Reply #46: 3/20/92 NYT: Tsongas Abandons Campaign, Leaving Clinton A Clear Path Toward Showdown with Bush

[Garbo 2004]

March 20, 1992
THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Primaries; TSONGAS ABANDONS CAMPAIGN, LEAVING CLINTON A CLEAR PATH TOWARD SHOWDOWN WITH BUSH
By ROBIN TONER,

Former Senator Paul E. Tsongas of Massachusetts withdrew from the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination today, a decision that many in his party said all but insured the selection of Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas.

Mr. Tsongas announced his departure at a news conference in Boston, where he said his campaign did not have enough money to continue. His move leaves only former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. of California to compete with Mr. Clinton in the remaining primaries and caucuses in 21 states.

Without adequate money to win, Mr. Tsongas said, "the alternative was to play the role of spoiler." 'That Is Not Worthy'

"That is not what I'm about," he continued. "That is not worthy. I did not survive my ordeals in order to be the agent of the re-election of George Bush." < Excerpts, page A14. >

Mr. Clinton is already close to the halfway mark in the number of delegates needed to win the nomination and has a 7-to-1 edge over Mr. Brown, who is running a maverick, anti-establishment campaign. Many Democrats said that barring an unexpected collapse by Mr. Clinton's campaign, it is difficult to see how Mr. Brown can overtake the Governor.

"It certainly brings it much closer to a conclusion," said Ronald H. Brown, the Democratic national chairman. "You could argue that it's theoretically possible for Jerry Brown to mount a come-from-behind challenge, but the math and the reality of Bill Clinton's momentum certainly work against him."
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