Tom Baldwin
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A bloodied Hillary Clinton is accusing Barack Obama of seeking to force her out of the ring before the fight for the Democratic nomination is over.
She has taken to comparing herself to Rocky Balboa. Speaking yesterday in Philadelphia, where the films about the underdog boxer are set, she said: “I know what it means to get knocked down. But I’ve never stayed down, and I never will. Let me tell you something – when it comes to finishing the fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up.”
Sylvester Stallone, the actor who played Rocky, has backed John McCain. And, it may be noted, the film ends with Rocky’s defeat to Apollo Creed, a black man.
Mrs Clinton’s point yesterday was that her campaign will not be throwing in the towel. “Just as it’s getting time to vote here in Pennsylvania,” she said, “Senator Obama says he’s getting tired of it. His supporters say they want it to end.”
Mr Obama described the contest recently as a “good movie that runs about half an hour too long” or even a “Bataan death march”. Some of his leading backers, including Senator Patrick Leahy, have been explicit in calling for Mrs Clinton to halt a battle that threatens to damage Democrat prospects of retaking the White House.
The former First Lady said in a North Carolina interview this week: “I didn’t understand why Senator Obama and some of his supporters wanted to prevent you and other states from actually being able to vote.” Yesterday Mr Obama appeared to row back on his supporters’ comments, saying that Mrs Clinton had “certainly earned the right to stay in the race for as long as she wants”.
She knows, however, that her path to victory is becoming narrower by the day. It emerged yesterday that Mr Obama’s caucus victories in Texas meant that he had secured more delegates than Mrs Clinton in a state where she won last month’s primary.
He has an almost insurmountable lead among elected delegates and Mrs Clinton’s remaining hopes rely on her winning the April 22 Pennsylvania primary and gaining fresh momentum for the other remaining nine contests.
Aides argue that this would pile pressure on the party leadership to overturn a ban on delegates from Florida and Michigan – where she won the bulk of votes – being seated at the Democratic convention.
Even then she would need to persuade a large majority of uncommitted super-delegates to tip the balance of the race her way. Mrs Clinton’s advantage among this group has shrunk significantly over recent weeks and a poll yesterday showed her double-digit lead in Pennsylvania falling to only five points. Even one of the super-delegates supporting her, Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, predicted yesterday that “Barack Obama is going to be the next president”.
An analysis of the Democratic Party’s 169-member credentials committee yesterday suggested that Mrs Clinton was unlikely to have enough support to get the Florida and Michigan delegations reinstated.
Yesterday she attempted some April Fool’s Day humour by challenging Mr Obama to settle the nomination contest with a “bowl-off”. He has attributed a lamentable performance at a bowling alley in Pennsylvania over the weekend to drinking too much beer. “It’s time for his campaign to get out of the gutter,” Mrs Clinton said yesterday, “for all of the pins to be counted.”
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Sure, she has a right to stay in the race.
But how did the question of whether Hillary should drop out of the race turn into a question of whether or not she has a "right" to keep running?
She should quit for the good of the party and the country, this is not about Hillary, it's about America.
Dave, Bradenton, FL, United States
Didn't Rocky go the distance and then lose in his first fight?
Eric, New York, USA
What can one say about those who fail to respect Hillary as a courageous and tenacious candidate with many good ideas for America and the world? Nothing. They lack the gallantry to salute a brave woman, and what can be done about that?
In some ways this campaign has been an eyeopener for me.
]
As an Indian I used to imagine Westerners, especially Ango societies, respected women and countries like India and China could learn a lot from them. Now I am a bit skeptical of that assumption.
All the unreasoning hatred of Hillary, failure to give her the simplest credit where it was due, has disillusioned me about supposed Anglo societies' respect for women. In India, Indira Gandhi was often unpopular, but the depths of abuse of her never reached this awful level, this kind of pettiness.
You'll be disillusioned with Obama fast enough. Just wait.
Ganpat Ram , London , UK
I agree with Hillary on this one. The comparison is well chosen. First Rocky is a fictional character, so is she. Second, Rocky lost to a Black MAN, that's also true. Knowing all this, why does she continue to create the division inside the party when the outcome is so clear to all? Picturing herself as the female being bullied by men is her last attempt to appeal to the women voters and at the same time she claims that gender is not an issue in this race...
Rocky, the fight is over and you have lost.
