During a quick campaign swing into West Virginia, which appeared to have been organized mainly for the purpose of stifling rumors that she will quickly exit the Democratic presidential race, Hillary Clinton on Wednesday restructured her standard stump speech to remove overt criticisms of Barack Obama.

As with her muted victory/concession speech after losing Tuesday's North Carolina primary and barely scraping through the Indiana contest on Tuesday, the New York senator sounded party-unity and anti-Republican themes rather than stressing her differences with the now likely Democratic nominee.

Clinton's speech also dropped references to staying in the race "until the convention" and instead indicated that she was in it "until we have a nominee." That line echoes former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's comments from the latter stages of the Republican nomination race and leaves open the prospect of exiting the competition at a point when:

a. Obama actually secures enough delegates to assure he will be nominated.

b. Obama opens up enough of a lead that it becomes clear there is no way Clinton can catch him.

c. Clinton simply decides that she does not want to continue dipping into her personal accounts to maintain what is becoming an increasingly self-financed campaign.

As Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, an uncommitted super-delegate, says, "Nobody drops out of a presidential race -- they just run out of money."

Clinton, who has kept her campaign going with personal loans that now total $11.4 million, has to decide whether she is done spending money on race that for all practical purposes has been run -- and lost.

Comments (34)

1. But her surrogates are still out for the kill..besides, Clinton predictably ignores acknowledging Obama except when she is attacking him. I heard one pundit actually state that she was "running a Republican campaign within the Democratic primaries". Why the hell should we have to treat her with kid gloves--like she was some sullen princess who lost her entitled ascention to the throne. I don't know what speeches Nichols is watching--unless he is projecting his crush on the wide-ass matronly school marm again. There has been some criticism of African-Americans voting en mass for Obama--but at this stage in the game, after all the racially coded messages the Clintons have floated, why would they support her? In Obama, African Americans have a candidate they can feel pride in--can the same be said for Clinton and her women supporters who base their support on gender alone? It ain't toughness--it is entitlement.

   Posted by Lil at 05/08/2008 @ 08:44am

2. Give me one good reason why Senator Clinton should drop out of the race? Isn't the American Dream about never giving up? Keep fighting? Never giving in to criticism? It is really interesting how so many pundits, tv news media, printed media, and yes even the Nation are calling for Senator Clinton to get out. If Senator Clinton were a man, and the race was not yet decided, would so many "men" be calling for the male candidate to get out? It is the same old glass ceiling we women have been fighting all our lives. Men degrading, pushing us back, never allowing a woman to be strong or in control of a major enterprise, or the United States. I have experienced first hand all of the above. It is the worst kind of discrimination, the most demeaning of any human. Women have long run governments in India, Pakistan, Israel, Germany, England, and so many more. Many of these country's are far behind the the U.S in so many issues. But they had the guts to elect a woman to run the country. But because of the male ego, women cannot become President. Race is not the discrimintory issue here, it is Gender. I wonder if Senator Clinton were black and a female, what would the male ego do? Or Senator Obama were a female and white? What would the male ego do? The media has decided it does not matter whether Obama is experienced, or strong, the fact of the matter is he is a man, and that is all the credientals he needs to be president. Well we have been wrong so many times before, and most recent George W. Bush. But he was a "good ole' boy" and that was good enough for America. Again, we will miss an opportunity to have the best candidate run for president. We will elect some relative untested, orator. America get educated. Read the issues and the candidates proposals on the issues and then decide. Do not let pundits, male or female insult your intelligence and tell you not to think, just believe what they say. After which, make a rational, smart decision on the right candidate. Let's not get it wrong one more time.

   Posted by books at 05/08/2008 @ 08:47am

3. "Give me one good reason why Senator Clinton should drop out of the race? "

   Because she can't win the nomination. Obama effectively has. You got to know when to hold them; know when to fold them. Hillary fought the good fight and lost. No shame in that.

   No sexism in it, either.

   Posted by Balrog at 05/08/2008 @ 08:52am

4. a resonable person who don`t want HER to ...LOOSE!!!

