CHAPTER 3

The Long Siege

The fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama turned into a grinding stasis that played out until the very last primary day.

NEWSWEEK
Published Nov 5, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Nov 17, 2008

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  • Posted By: Lori Bjorklund @ 11/06/2008 10:39:48 AM

    Why do you have to head the article by swearing??And it isn't even a quote from something Solis Doyle said, it was something he/she THOUGHT! We have 2 generations now using Oh my GOD, or OMG or just God as a part of their everyday language but not in reference to calling on God for guidance or direction. My gut turns every time I hear it. Please use it as it is to be used, in praise, thanksgiving or petition.

    • Posted By: olderwiser @ 11/06/2008 10:53:58 AM

      It might be somewhat easier for you to adjust your gut to commonplace every day expression as it develops in our society than for a whole nation to adjust to your gut. Our society has gone so overboard with religion and utters the big G word so often that it is impossible to control its use. Would you prefer that we refer to something that gave us a "devil" of a time?

  • Posted By: Bobbie @ 12/28/2008 11:29:31 PM

    Excellent reporting and well written. I can't wait to read the other chapters.

  • Posted By: Hanna Rose @ 12/01/2008 2:46:42 PM

    This article claims he did not win Texas in the primary race against Hillary Clinton. However, Obama did win Texas. Texas has a primary and a caucus, Obama lost the primary 61 to Clinton's 65 but Obama won the caucus, with 38 delegates to Hillary's 29. This made Obama the overall winner of Texas with 99 delegates to Clinton's 94.

  • Posted By: whathappened @ 11/06/2008 12:11:45 PM

    Hope for the best, expect the worst...

    I can't believe so many people voted for Obama on the promise of "change." Lots of whites wanted to be able to say that they voted for the first black president - that whole "white guilt" thing came out on the 4th, didn't it?

    And of course, 96% of black people in this country voted for him as well - but no, it's not about race, no way!

    We're screwed.

    • Posted By: Zig Zag @ 11/14/2008 6:13:39 PM

      I think you are mixing that up with the fact that we've been screwed - the last eight years.

      Easy enough mistake to make.

    • Posted By: Whyaduck @ 11/06/2008 2:40:45 PM

      Wait...so as a liberal white Democrat was I supposed to vote for McCain in order to prove that race wasn't a factor? In spite of my political convictions, you're telling me I voted for Obama because of white guilt? You have such insight...I thought I was voting for him because he was closer to my opinion on issues that are important to me. So glad you could clear all this up for me.

      • Posted By: spencer08 @ 11/06/2008 3:07:04 PM

        Maybe if you are a little bit more open minded and are able to read and watch other points of view, I bet you get to like this man too. You forget he has two sets of DNA (white and Black). Millions like me who has never in all of my years been very interested in Election volunteered and donated my five and ten dollars. Every time I hear him speak, I feel compelled to do something outside the norm...THAT'S CHANGE WE NEED. Sorry you do not share a host of Americans opinions. John McCain ran a hard campaign and he lost, but that does not mean that he is a bad man. I believe that John is a great guy and would have done great being a President, but our Country is in a different sphere and We need a different approach than the usual and President Elect Obama was the only person who convinced me that he is capable. We needed inclusion and not division.

        I was a Hillary fan until she seemed to attack this election like her life depended on it. It became apparent when she told a bold face lie about being shot at and then all of the drinking and shooting activities afterward. She seemed to have lost her integrity and anyone who is willing to sell their integrity for the sake of an office clearly does not get my support.

        • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/07/2008 9:22:21 AM

          "John McCain ran a hard campaign and he lost, but that does not mean that he is a bad man."

