Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

I really should read my own blog.

Petty moves from a petty man.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Hot air and ill-informed banter

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

The press swings at every pitch, we don’t have to.

Trumpflation is an intolerable hardship for every American, and it’s Trump’s fault.

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

You are here: Home / Politics / Politicans / Hillary Clinton 2016 / Kind of a Big Fucking Deal

Kind of a Big Fucking Deal

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Breaking news from AP:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Striding into history, Hillary Clinton will become the first woman to top the presidential ticket of a major U.S. political party, capturing commitments Monday from the number of delegates needed to become the Democrats’ presumptive nominee.

I remember watching the election returns in 2008 with tears in my eyes when President Obama became our first black president. And now we’re going to break the 229-year male lock on the Oval Office? “Proud to be a Democrat” — it’s not just a tag line!

Reader Interactions

300Comments

  2. 2.

    Patricia Kayden

    Very proud to be a member of a party which is making history with back to back Presidents!

    Go Hillary!

  3. 3.

    Corner Stone

    I eagerly await two parts of the Concern Troll Voltron when Brachiator and Jim C. show up to tell us all a collective, “Nuh-uh! She’s awful! at this!”

  6. 6.

    dmsilev

    I was kind of hoping that this would come tomorrow; I think it’d have been better if she went over the top thanks to getting the pledged delegates from New Jersey rather than from some additional supers. A week or so from now, nobody will care about that, so it’s a pretty minor quibble on top of some great (and long-awaited) news.

  8. 8.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I didn’t think this would make me so emotional, but it is and I am.

    Congratulations to our Nominee Apparent, and now let’s all work our respective and collective asses off for her between now and November.

  9. 9.

    Baud

    I remember watching the election returns in 2008 with tears in my eyes when President Obama became our first black president. And now we’re going to break the 229-year male lock on the Oval Office?

    Next up, virtual candidates.

    But for now, congrats Hillary and team!

  10. 10.

    aimai

    Ok, to get to what I really wanted to say down thread. This is a fucking historic moment. Its huge for women in this country. And I guess I’m just sick and tired of having people try to put an asterisk next to things like Obama’s win or Hillary’s (absit omen) win. ** Its a big fucking deal.

    **What I mean by an asterisk were all those people who spent time explaining that Obama wasn’t really black, or he was raised largely in a white world, or that Bill Ayres wrote his book, or that he wasn’t the brains of the outfit, all of which were things that were said by Democrats, by the way, as well as Republicans. Hillary has largely been treated as her own woman but I think that is partially the result of years of right wing attacks on her as an unfeminine woman who didn’t know her place. No one bothers to accuse Bill of being the power behind her (although I have absolutely seen people on Kos or other progressive blogs asserting that Bill might have to “write her speeches” as though she hadn’t been a lawyer and in public life exactly as long as he has).

  11. 11.

    Corner Stone

    @dmsilev:

    I think it’d have been better if she went over the top thanks to getting the pledged delegates from New Jersey rather than from some additional supers. A week or so from now, nobody will care about that

    The hurt feelings were inevitable, no matter when or how she got to the number. This is just going to get us there that much faster. So we can unleash The PBO! And The Kraken! And The Biden!

  16. 16.

    SciNY

    Wow. Another one for the history books. What a wonderful thing it is to see this barrier smashed in our lifetimes.

  17. 17.

    aimai

    @dmsilev: I think the campaign itself was trying to wait it out until after NJ but they simply can’t contain the press desire for a “first” announcement. And this is something I pointed out over at Kos when the bernie dead enders were demanding that Hillary hold off announcing that she had clinched the nomination. She simply can’t wait too long. If she did the press would announce and then, a few days later, they would simply refuse to cover her rally and acceptance speech.

  18. 18.

    JPL

    CNN refuses to go off message. It’s a close race.
    Congrats to Secretary Clinton.

  19. 19.

    Schlemazel Khan

    Just noticed on Coles tweet list that Mon General, JC Christian is still chugging along on twitter instead of his dead blog. I used to love his site, marvelous snark. So sad to see he has gone around the bend for Bernie and Doctor Stein.

  20. 20.

    Run, Lillian!

    Oh wow. I wish this happened tomorrow in NJ with pledged delegates, but this feels good. It can sink in a bit before the party tomorrow in Brooklyn!

    Wow. As a woman, I am in awe and yes- it feels awfully good to be a dem.

    And this week, when Obama jumps into the campaigning ring, its really going to feel like things have come full circle. Love it.

  21. 21.

    Chat Noir

    I saw this on my BBC News app. Very excited to get to vote for Hillary in November.

  22. 22.

    dmsilev

    @Corner Stone: Well, there is that. One day more or less won’t make any difference in the long run. Anyway, the Clinton campaign is having their big event in New York tomorrow, so that’s presumably when she’ll declare victory.

  23. 23.

    Mike J

    @Major Major Major Major:

    The AP surveyed all 714 superdelegates repeatedly in the past seven months, and only 95 remain publicly uncommitted.

    While superdelegates will not formally cast their votes for Clinton until the party’s July convention in Philadelphia, all those counted in her tally have unequivocally told the AP they will do so.

  25. 25.

    z

    This guarantees that Sanders supporters will blame the AP being in the bag for Hillary for any losses tomorrow… that a premature announcement of a Clinton victory was a conspiracy to depress turnout.

    Edit: But none of this matters. Obama V Clinton was FAR more toxic and it probably helped Obama more that it hurt him that everyone was tired of the Jeremiah Wright clip long before the general election. Clinton’s goldman speeches, emails, and sketchy clinton foundation donors would’ve been brought up by any GOP nominee anyway; better that everyone’s sick of hearing about it by October.

