have one significant contribution to his name. He has fooled 1/2 the Democratic party. Now we will watch as Michigan and Florida pay him back for his lack of support. The good news is, when McCain wins, Hillary can run again in 2012! Go Hillary!
Posted by: Elle | May 20, 2008 9:28 AM
It is clear that Obama is our candidate. Sadly, it is also clear Clinton thinks she can old politics her way into winning the nomination. Do not be fooled. If Hillary Clinton in any way looks as though she caused Obama to lose and we are stuck with Bush2 for 4 more years, her career in politics will be over. If you have ever gone to Clinton's blogs from her die hards you would be amazed! It's like a knitting club or something. The hate spews out in every post. Common sense is severely lacking in most of their writings. So sad that grown women so desperate for companionship don't realize they can still unite under Obama! Hopefully they will come to this conclusion and put all that energy into beating McCain. It also appears repubs are pretending to be for Hillary and persuading the true Democrats to turn red.
This middle aged white woman hopes and prays Clinton supporters will wake up after June 3rd and face the reality that repubs have hoodwinked them with their blogs. I for one will be more than happy to join each and every one in our effort to stop this senseless war, right our failing economy where the upper 5% are thriving while the rest of us are suffering, and stop the dangerous path Bush has taken us where we are the ones under surveillance and losing our rights daily!
Although McCain is a good man, he does not have the capabilities to put America back on the right track. He would only continue Bush's war on America!
Posted by: Workman3344 | May 20, 2008 11:26 AM
No wonder Obama is not proud of America, he thinks anyone else in the world could do a better job of setting our thermostats and deciding what we can eat than we do.
Posted by: Kudzu Fire | May 20, 2008 8:29 PM