          I cried a bunch after seeing the faces of African Americans who were themselves tearing up at seeing a vindication of the struggles of their people, but I have to say I very nearly cried at the sight of John McCain's concession speech. I almost just wrote "victory speech" because I thought that's what it was. Not a victory speech for his supporters, but one for HIM. He showed grace and generosity in defeat. And I wonder if there was not a part of him that was somewhat more peaceful even through his defeat, because he can now afford to *be* the intensely honorable maverick he had been, once more. He could buck trends and stand up for ethical treatment of illegal immigrants, for moderate domestic policy views, for introducing legislation to reform campaigning and et cetera without worrying about the conflict of interest with his own campaign. It was like seeing him shrink back to normal and upstanding after the Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde nature of his Presidential effort, where he was torn between the needs of his morality and the needs of his supporters. I really believe McCain serves his country best when he serves as sort of a "catcher-in-the-rye" for the more extreme demands of his own party and uses his fierce independence to do so. It's probably not for me to say, but there you go.

          Being a powerful Senator ain't hay, you know.

      • Posted By: whathappened @ 11/06/2008 3:21:09 PM

        Note that I said "lots", not "all". Good for you on looking into the issues - so many people didn't.

        • Posted By: Whyaduck @ 11/06/2008 4:11:00 PM

          The results of the election weren't exactly surprising given the results of the last two general elections and the performance of the Bush administration, as well as the current financial crisis. From about 50/50 in 2000 and 2004 to 54/46 or so isn't that huge a shift given the mood of the nation. Did race play a role? Certainly. But when you look at the issues that Obama had in the primaries with white blue collar voters, your implication that the candidate's race was a net positive is problematic at best. Polls that pitted a generic Republican against a generic Democrat over the summer had the Democrat winning by 10%. And a shift of black voters from 86/14 of so voting Dem in recent elections to 95/15 may be racially motivated, or it may be due to registration and get out the vote drives. Or, most likely, a combination of many factors.

  • Posted By: jpoofarm @ 11/06/2008 3:50:19 PM

    I heard Obama will not place his hand on the bible when sworn in. If that is true God help us all.

    • Posted By: Zig Zag @ 11/14/2008 6:12:11 PM

      Not to worry - that was just republican propaganda. Obama was sworn in to the senate using a bible, and they will do it again when he becomes the 44th Presiden of the United States. So sleep tight.

      Go Obama !!!

    • Posted By: TalkSoup @ 11/07/2008 3:59:35 PM

      Oh no. Someone with a different religus view must be completely evil.

      Run in fear everyone! It's the devil, it's the devil!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/07/2008 8:46:01 AM

      More suspicion based on a near-impossibility, but this is nothing new.

    • Posted By: Whyaduck @ 11/06/2008 4:29:52 PM

      Too late. Save it for 2012.

  • Posted By: LiberalLarry @ 11/07/2008 3:22:48 PM

    Michelle actually spends alot more on clothes than Palin ever did but because we are all liberals we ignore that and make sure to sock it to Palin while ignoring the same vice in Michelle. Its sooo good being a liberal. it means being an idiot and never knowing you are. Newsweek, NYTimes, ABC,CBS,KGB,NBC etc etc well done! I especially liked the Saturday Night live joke about Palin's husband having sex with his daughers. good show! Remember conservatives are bad and evil so everything is fair play! jeez I love being a liberal!

    • Posted By: F7711 @ 11/09/2008 1:03:10 AM

      Michelle spends her OWN money,Palin spent other peoples, that's the difference. If Palin was spending her own money no one would care.

      • Posted By: Zig Zag @ 11/14/2008 6:10:19 PM

        Thank you! It is amazing how people forget that little nuance.

    • Posted By: TalkSoup @ 11/07/2008 4:34:31 PM

      "Michelle actually spends alot more on clothes than Palin ever did "

      Do you just make this stuff up as you go along?????


  • Posted By: cbaker31222 @ 11/12/2008 6:24:34 AM

    There is so much in this article that is just patently false and insulting to the Clintons I don't even know where to begin.

    It is literally breathtaking in its inaccuracies and still has that same old tired slant against anything Hillary or Bill do or say. The assumption is always one of evil calculation, while the Obama people are all unconditionally altruistic and innocent.