  29. 29.

    Corner Stone

    @dmsilev: I agree. And tbh, I think HRC demurs off this. She will be respectful and fight for CA and NJ and other contested races and let the AP and NBC do their own thing.
    But this lets her surrogates gear the fuck up.

  30. 30.

    dmsilev

    @aimai: She’ll make the big announcement and big speech tomorrow evening, right after polls close in NJ. Even if AP is calling it now, the networks are going to be doing big election-night coverage tomorrow so she’ll get her (thoroughly deserved) victory moment.

  32. 32.

    Uncle Ebeneezer

    Indeed, Clinton’s victory is broadly decisive. She leads Sanders by more than 3 million cast votes, by 291 pledged delegates and by 523 superdelegates. She won 29 caucuses and primaries to his 21 victories.

    That’s a far bigger margin than Obama had in 2008, when he led Clinton by 131 pledged delegates and 105 superdelegates at the point he clinched the nomination.

    Why it’s almost like she IS a good campaigner.

  34. 34.

    patroclus

    This is fantastic news!! Go Hillz! Our first female nominee ever!! This is amazing!! Before New Jersey and California!!

  37. 37.

    sigaba

    Shorter Bernie Bot: “A couple superdelegates just told California that its votes don’t count!”

  38. 38.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @Baud:
    I look forward to the day we can have an atheist President. That is a huge hurdle we need to clear. I strongly suspect we could have an openly gay President or even a Jewish President before we get one that is openly atheist.

    I admit that I am still surprised that the Dems could do this, I assumed the first black POTUS would have to be a Republican simply because of all the ugly they would bring against a Democrat of color. Well, they brought the ugly & they brought it hard and they failed as badly as they have failed at governing. Now we will learn the ugly they can bring against a female candidate. I wish them as much luck. It is slow and it is painful but gradually we are making some progress.

  40. 40.

    Donut

    Super-proud and gratified that I had the chance to vote for Hillary Clinton in the New York primary this year. This is her time. 2008 was not. Now.

  41. 41.

    MazeDancer

    Thrilling news!

    TV not sure how to cover it, but MSNBC saying, yes, NBC calling it for her, too.

    But Hillary’s campaign seems to be wanting to have the big party they already planned tomorrow.

    We’re celebrating. Twitter celebrating. After all, History was just made by AP releasing the victory news in a tweet.

  42. 42.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    About frikkin’ time.
    She’ll be a fine president. I don’t even mind that her haters will prosper too.

  44. 44.

    z

    @Baud: I’m guessing the first two authors of the piece are the ones at AP tasked with calling superdelegates every day (nearly all of their stories are about delegate math). Probably pushed pretty hard to get this piece out before the results tomorrow.

  47. 47.

    dmsilev

    @Baud: Not surprising.

    I almost hesitate to ask, but have we heard any response from the Sanders campaign?

  49. 49.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.

    Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the corporate media have given the election to the person with the most votes.

    What kind of democracy do we live in when someone with 3 million more votes is declared the winner?!?!

    You hear about this kind of thing happening in other countries, but you never thought it could happen here.

    Not here.

  56. 56.

    Klown

    I guess I don’t need to bother voting tomorrow. The party insiders put their thumbs on the scale and made my vote meaningless.

  58. 58.

    Tom Q

    1) Great!

    2) It’s clear the Clinton folk didn’t want this to happen this way. It’s like a baseball team clinching the division because the second-place team loses — you’ll pour the champagne, but you’d rather the celebration had begun on the field. Plus there’s going to be a few more hard feelings from the losing side, even though this was strictly a media thing.

    Yes, it’ll all be forgotten in short order, but it didn’t happen in the perfect way.

    3) But, back to first principles: hooray!

  60. 60.

    Percysowner

    @sigaba: All the while declaring that those same superdelegates will be convinced to vote for Bernie at the convention!

  62. 62.

    Richard Mayhew

    @JPL: hey I have the DVR set for CNN for the New Jersey close just do my daughter can see the nomination “clinch” on video whenever she needs any encouragement to dream big… will need to replace that with video in November too

  64. 64.

    Betty Cracker

    @Richard Mayhew: What a good dad! I’m so happy my teenager will enter adulthood in a world where this is possible. That damn sure wasn’t the case for me, my mother and all our foremothers.

  68. 68.

    Splitting Image

    Worth the wait. It will seem even sweeter in November when she clobbers the sexist jerk.

  69. 69.

    Chyron HR

    @Klown:

    WAAAAAH! Bernie said he would get the party insiders to make all the votes for HILLARY meaningless! It’s not FAAAAAAAIR!

    Life’s rough, kid.

  70. 70.

    RandomMonster

    As usual, Betty, you have a way with words. I was similarly moved when Obama got the nomination and was elected. And I’m looking forward to another historic moment for this party.

  74. 74.

    Stella

    Although I was an Obama supporter, I still felt sort of bad when HRC lost in 2008. My emotions were very mixed. I’m just as happy about this nomination now as I was about Obama’s in 2008. (Except this time I don’t feel bad about the loser….)

    @Tilda Swinton’s Bald Cap: Yeasted waffles!

  77. 77.

    Stella

    @aimai: All the Clinton “dynasty” bullshit implies that HRC needed help — unlike a man — to get where she is today.

  81. 81.

    maryQ

    Hmm. I feel inexplicably ambivalent. I mean, Hilary is my candidate-and I am unambivalent about that. But I kind of wanted tomorrow to count. Not sure why this “survey” happened now. Oh, well. Yeah, Hilary! No go and win.

  82. 82.

    Run, Lillian!

