Hillary Clinton Watch: Leaving the Race But Parsing the Words

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., waves as she leaves the stage after speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Wednesday, June 4, 2008, in Washington

It appears that Hillary Clinton will be withdrawing or pulling out of her candidacy for the Presidency on Saturday.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is likely to suspend her presidential campaign on Saturday and endorse Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, according to informed sources, after a day in which many of her key supporters and party leaders encouraged the senator from New York to make a quick decision in the interest of party unity.

The Clinton campaign issued a statement late yesterday that did not officially confirm her decision but said Clinton would hold an event in Washington “to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity.” The event was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but in a subsequent release her campaign announced that it would be moved to Saturday “to accommodate more of Senator Clinton’s supporters who want to attend.”

But, nothing is final until Saturday and Flap knows there are ongoing negotiations about Hillary’s campaign debt and how it will be disposed.

Obama and the Democrat Party hacks like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid want Hillary and Bill gone. However, depending upon how Hillary parses the words on Saturday she may or may not be.

A note on terminology: some news outlets will report that Clinton will “suspend” her campaign; others may report that she will “concede” to Obama; other will report that she is “dropping out.”

It’s ok to use “dropping out.”

She doesn’t officially lose her delegates until they vote for someone else at the convention, so she could always jump back in. There’s no paper you sign that magically waives away your delegates, and there will be plenty of them, I’d bet, who, if you ask them next week, insist they’ll vote for Hillary.

Hillary will use the word “SUSPEND” and not finalize ANYTHING. There is a level of mistrust on either side and until Obama finalizes a “DEAL” to pay her back and the money is received, Bill will insist that Hillary keep her powder dry. The Clinton donors will insist on this as well.

Should Obama falter, make a huge GAFFE or another damaging detail comes out about his past, Hillary will be there to take over the mantle. Remember she has amassed a huge number of committed delegates.

So, is Hillary’s campaign REALLY Over?

No – not until the Denver Convention and Obama is annointed.