Hostage Crisis? Bataan Death March? You’re Kidding, Right?

Right – I’ve heard some over the top BS in this campaign over the past year, but this stuff really does top the list. We’ve all seen and heard the garbage (yeah garbage) listed in this latest Fact Hub write-up trickling out over the past few weeks about our Democratic process, but putting it all together in one place shows us just how badly BO and his minions want this process brought up short before millions of people are heard in the remaining 10 primaries and caucus.

And please – don’t discount this because Hillary’s camp had the smarts to pull it all together and post it – this is all sourced and you know it’s true. People have uttered these words repeatedly in the past few weeks in some lame-ass attempt to drive a good and decent DEMOCRAT from this race before we’ve run it out. I’m sick to death of the calls for her to step aside for the good of the Party. I mean come on – who’re we kidding here guys… BO and his followers aren’t so concerned about the good of the party as much as they’re worried that he’s going to lose his lead in the upcoming contests. This – as usual – is – all – about – Obama.

They’re clearly getting scared if they’re comparing our democratic process to a hostage crisis or a Bataan death march. Talk about over-the-top hyperbole.

I mean seriously – to compare the democratic process to a HOSTAGE CRISIS? We are talking about Democrats here - aren’t we?

Obama Campaign Calling For End Of Primary Election
4/1/2008 10:19:43 AM

Yesterday, the Obama campaign said it was "completely laughable" to suggest that their campaign was trying to shut down the primary process before many states have had a chance to vote. This belies a series of comments by Sen. Obama, his campaign and his surrogates:

Sen. Patrick Leahy: Hillary `ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama.' "There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make. Frankly, I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate." [NYT Caucus blog, 3/28/08]

Obama said the primary is like a `very good movie that lasted about half-an-hour too long.' [Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire, 3/28/08]

Obama: `I think there are some people who felt like 'God, when will this be over?' [ABC News Political Radar, 3/28/08]

Obama compares campaign to 'Bataan death march.' [Pool Report 3/27/08]

Obama adviser said the race was `beginning to feel like a hostage crisis.' "Obama adviser moaned that the race was `beginning to feel like a hostage crisis' and would probably go on for another month to six weeks." [Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 3/30/08]

Sen. Chris Dodd: the Democratic race is `going on forever… I don't think it's really helping the candidates.' "The fact that this thing is going on forever, back and forth every day, all night -- I don't think it's really helping the candidates or the political institutions. " [National Journal, 3/27/08]

Gov. Bill Richardson: "It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and prepare for the tough fight we will have against John McCain in the fall." [Speech, 3/21/08]

Today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a few words to say on this subject – take a look…

Not so fast: The Clinton-Obama race still has a way to run

Mrs. Clinton says she will fight on -- and she's right to do so. We say that not because of Pennsylvania's interest in holding a relevant primary on April 22. Simply put, this fight isn't over.

It's premature for Mrs. Clinton to quit while the race remains competitive. These calls to step down by Obama supporters are no more realistic than the earlier ones floated by the Clinton camp that Mr. Obama would make a great vice presidential nominee on a "dream ticket."

While Pennsylvania has a late primary, it is not the latest. Among others, the voters in Indiana and North Carolina (May 6), West Virginia (May 13) and Kentucky and Oregon (May 20) will still have to be heard from after Pennsylvanians go to the polls three weeks from today.

As Major League Baseball starts another season, a bit of hardball wisdom from Yogi Berra applies to the Clinton-Obama race: "It ain't over till it's over."

The Washington Post agrees…

Don't Stop Campaigning…
Why the rush to push Hillary Clinton out of the race for the nomination?

THE GROWING chorus among some Democrats and other interested observers for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) to get out of the race for the Democratic Party's nomination for president is troubling. We're not promoting Ms. Clinton over Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), or either of them over Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), for that matter. A time may come when someone should gracefully bow out. But their extended contest informs the electorate and serves to battle-test them both. We don't see why the process should be short-circuited when millions of votes are yet to be cast and two qualified candidates believe themselves to be the best potential Democratic nominee.

One proffered justification for ending the campaign now, in fact, is the assumption that we know pretty much how everything will turn out. Ms. Clinton will win Pennsylvania, Mr. Obama will carry North Carolina and so on. But throughout this campaign, just about everything we've "known" has been wrong: Mr. McCain was finished, Ms. Clinton was inevitable, Mr. Obama had New Hampshire locked up. No doubt the Democrats have gotten themselves into a fix with rules that may leave the final decision to unelected superdelegates -- but why is the answer to that less democracy? Why not give as many voters as possible a chance?

So yes or no… We’re Democrats right?

Democrats fight like hell to make sure all of our votes are counted right?

These are easy questions guys – questions that can and should be answered with a YES, or a no.

I’m sorry but I’m old enough and have been around campaigns long enough to know that DEMOCRATS don’t try to disenfranchise millions of other DEMOCRATS (or anyone for that matter) before this thing’s over.

I’m wise enough to know that DEMOCRATS don’t pursue a 48 state strategy, dig in their heels and refuse to allow 2 million voters in Michigan and Florida to have their voices heard – states that we’re going to need if we’re going to win the general election in November.

This bullshit has got to end – let the people vote and stop acting like REPUBLICANS.