    I don’t know how to post tweets but Hillary has tweeted: We’re flattered, AP, but we have primaries to win. CA, MT, NM, SD, ND, vote tomorrow!

    Absolutely right.

    Sanders apparently responded that Hillary doesn’t have the pledged and the supers don’t vote until convention.

    No congrats or anything.

    Boo.

  83. 83.

    dmsilev

    @Baud:

    The news jumped the gun. Everyone wanted to be first.

    The news media: Showing all the restraint and class of a YouTube comments thread.

  84. 84.

    Renie

    @Stella: Really? I think the opposite. I think Hillary would have gone further sooner if she wasn’t handicapped by the Clinton name. She’s a fantastic person in her own right.

  86. 86.

    geg6

    Not gonna celebrate until tomorrow but I think I’m pretty emotional about this and it sort of surprises me. I was an Obot before he even declared and survived the PUMA wars with minor injuries. Started this primary Bernie-curious. But she won me over (and he lost me). Still didn’t resonate completely with me what a historic and empowering thing it would be if she won the nomination (which is weird because I’m a Second Wave little sister). But I’m more and more invested in this as a woman as the reality comes to pass. Like Obama, I never thought I’d live to see the day.

  87. 87.

    sigaba

    @Percysowner: The best I can do with Bernie’s argument is something like: He thinks that the DNC and the media have conspired together to make Hillary look unbeatable, in part by promoting superdelegate vote tallies as if they were “real.”

    The thing where us normals get confused is we insist that because Hillary won more votes, she should win. To the Bernie voters this is exactly backwards. The fact that more people voted for Hillary isn’t evidence of Hillary’s legitimate, it’s evidence that the process was rigged. It’s not just the delegate process, or the conventions, it’s actually the voters themselves that have been rigged. So supers are required to provide the necessary un-rigging.

    (I could throw in some cheap shot here about socialists’ general contempt for elections, and their attitude that when they lose elections, their positions or leaders aren’t the problem, the voters are, and they should be overruled. But I won’t. There’s a certain kind of leftist who will tell you that elections in America are pointless, because elections picked Bush twice.)

  89. 89.

    Run, Lillian!

    @SarahT:

    Oh, I wish! I’m hundreds (thousand plus really) of miles from there, in Denver. Will be watching. Good luck getting in, what an amazing chance to be a part of history!

  91. 91.

    raven

    Andrea Mitchell is telling us that both Hill and Bernie didn’t want this now.

  94. 94.

    Mike J

    Hillary ClintonVerified account @HillaryClinton Hillary Clinton Retweeted AP Politics
    We’re flattered, @AP, but we’ve got primaries to win. CA, MT, NM, ND, NJ, SD, vote tomorrow!

  95. 95.

    kd bart

    I swear 20 yrs from now we’re going to find Bernie or Busters in the wilds of Vermont who still won’t concede that the 2016 race is over.

  97. 97.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    There are a couple new bullshit artists around here recently, I wonder if they are all the same loser & if that loser is a tru beliefer or a paid troll for the GOP. It is getting so you can’t tell the two groups apart

  98. 98.

    Betty Cracker

    @raven: I don’t get Mitchell’s appeal at all. She regurgitates Beltway convention wisdom nonstop and is treated as an oracle for it. I’d sooner look for original political insights from my hens.

    @JPL: The hens are wet, wind blown and crabby but otherwise okay!

  101. 101.

    CaseyL

    Fantastic news. It’s been wonderful seeing Hillary rise from the loss in 2008 to become a loyal and competent Secretary of State who repaired the relationships with other countries that Bush-Cheney had trashed. To see her now taking the Democratic Presidential nomination is thrilling.

    #I’mWithHer. Yay!

  103. 103.

    maryQ

    Daughter (6th grade): Awesome! So, no more Bernie?
    Me: Yep. He’ll still whine, though.
    Daughter: Oh, crap. All day tomorrow the boys are going to be shouting about “Hilary’s playing the woman card! Hilary’s playing the woman card!”

    Is it bad for one to hope that one’s daughter becomes a lesbian?

  104. 104.

    Fair Economist

    Is it too tinfoily to think somebody’s trying to suppress Democratic turnout in tomorrow’s primary, where jungle primaries and complicated ballots could reasonably result in single-party generals in even swing districts?

  106. 106.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Baud: Premature nomination-announcement. 1 out of every 5 reporters… The important thing is for them is to seek treatment and to speak with their doctors honestly about the problem.

  107. 107.

    Mike J

    @maryQ:

    Daughter: Oh, crap. All day tomorrow the boys are going to be shouting about “Hilary’s playing the woman card! Hilary’s playing the woman card!”

    You should get your daughter a woman card from the Clinton swag shop.

  108. 108.

    SarahT

    @Run, Lillian!: Thanks ! We’re gonna head over very early & be prepared for long security lines and shit weather. Too much to hope there’ll be a cash bar, I guess ? :)

  110. 110.

    maryQ

    @Mike J: Actually, I invested in a few decks on Kickstarter. The project got funded and I should be receiving them some time in July. So, me, my daughter, and five special people will get a deck.

  111. 111.

    Adam L Silverman

    @maryQ: Tomorrow will count. Tomorrow will put to bed, once and for all, the regular/earned delegate count issues.

  112. 112.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @efgoldman:

    I didn’t think this would make me so emotional, but it is and I am.

    I’m not, I’m just glad this fucking nightmare of a primary is over.
    My wife and daughter, on the other hand…..

    Well, that’s the thing. I expected to be glad this fucking nightmare of a primary would be over, whenever it finally happened. And don’t get me wrong, I am, I am! But I have long known this day was coming, so I didn’t expect to be so viscerally moved by Hillary’s having secured the nomination.

