Hillary Clinton has changed her rhetoric 180 degrees. Thank you Senator Clinton - we get it.

[grantcart]

Over the last week Senator Clinton has dropped all of the incindiary rhetoric that has been apart of her attack on Obama since Super Tuesday.

Gone are the wink and nods, nothing about 'our people' and 'our issues'.

Gone is the guilt by association, Rev. Wright, Ayers and Rezko.

Gone is the baiting about 'refusing to debate'.

Gone is the attack on Obama the elitist.

Gone is the be afraid tact (3:00 call and undermining the commander in chief status).

Gone are the stump speech references to Florida and Michigan.

Gone are the references that frame Obama as primarily an African American candidate.

Bill Clinton is behaving.

The surogates have gone to the beach.

(The threads in reference to the 'nuclear option' are in reference to an article by Edsall at Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/04/clinton-camp-considering_n_100051.html I find his argument entirely unconvincing. To begin with his facts are wrong. Inclusion of the delegations are not going to be decided by the rules committee. Ultimately it will be decided by the credentials committee at the convention and be submitted to a vote to the floor of the convention if necessary. After publishing an incindiary post the Clinton campaign comes back and says http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=7495 we haven't changed anything and the Rules committee is filled with long long time senior officials to the party who may support a candidate but are very indipendent. Edsall then turns this around and says it confirms a 'secret plan' ridiculous. If they wanted to turn up the heat they would be making a lot of statements on the stump.)



She has replaced all of this with:



Pandering to Guam and Gas Tax Holliday. She is stressing a poplulist messages.



These are issues that are not going to hurt Obama in the General Election.

MOREOVER BY TAKING MCCAINS GAS TAX HOLLIDAY PROPOSAL CLINTON, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IS HELPING OBAMA START HIS GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN AGAINST MCCAIN.




Senator Clinton,

The rest of the electorate doesn't get it. The media won't get it until Rev. Wright speaks about it.

We get it Senator. You are doing one of two things

Either you are preparing to end your campaign http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5809739

or you are committed to continue but only by using issues that will not hurt us in the General Election.

Thank you.

Fellow Democrats




If you get it and appreciate Senator Clinton going to the high ground now give it a rec to say thank you.

[MadBadger]

1. The Elitist charge isnt gone yet

Thats what this gas tax thing is about too, an attack on her elitist critics.

[grantcart]

5. she has to say something she cannot go up on the stump and mime

If she is planning a possible end she still wants to go out on top (or as top as she can get)



What is undeniable is that she has stopped aiming at Obama. She is not using his 'bitter' remarks.


She is not focusing on gaffes or statements out of context.


She is talking only about policy. This is a complete change in her rhetoric.

[curious one]

47. She is changing because she sees the end. She is finally getting it.

End is near.

PS - if she wins, I am voting for Mc Crazy. i can't take 4-8 years of Clintons.

[Divernan]

67. She is changing in hopes of blackmailing Obama into paying off her $20 mill. debts

I'll play nice and quit if you waste all that money so many struggling Americans donated to your campaign to pay for my grossly incompetent campaign management and my vicious attempts to destroy your chances in the general election.

[grantcart]

68. always a possibility but I don't really care as long as she isn't cutting commercials for McCain

[JVS]

2. Interesting, but I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Experience says she'll change course.

[DJ13]

3. ......for the time being

Sorry, but any trust I might have had in her that would allow me to think she will remain a changed candidate was blown a long time ago.

I wish it was true, but I wont get my hopes up.

[last1standing]

4. I posted a thread like this about a month ago.

But, of course, Hillary had to come back out swinging again with lies and repub talking points. I have to admit that I'm done trusting her to stop her hateful attacks and her paid cronies here at DU just prove that she's using less direct methods at the moment but will spit out more venom if needed.

[grantcart]

27. understandable

[BklynChick]

6. I think she's turned all of that in for the nuclear option

[grantcart]

10. there is no nuclear option

It was one badly written blogger talking out his ass.

To believe that it exists you have to believe that all of the people who run the party are going to fall down and do what she says.


Even DNC Rules committee members who 'happen to support' her are not inclined to ruin the party. They carry alot more about the party than they do about Hillary.

[BlooInBloo]

Any other genius analysis to offer us?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/04/clinton-camp-considering_n_100051.html

[grantcart]

29. Yeah Edsall comments are idiotic and I addressed them in detail

in the OP

Do you have anything to offer besides a graphic?


I would be interested in something like a list of those on the Rules Committee that are likely to support this.


Beyond that his whole premise is fucking wrong. Its the Credentials committee that decides and not the rule committee and the final report of the credentials committee goes to the floor of the convention.


If this is such a fucking big deal why is there only one blogger talking about it?


Why is the Obama campaign not reacting?

[NJmaverick]

7. She was threatened by the party leadership and is now behaving just enough

not to have them shut her down. Her campaign is still destroying the Dems GE chances though and she doesn't care.

[stillcool]

8. She's got plenty of surrogates..

to do her trashing and bashing for her.

[grantcart]

11. and where are they?

Hear much from Carville or Davis?

Stickland or Schumer?

Where have all of the surrogates gone? Sunday none of them showed up on the talk shows.

[stillcool]

17. Gathering ammunition?

I just can't fathom the idea that she will lay down that double-edged sword she wields until someone is officially dead.

[grantcart]

24. so far today 6 superdelegates go for Obama - its starting to break big

[undeterred]

9. I just want her to go away now and not come back.

[TheWraith]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Whatever struck some sanity into them, I'm glad it did. I think they're getting ready for a soft landing after the 6th.

[grantcart]

31. tks

[BklynChick]

13. what does your crystal ball say about when she will suspend her campaign?

[scheming daemons]

15. Within 48 hours from now.... that's my guess.....

Sorry WV, KY, OR, ND, MT, and PR..... you won't get the opportunity to make a difference... .but you WILL get the opportunity to officially put Obama "over the top".

[sakura]

20. As an Oregonian, that would be okay with me...

I so badly want this thing to end.

[grantcart]

18. I think it will be after a giant win in West Virginia but it could be tomorrow

Obama is only 137 Pledged delegates away from the 'Pelosi' trigger which will net him dozens of super delegates.

It will also trigger Clinton SDs who have said that they will follow the leader of pledged delegates.


Tomorrow win lose or draw Obama will get about 90 pledged delegates and only about 40 pledged delegates away.

He will absolutley have that no later than May 20th. This contest will definitely be over May 21st.

[grantcart]

26. my crystal ball says that Obama has picked up 6 super delegates today

[goclark]

14. Please let it be

[grantcart]

22. go out and buy some champagne goclark just get it chilled

[goclark]

38. you were reading my mind ~ going for Margueritas this PM

:bounce:

[grantcart]

40. lol

[speedoo]

16. I can't disagree, but don't make the mistake of trusting her.

She is only changing tactics because what she was doing was not working as well as she needed. And she has damaged Obama's chances against McCain anyway. She may have written off 2008, but that does not mean she won't be wanting McCain elected so she has a better chance of succeeding in 2012.

Trusting Hillary or anyone close to her is a mistake. Ask Al Gore and John Kerry.

[grantcart]

19. Don't trust her but would like to encourage her

Obama is only 137 delegates away from taking the pledged delegate majority. After that it is impossible for her to turn it around.

Its over and they know it.

[ccharles000]

21. She is a wonderful person.

[madwivoter]

23. Thanks for yet another great post.

K & R

[grantcart]

25. tks

[FrenchieCat]

28. Too fucking late!

There are really many who will never forget.

Hillary Clinton can kiss a large majority of the Black vote goodbye, even in New York. What she did, in promoting a racist approach to her appeal in this primary campaign, will live on in infamy forever. Black folks will not forget this kind of backward racial divisive tone coming from their own party EVER; that is something you can bank on.

[grantcart]

30. The focus now is winnnig the GE

everything else is a luxury we cannot afford.

[bigbrother05]

32. I hope you're right

But she has done damage, and I Will get past that, as long she is not on the ticket.
Congrats to you Grantcart, for another great post

[grantcart]

35. We have to start thinking about 11/4 just 6 months away

what is past is past

[grantcart]

33. CNN CLINTON MORE CONCILATORY ON FINAL DAY

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/05/clinton-more-conciliatory-on-final-day/


Clinton more conciliatory on final day
Posted: 01:50 PM ET

Hillary Clinton highlights differences with Barack Obama.
GREENVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) – Hillary Clinton went on a weekend offensive, aggressively highlighting her differences with Barack Obama to North Carolina and Indiana voters – accusing him of not supporting relief from high gas prices, saying his health care plan would leave 15 million people uninsured and telling crowds that Obama voted against stopping home foreclosures.

On Monday morning however, she struck a more conciliatory tone.

“We have some differences my opponent Sen. Obama and I, and those are perfectly legitimate. You know, no two people are alike, you can’t expect two people running for president to have exactly the same positions,” Clinton told supporters.