   Posted by mihnea at 05/8/2008 | ignore this person

   how about lose? do you want her to lose?

   Posted by emile duBois at 05/08/2008 @ 09:09am

5. Isn't the American Dream about never giving up? Keep fighting? Never giving in to criticism?

   this is Bush's American Dream. most of the rest of us have acquired some maturity, to spot a lost cause, such as Iraq, or the Clinton campaign.

   if Hillary is going to send shills over here, could she please not pick such dumb ones.

   Posted by emile duBois at 05/08/2008 @ 09:12am

6. Isn't the American Dream about never giving up? Keep fighting? Never giving in to criticism?

   this is Bush's American Dream. most of the rest of us have acquired some maturity, to spot a lost cause, such as Iraq, or the Clinton campaign.

   if Hillary is going to send shills over here, could she please not pick such dumb ones.

   Posted by emile duBois at 05/08/2008 @ 09:14am

7. Posted by books at 05/8/2008 | ignore this person

   that was a nice if disjointed speech. one problem, it's over. Obama has won.

   Posted by emile duBois at 05/08/2008 @ 09:18am

8. The dying gasps of the Hillary Cultists here, huh?

   Even as Queen Jadis is obviously signalling that "she gets it" and begins her "No, no, I'm a nice person" tour in the final primaries.

   Poor mihnea...who I still think might be a Romanian outsourced by the HRC Campaign staff to save money....and the last of the "The only reason you don't like Hillary is because she's a woman" hyper-feminists, still unable to grasp the fact that it IS possible to be a character that people can dislike regardless of gender.

   Oh, well...soon they (and Her) will be gone.

   Posted by Mask at 05/08/2008 @ 09:19am

9. ‘The number one industry supporting the Obama presidential bid, by the start of February, -- the crucial time in primary season -- according to the widely respected, nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, was "lawyers/law firms" (most on Wall Street's payroll), giving a total of $11,246,596. ...

   Why do Wall Street and the corporate law firms think they will find a President Obama to be accommodating? As the Black Agenda Report notes, "Evidently, the giant insurance companies, the airlines, oil companies, Wall Street, military contractors and others had closely examined and vetted Barack Obama and found him pleasing."

   That vetting included his remarkable "yes" vote on the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, a five-year effort by 475 lobbyists, despite appeals from the NAACP and every other major civil rights group. Thanks to the passage of that legislation, when defrauded homeowners of the housing bubble and defrauded investors of the bundled mortgages try to fight back through the class-action vehicle, they will find a new layer of corporate-friendly hurdles….'

   Posted by HonestLiberal at 05/08/2008 @ 09:22am

10. Reference: http://www.counterpunch.org/ martens05062008.html -- 6 May, 2008 -- Pam Martens

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 05/08/2008 @ 09:23am

11. Books: You are just rambling along like a loose canon. You are airing your personal hatred toward men, and trying to pass it off as some sort of unfairness towards your candidate. Hillary lied, attacked, sent racial undertones. Hillary was so busy trying to find some kind of dirt on Obama (Wright) and was so sure that she had him down, she forgot all about the real issues. Talking about getting out of the kitchen! Ha, Ha. She welcome the Ultra right attacks on Obama. In my oppinion Hillary is a Traitor to her own party!! Period! But for the sake of fair play even though Hillary doesnt know Shit about fair play. I agree with BALRAG. You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away and know when to run! Hillary broke the golden rule. "You do not count your money while you are sitting at the table, there will be time enough for counting when the dealings done! She has played the game and she has lost, time to get her but up and walk away with as much grace as possible. She cannot win! Period!