  113. 113.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    The Associated Press ‏@AP 8:20 PM EST

    BREAKING: @AP finds Clinton reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president

    7,581 retweets 5,339 likes

  118. 118.

    JanieM

    @maryQ:

    Is it bad for one to hope that one’s daughter becomes a lesbian?

    Thanks for my laugh of the day. And no, it’s not bad. Being a lesbian has its advantages. :-)

  120. 120.

    aimai

    @sigaba: very good analysis. The thing that I would add is that the most devoted Bernie bots believe that the entire primary should take place in a kind of Rawlsian veil of ignorance. The only true and worthy and authentic candidate would come from completely outside the party and no candidate would recieve any kind of backing from the party or from individual named Democrats. They should have no friends or acquaintances, even. They imagine the primary not only as a kind of race, but as a kind of race in which the candidates must be perfectly matched in size and weight–if one is lighter then he wears weights. Bernie is, of course, the ideal candidate and Hillary should have accepted a handicap to bring herself down to his level, like not being permitted to know DWS or President Obama, or not accepting money.

  121. 121.

    SarahT

    @raven: That much I know :) And I doubt the Secret Service would miss a flask, however carefully hidden, but whaddyagonnado ?

  122. 122.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Stupid FYWP won’t allow me back in to edit my own fucking comment and put in the second close blockquote.

    I’m sure FYWP has its reasons for doing what it does, but I’m damned if I can figure out what they are.

  123. 123.

    A Ghost To Most

    @Schlemazel Khan:

    I look forward to the day we can have an atheist President. That is a huge hurdle we need to clear. I strongly suspect we could have an openly gay President or even a Jewish President before we get one that is openly atheist.

    Agree, although I prefer to believe that Big O is an atheist who is keeping up appearances for the sake of being electable. I’m hoping he “comes out” and punks the “silly” people at some point in the future.

  125. 125.

    D58826

    @sigaba: Listening to Rachel recap Bernie’s reaction to the news that Hillary has gone over the top. He has spend 4 months complaining that the SD process is corrupt. Now he is arguing that these corrupt SD should flip and vote for Bernie, the popular vote be da**med. This s***b knew the rules when he jumped into the race and now he wants them changed so he can win. The sooner he is driven into the sunset the better. Listening to the Bernie spokesman say it’s important that the voters be heard tomorrow but after the primary election is complete, with Hillary having a popular vote lead, the SD should ignore that and vote for Bernie.

    Oh god these people are beyond berlief. Rachal just nailed the Bernie spokesman with the the walk down memory lane to 2008. In 2008, once Obama had the pledged delegates and SD to clinch the nomination he came out and supported Obama. He also said the primary was over. Bernie’s spokesman’s response ‘ ah well, ahh ahh Bernie has started a revolution so the rules that applied in 2008 don’t apply today’. Even Calvin would be embarrassed by the total disregard for the rules.

  126. 126.

    burnspbesq

    @sigaba:

    Shorter Bernie Bot: “A couple superdelegates just told California that its votes don’t count!”

    As a California Democrat, I’m a little disappointed that we don’t get to drive the last nail in Bernie’s coffin. But I’ll get over it.

    Congrats to Madame Secretary, and let’s go kick some ass in November.

  128. 128.

    Elie

    Late to the thread but share my pride — and OPTIMISM at its heart for this. Optimism was what I also felt when Barak was nominated….. And so it goes…. energy, optimism, eagerness and intestinal fortitude to face what is ahead… Amen!

  133. 133.

    Mike J

    @burnspbesq:

    As a California Democrat, I’m a little disappointed that we don’t get to drive the last nail in Bernie’s coffin.

    You will put her over the top with pledged delegates, and that’s the really important thing.

  134. 134.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    (NYT) — Clinton Has Delegates for Nomination, The A.P. Says

    9:17 PM EST

    On the eve of the New Jersey and California primaries, an Associated Press survey of superdelegates indicated that Hillary Clinton had enough support to clinch the Democratic nomination.

  141. 141.

    Baud

    Sanders to media: Don’t declare Hillary the nominee tomorrow.

    Media to Sanders: Ok.

  142. 142.

    Ella in New Mexico

    Yaaaay! All the voters in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North and South Dakota can just skip the polls tomorrow!!!

    Except, they can’t. And shouldn’t. And wont. Even if the AP’s unethical editorial board wants them to.

    As much of a shoe-in as Hilary is, I find it irresponsible for the AP to be trying to mess with turnout tomorrow, the last big primary of the year. But then, maybe that’s EXACTLY what they want to do…

  146. 146.

    cokane

    To be fair, between Boehner and Trump, Republicans have made great strides for Orange Americans

  148. 148.

    Iowa Old Lady

    @maryQ:

    Is it bad for one to hope that one’s daughter becomes a lesbian?

    LOL. I can’t remember where I read or saw it, but an older woman character said she was becoming a “political lesbian,” meaning she had no interest in sex with other women, but she was tired of dealing with men. I sometimes know how she felt.

    Baud: I blame Hillary!

    That is awesome! LOL

  149. 149.

    hovercraft

    @Klown:
    My mother, sister and I will be voting for the first female nominee in history tomorrow in New Jersey.
    I can tell my grandkids I voted for the first black and the first woman presidents.
    Go vote ! It matters.

  150. 150.

    Elie

    @Betty Cracker:

    And after so many “lifts” and other facial “interventions”, her facial expressions never change. I bet her whole face is numb… to match that numb soul of hers. Dinners with her and her husband (Alan Greenspan – not yet actually dead though dead in essence a while ago), must be like those day of the dead paintings of skeletons doing lively things while actually being dead.. (yes, I am cruel)

  151. 151.

