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Hillary Clinton deserves an opportunity to play out the primary string. Then Barack Obama will have the chance to lead a united party
Published on Thursday, May 08, 2008
Has her path to the nomination eased?
Not really. The telling thing isn't the Obama victory in North Carolina. Rather, the margin in both states matters keenly. For Clinton to gain momentum, she had to show a reeling Obama, his argument for the nomination eroding steadily. She has raised questions, and made Obama a stronger candidate as a result. What Clinton hasn't achieved is an unraveling of her opponent, his solid showing in North Carolina and his solid enough performance in Indiana serving to bolster his position as the frontrunner.
That's not to say the Clinton candidacy lacks clout. Democrats have divided almost equally. Yet apply almost any measure, and Obama runs ahead. He has more pledged delegates, more campaign money, more votes overall and more momentum among the superdelegates.
This newspaper still thinks Hillary Clinton would be the better president. Yes, she has pandered relentlessly calling for a summer of relief from the federal gas tax. Worth attention is the larger theme that she has struck, the undue burden carried by the middle class, especially in view of a tax code that has favored increasingly the wealthy. All of it has been part of her speaking more comprehensively about what would drive a Clinton presidency. She has become a stronger candidate and a more effective leader.
In that vein, Clinton deserves to play out the string of primaries into June. Obama supporters talk about the need to unify the Democratic Party. They are right. Both Clinton and Obama have taken the high road on the question. If the Obama camp gets the nomination (captured fair and square), then the Clinton side must get the opportunity to finish the race (if it chooses, loans from the candidate and all).
Democrats must insist that the race achieve a more elevated tone. Clinton may wonder what happened to her ''inevitable'' nomination. The baggage of the Clinton years has proved heavy. The talking heads of the media often have swooned for Obama. The Clinton team erred hugely in sneering at caucus states. Mostly, Clinton has faced a formidable foe. Now her responsibility includes recognizing there is something much larger at stake than her candidacy.
That includes avoiding a nasty fight over the Florida and Michigan delegations. The national party bungled the issue. Obama ducked new primaries. Still, stage a primary in each state in June, and the race wouldn't change. Barack Obama would remain narrowly ahead. Hillary Clinton would be out of realistic options. The time would arrive for Democrats to pull together, their eyes on winning in the fall.
Get the full article here.
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