Swing State Democrats Say Hillary Best For Top Of Ticket

[rodeodance]

And so it goes...........Go HILLARY



5/9/2008
Swing State Democrats Say Hillary Best For Top Of Ticket

Over a dozen members of Congress wrote to other Democrats touting their support for Hillary, saying she is the strongest candidate to have at the top of the ticket in the fall.

The text of the letter is below.

Dear Fellow Democrat,

We are writing to you because of our shared belief in our Party’s principles and our commitment to ensuring that we have the strongest possible nominee to lead our ticket against John McCain and the Republicans in November.

The decision about who to support to be our Party’s nominee is not one that any of us should take lightly. We haven’t. But, after giving this important decision a great deal of thought, we are convinced that Hillary Clinton has the vision, skills and commitment to make the changes our country needs. As Democrats who have run and won in competitive Congressional districts and battleground states, we believe that Hillary is best positioned to successfully lead the Democratic ticket in districts and states like ours around the country.

As you know, Hillary has racked up victories in bellwether states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and now Indiana that are absolutely vital to winning the White House and maintaining our Congressional majority in the fall. Hillary has won the big battleground states by connecting with voters whose support we must have to win the general election. Her victories in Pennsylvania and Indiana were all the more impressive after being outspent by as much as two or three to one.

Pennsylvania was not just a victory for Hillary Clinton. It was also a wake- up call for superdelegates, forcing us to ask ourselves two essential questions: 1) Which candidate can carry the magic 270 electoral votes to win in the fall? 2) Which candidate is most likely to help our fellow Democrats in down-ballot races? We believe the answer to both of these questions is Hillary Clinton.

On the first question, Hillary has shown she can win the all-important battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida even while being outspent. This speaks to her ability to connect with voters we must deliver in the fall, including blue collar Democrats who can sway this election as they have in the past.

On the second question, Hillary has won rural and suburban districts which we as Democrats must carry to maintain our edge in Congress. Of the fifteen districts rated “toss up” by the Cook Political Report, Hillary has now won ten. Of the 20 districts we picked up in 2006 that had gone for President Bush just two years before, Hillary has now won 16. She is strong in the places we must win to hold and expand our majority.

This is a historically close race. The candidates are separated by a mere percentage point or two and the path to victory for each candidate is the same: win in the upcoming states and secure enough pledged and automatic delegates to get to the number required to win the nomination.

The race now turns to the remaining six contests where the focus will be squarely on the economy. Voters in our states and across the country are voting on issues that affect them, their communities and their children’s future. We believe that they will decide that Hillary is the candidate who best understands those issues and has the best solutions to address them.

We Democrats are justifiably proud of both of our candidates, and if Senator Obama is our Party’s nominee, we will enthusiastically support him. But our responsibility is not to choose simply to support the eventual nominee; it is to help select the nominee who is best for our party and best for our country. Our choice is clear: Hillary Clinton is that candidate. We believe she should be your choice as well.

Thank you for consideration.

Sincerely,

Rep. Michael Arcuri (NY-24)

Rep. Shelley Berkley (NV-01)

Rep. Marion Berry (AR-1)

Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20)

Rep. Gene Green (TX -29)

Rep. John Hall (NY-19)

Rep. Darlene Hooley (OR-5)

Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (FL-17)

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH-11)

Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX-16)

Rep. Mike Ross (AR-4)

Rep. Joe Sestak (PA-8)

Rep. Ike Skelton (MO-4)

Rep. John Tanner (TN-8)

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20)

[jakem]

1. a consensus of 12 out of how many... there's like 15 members of congress or something?

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

4. I like the message.

[PBS Poll-435]

2. Nice letter.

[rodeodance]

8. It sure is.

[BlooInBloo]

3. How odd. Since Democratic Congrssional candidates say Clinton is killing them...

http://www.americablog.com/2008/05/hillary-is-hurting-congressional.html

[mmonk]

5. Depends on how one defines a swing state and whether

they count AA voters and high numbers of College students in their thinking (instead of just older whites).

