Hillary: 'Let’s keep fighting'
Posted: Sunday, June 01, 2008 6:30 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
During her victory speech after the Puerto Rico primary, which she is on her way to winning likely by a two-to-one margin, Ricky Martin music blaring at the introduction and afterward, Clinton showed no sign of pulling out of this race any time soon.
“Let’s keep fighting,” Clinton said four times at the close of her speech to rousing applause.
She refined what seemed to be her closing argument to superdelegates. She argued she has won the popular vote, reluctantly recognized Obama would likely win the pledged delegates (which she called a “slight lead”) and that superdelegates would now decide the Democratic nominee. Mathematically, Clinton needs an overwhelming majority of those superdelegates -- about 85 percent and likely more -- after Tuesday’s contest to overtake Obama.
Clinton got in a familiar dig at Obama, saying voters need to “cut through the speeches and the sound bites for real solutions.”
She touted her strength “among the very swing voters” Democrats “need to win” in a general election. After ticking off the swing states she has won, Clinton mentioned for the first time since yesterday’s rules committee judgment -- “and, yes, Michigan and Florida.” That was greeted with huge applause. When Obama was mentioned earlier in her speech, he was booed.
Clinton maintained -- almost as a dare -- “When voting concludes [Tuesday night], neither of us will have enough delegates” to win the nomination, she said. It is certainly possible Obama will have the required number of delegates Tuesday night, but may need up to 30 superdelegates to do so.
What the approximately 200 undeclared superdelegates need to consider, Clinton argued: (1) Which candidate “best represents the will of the people who voted in this historic election”; (2) Which is “best able to lead us to victory in November”; (3) Which is “best able to lead the nation” as president in the face of challenges domestically and abroad.
She reiterated she is “winning the popular vote,” she’s in this race to win and that she’s most ready to lead on Day One.
“Let’s keep fighting,” she concluded. “Let’s keep fighting. Let's keep fighting. Let's keep fighting.”
