Clinton urges supporters: Pick Obama over McCain

Hillary Clinton stepped her efforts to heal the rift in the Democratic Party last night with a warning to her supporters that it would be a "grave error" if they chose to vote for Republican John McCain over her rival Barack Obama come November. In a tacit acknowledgement of her rapidly dwindling presidential hopes and the divisive nature of what has been one of the dirtiest Democratic primary fights in recent years, Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that she would lend her full weight to Obama's likely presidential campaign. Clinton made her remarks after being asked by a viewer why she thought so many of her supporters say they would vote for McCain if Obama was the Democratic nominee. It would be a "terrible mistake," she warned, if they decided to do so.

"Anybody who has ever voted for me or voted for Barack has much more in common in terms of what we want to see happen in our country and in the world with the other than they do with John McCain," she said.

"I'm going to work my heart out for whoever our nominee is. Obviously, I'm still hoping to be that nominee, but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that anyone who supported me ... understands what a grave error it would be not to vote for Senator Obama."

Her response constitutes a marked departure from earlier comments on the campaign trail in which she has appeared to suggest her Republican rival would make a better president than Obama. She drew widespread criticism in March when she told reporters: "I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002."

The comment triggered speculation that Clinton, known to be a "very close" friend of McCain (her husband's words) would in fact prefer the Republican in the White House, not least because he has already made clear he will only serve for four years due to his advanced age - meaning she would not have long to wait before she could launch another presidential bid.

But apparently this is not the case. (Or, if you're of a cynical persuasion, it is, but voicing it would be political suicide - there's no doubt she's already had more than a few verbal slaps from senior Democrats over her Rovian tactics against one of their own.)

Either way, she's got a lot more backpedalling to do if she's got any hope of convincing her supporters to back Obama, given that she's been pretty successful in painting him as an elitist, black supremacist, inexperienced and reckless pansy who may also be a secret Muslim. According to exit polls from West Virginia, 35 per cent of her supporters there say they would vote for John McCain if Obama is was the nominee, while a further 24 per cent said they would sit the election out.

The hope is, of course, that by election time the antagonism between the two camps will be a distant memory and that Democrats will fall in behind whoever ends up being their nominee. On November 5, Americans will find out whether that theory was correct.

Comments

[Yesh Prabhu, Plainsboro, NJ]

By now it is quite obvious that Hillary has caused a lot of damage to Obama by painting him as an elitist, who has no empathy for middle-class white Americans. But by saying that, ironically, she has dug her own political grave, because most Democratic leaders and the super delegates are quite displeased with her. That Obama will be the Democratic nominee there can be no doubt. Clinton's policy towards the Palestinians would be a disaster. She will do exactly what Bush has said(he has done nothing) in the last seven years: The Israelis are always right; the Palestinians are terrorists and always wrong. That would be Hillary's approach also towards the Palestinians. What a disgrace.

[nana]

"....she's been pretty successful in painting him as an elitist, black supremacist, inexperienced and reckless pansy who may also be a secret Muslim." Hillary did not do that for me; Obama did and so did press leaks re his religion and his associations. I will not vote period because of all the "verbal slaps" and visuals she has received from the DNC and the "party elders" since this campaign began. Never once has anyone celebrated this half of this historical election; instead, they have been trying to push her out from the beginning. America is not ready for a woman to be president. Women are still "sweeties". The Democrat "big tent" has run out of space for women unless we are doing all the dirty work for the men so they can reap the benefits.

[Mary Tovey]

Elitist black supremist - what rubbish ! They are RIVALS for god's sake ! Why do insist on presenting Mrs Clinton as some scheming conniving bitch ?
Just as many voters in the States support as do Mr Obama. Why should Hillary give up her candidacy just because some would like it to be over ?
Voters in all states have the right to express their views, and when that process is completed, then Barack will be nominated as the Democratic Candidate for the Presidency.
Until then, Hillary Clinton has every right to remain in the race. Go Girl !!

[nmdemo]

If Obama is the nominee, I will definitely vote for McCain. I prefer McCain over Obama anytime because with McCain, I at least know what to expect, but with Obama as shady as he has been and probably still is, I will not take any chances in being one to have gotten him in office. I would even have another four years of Bush compared to having them with Obama. Hillary by far has been the best one, but since all she gets from the press is garbage, and Obama gets the best whether he is wrong or not, than I'm sure Obama will get their vote. In all my life of voting, I have never seen the media be this cruel during an election. It seems that Obama can do no wrong the way the media covers for him and babies him. I wonder who is going to run this nation if Obama is the president, is it the media, Wright, Ayers, Rezko, or any of his other hidden shady friends. I still say, Obama has more bad goings hidden and when it all comes out, it will be too late.

[junes marta pariz]

I still hope that hILLARY will be the winner

I feel from my heart that Obama is the person who will make changes. I also feel Hillary is a very smart women. I feel who ever the Lord have to be our next president.
We first must ask ourselves a question are we as American people going to support our president all the way 100%? I thank God for he already knows who will be and who he has chosen to be our next president. I walk by faith not by sight. We need to pray for God will to be done not ours. I feel we need to not judge the outer person but take a good look at the heart. Aboma is a man who stands by his word. I look into his eyes and I listen to his heart the care and concern he has for the American people.
Walk by faith not by sight!

[BROOKEG]

I won't vote for obama. i am one of those Hilliary supporters that is going to vote for mccain

[Jon Quirk]

Which bit of this is in doubt? - "painting him as an elitist, black supremacist, inexperienced and reckless pansy who may also be a secret Muslim"

Pretty much sums up both him and his chances of election. Democrats will be left as last time with John Kerry thinking "if only.." and the best chance of responsible Governance for decades will have evaporated.