[Leftist Agitator]

31. "...instead of just older whites..."

Didn't you get the memo? Elderly, white Hillarites are the only ones who count.

:eyes:

[here_is_to_hope]

6. Spew.

[GarbagemanLB]

7. Oregon IS a swing state....if Hillary is the nominee. Obama has the state won.

[Thrill]

9. LOL..........I'm sure you can find 12 Obama supporters to sign the same letter

saying he is the best. This is irrelevant and desperation

[against all enemies]

10. "And so it goes...........Go HILLARY" Finally we agree - GO Hillary.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. New York and Texas aren't swing states.

Those two states account for half of the people on that list.

[redqueen]

16. The spin...

it's maddening.

[PBS Poll-435]

17. Think!

Think of who signed and where their districs are....

:think:

Think what margin they won by in 06.

:think:

Why would they be worried about "someone's" electibility?

:think:

[Stop Cornyn]

12. If Henry Cuellar says so, it must be Gospel

:sarcasm:

[redqueen]

14. No shit!

:banghead:

[redqueen]

13. OVER a dozen?!

Jesus... really?

[JimGinPA]

15. Do You Think Hillary Is Going To Win The Nomination?

It sure doesn't seem to be the popular consensus.

[Lucky 13]

18. There are plenty more senators and representatives that disagree

No amount of whining or complaining is going to change who our presumptive nominee is. So you can either be bitter and dwell in the past or world of what might have been, or you can help us win. your call.

[scheming daemons]

19. It's over, rodeo.... time to give up.

[Occam Bandage]

20. In Hillaryworld, New York is a swing state and 12/435 is a consensus.

[faithfulcitizen]

21. OMG, Indiana is a "bellwether" state AND "absolutely vital to winning the White House "? WHO KNEW??

This is a last ditch effort to steal the nomination.

[roseBudd]

45. Indiana hasn't gone for a D since 1964

[shadowknows69]

22. She's lost, why don't you get behind our candidate or get the fuck out.

[rodeodance]

27. what a classy post.

NOT

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

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

[doublethink]

23. Weak letter, weak argument ....... that's all they got for their last stand?

Not much new substance really to even bother arguing the contrived spin in it further. It's all been hashed and re-hashed. Should be 'returned to sender ('s) ..... by the Super-delegates ..... it's becoming like 'junk mail'

[beachmom]

24. Rodeodance: with all due respect, Hillary Clinton has lost the nomination.

When a major polling company -- Rasmussen -- has called the race for Obama, that means it is time to pack it up and go home. Just because Hillary is being a sore loser, that doesn't mean you have to be. And, yes, when there is NO WAY you can win, and she is still insulting and degrading Obama (and her dead ender supporters in Congress), that is called being a sore loser. I don't say this to you as a gloating winner. I say this to you as a wake up call. Hillary Clinton has lost. Wolfson is already looking for a book deal. It is time to start thinking about what her next role in the Democratic party will be, or whether she wants to throw it all down the drain by ignoring the reality that she has lost.

[rodeodance]

26. hey beachmom. Have a nice day

[jenmito]

25. Awww...how sweet of her supporters to write this letter for her. Some of them are the same people

who took part in that fake demonstration in FL about having all the votes count! :rofl:

[redqueen]

30. What?

You mean the "non-partisan" one where they told people to change their Hillary shirts, so they'd look the part?

Wasn't that in DC?

[jenmito]

44. Yeah. I thought it was held in FL. Either way, yes, that's the one.

:D

[redqueen]

49. Holy crap.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Desperate times, desperate measures.

:rofl:

[jenmito]

54. Exactly. Hey-I've been trying to get Hillary supporters to comment on this thread;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5900439&mesg_id=5900439

I don't know WHY there are no comments so far by any of them. :shrug:

[DefenseLawyer]

28. I hold in my hand the names of 12 card carrying HRC supporters

in the Congress of the United States!

[Webster Green]

29. Jeez!...My old rock and roll buddy John Hall supports Clinton?

That's fucked up!

