Were we, as Americans, really allowed to get into the campaign?

Or was it just a media circus?

Identity is a zero sum game.  One will win and another will lose.  

I prefer class warefare, but that's just me. :-)

I will be very disappointed in Hillary if she gives up after all this.

My decision to find something outside of supporting or voting for Obama rests largely in the laps of the media, the DNC, Axelrod & pals, and Obama, himself.

As for me, I'm not throwing in the towel unless HRC does. At that point, Obama can do whatever he pleases. I won't be interested.

Why? Not because I'm a hysterical female-type person, or because my feelings have been hurt by Obama. It's simply that I don't believe in Obama's version of the Democratic Party. Moreover, I don't believe his nomination, should it happen, is going to be legitimate considering Saturday's dog-and-pony show regarding FL and MI.

We now have only a razor-thin chance of re-infusing our party with its former FDR values. We can only do that if Hillary is the nominee, for Obama has proclaimed in every way possible that he doesn't care for those values at all.

I don't see anything whatsoever to celebrate if Obama should become the nominee. In fact, I believe it will be a tragic and Party-destroying nomination.

Problem is, as with all precipices, it's a very long, brutal fall to the bottom if one isn't careful.  And, based on what I've seen so far, the excitement of "his" moment has overtaken the need for him to be more careful.

I predict a fall.  And I don't see Hillary conceding or dropping out or whatever you want to call it.  I see her taking MI to the Credentials Committee and taking this to the Convention.

Do you really see any other woman willing to run the gauntlet of misogyny in the near future?

This will kill that idea for at least a generation.

Hillary had it all....but still loses to the unqualified man.

I'll watch her win or wins or split tonight and cheer for her and listen to what she has to say about the future as well as her summation of the race we've all been through together.

I'll support her all the way to Denver if that is what she wants to do.

Nobody threw in the towel yet, as far as I know.

Hopefully some Obama supporter will explain to me why I should  support Obama in the primaries after clinching the necessary delegates. I already know we can't afford to let the Republicans win.  

Clinton clearly has a lot of talent, poise, grace and love for both our country and the Democratic party (even though, lately, perhaps it hasn't deserved such affection).

Who knows what happens next?  But I'll be watching Clinton, following her, listening to her words.  This is not over and won't be even in November. Clinton has made history.

Real men just bring it.

They don't have to keep re-announcing the non-news that it's here if you squint and keep re-doing math.

Looks like a hot summer ahead.

Don't be counting any chickens before they're hatched.

We may see the Gore/Clinton ticket yet...

Works for me and of course, saves the party along with the country.

Cynthia McKinney, Kat Swift, Gloria La Riva, Ruth Bryant White.

Looks like a hot summer ahead.

Don't be counting any chickens before they're hatched.

We may see the Gore/Clinton ticket yet...

Works for me and of course, saves the party along with the country.

He doesn't have the required number of delegates.

He is not the nominee.

Hillary is not quitting, and I don't want her to.

My support for Hillary has nothing at all to do with her gender or the historic nature of being the first female nominee or first female president.  It has to do with the fact that she can beat John McCain and Obama can not.

If the party poohbahs do manage to carry Obama over the finish line to the nomination, they are guaranteeing a Republican president for another four years.

The chance of a woman being our Presidential nominee in this election will die tonight. For many women, this is a hard night because of it.

That said, I have a backup plan, and that is to wait out the storm of a McCain presidency until 2012.

I'm not even going to pretend that the Obama fans will take responsibility for their selection in November; they won't, and fingers will be wagging and pointing for 2 years until the books come out about what really transpired this primary season. Maybe the makers of Recount will do another one called Railroad.

There was a time in my life when politics as a fashion statement was more important than politics.  At some point I realized that there was real flesh and blood at stake and, like Billmon, my days of voting for Barry Commoner were over.

There's at least something romantic about being a fervent never give up jerk in supporting the losing, but better candidate.  I have little patience, but some sympathy (and certainly not disdain) for Dennis Kucinich's and Ron Paul's supporters. May they grow up some day.

It's quite another thing when you take that self-indulgent narcissistic attitude about a candidate who has won.  What's the point?  As a former Green Bay Packers fan, I understand how nice it is to rub the noses of people from Dallas in the Cowboys' loss.  But football is a game; politics isn't.

Barack Obama hasn't run a perfect campaign, but he has run a damn good one.  Better than Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Gore or Kerry.  He did, after all, come from behind to beat someone as established, funded, organized and gifted as Hillary Clinton.  Say what you want, but Barack Obama and his campaign are adults for whom politics isn't a fashion statement.