    Keith G

    I suspect that Mitch McConnell and Chuck Grassley are getting messages from the few long term Conservative thinkers out there that HRC is looking to be a prohibitive favorite in the fall and that it is time to start planning the Merrick Garland hearings and vote before someone gets to Obama and convinces him to withdraw this nomination.

    Trump seems to be doing everything in his power to drive his nascent campaign into a ditch and take the Senate Republicans with him. If that happens, a few smart Hillary SCOTUS nominations would give Liberals the Court for quite a while.

  152. 152.

    Jeffro

    @kd bart:

    I swear 20 yrs from now we’re going to find Bernie or Busters in the wilds of Vermont who still won’t concede that the 2016 race is over.

    I think there was a Lt. Onoda who lasted over 3 decades in the jungle after Japan had surrendered…you sayin’ the BOBs can’t hold out longer than that? Come on ;)

  153. 153.

    Cacti

    @Ella in New Mexico:

    Yaaaay! All the voters in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North and South Dakota can just skip the polls tomorrow!!!

    Except, they can’t. And shouldn’t. And wont. Even if the AP’s unethical editorial board wants them to.

    As much of a shoe-in as Hilary is, I find it irresponsible for the AP to be trying to mess with turnout tomorrow, the last big primary of the year. But then, maybe that’s EXACTLY what they want to do…

    Don’t worry, you’re still special.

  155. 155.

    Mnemosyne

    I’m not excited yet, but I don’t get to vote until tomorrow. I will be more excited then, especially since I will also be voting for several other women as well.

  156. 156.

    sigaba

    @aimai:

    The thing that I would add is that the most devoted Bernie bots believe that the entire primary should take place in a kind of Rawlsian veil of ignorance.

    The Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton existed prior to August 2015. This fact alone proves that the election was rigged. Rigged I tell you.

    @D58826:

    He also said the primary was over. Bernie’s spokesman’s response ‘ ah well, ahh ahh Bernie has started a revolution so the rules that applied in 2008 don’t apply today’.

    You say you want a Revolution, well you know… The revolution means votes don’t count. Yay revolution.

  159. 159.

    Jeffro

    @D58826:

    Listening to the Bernie spokesman say it’s important that the voters be heard tomorrow but after the primary election is complete, with Hillary having a popular vote lead, the SD should ignore that and vote for Bernie.

    I forget who it was had an excerpt from someone else up on Twitter* today, noting that Bernie & Co want to talk about pledged delegates, then as soon as it’s pointed out that Hillary has the lead there, they want to talk about super delegates; then as soon as it’s pointed out that Hillary has the lead THERE, they go back to pledged delegates – an infinite loop of bullshit.

    (*so you know this is well-sourced and also highly researched info here, is what I’m saying)

  161. 161.

    LAC

    @D58826: of course, Rachel manages to undercut things with her having fucking kraken face Andrea Mitchell on with her faux concern about the Clinton campaign.

  163. 163.

    Betty Cracker

    @Renie: Yes. It’s been raining pretty much nonstop since 3 AM. Not a big deal by FL standards, though — a mere sun shower!

  166. 166.

    hellslittlestangel

    I’m proud and happy we’ll have our first woman President in just seven and a half months.

    Is it wrong for me to also look forward to gloating over angry, bitter right-wingers?

  170. 170.

    D58826

    @Ella in New Mexico: While I think AP should have waited, NJ would put her over the top long before the West coast polls close. It’s still important to vote, esp for the down ballot candidates. If she had gone over the top after New York would you feel that your vote didn’t count. For better or worse that’s the way the system works. Maybe one of the reforms going forward is to have 6 primary days over 3 months with a random selection of states in each cycle but that isn’t the way it is now.

  171. 171.

    Ken

    @efgoldman:

    My daughter points out that, if HRC serves two terms, my granddaughter (three in August) will have gone the first eleven years of her life WITHOUT a white, male POTUS!

    My God, you’re right. An entire generation will be raised thinking that is normal and acceptable. The country may never recover.

    (And, since I caused some confusion last night: sarcasm.)

  175. 175.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @sigaba: because he has class. And so does Hilary. And they’re realists who understand there’s much work to be dont.

    And you really don’t.

  178. 178.

    magurakurin

    @Ella in New Mexico: It’s always like this. R. Maddow said last week, don’t be surprised if this thing gets called sooner than Tuesday. And then she explained how AP called all the unbound GOP delegates and got enough to call the race for Trump. This is all SOP. The Clinton campaign knew this might happen and they were trying to get the supers to hold back, but it’s just not possible. But it isn’t any sort of conspiracy or an attempt to influence the election. Because the truth is the outcome of the elections Tuesday are pretty much baked in…a lot of California has already voted…and the final result won’t change based on anything the AP or anyone else does or says today.

  179. 179.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Mike J:

    You’ll have to tell her about when people used to say “any boy can grow up to be president.”

    You know that great Pete Souza photo of the little African-American boy looking up in awe at the President? All you see of POTUS is his beautiful dark hand touching the lad’s cheek. It gives me shivers every time I see it. Well, I want to see something equally genuine and moving during the Presidency of Hillary Rodham Clinton — some interaction with a young girl, something that really brings home the message that she, too, can aspire to the highest office in the country. And gods willing, President HRC will have as sensitive and gifted a photographer as Souza on her staff.

  182. 182.

    Elie

    Bernie is so over… What is the next step — the gambit for a 74 year old not that smart, ugly, socialist fake democrat.
    Bernie, go open a café in Burlington where folks can go to complain about how they have been screwed… “Bernies Screwdriver Diner”. He can sit in the back and bitch with all the diners while serving up bitter melon salad, regret stew, and yo mama apple pie — he can pose for pics that are framed and placed on the wall with the famous folks that visit. Jane can open a shop that sells fleece products ….

