Clinton: Crossover Voting for McCain is ‘Not a Wise Decision’
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — They may bicker daily over issues, character and innuendo, but both Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama appear to agree on one thing: Democratic voters will coalesce around a nominee and carry him or her to victory in November over Republican John McCain.
At a rally here Thursday, Clinton was asked what she would say to Democrats so invested in her candidacy or Obama’s that they would consider voting for McCain in the general election if their preferred candidate isn’t the nominee.
“Please think through this decision. It is not a wise decision,” Clinton said to applause.
“Every time we have a vigorous contest like we’re having this primary election, people get intense. Senator Obama has intense support. I have intense support. It’s exciting because people want to be involved. But, the differences … pale in comparison to the differences between us and Senator McCain.”
North Carolina holds its primary May 5, with 115 delegates at stake.
Obama made a similar point Thursday in an interview on ABC’s “World News.”
“There are going to be some bruised feelings, whoever the nominee is. We are going to have to come together and remind ourselves that there is a heck of a lot bigger difference between either Senator Clinton or myself, and John McCain,” Obama said.
He said the protracted contest would not harm the party in the long run.
“I think short term, there is going to be work to do for the nominee to bring the party back together again. People feel pretty passionate about their respective candidates. I appreciate that, and I understand it,” Obama said.
The former first lady, who trails Obama in the popular vote and in pledged delegates, has pushed back on critics who argue that she should cease her criticisms of the Illinois senator and end her campaign so he can focus on defeating McCain.
Clinton pledged Thursday to be a team player no matter the outcome of the primary contest.
“I intend to do everything I can to make sure we have a unified Democratic Party,” she said. “When this contest is over and we have a nominee, we’re going to close ranks. We’re going to be united … The most important goal for us is to put a Democrat back in the White House.”
Even Al Gore, the former vice president and 2000 Democratic nominee, professed no urgency to resolving the contest in an interview with The Associated Press.
“What have we got, five months left?” he said, when asked about whether he would make an endorsement soon.
When pressed on whether the nominee could be decided before the national convention in August, Gore said: “I think it’s going to resolve itself. But we’ll see.”
I respect and admire Ms. Clinton however I cannot - will not do what she is urging. I will not vote for Obama. I have to say I give Ms. Clinton credit - but my family and friends cannot support Obama. It’s the principle of it all. He plays us all for fools. Well this fool isnt voting for him. Obama will lose. Him saying if Wright would not have retired he would have left the church is just how dumb he really thinks we are. HE SHOULD HAVE LEFT 20 YEARS AGO!
“I intend to do everything I can to make sure we have a unified Democratic Party” says Hillary. Yeah right. Checks in the mail. That statement presumes that the Democratic Party is unified behind HER. Otherwise, all bets are off. Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you KNEW that! Has she forgotten that only last week her campaign was preparing us to expect that she would go after PLEDGED delegates since they weren’t TECHNICALLY bound to vote according to primary results?
SNIPER FIRE……….. INCOMING!!!!!!!
Just goes to show you how inept liberals actually are.
While all politicians make promises they can’t keep and all seem to have skeletons in their closets, the choice is clear for me. Clinton is the past and Obama is disaster for our future. We’re going with John McCain. At least we know he is a proud American and loves our country!
Although I appreciate Senator Clinton’s comments to rally behind whoever is choosen as the nominee, as an Italian American, I will not vote for Obama under any circumstances. It’s amazing to me how Obama waited until his Pastor retired before saying he would have left the church if Wright hadn’t retired. Just how stupid does he think America is? I would rather see a Republican in office again than vote for a man who stood beside an anti-american, bigoted minister for 20 years. Obama’s judgement is severely flawed if he thinks for one minute that his relationship with his pastor has no bearing on this election. The fact that Obama stayed in that environment for 20 years speaks volumes about his character or should I say, lack of character.