    Please!

  • Posted By: cdbkjr @ 11/11/2008 4:22:52 PM

    An incredible campaign that made both candidates stronger.Hillary's support in the main campaign was also invaluable,but the Obama machine in it's message,organisation,strategy ,tactics,funding and candidate will be a blueprint for future campaigns.
    Some of the insights provided by this article also should give the nation the confidence that it elected the best candidate to lead it into the 21st century.

  • Posted By: 40YearR @ 11/11/2008 12:22:00 PM



    Though not elegantly written, this article recounts the events of this pivotal period. It certainly displays to me how wisely and deftly Obama and his team prevailed over what was viewed as an inevitable candidacy and presidency. Obama saved us from Bill. Dubya has been destructive in his ignorance and incompetence, but Hillary seemed to me to involve some sort of darker menace. Thanks to Newsweek for reporting these events.

  • Posted By: JournaIismIsDead @ 11/10/2008 1:09:45 PM

    Sorry, couldn't finish this odd piece of let's repeat the conventional wisdom. Is the author a reporter or a psychologist? She begins by analyzing Bill Clinton and it goes downhill from there. Journalism is dead in America.

  • Posted By: M Falco @ 11/08/2008 1:44:09 PM

    Your article is incorrect when it states that Clinton won Texas--this is a common misconception. The Texas Democratic Party awards delegates through both a primary (126 delegates) and a caucus (67 delegates). Clinton did win the primary and was awarded 65 delegates to Obama's 61. However, Obama won the caucus by a larger percentage and received 38 delegates to Clinton's 29. This is a total of 61 + 38 = 99 delegates for Obama, and 65 + 29 = 94 delegates for Clinton.

  • Posted By: janice springer @ 11/07/2008 9:44:37 PM

    this is truly disgusting....and blacks aren't racist and liberals are loons
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDEAYgm0Dv8

  • Posted By: janice springer @ 11/07/2008 9:44:20 PM

    this is truly disgusting....and blacks aren't racist and liberals are loons
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDEAYgm0Dv8

  • Posted By: alfa11 @ 11/07/2008 8:58:09 PM

    BARACK OBAMA IS THE OLY PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    IN LAST 100 YEARS, AND MOST POSSIBLY IN THE NEXT,THAT WILL TRULY BE
    "FROM THE PEOPLE ,FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE".

  • Posted By: alfa11 @ 11/07/2008 8:52:50 PM

    IT IS MORE THAN DELIGHTFUL TO HAVE A MAN LIKE BARACK OBAMA ,BEEN PRESIDENT
    OF THE "GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" .
    THIS MAN WILL GOVERN ON THE BASIS OF THE CONSTITUTION " FROM THE PEOPLE,FOR
    THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE".
    HE WILL CERTAINLY COMBAT THE CANCEROUS LOBBYISM, CORRUPTION AND SPECIAL
    INTEREST THAT HAS BEEN SO PREVALENT IN WAHINGTON, AND HAS BEEN SO DETRIMENTAL
    AGAINST THE AVERAGE TAX PAYING HONEST AMERICAN; AND WHO HAVE ALWAYS ACTED
    LIKE A MAFIA BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS CARED ONLY ABOUT GETTING RICH;
    WITHOUT ANY REGARD FOR THE COUNTRY AND MUCH LESS THE PEOPLE THEY SHOULD
    SERVE.

  • Posted By: kanman @ 11/07/2008 5:26:53 PM

    Do you have facts to back that up? OR are you just a windbag?

  • Posted By: kanman @ 11/07/2008 5:25:43 PM

    Do you have numbers to back up your claim? OR are you just a windbag?

  • Posted By: thisiskrys @ 11/07/2008 1:40:23 PM

    Forgive me for indulging my own inner nerd, but he didn't say "the lithium crystals." As any Star Trek geek can tell you, he said "dilithium crystals." Which, frankly, increases the love in my nerd heart.

