Should Clinton end her bid for nomination?

Party activists ponder impact as she pushes on despite Obama lead

By WAYNE WASHINGTON - wwashington@thestate.com

Barack Obama’s South Carolina supporters are feeling good about his victory in North Carolina Tuesday night.

Those supporters are bracing themselves for a continued battle against U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., even as they hope she does not make good on her pledge to stay in the race.

“The handwriting’s on the wall,” said Anton Gunn, an anti-poverty activist who worked for the Obama campaign in South Carolina. “She can’t overtake Barack.”

Many of those who helped Obama score a big win in South Carolina in January traveled to the Tar Heel state in recent weeks to help Obama. Most political observers agree his win there and the close loss to Clinton in Indiana re-asserted his front-runner status for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“It was a good night,” Gunn said, adding that Clinton’s future intentions could be gleaned from how she conducts herself.

“She could continue to attack Barack,” Gunn said, “or, she could let up and run positive ads. If she runs positive ads, she could be looking for a way out.”

Clinton’s climb to the nomination is now almost impossibly steep. Obama’s wins in caucuses and primaries, combined with growing support from elected officials and other party activists, have given him a 156-delegate lead, according to a tally from CNN after Tuesday’s contests.

Obama has a total of 1,842 delegates. Neither candidate is likely to get the 2,025 needed to automatically earn the nomination, but many party activists and elected officials — the so-called superdelegates who have an independent vote — have said they would be uncomfortable having as their nominee a candidate who got less support from voters in the various primaries and caucuses that have been held.

Obama has won 31 of the 47 contests held so far.

Clinton, who entered the race as the front-runner and used that status to reel in support from superdelegates, has seen her edge among superdelegates reduced as some move to Obama in a bid to bring the race to a close.

Tuesday’s results did not spur any of South Carolina’s nine superdelegates to change their stances.

Clinton met Wednesday with U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-Rock Hill and chairman of the House Budget Committee, at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington.

“They had a cordial conversation,” said Chuck Fant, a Spratt spokesman. “He explained the position he’s in with Obama carrying most of South Carolina.”

The meeting was in response to Clinton’s request a few weeks ago, Fant said.

“He told her he was staying uncommitted,” Fant said. “She didn’t try to twist his arm.”

Wilber L. Jeffcoat, a superdelegate and retired Swansea trucker who is active in the S.C. Democratic Party, said he remains uncommitted. He said he is waiting to learn the plans of national party officials.

“I’m waiting to see what they’re going to do, if they’re going to call us together and give us some direction. I don’t know if they’re going to do something now or let this thing play out until the end.”

Some Democrats in South Carolina, even Obama supporters, are wary about making loud calls for Clinton to drop out.

“I’m kind of half and half on that,” said April Boling, a statistician who lives in Columbia. “I don’t think anybody should drop out before they’re ready. But I am worried that this is going to hurt the party this fall.”

State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, an Orangeburg County Democrat and uncommitted superdelegate, agreed.

“I’m concerned about the tone,” she said. “Please stop the personal attacks. Let’s keep it positive. Let’s not do the Republicans’ work for them.”

If the tone does not improve, Cobb-Hunter said she may soon endorse a candidate in the coming days instead of waiting until after her House primary in June.

As pressure grows for Clinton to withdraw, former S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges said party officials must be mindful of how they approach her, given her status and how hard she has worked for the nomination.

“I think there is a recognition that people want this to be wrapped up,” said Hodges, an Obama supporter who worked with the North Carolina campaign. “I think everybody needs to back up and give her some space. She’s saying all the right things. There needs to be great sensitivity.”

Hodges said Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will be important to the party’s efforts to move past the divisions that have opened during the nomination fight.

Hillary Clinton has vowed to press on, and Hodges said only she can make the decision on when or if she should withdraw.

“She needs to make it without the feeling that Sen. Obama or the party is making her do it.”

Staff writers Gina Smith and James Rosen contributed to this report. Reach senior writer Wayne Washington at (803) 771-8385.