Clinton Supporters Offer To Help McCain

[BobbyVan]

Clinton Supporters Offer To Help McCain

04 Jun 2008 09:39 am

Matt Burns, the spokesman for the GOP convention in St. Paul e-mails to say that the RNC's convention office in St. Paul has received numerous telephone calls in the last few hours from people who identify themselves as Clinton supporters asking how they can help Sen. McCain.

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/clinton_supporters_offer_to_he.php

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This is scary stuff.

Can we maybe tone down the critiques of Clinton just a tad? She has a huge following - almost as big as Obama's. We'll need them to win in November.

[boobooday]

1. I heard they are hiring extra restroom attendants at the airport! n/t

[no name no slogan]

50. Yes, they're certainly taking a wide stance on this

nt

[conspirator]

55. Clinton would probably become POTUS if she was a republican candidate

She has a lot of republicans behind her, and it's all about about skin colour

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. that happens EVERY campaign

there is a percentage of people who will take their marbles and go home

[LittleClarkie]

3. I don't understand spite votes

voting against one's self interest and principled because you're pissed that the other guy came out on top.

[apocalypsehow]

4. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6273600

[anonymous171]

5. There isn't a lot we could say to get them to help Obama.

They simply hate Obama with a burning and irrational passion. They love Hillary but not her democratic ideals.

[PoliticalAmazon]

52. Ummm...do we WANT them "helping" Obama?....

Anyone whose first choice was to work for McCain probably would not be an asset to Obama, may very well be a mole, and perhaps even a saboteur.

No, let McCain have the Hillary voters who want to help his campaign. Let's just hope none of Hillary's women supporters who help McCain never get called a "*unt" by him, like his wife did.

[LSparkle]

6. These HRC supporters ought to leave the Dem Party, like the Dixiecrats did

We're just purging the more conservative wing of our party,
in favor of focusing on younger, more liberal voters.

[griffi94]

25. yeah that would be great

except we'd never win another national election. jeez, right at a time when the gop is so fractured as to be despondent, we seem to be doing everything in our power to shoot ourselves in the foot.
it takes the gop years and years to fracture but we democrats can pull it off in 1 primary season.

[LSparkle]

63. And the alternative is to allow these conservatives to pull us further to the right?

I've watched as MY PARTY has drifted further and further into RWLand
(thanks to DLC and other factions) as to be rightly labeled as "Repug
Lite" at times. There would be NO NEED for a Green Party if the
Democratic Party had remained truer to its liberal roots.

[Shakespeare]

7. This is HILLARY'S responsbility.

SHE is responsible for calling for unity, and asking her supporters to support Obama. It has a reached the point where she is doing real harm to our party by refusing to bow out.

[redqueen]

11. Can't put it any more succinctly than that.

It's not people's criticism of Hillary that is making them act crazy... it is Hillary's crazy refusal to acknowledge her loss and help them to move on to the GE.

[JuniperLea]

33. I think Obama knows better than anyone...

He's moved on. We should too. Hillary's campaign is a train wreck... best to avert our eyes and save us all the embarrassment. The only thing more embarrassing is watching the hate against her continue. This helps no one.

We should show respect to Obama by mirroring his example. Unless there is a nice place for her supporters to land, nothing Hillary can do will make them unite.

[HeraldSquare212]

18. Yup, a little leadership is in order here. It's 3 AM and the phone is ringing...

[JuniperLea]

36. The real leadership has already spoken

Time to follow Obama's lead.

[gal]

38. She'll ask them to call back after she has time to think about it....

[JuniperLea]

35. Oh bull...

It's our responsibility to follow Obama's lead and avert our attention to the real campaign. NOT following his lead is an insult to him.

[GoldieAZ49]

69. Its a free country

and Hillary, as you and others are so eager to claim, doesn't have the power to control individuals choices

[mdmc]

8. He is gonna need all the help he can get

perhaps he needs her as veep.

Between Barr and McCains inability to talk, it will be a hard year for the GOP

[beachmom]

19. No, those zealots will not vote for Obama even if he put HRC on the ticket.

Plus it makes him look weak.

[mdmc]

65. I meant McCain + Clinton

but it was tongue and cheek

[Zachstar]

47. Many of these people are not going to vote for a black man period..

Regardless of status of the ticket.

[mdmc]

66. I meant McCain, not Obama

[bowens43]

9. a few thousand lunatics aren't going to make a difference.

The vast majority of hillary's supporters will vote for the nominee. We see these idiots every election cycle....same old shit.
angry, spiteful people who are all bluster. Soon they'll get bored and wander off.

[griffi94]

30. just like a few hundred

lunatics voting for nader in florida in 2000 didn't make a difference.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JVS]

12. When did you get the new avatar? Thanks for your concern.

[smiley_glad_hands]

13. The bigots--NO--they can leave and vote mcsame.

The sincere Dems will vote Dem.

