Clinton predicts close race in Pennsylvania
In an unusually wide-ranging news conference this afternoon, Hillary Clinton touched on topics including the crucial Pennsylvania primary and the possible role of Al Gore if she ends up in the White House.
"It's going to be a close race," she told reporters about the April 22 primary in Pennsylvania, noting that rival Barack Obama just wrapped up a week-long bus tour and is spending heavily on TV ads.
"I am being outspent," she said, claiming the "Rocky" underdog role which she and Obama have been jockeying for this week.
On Gore, Clinton said she would be interested in any role the former vice president would play. "I wish Al Gore were in the seventh year of his second term," she said, referring to the razor-thin 2000 election that was ultimately settled by the US Supreme Court.
Obama said Wednesday that Gore would play a key role in his administration, especially on global warming.
Asked about reports that she had told New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who has endorsed Obama, that Obama can't win in November, Clinton said she strongly argues that she would be the strongest Democratic nominee, and sometimes that gets misinterpreted.
"I can win," she said at the news conference, held on the airport tarmac in Burbank, Calif., where she will appear later on "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." "I know I can win. That's why I'm in it."
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In the words of Hillary supporter Maya Angelou:
Rise, Hillary Rise!
I so admire Senator Clinton for not letting the Obama surrogates and news pundits bully her out of the race when there are ten states left to go and disenfranchised voters in Michigan and Florida due to the mismanagement of the DNC by Howard Dean. How could he have let things in those states not get resolved before the Primary Season? It is he who needs to step down.
I agree that if Obama were down by less than one percent--he too would not get out of this very tight race- a virtual heat!
Clinton is just setting up this PA race so that no matter how she does, she'll look like the "Comeback Kid" and claim momentum. If she pretends "it's close," then a 5-8 point win will be spun as a huge victory and claim momentum.
Don't fall for the trap. Fact is she had a 20 point lead only weeks ago. Now it's down to around 9, which is really not as "close" as she claims.
Regardless, this is already over really. The most she can hope to gain in PA is 20 delegates, which would still leave her about 110 delegates behind heading into NC and Indiana, where Obama is favored.
i sensed she and her campaign are getting tired by way of their responses to the media lately. They maybe laced with lofty rhetoric but the facts does not concur with their explanations.
I also sensed they are accepting that pummeling another democrat is only counterproductive if the main aim is to stop another republican from the white house. Thus without this tact, the campaign seems at a loss as to how to turn the tables and of course poll numbers.
"I know I can win. That's why I'm in it." Am I the only one that finds it hard to understand that when she is trailing in the primary?
As someone who has been at every...single.. Hrc media avail since october of 2007, i'd say that characterizing this one as "unusually wide ranging" is a prett lazy way to lead a piece. That was about as standard as it gets... Pretty focused on fundraising and whether Obama can win, considering she got at least two questions on each of those topics. Same number of overall questions as usual, same length as usual. Furthermore, if my memory from about 2 hours ago serves me correctly, there werent any boston globe reporters there. I know it's a tough time for the newspaper business, but watching these avails on cnn is a hell of a way to report on them.
I think the left wingers in the Democratic party with the help of MSNBC, Huffington Post and others are screwing up party's chance of wining the election badly. The MA loosers like Ted Kennedy and John Kerry should shut up completely. Why these jokers can't wait till the end of the primary season to judge who will be the better candidate?
I will be glad to see Obama as president, but his will be a really uphil battle in this United States of America in 2008.
Instead, we should go with our safer bet - Hillary. Obama will be ready in 8 years.
If you want McCain to win, nominate Obama.
I keep hearing "she can win" but she isn't winning... not in the polls, and not in her party... am I the only one... or does it all just seem like wishful thinking on her and her support's part??? Bow out gracefully while there is still a future for you in politics, Hillary.
No dispute that Hillary can win. Maybe, like she said, she is the strongest Democratic nominee. But let's ask ourselves what will happen to our country if the next Whitehouse behaves like the current one.
