I’m sure that title sounds like a kind of heresy here in Utah, but I can’t help noticing in the last week that the supporters of Hillary Clinton are sounding very much like the supporters of Mitt Romney were sounding after the Florida primary (myself included). Unless they turn out to be less mistaken about the upcoming primaries than I was about February 5th they will soon have to adjust to the new reality in the Democratic party.
Don’t underestimate the power of the dark side. The Clintons are resilient and will not go down until they’ve explored every avenue. They’ll try convention maneuvers even if they are in the minority to try to elect delegates in Florida and Michigan.
Hillary is a very determined individual. Mitt was not.
You’re right that the Clinton campaign will leave no stone unturned in the quest for the nomination, but the rhetoric from Clinton supporters of “the situation is not as bad as it might appear” is exactly what many Romney followers were saying after Florida. The truth is that it is that bad and if she is to win the nomination she will have to try everything possible in order to stop Obama.
It’s too soon to say that she’s done. I’m sure she’ll keep going even if she suffers narrow losses in Texas and Ohio despite the fact that it’s plain that she needs wins in both – and probably big wins – to turn the tide of momentum in her favor.
So the real connection is less a connection between Clinton and Romney than it is a similarity in the outlook of Clinton supporters and the earlier outlook of Romney supporters.
I think the common connection here is that people are simply reflecting basic human nature. This same kind of sentiment has existed in every kind of competitive event throughout human history. You see it in business, education, sports, etc., and not just in politics. It happens to at least one group of jaded fans in just about every kind of athletic season there is when the team they’ve been routing for starts to underperform. It’s just human nature.
True, and it suggests that her campaign is flagging the way that his was as it started not living up to previous expectations.
The alternative is that Clinton gives up now and assumea that Obama’s momentum is a given. Obama’s momentum is due in part to his rhetoric of hope. I agree that an attitude of hope is necessary for anyone who is competing. Last summer the talking heads discounting McCain’s chances of winning the nomination.
I guess we’ll see today and tomorrow how Texas and Ohio change the dynamics of the race – and at least as importantly, the dynamics of the media coverage.