    Posted by Hebrewknight at 05/08/2008 @ 09:32am

12. By the Books: "Women have long run governments in India, Pakistan, Israel, Germany, England, and so many more....Book. Get your facts straight. Germany has not had it's Government ran by women for a long time. Angela Merkal was the first woman to be Chancelor of Germany in Germany's Long, Long and rich History and I might add she is doing a great job. But then again she did not run around attacking Gerhard Schroeder on issues that did not matter. Throwing the kitchen sink, rags and frying pans at him. She represents not just Women but the Country as a whole. She did not go around telling Bald Face Lies like Hillary AKA G.I. Jane, and Rocky. Dodging Sniper fire like the Matrix! She did not go around selling her party out to SPD either and she did not go around acting like the Chancelorship was her birth right either! In Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, bless her soul was as corrupt as they came, charges like money laungering in Swiss Bank Accounts. The French, Polish, Spanish and the Swiss provided documents proving that effect! Brutto and Husbands list of corruption goes on. My point? Your talking about male ego? What about the female ego? Hillary ran a hard (unfair) but hard race. She lost, it happens. The republicans candidates quit with grace and let McCain take his course. Hillary should do the same. If it was Obama I am sure he would have stepped aside as well. If you would get past your hatred for men, and be objective you would tell you candidate to step aside for the sake of the Country and not your and her personal ego and extreme feminist revenge trip!

    Posted by Hebrewknight at 05/08/2008 @ 10:01am

13. Posted by HonestLiberal at 05/8/2008

    Temarc, the river Temarc in winter!

    Posted by Mask at 05/08/2008 @ 10:13am

14. <i>If Senator Clinton were a man, and the race was not yet decided, would so many "men" be calling for the male candidate to get out? </i>

    Posted by books at 05/8/2008

    Yes. See John Edwards about 3 or 4 months ago.

    Posted by Hman23 at 05/08/2008 @ 10:44am

15. Oh, well...soon they (and Her) will be gone.

    Posted by Mask at 05/8/2008

    And so will go yest another failed prediction from our frined Mr. Maasch

    Posted by Hman23 at 05/08/2008 @ 10:46am

16. This new format is terrible. I get kicked to the main page after I post.

    I long for the old format Webmaster.

    Posted by Hman23 at 05/08/2008 @ 10:47am

17. Posted by Hman23 at 05/8/2008

    Yeah, I think MAASCH may have to go ahead and do his mea culpa.

    Posted by Mask at 05/08/2008 @ 10:58am

18. I mean, who wants to fund somebody with that kinda of `value'?

    Posted by HAPPY3

    birds of a feather flock to the most powerful nest.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/08/2008 @ 11:01am

19. My guess, HRC will drop out tomorrow or after Tuesday's primaries.

    My guess, the Nation is working on it's site.

    It takes about two minutes plus to resolve the address and load the index page. Maybe they are restoring the HTML options and fixing all the JavaScript problems? An evolving upgrade.

    MASK is right. She will soon be gone. The bigger question is, will she be selected as veep? That could be problematic for Obama Democrats, and could be a liability in the general. Something to think about.

    Obama/Gore would be an awesome twosome, but realistically...

    Posted by jackwells at 05/08/2008 @ 11:01am

20. Posted by jackwells at 05/8/2008 |

    Neither will happen.

    1. No "Obama/Gore" (or in HSUBFOOLS' fantasy "Gore/Obama", "brokered convention" talk just died.)....Gore would never accept Veep again, when he's "King of All Media" now...heheh.

    2. Obama will never pick Hillary as Veep. She's already pissed off his voting bloc. It would mean he'd be "outnumbered" (him versus her AND Bill, for the spotlight). And of course...

    he'd have to hire more Secret Service guys and a food taster!

    heheh

    Posted by Mask at 05/08/2008 @ 11:05am

21. Posted by books at 05/8/2008

    God I am so sick of this everyone is sexist crap. This is a Presidential race! Not trying to get your business started. Yes if you want to achieve the American dream you never give up BUT you also have to be smart and know when to hedge your bets and pull out so you can fight another day. The long Hillary stays in this the more she destroys her chance to fight another day. Any good general will tell you sometimes you have to retreat and regroup. If she keeps on like this she will never be able to run for President again. This is not about her being a woman this is about her acknowledging that she has already lost and to stop trying to kneecap the nominee. Are you willing to have your candidate lose later rather than step out gracefully now because there is no way she can win. The math and the facts are against her. She might still be able to salvage her political career but if she stays in this she is going to make it harder and harder to get her Senate seat back.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 05/08/2008 @ 11:49am

22. b. Obama opens up enough of a lead that it becomes clear there is no way Clinton can catch him.

