Clinton Should Withdraw From The Presidential Race

[Purveyor]

FEBRUARY 18, 2016 6:20 PM
BY MIKE ABRAMS
[e-mail]

In my last column, Don’t fall for the Republicans’ Big Lie, I accused most of the Republican candidates of creating a myth about “the world being on fire.“ Actually only the Democratic Party may be going down in flames.

In some ways, this reminds me of 1968 when Democratic President Lyndon Johnson was running for re-election four years after being elected by an historic majority. Johnson had led the country through social change — Medicare, voting rights — that was popular and transformative.

But the country was horribly divided over the Vietnam War. Johnson barely won the New Hampshire primary over Sen. Eugene McCarthy of Wisconsin. Shortly after, President Johnson announced from the Oval Office that he would not seek re-election. For a man who thrived on power, it was a selfless act for his party and country.

Like President Johnson, Hillary Clinton is still the Democratic front-runner, with a solid, well-deserved base of supporters within the Democratic Party. No one doubts her qualification to run for president. She probably will win South Carolina’s primary on Saturday, but a CNN poll has her and Sanders tied in the Nevada caucuses.

Nevada was not supposed to be close because of Clinton’s historical support among its Hispanic voters.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article61164382.html#storylink=cpy

MIKE ABRAMS IS FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE DADE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, A FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR AND CURRENTLY A POLICY ADVISER TO BALLARD PARTNERS.

[JonLeibowitz]

1. Agreed. She is embarrassing the Democratic party by being Repug-lite.

[FarPoint]

30. Get use to it....

Let's all say it together... " Madam President "....

[JonLeibowitz]

31. I'll call her by Hillary. n/t

[840high]

54. I can't.

[CorporatistNation]

49. Repuglite... Lies Like Crazy!

What is wrong with these people?

[amborin]

2. she would lose in the GE and destroy the Democratic party

[hifiguy]

8. This. She is a Titanic or Hindenburg waiting to happen in the GE.

Turns off the liberal base, zero appeal to independents and the repigs will do everything short of coming out of graves just to vote against her. Epic blowout and a horrendous blow to the party.

And that's assuming she is NOT indicted.

[scottie55]

39. My Sister Is A Conservative, Will Never Consider Hillary, and Likes Bernie

Who knows.

The folks out there will not vote for HRC.

I know a bunch of them.

Independents pretty much.

[GoneFishin]

41. She has zero chance in the GE. I still hear people justify supporting her because they say the

opposite is true. Too many people have a visceral dislike for her.

[BreakfastClub]

95. People said that about Obama too. I will bookmark this and come back to it in Nov. :-) nt

[bobGandolf]

97. Not sure she would lose in GE, but Bernie.....

I'm more concerned Bernie, with limited national scrutiny experience, and a vagueness in responses will be nailed by republicans ala McGovern.

[Art_from_Ark]

99. The situation in 1972 was completely different from today

And no one on the Republican side has national "scrutiny" experience

[SoLeftIAmRight]

3. Clinton should at least embrace the landslide of enthusiasm in the party

...

[onehandle]

4. Millions of votes ahead in almost 50 states and she should withdraw?

The 'Not Hillary' Party has little interest in democracy.

[Purveyor]

7. No. We have an interest in retaining the WH come 2017 and

hopefully the Senate.

With clinton at the top of the ticket, neither of those are possibilities, imo.

[brooklynite]

11. Tell me which Senate candidates want Bernie Sanders at the top of the ticket...

[beedle]

32. Senate canadates only get one vote

and they are not going to vote against themselves because Sanders is at the top of the ticket. You question makes no sense.

[brooklynite]

33. Not my point...

Candidates are interested in getting re-elected; they have opinions on which Presidential candidate is better for that outcome. None of the many candidates I've talked to say they want Sanders at the top of the ticket.

[DUbeornot2be]

34. Not surprising...

...for someone as active as you've been in establishment politics over the years...

[brooklynite]

35. ...that list included Russ Feingold.

and BTW, I'm a big supporter of Elizabeth Warren. AS long as you don't hit one of my deal breaker issues (currently women's reproductive rights, gun control and Syrian refugees), I'll support your campaign as long as you're competitive.

[Lordquinton]

71. Deal breaker issues...

Like Hillary being open to a Constitutional amendment to ban late term abortion? Or her actions to turn away South American refugees when she was Secretary of State? And does the nickname Annie Oakley ring any bells?

