WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Leahy Calls On Clinton To Quit Race

Leahy Calls On Clinton To Quit Race

Burlington, Vermont - March 28, 2008

Sen. Patrick Leahy has rocked the Democratic party's political boat with a call for Hillary Clinton to abandon her presidential campaign. Leahy is a Barack Obama supporter -- and he says Clinton needs to step aside in the interest of party unity.

Leahy did not tell reporters explicitly on Friday that Clinton should quit the race, but in an interview with Vermont Public Radio he said -- quote -- "There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama."

Leahy said in a statement that Obama continues to hold a lead that "appears to be insurmountable." Leahy said he doesn't want Republican nominee-apparent John McCain to benefit from the Democrats' fight.

"Senator McCain has taken full advantage of this," he said.

Leahy acknowledged that Sen. Clinton has every right to continue her campaign, but not a very good reason. He said her presence in the race is allowing McCain to get away with inconsistencies that go unchallenged while the Democrats fight each other. 

"He can get away with it because we're fighting within our own party," Leahy said. "This is nothing against Senator Clinton. Certainly she's qualified to be president. But I don't see her as being the nominee just because of the way the numbers are going and I think she may well want to consider that others who were running were also well qualified to be president -- who stepped down."

None of this sat well with Clinton's leading supporter in Vermont, former Governor Madeleine Kunin. "I just think this is being somewhat paternalistic," she told Channel 3.

Kunin took issue with Leahy's assertion that Obama holds an insurmountable lead. She said it's too early to assume that the winner is already determined. And she bridled at the thought of Clinton deferring to men on such an important occasion.

"Well, it's dangerous territory to go into," she continued. "But I think there's a little suspicion there. Are the guys telling her it's time to leave? And I know it's dangerous, because whenever you hint at that, someone always says, Oh, you're playing the gender card. But let's face it. She's the first serious woman candidate for president this country has ever seen in its history. And she has a strong following."

Democrats on both sides admit that there aren't any significant differences between Obama and Clinton, as far as issues go. The question is, will Leahy's call on Clinton to hang it up be echoed by others in the Democratic party. In other words, was Leahy's statement the first of a series of planned statements by Democrats worried about losing the presidential election, and putting pressure on Clinton to quit.

The clash was the first sign of acrimony inside the Democratic party to spread to Vermont, which has seen a relatively mellow competition between Obama and Clinton supporters. Party leaders on both sides say they expect the factions will come together.  

Andy Potter - WCAX News