“Of course once we have a nominee we’re going to close ranks and have a unified party because the differences between us as Democrats pale in comparison to the differences we have with Sen. McCain and the Republicans,” she added.

[Shine]

34. K & R

:kick:

:patriot: thanks, grantcart! :hi:

[grantcart]

36. thanks

[Skidmore]

37. I'd say she's still in one of the sublevels still.

High ground, not so much. Ground level, not even. Lower than a snake's belly, close enough. In a GE, she will be torpedoed because that's when Hillary would get vetted by the Rs and the media alike. They want a Bushie reduxe vs. a potential Clinton do over. War and high drama.

[TragedyandHope]

39. And now, the end is near

And so I face the final curtain.

My Way

[goclark]

42. I did it myyyyy way

Regrets I have not one

I did what I had to do
And I did it all with bad intentions.

I've left the Democrats in a big stuuuuuuuuu

And thanks to Bill, I 've messed up royal lee.

[Lucky 13]

41. Sorry, but she JUST released another ad attacking Obama.

She does not understand the concept of "high ground". No credit deserved.

[grantcart]

43. her ad attacks Obama's policy position

Its not so much giving her credit as encouraging her final preparations to leave.

[Lucky 13]

48. oh then. "um... nice job Hillary. I am encouraged by your high road taking abilities.

er... you are awesome and honest and the most heroic woman alive."

<whisper> did it work? is she gone yet?

[grantcart]

49. no but if we come in with like 700 recs she might leave lol

[grantcart]

44. similar rumors

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5826441&mesg_id=5826441

[democracy1st]

45. and she still has Richard Mellon Scaife and the rightwing propaganda machine

on her side

[grantcart]

46. and in the last week what has she done with them?

That is the point of calling it a 180 degree change

[yodermon]

50. "can't shake the devil's hand, then say you're only kidding" n/t

[grantcart]

51. right

[cliffordu]

52. Sorry I'm late again!! Kicked~!!!!

:hi:

[grantcart]

53. lol

[Scurrilous]

54. K & R

:thumbsup:

[judasdisney]

55. Without an apology, there is no repentance. And it's only been 24 hrs. since the last Hatchet Job.

Atonement is called for. Redemption does not happen without it.

24 hours without a Hatchet Job does not a repentance make.

[gristy]

56. I wonder if this might be true

If indeed she has the best interests of the Democratic party in mind, and I think she does (though those interests had clearly taken a back seat to her desire for the nomination), then what you say makes sense. To change the tone of the campaign to one that favors Omaba, and to do it while she still has the pulpit, would be a very good way to help the party's chances in the GE, from President on down.

[shayes51]

57. And Obama did not change his message

concerning Rev. Wright?

[gristy]

58. And The Fonz did not change his message

concerning jumping the tuna?

But seriously, the merits of the content of your post aside, how is this related to the OP?

[TBF]

59. I think she's on the right track, but then again we saw her 2nd Amendment mailer with the gun

pointing at Obama. My guess is that she's preparing to drop out if she doesn't get double digit wins in IN and NC. There has to be tremendous pressure from behind the scenes for her to do so.

[nxylas]

60. K&R - this is what a primary campaign should be like

Play to win, by all means, but not at the expense of the Dem party's chances in the general.

[mcollier]

61. The new delegate threshold Hillary is now pushing

that includes the delegates from Florida and Michigan... and the Party cries FOUL!

[yardwork]

62. Um, she's running nasty attack ads against Obama in North Carolina.

Even the mainstream media reports that Hillary has ramped up the negativity in the past couple of days.

[grantcart]

63. agree but the attacks on the stump that are aimed at the GE are gone

I didn't mean to say that she wouldn't have negative ads and Obama has some too.

What is gone is the 3:00 in the morning, Bin Laden, not fit to be CIC shit.

[yardwork]

64. Replaced by "What has happened to Barack Obama? Why doesn't he care about you?"

Yeah, that's much more positive. :eyes:

[hisownpetard]

65. "Gone is the attack on Obama the elitist." Nope. She's saying it in her remarks about

the ill-conceived gas-tax holiday.

I understand your point, gc, but I'm not willing to praise her for doing what she should have done all along.
It's a case of 'too little, too late.'
And I think she's just toning down the rhetoric in case she falls flat in today's primaries and needs to save face - although,
at this point, I think there's very little 'face' left for her to save.

(Same goes for Terry McCall-it-off).

[grantcart]

66. she is attacking the policy and not his character

she is not attacking him on points that McCain can use.


She is going to continue but she has stopped making sound bites that McCain can use.


Its not too late until we get the White House..


We have to put aside our personal views and work for a GE victory.