    You know, its horrible to not get when you should leave a party and when none of your friends will ever want to be seen with you again. Poor Bernie… Maybe NOW someone will do a true expose on the Burlington College thing…

  186. 186.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    @Ella in New Mexico: I’ll still be walking several blocks to the polls tomorrow. I’ll still cast my vote for the Democratic Presidental nomination and ALL THE OTHER RACES ON THE BALLOT.

  191. 191.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Tomorrow will count. Tomorrow will put to bed, once and for all, the regular/earned delegate count issues.

    Not according to Bernie Sanders, since his stated standard for putting it to bed is that Hillary needs to win such a huge supermajority of pledged delegates that he can’t theoretically win by flipping 100% of the supers.

  194. 194.

    Renie

    @SiubhanDuinne: I love that photo too! Souza is a great photographer and I love looking through the ones that get posted. He really brings out the warmth of the President, especially in the photos with children.

  198. 198.

    Elie

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    LOL! Yes…. I wonder what he is up to and whether he can still interact… He must be “spinning in his chair” when Trump talked about US debt being bought pennies on the dollar (if he still knows where he is). Meanwhile, that zombie he is married to didn’t blink and eyelash — (not that she could anyway).

  200. 200.

    Felanius Kootea

    @Fair Economist: No it isn’t tinfoily. I mailed my ballot in already last week (I have permanent vote by mail status in CA) but my husband likes to vote in person and he was a little bit disappointed that California’s primary was so late after reading the AP news. Feels to him like CA didn’t count this time around. He’ll still go vote but I’m not sure whether others will.

  202. 202.

    MoxieM

    Woot! #WellesleyProud! Also– can someone fill me in on whether and how John Kerry was equally raked over the coals for the 2002 Iraq vote? I don’t remember it, but I don’t feel like my memory is a good barometer (I supported him, etc.)

    So besides the usual mud-flinging, is HRC getting more crapola over that specific vote, as people remember it. (Yes, I have checked the Google machine. People are better.) thanks.

  203. 203.

    Renie

    @Keith G: Harry Reid ripped McConnell a good one today right from the Senate floor. Making him own Trump’s racist bs.

  204. 204.

    hovercraft

    My mother is 74 years old and only became a citizen in 2010. She is very proud that her first vote was for a black man and her next will be for a woman. She says that she is proud to look at her grand children who are of African decent can look at Obama and Clinton and know that they too can achieve anything. She is proud to call herself an American. This is why she came here, because anything is possible. She is living the American Dream.

  205. 205.

    Gemina13

    @aimai:

    I’m going to see the moment my mother wanted desperately to see. She loved Hillary.

    I don’t know what to think or say at this moment, except, Ma, I wish you could see this.

  206. 206.

    dmsilev

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Sure we do. Putting her into the majority of pledged delegates counts. (I don’t have the numbers handy–will she do that with just NJ?)

    No. Hillary needs 215 pledged delegates to reach 2026. There are 224 non-California pledged delegates up for grab tomorrow (and 475 in CA), so she’d need about 95% of the non-CA vote to manage that feat. Not going to happen, not even if Sanders concedes right now and also announces that he just skull-fucked a kitten as part of his ritualistic declaration of allegiance to Donald Trump.

  207. 207.

    Matt McIrvin

    @MoxieM: He definitely got a lot of heat for it from Howard Dean–that was one of the central distinguishing points of Dean’s primary campaign. But Dean was out in February and he endorsed Kerry in March. It helped that Kerry was running against George W. Bush himself; also, keep in mind that the popularity of the war hadn’t bottomed out yet.

  209. 209.

    Mnemosyne

    There is a reason why people are a little annoyed with AP — voter turnout in California is abysmal. A ridiculously low number of voters in CA bother to show up at the polls. There are a lot of reasons for this (for one, my county of Los Angeles makes it almost impossible to vote early), but there is some justified fear that people will stay home tomorrow like they did in 2014.

  212. 212.

    Libby's Person

    @geg6: I’m with you. l’m going to get all choked up listening to the NJ and CA results (and the others), and celebrate like crazy tomorrow night. I’ll be celebrating the first woman candidate for president, and celebrating selection of a very strong candidate independent of gender.

  216. 216.

    Renie

    @Gemina13: I’ve been having the same thoughts tonite about my Mom. She died 2 years ago at 91 and was a diehard Democrat her entire life. She loved Hillary, I would have loved to see my Mom’s face when she heard the news.

  219. 219.

    geg6

    Just had to gorge in some chocolate. Between Hilz clinching and the Pens giving me heart attacks, I needed that.

  222. 222.

    Matt McIrvin

    @efgoldman:

    My daughter points out that, if HRC serves two terms, my granddaughter (three in August) will have gone the first eleven years of her life WITHOUT a white, male POTUS!

    My daughter is nine; a black man is the only President she remembers, outside of history books. (I told her about the 2008 race while it was happening, but she was a toddler and of course she has no recollection of that.)

    But she’s feeling keenly the possibility of a woman as President. A couple of years ago she was talking about being the first woman President, and I told her I hoped and believed that there would be one long before she became eligible. (And, yes, I had a pretty good idea who it would be.)

  223. 223.

    Brachiator

    @Corner Stone: I thought the point of this particular thread was to congratulate Hillary on a momentous achievement, which I heartily do!

    And those for whom this moment is special because it may result in the election of our first woman president certainly deserve some space in which to celebrate, to shout for joy, to reflect on everything which has led up to this event.

