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Clinton: "Never Underestimate The Intelligence Of A Voter"

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March 04, 2008 12:00 PM

ABC News' Kate Snow and Eloise Harper Report: Outside Henderson Elementary in Houston, Senator Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said she's very optimistic about her chances in Texas and Ohio and would not entertain a question about whether she would take a day or two to evaluate her future after Tuesday's results.

Clinton did indicate she plans to persevere.

Asked about a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, which finds that Democrats by more than a 2-1 margin say Clinton should stay in the presidential race even if she loses either the Texas or Ohio primary, Clinton said: "Never underestimate the intelligence of the voter."

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"This is a long process as some of you have heard me say before," Clinton said. "My husband didn't get the nomination wrapped up until June. That has been the tradition -- that it usually lasted longer."

Clinton began the day at the elementary school, the voting site for a heavily Hispanic area with traditionally one of the largest democratic turnouts in Houston.

Most of the voters who held "Hillary" signs and greeted the Senator had been called by the campaign and came in from other parts of the city. A few were voters from the neighborhood.

Clinton also plans to stop by Herrera's restaurant in Dallas to greet voters before heading on to Columbus, Ohio for an election night celebration.

It has become a tradition for Clinton to greet voters -- with donuts in hand -- on primary days.

"We don't quit working until the last votes are in and the last people in Texas show up," Clinton said. "I just believe in working on election days. I don't pay a lot of attention to what people say."

Clinton did express some dismay at the voting process being used in Texas.

In Texas, Democratic delegates are allocated through a combination of the results from primary votes and separate caucuses.

Clinton said her campaign would play by the rules established, but that "when the dust clears, we have to ask some tough questions" about whether the process was the best system.

Her campaign has argued -- and she argued again on Tuesday -- that when people have a limited window to appear at a caucus it makes it difficult for many voters to attend and participate, particularly working voters. Barack Obama has fared much better in caucus states thus far.

Asked if she was concerned that this primary battle could become a protracted and negative fight, Clinton said she was not.

"This is one of the most civil and positive primary campaigns that I can remember," Clinton said. "There are contrasts. And it is imperative that those contrasts be drawn because voters in a Democratic primary have to decide who would be the best president and the best nominee." 

March 4, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (81)

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That is why Most well-educated voters are voting for Obama in the Primaries and Caucuses!
Hillary Clinton is getting the votes of the un-educated, senile, and assorted
Clinton zombies who repeat the Clinton
Mantra of being the most experienced candidate without offering any proof of
that experience!

Posted by: reaganfan | Mar 4, 2008 12:14:51 PM

I live in a wealthier, heavy Republican area of Texas. Hillary may have a chance as sadly, many Republicans are crossing over and voting for her looking at the "big" picture for Republicans. They are downright giddy at the thought of dragging this out for the Dems, her getting the nomination and blown away by McCain in the General. They don't think McCain can beat Obama, but believe strongly their best chance to put another Republican in the White House is to vote for Hillary today. I just left a line of them happily casting their votes with zero intention on ever voting for her again.

Posted by: sc | Mar 4, 2008 12:16:44 PM


Clinton: "Never Underestimate The Intelligence Of A Voter"

Sounds about right as waves of Dittoheads march to polls to vote for Hillary.

Posted by: Inspector 71 | Mar 4, 2008 12:22:59 PM

Wise up dems. Vote Obama today. End this primary now for the good of the party. Do you NOT like the idea of winning the general election for once?! Clinton winning today would be extraordinarily bad for the party. Why can't you see that, TX & OH?!

Posted by: Dem in Chicago | Mar 4, 2008 12:24:41 PM

I am a well-educated voter who does not vote for OBAMA who would be another Jimmy Carter.
Being un-educated may be better than those so called well-educated REPUBLICANS who only know how to COOK THE BOOK !!!!

Posted by: clintonfan | Mar 4, 2008 12:24:45 PM

The ABC poll of Democrats says that Senator Clinton should stay in the race until it is over. As an independent voter, I didn't participate in the poll, but I agree.

The caucus system has obviously favored the non-working segment of the electorate, and, thus, has favored Obama. Hopefully, primaries held over the course of a month or so will replace the caucus fiasco in future campaigns.

Along with a host of other issues including picking a presidential candidate that can win, the Democratic Convention in August is an excellent venue for implementing the necesary changes.