John, CHICAGO, USA
Hillary Clinton is hysterical. I love her thumbs up image as if she has a hope in hell. Stallone is an awful actor as are YOU!!! I
guess it was a good comparison to make after all.
K, london, UK
Winners never quit.
Quitters never win.
But someone who nevers wins and nevers quits is a fool.
Which will it be for Hillary?
Simon, Stockport,
Hi,
Faces and behaviour answer many questions the disquiets lady must step aside as also her adversary.
Regards Dr. Tence Hale
Terence Hale, zandvoort, Holland
"I never quit, I never give up" Yes and Hitler said much the same thing. Seems sometimes the sign of a good leader is to know when to call it a day.
malcolm Kinnear, ios, Cyclades, greece
I think she is like Rocky. She let a close personal aid nearly ruin her life, she entered a fight at least 10 years too late, she looks like sheâs been in one too many scrapes, and she's getting hammered by an African American but keeps coming back!
To really be like Rocky she needs a campaign montage!
Alasdair Marshall, Edinburgh, Scotland
having seen a bbc documentary at the weekend that really is a young Ken Dodd waving from a tram at blackppol aint it.
richard dow , stenhousemuir,
Please explain why Hilary Clinton should leave the primary race before the convention? Why quit when there is a very good chance she will win. Many states satill have to hold their primaries, the problem with Michigan and Florida has to be resolved and the super delegates must vote - - so why on earth should Hilary drop out?
Nona, New York City, USA
It's over, boomer lady.
Off you go, and take your tall tales with you.
Chris, Liverpool, England
Good God, the woman will do anything to win a few votes, even comparing herself to a cartoon character.
But I guess she is right about "Rocky" never quiting.
What has Stallone made, half a dozen of those dumb movies?
Judging by the ads, he looked like a bad job of embalming in the last one.
He never quits, but again as with Clinton, a lot of people wish he had quit a long time ago.
JOHN CHUCKMAN, toronto, Canada
This was the same justification Bush used to stick with the war in Iraq. He was just so proud of the fact he wasn't a quitter. So Hillary and Bush are just like Rocky!
Nancy, Los Altos, Ca
Yo Adrian, I DID IT. I 'm confident ROCKY won. Anyone that would ask another opponent to quit before a race was over is afraid they are going to get beat. I would never vote for someone who wants to win without finishing.
Richard Dreiling, Springfield, OR
Hillary is doing the right thing. She has a right to keep on going. They were great as the masters of the White House when President Bill was there. She was a great first lady and many good were accomplished during his presidency. She is genuine when she puts forth her platform. I hope she wins, for she can bring success for all of us. The party will be fine. So keep going Hillary. God bless all of us, Hillary and our beautiful USA.
Jewel, Houston, Tx,
To all Obamas supporters go rent the movie Doomsday, you will love it. Mrs. Clinton is only behind less than 200 delegates there are still many people who wants to vote. The press is in a hurry to count her out but we are not, democracy lives on for her. No body can fix the economy like the Clintons. I would like to ask the media people why are you so against Mrs. Clinton? American journalism feeding hate to the masses by twisting the truth overriding democracy, confusing people, and hurting the people who could benefit by having a great leader like Mrs. Clinton. It would be nice to hear what the candidates say without third parties twisted input, the people who wants her out will do a favor to this country by stepping out of their positions themselves for trashing democracy. Nancy Pelosi don't understand yet the Super delegates vote for whoever is the best candidate for the party regardles of pledged delegates or popular vote. The economy is not good and she is in China. Too bad
alice , lebanon, mo
She's comparing herself to a fictional character, who lost. That movie came out over thirty years ago. She is so about the past...
Amy Hasslacher, Washington, DC, USA
It's ridiculously hilarious that she compares herself to someone that ultimately loses. Wow. Maybe she's trying to tell herself something...
Matt, Hudson / Ohio, United States / Ohio
I disagree with the popular view among reporters that a lusty fight for the nomination is bad for the Democratic Party. JFK fought all the way to the convention and at the convention in Los Angeles in 1960. He and his surrogates twisted arms, offered political bribes and political threats and he finally emerged the victor over Lyndon Johnson at the convention. And he won the election against a sitting Vice President who was following a very popular president. He won at a time our economy was strong. His principal argument was that we had a "missile gap" with the USSR. If he could win with that kind of platform under those circumstances, Obama or Clinton should dance to the presidency no matter what they say about each other.
Charlotte Toerner, Sherburne, New York, USA