  225. 225.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    @gogol’s wife: I’m just crestfallen that we live in a country were the person with the most votes wins.

    How did it come to that?

    A few drinks and Sinatra always helps with the blues.

  226. 226.

    patroclus

    @Matt McIrvin: Wow, you must be a psychic!

    My Mom, who died last fall, would have enjoyed today very much. She was one of the few “professional” women in the late 40’s through the 80’s and saw and experienced quite a lot. She never called herself a feminist, but she was one. Many many things would make her VERY mad – often, she would be furious about Ralph Hall (our Congressman) and his anti-choice votes and I would write letters to him that she (happily) signed. I bet he got very tired of receiving vituperative letters from my Mom written by me. She was a Massachusetts Dem who moved to Texas and usually had to hold her tongue around many of her “friends.” But with me, she could be honest. I miss her especially tonight.

  227. 227.

    Renie

    @Brachiator: Yes this is certainly an historical moment. One that generations after us will read about in history books. Truly amazing. First Barak Obama breaking the racial barrier now Hillary Clinton breaking the gender barrier aka the glass ceiling. It’s interesting how to my 21 yr old daughter its not such a big thing as it is to me. It may be cuz she was a Bernie supporter or as she explains she is use to women in authority positions and knew a woman would be President in her lifetime. For me, it’s an amazing moment.

  230. 230.

    burnspbesq

    I had a strange and highly entertaining dream last night.

    In my dream, it was October 2018. I had taken a week off from work and gone to Vermont to work for the Democratic nominee who was challenging Bernie.

    The best part? The Democratic nominee was MIchelle Obama.

  231. 231.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Mnemosyne: Do you get to vote the idiot judge from that Stanford rape case off the bench? I understand he’s up for reelection/retention tomorrow.

  232. 232.

    burnspbesq

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Superior Court judges are elected at the county level. He sits in Santa Clara County. Mnem lives in Los Angeles County, and I live in Orange, so alas, that’s a vote that I don’t get to cast. In any event, every news story I’ve seen today has talked in terms of a recall, which is a process that must begin with a petition drive, so I don’t think he’s on the ballot tomorrow.

  233. 233.

    Ken

    @gogol’s wife: My favorite version has always been the one The Abominable Dr. Phibes, but that’s because it’s played while Virginia North… well, does nothing much, but it’s Virginia North.

  234. 234.

    pseudonymous in nc

    @Corner Stone: she already did, via the Twitters, not long after the campaign said “that’s very nice but we’re looking for every vote tomorrow.”

  235. 235.

    Aqualad08

    Not to be a dick or anything, but the AP is reporting this without saying exactly which superdelegates have committed.

    Not a very convincing piece of journalism.

  237. 237.

    burnspbesq

    @Aqualad08:

    If the names were disclosed, there is every chance that those folks would be doxxed and otherwise harassed by the BernieBros, I think it was a responsible move by AP.

  239. 239.

    The Golux

    @Tilda Swinton’s Bald Cap:

    Pancakes are for trolls! Waffles are for winners. Go Hillary.

    That is our usual waffle recipe; they’re fabulous, though we usually thicken the batter with extra flour in the morning.

    Just about everything in The Breakfast Book is outstanding.

  244. 244.

    Elie

    Well, though initially I was very cynical about the early AP report, I think on further deliberation that it was a good idea. It put the Bernie-ites back on their heels and sweeps them into the “but it isn’t over….” whining. Since she already has the number, they are left complaining about minutae and grievances and no one will care. Meanwhile, Hillary gets additional nails in his coffin tomorrow. The “script” Bernie had has to now be adjusted and he is just a loser complaining about the results he didn’t like. As long as she didn’t have the nomination, he could work the refs about whether he could overtake her. Now its over and he is left arguing about technicalities on the sidelines.

  247. 247.

    Aqualad08

    @Omnes Omnibus: Oh, I agree. I know the AP is under no obligation to not step on the moment, but they stepped on the moment without really disclosing the full rationale.

    Also, too: they have her at 2,384. Did they count Hillary and Bill themselves? Because they would never had confirmed this to the AP.

  249. 249.

    Adam L Silverman

    @burnspbesq: Thanks, wasn’t sure where all you all are. I intend to, tomorrow, unless someone beats me to it, to post both the transcript of the victim’s statement to the court and Ashley Banfield reading it during her show today. It needs as much exposure as possible.

    I read somewhere else that he’s up for reelection or retention, whichever you all call it out there, tomorrow. That was aside from the recall petition that was started.

  250. 250.

    Aqualad08

    @burnspbesq:

    If the names were disclosed, there is every chance that those folks would be doxxed and otherwise harassed by the BernieBros, I think it was a responsible move by AP.

    Meh, the names are already out there and that was already happening. Hell, it’s probably happening again right now.

  251. 251.

    eemom

    I’m glad for the good news, but I haz a little confuzzled……isn’t this AP thing breaking on the night before CA and NJ gonna just give Bernout and his cult worshippers another massive round of whiny-ass bullshit ammo to fire as an excuse to not STFU and GTFO after tomorrow?

  252. 252.

    Keith G

    @liberal:

    you’re assuming they’re going to allow HRC to appoint people to the USSC

    I assume that HRC will win and that the Senate will be in play. I also assume that the Trump cluster-fuck might be historically large, and in that case the Senate will flip. Democrats need to net just four seats to win control of the Senate if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency (assuming a VP tie breaker). I bet the margin will be larger than 4.

    Then the question becomes, will the Democrats in the Senate put limits on filibustering nominees for the federal bench, especially the SCOTUS? I bet that they will. How much? I do not know.

  253. 253.

