Clinton rules out leaving race early
Updated: 2008-03-29 16:53
"I know a little bit about comebacks," she said to cheers. "I know what it's like to be counted down and counted out. But I also know there is nothing that will keep us down if we are determined to keep on."
Yet despite the optimistic talk, there is no doubt that Clinton faces an uphill battle to secure securing her party's nod.
She trails Obama among pledged delegates and is not expected to close that gap even with a strong showing in the 10 remaining primaries. She also trails in the popular vote and probably cannot make up the deficit without revotes in Michigan and Florida, whose January primary results were nullified because they broke party rules. Neither state is expected to go through with new contests.
As a result, the so-called "superdelegates" -- some 800 elected officials and party insiders who can choose to support any candidate -- would risk intraparty rebellion if they backed Clinton.
The New York senator reaffirmed her belief that superdelegates will base their choice on which candidate would make the best president and would have the best chance to beat Republican John McCain in November.
All the more reason to look forward to Pennsylvania's primary April 22, Indiana and North Carolina's May 6 and the handful of others that follow, Clinton insisted.
"There will be additional information that will inform those decisions that will come from these upcoming contests," she said.
Dismissing concerns raised by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean that a prolonged contest would demoralize the party base, Clinton pointed to a recent surge in voter registration and projected turnout in Pennsylvania. Democratic registration went up by 4 percent in the state this year, while it declined 1 percent among Republicans.
"Both Senator Obama and I have brought millions of new people into the process," she said. "People are registering to vote for him and to vote for me. They're part now of the Democratic Party."
Asked what she thought of Obama's comment Friday that the Democratic primary race resembled "a good movie that lasted about a half-hour too long," Clinton smiled broadly and said, "I like long movies."
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