Posted by: ken | Mar 4, 2008 12:26:56 PM

Defending her provocative television ad suggesting he was not up to the challenge of answering the White House phone at 3 a.m. in a crisis, she told reporters at a news conference Monday in Toledo: "I have a lifetime of experience I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience he will bring to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he made in 2002" — a reference to the address in which Obama, before being elected to the Senate, had publicly opposed the Iraq invasion that she and McCain had voted to authorize.

There are certain lines that you do not cross in a primary campaign. And one of those is suggesting that your primary opponent, the likely nominee, is so unfit that that the Republican nominee might be preferable to him. This is spoiler territory, and Clinton should be ashamed.

--Christopher Orr


Posted by: james | Mar 4, 2008 12:35:05 PM

lluluadorl:
Your comment doesn't make any sense!
It is Not the well-educated who live
paycheck to paycheck!
Well-Educated people usually have
good jobs!
Un-Educated people on the other hand are the ones who live paycheck to paycheck as have have menial,low paying
jobs! In other words Clinton Supporters!

Posted by: reaganfan | Mar 4, 2008 12:41:50 PM

I meant to say "as they have menial,
low paying jobs"!

Posted by: reaganfan | Mar 4, 2008 12:44:03 PM

Reaganfan: enough of your rhetoric, you sound just like Obama, I am a 46 year old Educated white male who earns in the high six figures a year. I fully support Senator Clinton for President, and there are many more of us out there.

Posted by: Jay | Mar 4, 2008 12:46:57 PM

I want to know how she is going to run this nation when she cannot budget her race for the WhiteHouse??? A question that has puzzled me can anyone asnswer me that????

Posted by: honest | Mar 4, 2008 12:48:02 PM

Oh give me a break everything Mr. Obama does is just fine to bad you can't see it from our side is she suppose to stick up for him she is you know trying to win and he has had a press free ride. Go Hillary

Posted by: Bishop | Mar 4, 2008 12:52:11 PM

Whatever she does in the White House, Honest, she will do much better than a trillion dollar deficit left from the current administration. The Clinton years were very prosperous for many Americans, and they left with a huge surplus. I trust Hillary to manage the national budget a little better than her campaign budget.
Besides , it is the campaign managers and financial managers who manage the budget.

Posted by: Jay | Mar 4, 2008 12:53:59 PM

Well, honest, where to begin? How about Obama outspending Clinton 4 to 1. Obviously, she did not think the primary would be so expensive and soon ran out of set aside funds, not general election funds she still holds. In Texas and Ohio,check almost any news site, and you'll find Obama trying to put the killing blow to Clinton by throwing tons more money into the mix. Clinton responded, but using her internet supporters and then raised 35 mil in Feb. No one can match Obama's money, yet Clinton is still in the mix. She'll still be in the mix after tonight.

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Mar 4, 2008 1:07:55 PM

"Dem in Chicago", sounds like you are worried that Obama has not been able to close the deal. There are too many doubts about him, he has been given a pass by the press so far, until just in the last week, and the cracks are starting to appear. Obama is a great illusionist, but he hasn't been able to make the half of the Democratic party that supports Hillary magically disappear.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Mar 4, 2008 1:09:38 PM

COME ONE GUYS ... HILLARY HAS ALOT MORE EXPERIENCE IN POLITICS THAN OBAMA.

I was in Iraq for nearly 14 months. These guys want to get the hell out now.

Posted by: Iraq Vet | Mar 4, 2008 1:12:31 PM

With all the $$$ Obama is spending, he should have closed the deal by now.

We are going to hear more garbage come out before too late.

Hillary, stay in and let's fight to the end.

Posted by: Iraq Vet | Mar 4, 2008 1:15:03 PM

Iraq Vet, thank you for your service to this great nation. You are the exception on these blogs. Most of the Obamabots never left the comfort of a dorm room let alone know what any of you and your mates have seen or experienced. Yes, I just voted for Hillary. It is so nice to have you on our side. Thank you.

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Mar 4, 2008 1:18:23 PM

Iraq Vet--Tnank You for your service!!!

Posted by: Proud American | Mar 4, 2008 1:20:36 PM

Go Hillary. I am soooo excited about tonight. We just got home from voting.

Posted by: Woo12 | Mar 4, 2008 1:23:30 PM

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