WHAT THE WORLD SAY ABOUT HILLARY

Mon, May 12 02:52 AM

Pushing Clinton Out Against Her Will Would Cost Obama, Der Spiegel

As the Democratic battle draws to a close, German commentators, like their counterparts elsewhere, are asking what would compel Hillary Clinton to concede defeat. This entry is itself a compilation of excerpts from comments in various German publications. The Berliner Zeitung has asked Democrats to be careful, since a Clinton withdrawal at this stage would hurt Barack Obama. His lead is thin and if a "political giant" like Hillary were to exit against her will, the party would lose votes in the presidential election. However, the Financial Times Deutschland has urged the Democratic leadership to "wrap things up" as it is now beyond Clinton to convince the super delegates to go against the majority. Die Welt, with a dose of Continental sarcasm, has compared the protracted Democratic primary to the "last five minutes" of American football and baseball that often decide the game.

Obama Failed This Week As Well As Clinton, The Spectator

James Forsyth's piece argues that there were two disappointments from Tuesday's primaries - the Clinton machine's failure to impact the nominating process and change it to Hillary's advantage and Barack Obama's loss of shine. Hillary's subdued victory speech after her Indiana victory told her part of the story (she knows it's over), but while her moment has passed, Obama's image has begun to decline, and doubts about him are multiplying at the wrong time.

Clinton and Brown: dreams that died, The Times

Anatole Kaletsky in The Times draws parallels between the misfortunes of Hillary Clinton and Britain's PM, Gordon Brown. Hillary can at least persist in her political career as senator or vice president. Gordon Brown can only stare at a two-year long "parliamentary humiliation", which will inevitably end in electoral defeat. Both Brown and Clinton are "quintessential machine politicians" who gain (and suffer) from their own personalities. The lesson to be drawn from the predicament of the two is the need for charismatic new leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. For Kaletsky, that means Barack Obama and a reincarnation of Tony Blair.

Time for Clinton to back Obama, The Australian

Geoff Elliott says that Hillary is "fighting on. But the game is up". Although Elliott hasn't liked the Clinton smear campaign, he says there is hope that Hillary will not sink the Democratic boat by making it very difficult for Obama against John McCain. Hillary may say anything she wants to during an election campaign, but she will not turn her back on the party. Her recent comments about working "her heart out" for Obama if he were to be nominated trigger hope.

Blog: Justin Webb's America, BBC

There is a lot of advice and admonition on Justin Webb's BBC blog. Webb watches with interest the Clinton camp's unfolding strategy after Indiana and North Carolina. A graceful acceptance of defeat, and bowing out, might be on the cards. Or Hillary might choose her own time, perhaps after her "next decent win", which could be West Virginia. But Webb finds nothing graceful about Hillary and has no faith in her making a "decent" vice president. All this, meanwhile, adversely affects Obama and the party's chances.

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