So, yes, I expect that the Obamas and their campaign will give Senator Clinton as much space as she needs -- at least to the extent that doesn't conflict with organizing and running a strong and ruthless general election campaign against John McCain.

And I expect that Senator Clinton will also be an adult for whom politics isn't a fashion statement.  She understands that all the things she cares about -- all those things she teared up about in New Hampshire -- will be easier for her to work on and to enact if Barack Obama is in the White House rather than John McCain.  

Who can doubt Hillary Clinton's commitment to universal health care?  How different would the prospects be depending on who gets elected president in November?  Personally, I would like to see her appointed to replace John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court (though she's a little old).

In any event, I expect both Obama and Clinton will deal with each other as adults.  I also expect that to be the case with most of their supporters, though there will always be a few who are, like I once was, more interested in politics as a fashion statement than a serious life and death game.

The choice is clear--  Either we get McCain, which will be a continutation of Bush policies or worse.  Or we take a chance on Obama.  For me, the war in Iraq and the looming Supreme Court appointments make this an easy decision.  In fact, Hillary would make an terrific Justic appointment if she is interested.

Also, I understand this is a pro Clinton blog and all, but Barack Obama isn't the devil.  There is just as logical and reasonable case to be made that any bad blood that exists is either a result of the Clintons or a hybrid Clinton/Obama mistake.  I learned a long time ago that the first sign of seeing you are in the wrong is when your ideology becomes so polarized you can't at least see the "other side" of an arguement.  The fact that both candidates have almost 50% of the party behind them should be a strong indication that any ill-feelings are not the exclusive right of one side to claim.  Remember, on the issues themselves, Obama and Clinton are darn near the same.

And now, the real war begins. Obama faces a party divided by sex and race, a country yearning for a new direction but petrified of change, and a world holding its breath to see what the future of the country will be, either a mere regurgitation of the current mess or the possibility of a new and better tomorrow.

But, those fights are for tomorrow, tonight some of us get to watch history in the making while others sulk and fester in the past and in delusions of a tomorrow that was never guaranteed. Hopefully, all of us as a party can pull back from the precibus of snatching defeat from the hands of victory and realize that although our favorite Democrat may not be our nominee, on a bad day Obama is still better than McCain.

So tonight, either lick the wounds of your shattered ego or revel in the history making end to an epic conflict of two stellar candidates, for tomorrow, tomorrow we all march headlong into the abyss of an entirely new paradigm of POTUS campaigns. An abyss marked with the perils of a very unconventional nominee, baptized by the fires of a long and protracted nomination process, lifting the hopes of many, carrying the fear and doubt of many others.

Point well said and well taken.  Having said that, its time for unity and its time to move forward.

Hillary has every right to celebrate a historic campaign that paved the way for future female candidates.

Please let the media and the world know how much we care and respect Hillary Clinton by sending any tribute (flowers, packages, signs, ribbons, etc) feasible for people who are able to reach the Clinton house in NY.

It's NOT to be funereal, but an honoring and tribute and show of support to a true American Hero!  Anything that the media or camera could angle as if a 'r.i.p.' or 'goodbye' should, of course, be avoided--ie, clear unequivocal messages of support and respect (sign messages, ribbon creations, floral arrangements, etc etc)

A plus is that it is a story/photo that the media canNOT ignore, no how much they may parse their words.  It is also a strong message to the DNC and SD and other supporters of HRC to not give up the good fight...:)

Please send out the call of visible support to any and all possible who can act on this today (ideally a strong message/photo op BEFORE the speeches tonight)

I don't get it.  I can understand changing if something horrible happened, but what kind of reasoning is this?

(CNN) -- California Rep. Maxine Waters, a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton, said Tuesday she is switching her support to Barack Obama.

"Senator Hillary Clinton has run a superb campaign and has proven to be a hard worker while gaining the support of many key constituencies that will be essential for Democratic success in November," she said in a statement. "Despite that, Senator Obama's delegate numbers more than describe the enthusiasm for his candidacy and I believe that by the end of the day, he will have the necessary numbers to become the Democratic Party nominee for President."

"It is now time to close ranks and time for all remaining delegates to put their support behind the presumptive nominee, Senator Obama. Senator Obama has run an effective campaign and has overcome many obstacles to create an energy that has brought many new Democrats into the party," Waters also said. "Together, both of these candidates have generated an unprecedented involvement in Democratic Party politics. This is something that all Democrats can be proud of."