    Applejinx

    I’m not surprised that Hillary is displeased with the AP and tweeted ‘stop that, I have primaries to win!’. She knows how this ought to go, and it just goes to show you that even a Hillary Clinton can’t get everything she wants. AP just could not wait, even when not waiting does Hillary some harm (not in terms of winning, but in terms of screwing up the process). That’s NOT on Hil, that is the press being asshats.

    But they are right, you know. Hillary won, and she will win this Fall too. And I will be voting for her and have no problem with that.

    …provided I get good at glancing casually over SOME of the posters here, without reading too closely ;P some of you guys are so bitter and vengeful! You should be more like your candidate. Enough about those posters. I don’t want to be seeing them when I think about this day.

    I want to remember the joy.

    The joy and pride of so many of you, is a beautiful and sincere thing. It’s well earned: nobody can say this was easy or set up in advance. But it was time, and you prevailed, and I say: be joyful. It makes me happy to see that joy because it reminds me why we do this.

    Future President Hillary Clinton also tweeted happy Ramadan wishes to Muslims here and elsewhere, defiant of anyone who would suggest that’s not an okay thing to do. And I was proud to see it.

    Tuesday may be anticlimactic, but somehow I doubt that ;)

    Now let’s go and change our world, and be a beacon to THE world.

    -jinx

  255. 255.

    Keith G

    @eemom: It will, but I bet that after a bit of time, tempers will cool and the right decisions will prevail.

  256. 256.

    tastytone

    Lots of Mom stuff tonight! It’s beautiful.
    A veteran of the ERA wars, my late mother would often become exasperated and say, “you don’t understand–with women there’s always a line you can’t cross. You can be the smartest, boldest, and most talented and it does. not. matter.” I feel her very strongly today. With a little luck, I’ll feel her in November as well; and (for at least her first four years) my unborn daughter won’t know anything BUT a female POTUS. Not to be dramatic, but I agree…it is indeed a big fucking deal.

  263. 263.

    trollhattan

    If 6/6 can share D-Day with something else that’s positive, uplifting and historic, then I think the calendar can accommodate it. Took my 14 y.o. to hear Hillary speak yesterday and she was genuinely excited, not just about the experience but also what the secretary had to say. Imagine, a teenager actually listening to an adult speak. About politics! But honestly, not about politics but about people and the country and how we can work together to set goals and make them happen. My hook was simple, “Let’s go see the next president of the United States.” She could fill in the rest.

  264. 264.

    burnspbesq

    @LanceThruster:

    That’s what we lawyers call a hyper-technical reading of the situation. The reality is that it’s been over since March.

    If you need more time to grieve, that’s fine, but denying the obvious doesn’t change it.

  268. 268.

    burnspbesq

    @Raven Onthill:

    Speak for yourself. I get to vote on Boxer’s successor tomorrow. That’s enough reason to show up.

    ETA: Speaking of which, Loretta apparently played the geography card over the weekend, whining about the Guv and both Senators being from the Bay Area. Weak.

  271. 271.

    Tripod

    @burnspbesq:

    This was an intervention to stop Jane, Bernie, Jeff Weaver and Tad Devine from self-immolating on a daily basis.

    The most likely culprits are Bernie SDs slinking away, and his Senate colleagues giving him a parting shot to the balls.

  273. 273.

    burnspbesq

    The media will probably get all breathless about the Veepstakes beginning Wednesday. Not looking forward to that.

  276. 276.

    trollhattan

    @Raven Onthill:
    In case it helps, in 2014 the California mail-in ballots were 69% for the primary and 61% for the general. Given the percentage goes up every election cycle, that means over 70% of the votes in this primary are already mailed and folks will still vote tomorrow. I’m just fine with that.

  280. 280.

    Miss Bianca

    Tired. had our county Democrats’ “friendship dinner” tonight. Made some great connections. And now this news. So happy.

  285. 285.

    Miss Bianca

    @Omnes Omnibus: Mellow with juice from the vine, but not quite “shit-faced”, you pleasant gentleman. : )

    But quite tired as well, yes.

    And a bit overwhelmed – I’ve just found myself drafted to work on the campaign for the Dem candidate for state house district 60.

  288. 288.

    andy

    @maryQ: I’ve felt for some time that it should be a socially normative thing for young women under the age of 30 to only have same sex relationships.

  290. 290.

    AnotherBruce

    @dmsilev: Yes, New Jersey was going to put her over the top counting Super Delegates before the AP announced today. California will put her over the top with pledged delegates. Which is important. It gives the Bernie Bunch one less thing to hang their hat on.

  292. 292.

    mike in dc

    100 years ago, a woman in this country wouldn’t even be allowed to vote. That’s some frickin’ perspective.

  293. 293.

    AxelFoley

    @A Ghost To Most:

    Agree, although I prefer to believe that Big O is an atheist who is keeping up appearances for the sake of being electable. I’m hoping he “comes out” and punks the “silly” people at some point in the future.

    I hate when people do this. Why can’t you just accept the man at his word that he’s a Christian? You’re no better than the folks who call him a Muslim.

  296. 296.

    Applejinx

    @magurakurin: Heh ;)

    Always was, gurkin, always was. I’m hoping to find more like me to bring along into November, and I won’t do it by hatin’.

    :)

  298. 298.

    John W.

    Betty,

    My wife teared up. I did not though I had a funny feeling in my chest.

    It will be a greater moment when Hill is elected President of the United States!

    jw
    jw

  299. 299.

    John W.

    @A Ghost To Most: What bid’ness is that of anyone with any other person’s choice of belief, or non belief (or fence-sitters like me think that the jury’s still out)?

    Nosey Parker.

    jw

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