To name a few: demonizing opponents (opposing the war is unpatriotric vs. not supporting is Judas), fear-monger (rattling "national security interest" saber vs. airing the 3AM call) moving the goal posts (definition of winning the war vs. definition of winning the race), changing the rules (torture and wiretap vs. what was pledged early on regarding Florida and Michigan), improvising the reality (Niger uranium vs. dodging Balkan sniper)...
But everything "is" OK (of course, depending on the definition of is...)
I think Hillary is too polarizing of a politician for a democratic candidate to be elected after her. She is really a democratic version of the Bush Dynasty. Times are a changing and the more people get to know Obama the more people seem to want him as their next President.
How could the race be so close when obama is a racist? oh I get it he's a racist meaning he's good at being in races, Vote hillary because she's right not Wright.
How could the race be so close when obama is a racist? oh I get it he's a racist meaning he's good at being in races, Vote hillary because she's right not Wright.
How could the race be so close when obama is a racist? oh I get it he's a racist meaning he's good at being in races, Vote hillary because she's right not Wright.
I am a conservative, and I am willing to vote for Obama, because this country needs a change. I would NEVER vote for Hillary. She is too whiney and self important. I had enough of the drama of the day when her husband was president. The dems need to keep in mind that voters like me might vote for Obama, but will never vote for Hillary. I will not only vote for McCain if Hillary gets the nomination, but will campaign against her. Please, dems, don't make us live through 4 years of her fingernails on the chalkboard voice!
It may be a mess, but at least it will make it all the more pleasurable when Hillary, teary-eyed, finally realizes that she's not Bill Clinton, and that Barack Obama is. Hillary is just the Democratic Dick Cheney, and you know what? Nobody likes a Dick Cheney. I'm sure even Hillary doesn't like Dick.
I agree with previous comment that the old changing expectations game is on - if Obama loses by 10 points or less in PA, that would be a huge momentum swing in Obama's direction. She was up by more than 20 recently. She's got our old Gov Rendell playing both junkyard dog and lapdog at the same time. One thing about Rendell; he's always lining up the next job (Clinton cabinet) and lining his pockets (mob run gambling now legal in PA). She's got the demographics in her favor big time. She's even got old screwy Rush in her favor pulling the Republican switcheroo in the primaries. I'm one Pennsylvania Republican who switched to Democrat to vote for a fresh start in Washington - Obama. ps to Ed: thanks for your wonderful PR for PA-calling us all racists who vote for whites only.
I am Asian American and I have a lot of Jewish friends. Obama is the most anti-Israel candidate among the three. My friends will not vote for Obama, neither do I.
Hillary has the critical background needed to respond to today's issues. There are no easy solutions to the complex problems and the United States needs desperately courageous leaders who have respect at home as well as abroad. We all agree that Hilary is a very smart politician and she easily gains the admiration of many here as well as abroad where the even more difficult challenges lie. Both of her opponents are trying to sweet talk voters into believing they have leadership qualities but neither has ever accomplished or participated in resolving difficult issues not do they take meaningful positions. But, they are very clever at sidestepping or completely avoiding positions other than those getting positive attention in the polls.
Hang in there, Hillary! I still believe you are going to be the best choice for the Presidency even though the media and some Democrat "endorsers" are not on your side. I admire your strength, energy and persistence.
The campaign race was decided months ago in Pennsylvania just as the expected outcome of each state's primary elections were decided months ago. All America has access to news that Clinton will win Pennsylvania, Obama will win North Carolina, and Indiana will be a face off for Clinton and Obama. Why demographics can be analyzed and outcomes determined amazes me in that the human condition is otherwise not static. Recent news does not seem to affect the outcome much or the expected results in Pennsylvania would have been heavily revised. Looks like people just make a choice like tossing a blade of grass in the breeze and telling which way the wind is moving. Such methods for plotting the course of the country frighten me so much as there is so much at stake in this race. If one considers that most of the major terror attacks against American interests in the world originated in the 1990's, including 9/11 which was mostly planned and put into play in the 1990's, then there would be cause to consider what we get if we walk a path in the direction of a Clinton breeze. But, Pennsylvania has made a decision.
Sorry. Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up.
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With best wishes :P, Else.