[brooklynite]

72. Annie Oakley was big shooter; should fit in with Bernie Sanders, right?

[brooklynite]

73. Unlike some people, I'm open to people changing...

...like Elizabeth Warren on Republicanism

...or Bernie Sanders on immigration reform.

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

80. .....or

Changing from HRC to Bernie by March 2nd.

After Bernie successfully captures the majority of the SuperTuesday states, with zero path to the nomination for Clinton AGAIN.

[brooklynite]

85. I changed from Clinton to Obama after Super Tuesday in 2008...

...when my opinion about his electability changed.

Are you open to the same?

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

90. Certainly. If she can prove herself worthy

and so far, she has unimpressed me.

She won't get the nomination, and the path for Bernie will be a shocker for you.

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

79. Last year you dismissed Bernie as insiginificant. Now Bernie is leading

and clinton is out of cash (again), with more states to go, how far do you think she'll go? Certainly not without any cash flow coming her way.

[brooklynite]

81. When did I dismiss him as insignificant?

I said I didn't think he was electable; I still don't.

Clinton's fundraising prowess
The former secretary of state brought in over $37 million in the final three months of 2015 and started the year with $38 million in the bank. At the same time, the campaign spent $35 million in those three months. She continues to benefit from millions of dollars raised by her super PACs, including Priorities USA, which said Friday it has raised $50 million through this month. Two other groups supporting Clinton, American Bridge and Correct the Record, brought in an additional $6 million total.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/31/politics/sanders-clinton-trump-cruz-campaign-finance-super-pacs/

[SidDithers]

82. Last year?...

Sid

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

84. I do my research.

Here. Put this in your Google, "Bernie" "brooklynite" site emocraticunderground.com

Not that complicated.

[SidDithers]

89. Go Broncos!...nt

Sid

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

92. Thanks.

I'm anxiously waiting for the next choice for the Broncos QB. I know it won't be Manning, because he'll retire.

[SidDithers]

94. LOL...nt

Sid

[frylock]

62. They haven't really instilled a lot of confidence that they know what they're doing.

[Bohemianwriter]

67. Yes they are!

And if they insist on NOT being re-elected, all they have to do is to follow the Titanic called Hillary...

Her and her corporate buddies time is over no matter how much Wall Street worshipers whine about it...

[CBGLuthier]

68. As if Queen of the super delegates gives two shits about votes.

[grasswire]

5. for the good of the party and the country

YES

[Jester Messiah]

86. Hah, that's not for whose good she acts.

She's for Hillary, first last and only.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

6. I think it's a wee bit early to proclaim that.

I'm not her greatest fan, but I do see her as useful in toughening up Bernie for the GE, given how she's pre-testing all of the RW attacks she can against him.

[NWCorona]

19. I think the point is for Hillary to get out now so someone

Can jump in.

[olddots]

9. she is in it to win it

we are just back ground in her movie .

[Qutzupalotl]

10. As a Sanders supporter, I disagree.

I don't want either candidate to sail through to the nomination unopposed. Debate is healthy for democracy. The contrast with Bernie is striking. However, I think Clinton should sever ties with Brock and stick to the issues. That will ensure her loss.

[ejbr]

14. The author

actually wants to replace her with another mainstream candidate per the article.

[HooptieWagon]

52. It's an embarrassment having one of our candidates under 2 investigations.

Having her head the ticket would be disaster enough. If she gets indicted just before Election Day would be devastating.

[KingFlorez]

12. Once again, I question who really wants the coronation

[malthaussen]

13. Um, the Democrats lost in 1968.

So, how exactly did Johnson withdrawing help the Party?

-- Mal

[yawnmaster]

17. It didn't...it is interesting politics involving Kennedy, an assassination and McGovern..and Nixon..

won (so did it really strengthen the party???)

[KingCharlemagne]

43. Don't forget that traitor Kissinger and Claire Chennault (and Thieu) - nt

[hifiguy]

18. Had RFK lived he would have beaten Nixon and Wallace

like a pair of gongs. 1968 was sui generis, and may it ever remain so.

[book_worm]

24. Actually Humphrey would have been the nominee

Even by the time of the California primary he had far more delegates than RFK or McCarthy. There were far fewer primaries in 1968 and most delegates were won in state conventions and thru organized labor. Finally, LBJ, though not a candidate still controlled the convention.

http://chicago68.com/c68myths.html

[KingCharlemagne]

47. Are you sure about that? Had RFK lived, his California Primary victory would have

given him the momentum to secure the nomination. (At least that's the version of history I've inherited from folks like Arthur Schlesinger.)

[yawnmaster]

15. oh there was so much more politics in the 1968 Democratic primary that is in the OP above...

Also...didn't Nixon win that one??

[mcar]

16. No she shouldn't

[rpannier]

45. Agree with you

She should not drop out
Both should see it through as long as they feel they can win or influence the convention

[Flying Squirrel]

20. Bah

Center-right article saying people are not excited about Sanders either, and advocating a new competitor for him within the Democratic Party. He can go to hell..

[rpannier]

46. The author is probably pining for Joe Lieberman to jump in the race

or Michael Bloomberg

[JTFrog]

21. Lol. n/t

[Tarc]

22. Yes, the candidate who leads by commanding margins in 10 Super Tuesday states

Should quit.

[eridani]

23. No candidate should withdraw until they want to n/t

[stopbush]

25. !

Wait...you're serious?

[merrily]

27. Johnson won over McCarthy by at least 7 points. That is not barely winning, although it's not

great for a war time incumbent, either. However, after the NH primary, RFK entered the race. Then Johnson dropped out.

[saltpoint]

28. An exciting proposition but timing

is everything. She probably shouldn't resign right after Clyburn's endorsement, for example.

I don't think the Democratic Party is in harm's way. The GOP, on the other hand, has let quite a few unstable people rise in its ranks. They're at the control panel and the party is a food fight. There's no discourse on ideas or political philosophy. There's the buzz of the tax-cut saw. There's the clank of Dark Ages tools of torture to carve up the safety net. There's the Bible-thumpers yelping in megachurches. There's the racists and bigots trying to ban Muslims and build walls on our southern border.

The Republicans are taking on water. Pretty quickly.

[KingCharlemagne]

48. Awesom prose poem. Should be its own OP - nt

[Yog-Sothoth]

29. Good luck with that one Mike...

[img][/img]

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Well it is good to know that I am not the only one thinking 1968

for me it is the supers issue. They go there. well release the kraken and blow up the party.

I am sure I will order ink by the bucket full.

[lovemydog]

37. It's funny when someone says the front-runner should quit

and supporters of the one in second place go 'Yeah! She should quit!'

[Lordquinton]

77. No one said Sanders should quit

But I agree it's a silly article.

[Cassiopeia]

38. Clinton is no LBJ.

She will do everything possible this cycle to win. If that means burning the party to the ground in the process, so be it.

It's about her and nothing else.

[GoneFishin]

42. +1,000,000,000,000

[840high]

55. ..+1

[Beacool]

59. Excuse me, if anybody is trying to burn down the party is the "democratic Socialist"

who only decided to become a Democrat to run for president.

No, it's not about her. It's about electing the most qualified candidate, and that's Hillary. Not the candidate who promises the moon and the stars and has zero chance of getting his agenda through this Congress and any other Congress in the foreseeable future.

[Cassiopeia]

64. Excuse me,

if Bernie wanted to harm the party he would have run as an Independent splitting the Democratic vote.

Hillary is not running because "she's the most qualified candidate." She is running for personal gain.

If Hillary were running to better the country or the world she would pick a solid platform and let the chips fall where they may. No, Hillary is in this for one reason, herself. She already has more money than she knows what to do with and it no longer excites her. The only thing left is POTUS and the only reason she wants it is because money can't buy it outright.

[Beacool]

65. I disagree.

I think that it's not about herself.

[Cassiopeia]

66. Bernie stands for

A fair minimum wage
Health CARE as a right, not insurance
rebuilding our infrastructure
ending the prison industrial complex
Taxpayer funded education


To name a few positions Bernie has spent a lifetime trying to achieve.

What does Hillary want? Seriously, name one damn thing Hillary has spent her political career fighting for and she has never wavered on.

[Jester Messiah]

91. Oh, I know! I know one!

Hillary Clinton is a firm believer that Hillary Clinton should be president. In this, she has never wavered, nor shall she!

[Bohemianwriter]

70. The ones burning down the party...

Are DWS, Hillary, DLC and DNC. Their "3rd way" charade has been unmasked by a REAL democrat coming back from exile.

But if you insist she becomes the nominee, I wish you good luck in getting back al the voters you and your candidate have done your best to alienate.

Hilary does NOT represent PROGRESSIVE values! Hilary does NOT represent the core values of the democratic party unless taking money from Wall Street and do double talk is two of those core values...

I wish you good luck in trying to convince a veteran who knows a bit too much about the war crimes that Bill and Hillary has supported the last 20 years to openly endorse someone who speaks of Libya in terms of "we came, we saw, he bombed!"

It's more like "we came, we bombed, they drowned!"

The thousands of refugees in Mediterranean are a result of your candidates poor judgment and misplaced priorities. She's not alone, but she and her supporters touts foreign policy experience. Right! Experience in screwing things up!
Not a sign of someone knowing what they are doing. And Hillary has been acting like a novice! A student of Dick&George!

[Lazy Daisy]

40. Absolutely not

I'm a Bernie supporter, but there is no reason for her to withdraw at this point. And anybody who is looking to step in now, now that they see she is struggling I say screw em'. If they didn't have the nerve to go up against her and get in on this from the beginning how can anybody support them? If they didn't feel they were strong enough to take her on before, why should we think they are a strong enough candidate after she's gone?

To anybody who comes into the race at this point I say "up yours"

This primary may be heated, but both candidates will come out stronger for it.

[Major Hogwash]

44. After her performance in the Town Hall meeting tonight . . .

. . . I concur.

She's an embarrassment to the Democratic Party.
Her angry display of contempt for that one guy at the Town Hall meeting, the one who said he was a realtor, was enough right there to conclude that she doesn't have what it takes to be the next President of the United States.

[Punkingal]

50. I have this awful picture of her in the Oval Office acting like she did tonight...

And bombing the shit out of some country. I think she acted unhinged. And the anger she has is palpable. She scares me.

[Purveyor]

51. Oh hell I thought I was the only one that was having these visions...

Almost sci-fi like.

[840high]

56. She scares a lot of people.

[840high]

57. I didn't get to watch. Is

there a video?

[Beacool]

53. Wuuuaaahhaaa!!!

Thanks for the laugh........

[840high]

58. woof-woof.

[Beacool]

60. Take a cough drop.

You sound hoarse.

[840high]

63. ok

[Starry Messenger]

61. Delusional.

[NuclearDem]

69. In case anyone needs a reminder about 1968:

[FlatBaroque]

74. Funny story. When I began to hear about her speaking fees to Wall Street banks

I thought to myself "thank goodness she is not running for President again". Because in my simple mind if she was even considering running she would certainly not be collecting fat checks from the miscreants of the American economy.

[NobodyHere]

75. How about we let the voters decide

who gets out of the race.

[seaotter]

76. So, you then agree that the "super delegates" matter not? Good.

[OhZone]

78. Yeah she should quit! NOT!

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

83. She should officially resign from the Democratic Party

and withdraw from her candidacy and re-register with the Republican Party and deal with Trump in the primaries.

She's a Republican in Democratic clothing.

[Tarc]

93. We have Hillary Clinton, who has been with the part since 1970 or so, vs "Rocky the Leprechaun"

who is all of 183 posts at the Democratic Unterground, a forum for promoting and supporting all Democrats.

I think i know who I roll with.

[OhZone]

87. Why?

She's the only Democrat running!

[treestar]

88. this kind of thing is just dumb

why the hell should she do that?

That's what it would take for Bernie to win?

[Betty Karlson]

96. Bowing out gracefully or going down and taking the party down in her fall.

Those are her two major options.

Our one option: making her so irrelevant that it doesn't matter whether she agrees to bow out or not. Thank goodness there is still one other candidate left.

[DrDan]

98. lol

this place (GD-P) gets nuttier daily

projections VERY positive, most super-delegates committed - so ask her to exit the race

rich

[Vinca]

100. It's probably too late to make much of a difference.

She should have thought twice about running given the legal problems hanging over her head. She didn't, though, and the field was cleared to give her a straight shot to the nomination. Or so they thought. As a result, many qualified Democrats who might have run did not. We could pay a big price in November and if we do I hope it's a lesson learned and not repeated.