Clinton and Obama spar over long Democratic contest

By Ellen Wulfhorst

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Depending on who is talking, Hillary Clinton should either drop out of the race for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination for the good of the party or fight on because all voters have a right to be heard.

The two arguments being made by supporters of Clinton and her Democratic rival Barack Obama speak to higher principles, inspire passion and make headlines, and both are pure politics with scant basis in fact, political experts say.

"Each one is making the best political argument for themselves and stating it in terms of some universal principles that don't exist," said Sandy Maisel, director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs at Maine's Colby College.

"Her side says, 'Every vote counts,' and his side says, 'It's over, why doesn't she admit it?'" Maisel said. "In fact, it isn't over, and there have been lots of cases in the past when every vote didn't count."

Plenty of elections are decided -- fairly -- before many voters had a chance to vote, and candidates can emerge victorious despite bruising primary battles, the experts say.

Besides, given the nature of politics, tables can quickly turn. Polls once showed Clinton with a powerful lead, but today she trails Obama in the quest for Democratic delegates.

"It's politics. Something crazy could happen tomorrow that changes the dynamic completely," said Kathleen Dolan, political scientist at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

That rings particularly true for the Clinton-Obama matchup, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. She has been scrutinized for years, but he is lesser known and his candidacy could take some twists and turns.  Continued...