Clinton defies pressure to quit Democratic race

Source: Xinhua | 03-31-2008 08:18

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said she will stick it out through the remaining primaries, rejecting calls by supporters of rival candidate Barack Obama to bow out, U.S. media reported Sunday.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton smiles while speaking on stage at a town hall meeting in Indianapolis March 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

"I know there are some people who want to shut this down, and I think they are wrong," Clinton told The Washington Post in an interview in Sunday's editions.

"I have no intention of stopping until we finish what we started, and until we see what happens in the next 10 contests, and until we resolve Florida and Michigan. And if we don't resolve it, we'll resolve it at the convention."

Clinton trails Obama in the race for 2,024 Democratic nominating delegates.

Two of Obama's leading supporters, Sens. Christopher Dodd and Patrick Leahy, said Friday that Clinton should rethink her chances of overcoming that deficit and consider folding her campaign.

Leahy, of Vermont, said Clinton "has every right, but not a very good reason, to remain a candidate for as long as she wants to."

Campaigning Pennsylvania on Saturday, Obama said Clinton can remain in the race as long as she wants.

"My attitude is that Senator Clinton can run as long as she wants. Her name is on the ballot and she is a fierce and formidable competitor," said Obama, adding that the notion that Democrats have been split by the prolonged nominating contest "is somewhat overstated."

Obama said he did not discuss Leahy's call for Clinton to drop out with the Vermont senator.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei