Both Clintons pressured the SDs in 2008 to nominate Hillary even though she lost the delegate count

[AtomicKitten]

While Bill Clinton personally called the SDs directly arguing that Americans would not vote to elect a black president, Hillary sent this letter to the SDs arguing that even though she came in second they should nominate her.

Dear ___________,

The stakes in this election are so high: with two wars abroad, our economy in crisis here at home, and so many families struggling across America, the need for new leadership has never been greater.

At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee, and I would like to tell you why I believe I am the stronger candidate against Senator McCain and would be the best President and Commander in Chief.

Voters in every state have made it clear that they want to be heard and counted as part of this historic race. And as we reach the end of the primary season, more than 17 million people have supported me in my effort to become the Democratic nominee – more people than have ever voted for a potential nominee in the history of our party. In the past two weeks alone, record numbers of voters participated in the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. And with 40 and 35 point margins of victory, it is clear that even when voters are repeatedly told this race is over, they’re not giving up on me – and I am not giving up on them either.

After seven years of feeling invisible to the Bush administration, Americans are seeking a President who is strong, experienced, and ready to take on our toughest challenges, from serving as Commander in Chief and ending the war in Iraq to turning our economy around. They want a President who shares their core beliefs about our country and its future and “gets” what they go through every day to care for their families, pay the bills and try to put something away for the future.

We simply cannot afford another four – or eight – years in the wilderness. That is why, everywhere I go, people come up to me, grip my hand or arm, and urge me to keep on running. That is why I continue in this race: because I believe I am best prepared to lead this country as President – and best prepared to put together a broad coalition of voters to break the lock Republicans have had on the electoral map and beat Senator McCain in November.

Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him. And nearly all independent analyses show that I am in a stronger position to win the Electoral College, primarily because I lead Senator McCain in Florida and Ohio. I’ve enclosed a detailed analysis of recent electoral and polling information, and I hope you will take some time to review it carefully.

In addition, when the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries. Ultimately, the point of our primary process is to pick our strongest nominee – the one who would be the best President and Commander in Chief, who has the greatest support from members of our party, and who is most likely to win in November. So I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me.

I am in this race for them -- for all the men and women I meet who wake up every day and work hard to make a difference for their families. People who deserve a shot at the American dream – the chance to save for college, a home and retirement; to afford quality health care for their families; to fill the gas tank and buy the groceries with a little left over each month.

I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.

Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.

In the end, I am committed to unifying this party. What Senator Obama and I share is so much greater than our differences; and no matter who wins this nomination, I will do everything I can to bring us together and move us forward.

But at this point, neither of us has crossed the finish line. I hope that in the time remaining, you will think hard about which candidate has the best chance to lead our party to victory in November. I hope you will consider the results of the recent primaries and what they tell us about the mindset of voters in the key battleground states. I hope you will think about the broad and winning coalition of voters I have built. And most important, I hope you will think about who is ready to stand on that stage with Senator McCain, fight for the deepest principles of our party, and lead our country forward into this new century.

In this 11-page memo, her argument continued: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2008/05/clintons-closing-argument-to-superdelegates/53314/

[hrmjustin]

1. And when the primary was over she dropped out.

[bahrbearian]

10. When the Primary is over will she drop out Kicking and Screaming like 2008?

[hrmjustin]

11. No Sanders will drop out because he lost.

[Zynx]

17. This isn't analogous to 2008. She has a clear lead.

Borderline overwhelming lead, actually.

[hack89]

2. "I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries."

looks like she was saying that they should vote for her if she overtook Obama.

[Nye Bevan]

3. Obama-Hillary was a much, much closer contest than Hillary-Bernie (nt)

[notadmblnd]

4. Bernie should borrow this line

And of course, give credit where credit is due.

Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.

Just change Obama to Clinton.

[AtomicKitten]

19. +1

[Sivart]

5. And.....Mic drop.

.......ah, never mind.....this is just a blatant example of Clinton's hypocrisy....nothing we haven't seen plenty of times before.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. And here's the clincher:

Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.

In the end, I am committed to unifying this party. What Senator Obama and I share is so much greater than our differences; and no matter who wins this nomination, I will do everything I can to bring us together and move us forward.

Please note that Hillary is not calling for Bernie to drop out before the conclusion of the primary voting.

[Sivart]

7. No, she is not calling for Sanders to drop out......but

Her supporters on this site are constantly complaining about Sanders not respecting the will of the voters relative to trying to persuade super delegates.......which ends up being complete bullshit when you consider the fact that both Clintons did the exact same thing when she was in a similar position.

I am against the need or use of super delegates. One person, one vote is what I believe.

But as long as the super delegates are a reality, lets not pretend that they have anything to do with the will of the people or the popular vote. The super delegates are in place to buck the will and popular vote, if they feel it is warranted. Just because this is not how they have been used in the past does not change the fact that this is why they are there.

[fun n serious]

8. Obama was ahead by 60 delegates.

Benie is behind by 270 and counting... BIG difference.

[Arkansas Granny]

9. But...

Some of Bernie's supporters have said some pretty awful stuff on this site and I don't hold Bernie responsible for that.

As far as super delegates go, they have been part of the nomination process for decades and Bernie was well aware of this when he decided to run. If that needs to change, so be it, but you don't change the rules in the middle of the race.

[Sivart]

13. I am not blaming what Clinton suppoters say on Clinton....

I am pointing out that some Clinton supporters are pissed at the idea that Sanders may consider doing something - try to sway the super delegates - something that Bill and Hillary obviously felt perfectly fine doing themselves when she was in a similar position.

So, if you are pro everything Hillary, then stop being hypocritical about the swaying of the super delegates.

And I realize that Obama's lead was bigger. But other that being a mild dig at Sanders, I don't see how this fact changes anything or is relevant in any way.

Lastly, I did not say anything about changing the rules.....I simply pointed out that I disagree with them.

[Orsino]

12. Kindly update your history book, Comrade.

Lobbying for superdelegate support is now politically unsound.

[AtomicKitten]

15. .

[Demsrule86]

14. And the supers said no

as they will with Bernie...most delegates is what is important ...so she conceded and endorsed...I think Bernie will too...He knows he is losing...you can tell by his behavior.

[uponit7771]

16. She was close to Obama in votes? Sanders is LOSING by 3 million, the "southern states" DO count !!

[SidDithers]

18. Yeah, it's the last, desperate hope of a losing candidate...

Didn't work then, ain't gonna work now.

Sid

[BootinUp]

20. Did It Work?