California Conservative

According to Richard Adams, Hillary lost the nomination on Feb. 6. Here’s his reasoning behind his opinion:

We didn’t know it at the time, but February 6 was the day when there began a big blank gap on the Clinton campaign calendar. Because her team of battle-tested veterans failed to plan for much of anything after Super Tuesday. We now know that the Clinton campaign blew so much of its cash on the February 5 multi-state primary that it had little left in the tank for what was to follow, forcing the candidate to loan herself $5m and spend valuable time last night on television trying to raise more.

Mr. Adams makes several valid points, one being that they blew alot of their “cash on the February 5 multi-state primary.” I suspect that they initially thought that she’d wrap up the nomination that night.

I’d argue, however, that Hillary lost the nomination before the first ballot was cast. I’d submit that she lost the nomination at the debate debacle at Drexel. That’s the night Hillary went from inevitable to roadkill. Yes, she won primaries after that but those were more islands of hope in a turbulent sea than anything else. Here’s the Politico’s account of that fateful night:

It was not just that her answer about whether illegal immigrants should be issued drivers’ licenses was at best incomprehensible and at worst misleading.

It was that for two hours she dodged and weaved, parsed and stonewalled.

And when it was over, both the Barack Obama and John Edwards campaigns signaled that in the weeks ahead they intend to hammer home a simple message: Hillary Clinton does not say what she means or mean what she says. (more…)