I'm disappointed in you, John. :wtf:

[newmajority]

52. Well, you gotta read between the lines

What he really wants, is Hillary out of New York. :evilgrin:

[Eric Condon]

32. Translation: "Swing State Democrats Say Democracy Shouldn't Get In The Way Of A Coronation"

It's over. I don't see how this is still up for discussion. Democracy is NOT negotiable. Sure, the GOP plays that way, but we're supposed to be better than that.

[jgraz]

33. And thanks for playing: Grasping for Straws.

Obama will be finishing his second term before some of these dead-enders figure out that Queen Hillary ain't gonna win it.

[cascadiance]

34. "Sore Loserman" seems to be a more applicable description here than to our candidates in 2000.

These people really need to learn how to accept reality and defeat when it happens. They can't just mandate that they win because their corporate backers say they should!

[Shoelace]

35. I love ya darlin but she's not going to be on the top, maybe VP

and I was supporting her until I heard her talk yesterday. Now I'm done.

[Doityourself]

48. My co-worker said the same thing...wow

[BenDavid]

36. maybe the question should be posed as to what the democratic

party wishes to do. If our party's goal is to nominate a Black man, we should go with Obama. But what if our goal is to win the White House?

Ben David

[roseBudd]

43. If we are in it to win, we need a candidate who McCain contrasts poorly with

McCain's honesty & integrity perceptions are highly positive, Clinton's are very negative.

Probably because of Snipergate, pandering, the meaning of is and DRUMROLL

The word Clintonian, google it, it's part of our lexicon.

[Doityourself]

50. So, are you saying the " black man" can't win the White House? But the white woman can? If so, how

do you know?

[sudopod]

37. All the other states disagreed. :3 nt

[PassingFair]

38. Anybody want to run this through the DLCerator?

Anybody got the time?

IronLion?

[nomaco-10]

40. DABDA stuck in the first stage. n/t

[onenote]

41. WHile I see why some might be confused, its not the signers that are from swing states

Several posts are mocking the letter on the grounds that those signing it are from states like NY, which are not "swing states".

However, its fairly obvious that the reference to swing state democrats is a reference to the states identified in the text of the letter: OH, PA, IN, not the members signing the letter.

I happen to think the signers are wrong, but its a mischaracterization of the letter to suggest that the signatories were representing themselves as being from swing states.

[totodeinhere]

42. When are you going to give it up? It's over.

Why don't you start working to support our presumptive nominee?

[hokies4ever]

46. Another day, another Hillary propaganda thread from rodeodance.

Only 2 more left for today. Make sure they count! :rofl:

[Doityourself]

47. They can write a few more...she isn't going to be the nominee unless there is an act of GOD

[shifting_sands]

51. Let it go

There were a ton of people who voted for Kerry in 2004, check the problems with voting machines in Ohio and a few other states and you will see where Kerry lost. That said, I really wanted Howard Dean in 2004 and thought he had the best chance of winning against George Bush, the primaries decided the candidate would be Kerry. Bush did not beat him, it was another stolen election and that's the concern in this election. As far as the above letter, I think we've identified some of the "white" people who won't vote for Obama, but there are tons who will. I cannot imagine that either candidate running in these primaries can't beat McCain without another turn at election fraud, but the Democrats in this country want Obama and that shows.

Sadly Howard Dean was not the candidate but instead of trying to drive a wedge in the Democratic Party he stepped down and went on to rebuild the Party to a party with a hope of gaining strength. Hillary seems bent on tearing that down and I am sorry about that. As a 65 year old professional woman and a feminist I am very sad she is doing this, but she lost my vote some time ago and she is losing votes by the day. It doesn't matter if she wins in WV, the race is over, and she is only making it more difficult to win in the fall. I feel sorry for her but her judgement makes it harder and harder to even want to see her as the VP much less President.

[sfam]

53. Most people say TV is bad for people...doesn't change the facts though...

People are still watching TV and Obama is still going to be the nominee. Just thought you should know...