  • Posted By: Bacalove @ 11/07/2008 11:00:44 AM

    A great piece of writing. Interesting and also inspirational. It is nice to get some input on what goes on behind the scenes, what the candiates eat and what they are like when the cameras are not on. I like the fact that Obama stays cool pretty much of the time, does not engage in necessary anger and takes care of his physical body.

  • Posted By: Clatech @ 11/06/2008 11:57:16 AM



    Richard Pryor had keen insight when he said "White people are so stupid"

    I???m so fed up with our corrupt political system after breaking my back for years building my business and fighting from going bankrupt, a bunch of naïve Americans elect an even more naïve career politician, president. I and many of my business partners have decided to pack it in, I???m laying off 50 plus workers starting next month and retiring. No way in hell am I going to pay this numskull???s capital gains tax and run my business into the ground before I can cash out!

    • Posted By: Whyaduck @ 11/06/2008 4:17:05 PM

      One of many "I'm taking my marbles and going home," comments I've seen in the aftermath of the election. Same crap some libs were throwing around after the re-election of Bush in 2004. In general, it's just venting. If not, I have to say that it's not very patriotic to respond to what you see as a political setback so petulantly. Seriously, a marginal increase in your tax rate would have you packing up your business? Sounds kinda spineless.

      Also, I have to say that this might not be a very good time to attempt to cash out. Buyer's market and all that.

      • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/07/2008 9:00:22 AM

        "Also, I have to say that this might not be a very good time to attempt to cash out. Buyer's market and all that."

        Let him do it.

        Sadly, my guess is that the best way to deal with all these greedy assbags is to let them cash out, stuff their money offshore and then continue to enjoy our roads, police, infrastructure in general and etc. Those of us more accustomed to swimming upstream will find opportunity in down times. We always have. A number of our most accomplished companies and businessmen came out of the Great Depression and the opportunities in hard times that there always have been there.

        My guess is that this guy was hardly an innovator or a man whose company contributed a tremendous amount to the economy with goods or services anyway. Selfishness does not generally contribute to a better economy in good times or bad.

        • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/07/2008 9:23:13 AM

          "then continue to enjoy our roads, police, infrastructure in general and etc"

          This was referring to the business owners, if anyone was wondering.

    • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/07/2008 8:57:11 AM

      This post is illustrative and strikes me as the biggest problem facing America: a tremendous number of the businessmen in charge of American business are RAGING SELFISH ASSH0LES.

      Go ahead, lay off workers and keep your profits. God Forbid you should actually try to pitch in and help the country with a little selfishness. Go siphon off more of our money into offshore bank accounts while claiming American patriotism. We don't need your miserably selfish business tactics, and possibly never did.

      Those of us who have been working hard at helping our country, and trying to save our money, will start trying to expand our businesses in an uphill climate.

      I worry tremendously about this problem for President Obama - those in power WILL start laying people off. Most of them they don't give a rat's ass about the larger economy or the middle class, which is how our customer base got eroded in the first place. It infuriates me in the bottom of my heart how many business leaders don't give a damn about their workers or anything but their own pocketbooks - so I do hope in some ways that you lay off your workers and leave. It will free them up to eventually and hopefully get jobs with people who will treat them like human beings.

    • Posted By: melvinsj @ 11/06/2008 12:34:42 PM

      haha, that comment actually made me laugh. You doom and gloom people are pretty amusing. He isn't even in office yet and you're going to start laying people off? Your employees should feel lucky to be laid off by someone who makes decisions on a whim like that. I'm guessing they would have been laid off eventually anyway.

      • Posted By: spencer08 @ 11/06/2008 3:09:32 PM

        I imagined your Owning your own business and firing 50 people is the same as Jo the Plummer earning over $250,000.00 per year cleaning toliets. Dream On !!!!

        Believe it and I am from Mars...

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