    -ummm, hasn't this already happened? The only chance she has is to spin results and Obama's lead to the super delegates in a way that implies he is unelectable. She has a very slim chance of this unless Obama implodes.

    Posted by Extraneous at 05/08/2008 @ 1:43pm

23. 2. Obama will never pick Hillary as Veep. She's already pissed off his voting bloc. It would mean he'd be "outnumbered" (him versus her AND Bill, for the spotlight). And of course...

    he'd have to hire more Secret Service guys and a food taster!

    Posted by Mask at 05/8/2008

    I could use a job, maybe I could apply as food taster! I'll be in the nation's crapital in a couple of weeks. I'll inquire with the SS.

    The Obama/Gore thing is obviously a fantasy, but there is an awful lot of talk all over the web today about a Clinton VP selection when Barry-O gets the nod.

    Personally, I would prefer almost anyone else, even FRANKSHITZ, as VP.

    There could be some TOP SECRET deal-making going on, even as I type this post. You never know.

    Posted by jackwells at 05/08/2008 @ 2:49pm

24. ooh,

    mystery.....

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/08/2008 @ 2:54pm

25. The real mystery is who will McCain pick! That's a lot scarier than who will Obama pick.

    Posted by jackwells at 05/08/2008 @ 3:08pm

26. will it be parsley or rice?

    puppy dogs tails or

    cheney's turn thrice?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/08/2008 @ 3:12pm

27. Posted by frosty zoom at 05/8/2008

    If McCain picks Condi....we'll need a mop from a peep show for HAPPY#.

    Posted by Mask at 05/08/2008 @ 3:29pm

28. HAPPY -

    You have amnesia, I guess. Just about all of Obama's supporters were calling on Edwards to drop out after NH. Men and women.

    MASK could probably cue up the tape!

    Posted by Hman23 at 05/08/2008 @ 4:59pm

29. if condi could only make nice.

    Did anybody know that Dick Cheney's middle name is Bruce? Seems somehow inappropriate for his personality, such that it is.

    If Big Mac picks Condi and gets elected, I'm moving to... are there any progressive governments left in Yurp besides Spain? Portugal maybe? Liechtenstein? Monaco?

    Posted by jackwells at 05/08/2008 @ 5:26pm

30. Ah, yes. I forgot the Nordic states, deliberately. Who could tolerate that climate? And The Netherlands is turning into a cross between France and Germany. More capitalist pigs than here.

    Posted by jackwells at 05/08/2008 @ 5:34pm

31. Did anybody know that Dick Cheney's middle name is Bruce? Seems somehow inappropriate for his personality, such that it is.

    Posted by jackwells at 05/8/2008

    well, he seems to have passed some "brucian" dna on to his daughter.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/08/2008 @ 7:27pm

32. "Clinton played the race card yesterday as she dismissed Barack Obama as a candidate who will have a hard time winning support from ‘white Americans.' ...Hillary Clinton.

    Most of us knew she is a racist, this statement just verifies that fact!!

    Posted by Hebrewknight at 05/09/2008 @ 09:50am

33. <I>To play the race card as Mrs. Clinton has, to highlight and encourage a sense that we are crudely divided as a nation, to make your argument a brute and cynical "the black guy can't win but the white girl can" is -- well, so vulgar, so cynical, so cold, that once again a Clinton is making us turn off the television in case the children walk by.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121027865275678423.html?mod=special_page _campaign2008_topbox

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 10:00am

34. i'm white.

    i'm working class.

    i'm unejumicated.

    clinton is not my choice.

    not that i get one, but hey.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/09/2008 @ 10:08am