Exclusive: Clinton Vows to Push On

By Mark Halperin

Hillary Clinton is under a lot of pressure these days, but in a Tuesday interview she seemed cheery, confident and unapologetic as she talked about her determination to fight on in the presidential race. Speaking by phone from Pennsylvania, she explained why she plans to continue her push for the Democratic nomination, even as some question her chances of winning. She expressed confidence that her party would pull together in time to beat Republican John McCain, as well as a belief that the remaining contests -- and perhaps some surprising shifts in the delegates already elected -- would make her the Democrats' nominee.

HALPERIN: How would you describe your most likely path to victory now? What would the elements be and how would it play out?

CLINTON: Well, first I think that it's important to point out that the premise of the whole discussion that some people are engaged in is off base because this is a very close race and neither of us will reach the magic number of delegates. We're both going to be short, and when you think about the many millions of people who have already voted, we are separated by a relatively small percentage of votes. We're separated by, you know, a little more than a hundred delegates. I've won states that Democrats need to win in the general election in order to win the White House and obviously the strategy on the other side is to try to shut this race down, but I don't think voters want that. You know, there was a big surge in registration here in Pennsylvania. That seems to be happening in other states that are in the upcoming contests. Millions of people still remain to vote and to have their votes counted, so I think it's exciting and I find it very positive for our party. We're going to bring a lot of people into this race. Yesterday in Montgomery County I probably had six women tell me that they had changed their registration from Republican to Democrat to be able to vote for me, and I'm sure people are doing things to get prepared to vote for Senator Obama. I think this is all really good. And there's additional problems of Florida and Michigan, because I still don't see how the Democrats don't figure out a way to make sure their votes are counted. And I don't understand what Senator Obama was afraid of when I agreed and the DNC signed off on a re-vote in Michigan and he said no. So we're just going to keep this process going through these next contests.

You often talk about this need for balance in life and in policy and in politics. Are you now balancing all the reasons you just gave for going forward and having other voters vote with the word that some people are putting out that going forward is hurting the party? Are you balancing that or are you all on the side of your first answer?

Well, I obviously take that into account, but I just don't see any evidence of it. You know, it is clear that there's a lot of excitement and energy in this campaign. The people who are supporting me sure don't want to see it over. They tell me that all the time, that they want me to keep going. They want me to keep fighting, so this will all work out. We're going to have a unified Democratic Party and we'll go into the fall in a strong position to defeat John McCain.

You said earlier today at your press conference that we'll wait to see what happens in "the next three months." Does that mean that your assumption is, however these remaining contests turn out, that the race will go at least for the next three months?

Well, that certainly is what I anticipate. I think the elections that are yet to come deserve to be held because the people from Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico to all the others that are waiting in line deserve to be heard. And I think that's part of the good. You know, I remind a lot of people that my husband didn't formally wrap up the nomination until June and when he did he was behind both President Bush and Ross Perot. You know as well as anyone how dynamic elections are and how fluid they are, and I think that we're going to win in November and once we get our nominee chosen we're going to have a very vigorous campaign to make sure that happens.

Is there anything more important for the superdelegates and the voters who are still to vote, anything more important for them to look at besides electability, the ability to beat John McCain in November?

Well, I think who will be the best President is another element, but there's a lot to be excited about here. I think that there is unprecedented excitement in the Democratic Party. Now obviously people choose sides and they feel passionately about whichever one of us they are supporting, but it's still going on and I see nothing that suggests to me that the people in the states yet to vote are anything other than thrilled to have their voices and votes be part of this process. Look at what's happened with Pennsylvania registration. Its just shot through the roof, and it happened because, you know, people individually, with some encouragement from each of our campaigns, got up and said, you know, "I want to be part of this." And I think it will help both of us, and I think it will, more importantly, help the Democratic Party.

Some of your supporters have said this issue of Senator Obama's relationship with Reverend Wright is something that should give superdelegates pause on the electability issue. Do you think Senator Obama has answered everything he should on that? Has the press and the public asked the right questions about that?

Well, that's really up to the press and the public to determine, but I was asked specifically today what I would do if I had been in a similar situation and it was obviously a personal opinion of mine and I said, you know, I would have left because that would not have been something I was comfortable with. But it's very personal and I think people are kind of thinking about it and are trying to determine what they believe about it.

You live in a household with a pretty high appetite and aptitude for polling data and for exit election returns. In looking at the exit polls from the states that have voted and from the returns from states that have voted, do you see any arguments you can make about your relative strength compared to Senator Obama in winning a general election?

Well, I think I have a lot of support that Democrats have to have in November. I've done obviously very well with women, who are a majority of the electorate, and the real core of the Democratic Party electoral victories. I've done very well with Hispanics. I've done very well with, you know, a lot of hard-working people who get up every day and know they need a President to try to straighten out the economy and get our country back on the right track. I've done well with older voters who are very solid part of the general election electorate and I feel very privileged to have that kind of support in states that Democrats have to win. You know, we have to anchor our electoral map in the states that we must win and I think I'm in a good position to do that.

You left out one group. It's a little sensitive in the current context to ask about it, but you didn't mention white voters. Is that an advantage you see in the states that have voted so far and in the exit polls?

Well, I think, you know, voters come in all sizes and shapes and every other characteristic and we usually put together coalitions of voters, but I want to be the President for everyone. I will obviously be reaching out to African-American voters, you know, whom I deeply respect, as they make their own decisions in these elections, but we're going to have to come together because no matter the differences between Senator Obama and myself, the differences between the Democrats and Senator McCain are monumental. I just finished giving a speech about Social Security in which I quoted Senator McCain saying just a few weeks ago that he would continue George Bush's efforts to privatize Social Security. Well, you know, that's a very big difference and you know I think I am in a very strong position to be able to go toe-to-toe with John McCain, to be able to deal with him on national security and foreign policy and to trump him on the economy and health care and Social Security and so many of the other signature issues that we have to face. So it is something that I feel very good about my chances against Senator McCain.

Last question Senator. Some people look at the current state of the delegate counts and say the only way you can win the nomination is at the convention, with a convention where delegates move around perhaps, and you'll make your case side by side. Are you comfortable if that's the way you win the nomination, going all the way to Denver and winning it there? Is that a comfortable outcome for you?

You know it's the same thing for Senator Obama. Neither of us will reach the number of delegates needed. So I think that that is, you know, the reality for both of our campaigns. And all delegates have to assess who they think will be the strongest nominee against McCain and who they believe would do the best job in bringing along the down-ballot races and who they think would be the best President. And, from my perspective, those are all very legitimate questions, and as you know so well, Mark, every delegate with very few exceptions is free to make up his or her mind however they choose. We talk a lot about so-called pledged delegates, but every delegate is expected to exercise independent judgment. And, you know, I'm just going to do the best I can in the next 10 contests to make my case to the voters in those elections and then we'll see where we are.

Sounds like you'll still be in the race by the time the next few issues of TIME magazine get published.

(Laughs) Well, I think so.