[Zachstar]

48. Amen! And those who care about Roe Vs Wade..

[SoFlaJet]

14. no fuck them all Bobby

they were never real democrats in the first place-I have two daughters who have never voted before signed up and ready to make up for two disgruntled Clinton people...I am sick and tired of having to "give her time" "give THEM time"-I and all the rest of us democrats have put up with a lot of shit over the past 6 months from the arrogant fucks they are. Remember MOST of us supported someone else before Obama-they need to get over it or just fucking LEAVE.

[scheming daemons]

15. These are the "Operation Chaos" types that were ALWAYS going to vote for McCain....

....ignore them.

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. Some, but not all

Some people personalized how they feel Clinton got trashed and got really alienated. That's not my reality so don't ask me to describe or justify it. Emotions are a powerful force, and like statistics, some logic can always be found to back up any position that one is attached to.

Which is in suppoert of the concern raised in the OP. As long as heat is on the stew it will keep boiling, and Obama will permanently lose some support that it is still possible for him to regain.

[cliffordu]

16. Operation chaos. who cares?

[beachmom]

17. It's not us. It's her. She is the one who upped the rhetoric to epic proportions

AND refuses to concede. She keeps pushing the bogus popular vote numbers, and leading many of her supporters on in thinking the nomination was "stolen". Did you read this?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/198714.php

The crowd kept pouring into the Xcel Energy Center. All ages. All races. All backgrounds. Young Somalis chanting "O-bama!" And older, white women, bedecked in sparkling red, white and blue and holding up a sign, "Women for Obama!''

But most noticeable was the arrival of such people as Buck Humphrey, who once had headed Hillary Rodham Clinton's Minnesota campaign. And Jackie Stevenson, a DFL activist, a feminist and a Clinton-supporting superdelegate, who at the last minute had changed her mind about attending the event. And St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, who was a Clinton supporter until sometime Monday. And Rick Stafford, another Clinton superdelegate.

They're coming on board. Just not the dead end zealots who are vying for attention. The RNC shouldn't get too overconfident, just because a few bitter supporters are being especially loud.

[spanone]

20. rush limpball democrats...fuggem

[Barack_America]

21. Good, let them go...

And hang out with the McCain folks, learn about McCain's anti-choice, anti-middle class, pro-war policies. It's better that they be exposed to McCain's platform well before they cast their ballots.

If that's not enough to send them back to the Democratic party, then they were never Democrats to begin with.

And we true Dems, will just have to work a bit harder to bring new, true Dems into the fold.

[kevinbgoode]

22. They must have not really been Clinton supporters then. . .

because no one supporting Clinton would be supporting the policies of McSame and the Republican party. Their entire reason for supporting Clinton is extremely suspect, since she disagrees with McCain on nearly every issue.

Of course, the RNC is going to play this up, even if they only received one phone call. That was McSame's strategy last night - and Hillary's failure to address that issue in her speech was just flat out wrong. However, this is the GOP we are dealing with. . .and these alleged Clinton supporters jumping party ship surely have a reasonable explanation for their support of a new candidate who would nueter Roe v. Wade, views women as disposable property, is against universal health care (a key Clinton position) and for the war in Iraq. If they can embrace such a candidate so easily, then how is it even possible that they supported Clinton in the first place except as an extension of the Rush Limbaugh operation?

[DJ13]

23. Need any further proof Hillary is now an enemy of our party?

[newmajority]

24. Thread should be titled "Delusional Hillbots Offer to Help McCain"

Clinton supporters are rational people who will support the Democratic nominee. Hillbots are idiotic tools.

[Thrill]

26. These people aren't Democrats. No one who believes in Hillary, could support McCain

Makes no sense. So I don't believe they are Democrats

[northernsoul]

27. Sounds like a "false flag"/disinformation ploy by the GOP to me

I just don't believe that the hardcore Harriet Christian/"Give me Hillary or give me death"/Crazy Cat Collector segment of HRC's supporters is actually all that large.

[LaurenG]

28. No I won't be blackmailed or bribed

If her most mentally derranged supporters want to help McCain they can go for it. Let them create Karma for themselves that will haunt them throughout the rest of their days, I'll have no part of them. :washes hands:

[BlooInBloo]

29. Tone down the criticism of those who support McCain? Are you fucking serious?

HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!

[Zachstar]

43. Amen! People need to stop allowing themselves to become political hostages.

[Orangepeel]

32. how many is "numerous"? Three?

There is nothing to do about this, except to find new voters to replace them.

These are not swing voters. These are people looking for a reason not to vote for Obama. A person willing to switch from being an active Clinton supporter to being an active McCain supporter is going to do so, no matter Obama supporters do.

[billyoc]

34. McCain supporters return to form.

[SeattleGirl]

37. If they are going to do that, I would bet they weren't Dems in the

first place.

