Riginslinger quoted me ["Now, as for Hillary, I'd say what she's trying to do to Obama and to the Democratic party's chances in 2008, while legal, is much farther reaching 'crime.'"] and retorted:
"It's funny when Obama supporters blame Hillary for simply running for office. It's time for Obama to step down."

The "crime" I'm referring to is not that Hillary is continuing in the race.   Heck, if she took the higher - and smarter - ground, she could be helping herself, the Democratic party, and the nation by keeping key issues in the news. She could help remind the public of why it's so important that the Dems take the White House and get rid of the obstructionist Repubs in the Senate who filibuster good legislation that's supported by a bipartisan majority.

But, noooo, she and Bill keep taking potshots at Obama while telling people - or at least strongly insinuating - she thinks they should vote for McCain if she does not win the Democratic nomination. She's jumped on the bandwagon of the media corporatocracy in distorting the reality of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's messages and of what Obama's relationship with that church implies about Obama's own views and policies. She tries to paint Barack as some neophyte with too little political experience to be Commander-In-Chief, when a quick review of history shows that some less experienced Presidents (e.g., Lincoln) have been better than some with far more experience (e.g., Nixon, Bush 41).

Hillary gave the McCain campaign one of their most powerful sound bites to use against Obama in the post-convention race: "I bring a lifetime of experience. John McCain has a lifetime of experience. [Obama] has a speech he gave in 2002."   WTF!!??
That's grandiose, mendacious and mean-spirited and a betrayal of the Democratic Party's goals. (How can you count all sorts of non-office-holding "experience" for yourself and the other party's candidate and DIScount someone else's entire life experience, including experience as a legislator?)

Bill Clinton has also worked to paint Barack Obama as "the black candidate," instead of recognizing the much broader appeal of this man who, both by ancestry and by rearing, is not only bi-racial but a citizen of the wider world. Yet more ammunition aimed at the Democratic team.

Hillary seems to have adopted a scorched-earth stategy re the nomination.   Does she really hope that if she's not the nominee, Grandpa McCain will win and she can have a shot at 2012?   It sure seems that way.

Staying in the race is fine. I wish John Edwards had stayed in till at least Super Tuesday. I wish Dennis Kucinich had been able to stay in longer and be in on the debates, to keep important issues the media's attention.    But Democrats need to stop the circular firing squad, and right now Clinton (abetted by the other Clinton) is the one taking the most and the most damaging shots in it.