[Zachstar]

42. BINGO!!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

39. He and his supporters are showing Clinton respect - this is not surprising.

I have to constantly battle the impulse to do the same.

[Toucano]

40. Don't get too excited about the hype.

There is no evidence that these people were Clinton supporters.

Specifically, there has been a woman on Fox News named Cristi Adkins who claims to be a Clinton supporter who will now be donating money to McCain. Interesting thing is she doesn't show up as having made any contribution to any candidate.

If she raises as much money for McCain as she did for Clinton, which appears to be ZERO dollars, I'm not afraid.

The conventional wisdom on DU is that the cross-over Republican voters who prefer Clinton to McCain are as common as unicorns, but the fact is that they do exist. If they support McCain over Obama, that's just who they are - Republicans. It doesn't have anything to do with Clinton.

[Zachstar]

41. If you want to be held political hostage go ahead.

I'm not. If they want to support McCain FUCK THEM!!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

44. Dems who vote for McCain out of spite can go fuck themselves.

[Zachstar]

45. Amen!! And likely they were never dems in the first place.

The democratic party does not support racism which many of the so called supporters are jumping ship for. They are fuckers and then can piss off!

[Meshuga]

49. That's their choice

What can we do? That's a product of people getting too into it and not able to handle their emotions.

[AlCzervik]

46. i don't believe for a second they are democrats or ever had intention of voting for HRC in the GE.

[Rosco T.]

51. Said it before, say it again... TREASON

anyone that votes for McBush is an dammed traitor to this nation, it's people and their children. I don't give a damn what your 'excuse' is, you're a dammed traitor and guilty of TREASON against this nation.

[BobbyVan]

56. Did a Freeper get in here?

[PoliticalAmazon]

53. What do you think will happen the first time McCain calls one of them a "*unt"?

[LTR]

54. The only reason they wanted Clinton was that they're really Republicans

They wanted to run against Clinton rather than Obama.

Now that their shenanigans failed, they've returned to the roost.

[Carrieyazel]

57. If this is widespread, is there any way that Barack wins?

Of course not. Having the temerity to say to other Democratic voters (and I'm not talking about the 10% that always go to the other side in Prez elections--they're gone anyway) that "WE DO NOT NEED OR WANT YOUR VOTE" is the stupidest thing that could be done in this GE campaign.

All McLame has to do is to cut in significantly into the Democratic vote, and he's in. And the people who wrote off certain segments of Dems deserve a large share of the blame if we blow this election.

[EFerrari]

60. Oh, come on. McWar's own party doesn't want him.

There is a vocal knot of Clinton supporters that are having convulsions. All 11 of those extremists won't put McMore over the top.

Thoughtful Democrats will vote with the party and we'll all be happy we did when our nominee is inaguarated.

There are a lot of people in distress right now. They need time and consideration. But they are NOT freepers.

[Vinca]

Rabid Hillary supporters like this remind me of when I was 12 years old

and briefly abandoned Beatlemania in favor of the Rolling Stones. Half of my little girlfriends wouldn't talk to me. How totally, fucking insane.

[shadowknows69]

58. These people aren't Democrats

Or aren't anymore anyway. Good riddance.

[EFerrari]

59. How is this scary? The freeps that go over to McCain

would have done it anyway.

[OzarkDem]

61. More mysterious phone calls from "so-called Clinton supporters"

Interesting, there seems to be a pattern. And the news media is breathlessly reporting it all as if it were the most important "news" ever.

[renate]

62. spite votes are especially offensive coming from women, IMO

When I think of how proud the suffragettes would have been to see a woman running for President, I am so moved. They made it possible, they and all the feminists since Seneca Falls.

But when I think of how sad they would be to see women wasting their votes on McBush, in the name of feminism, I could just cry.

I am proud to be a feminist and the daughter of a feminist and I would NEVER DREAM of either wasting my vote or not using it seriously. Too many brave women worked too many years and gave up too much for me to throw my vote away like that.

[Crunchy Frog]

64. This isn't coming from the critiques of Clinton

it's coming from the signals that Hillary herself is sending out. Obama and his supporters could not have been more gracious to her at the rally last night, and it obviously wasn't good enough. Maybe some of her more responsible supporters need to tap her on the shoulder and tell her she needs to get on the ball for the greater good.

[Geek_Girl]

67. Um I call BS, this is coming from the GOP

There strategy is fuel the fires to divide the dem party right now. Because they know they can't win any other way.

I wouldn't believe anything coming from the RNC.

[opihimoimoi]

68. Yup, pure crap....

[AZBlue]

70. They aren't doing that because of what a few Obama supporters have to say.

If they are really doing it - and I'm suspicious, considering the source - they have serious hate issues that may not be addressable.

[Az_lefty]

71. fuck 'em...I'd rather have a squad I trusted than a platoon I didn't.