Some research, please.

Hillary Clinton moved her speech forward in an attempt to preempt Barack Obama's scheduled remarks.

Ben Smith at Politico has the score.

Tim Russert said that the Obama campaign was willing to wait for Hillary Clinton to finish her speech IF she had conceded/mentioned Wisconsin.

But since it was apparent Sen Clinton was not going to acknowledge the WI primary, as last week she did not acknowledge the Potomac wins last week- the Obama camapign decided why give her free airtime to bash them -- and they had the "victor" come out to speak --
PLUS- he spoke 15 minutes longer than usual and was more specific than usual - likely in response to Sen Clinton's charges --

Be careful what you wish for --

So the standard has become that you'll only be decent if the other side knuckles under.

More erosion of the civility of our society.

Should give everyone pause.

I see no reason why Obama should let Hillary have free air time to attack him. Perhaps if she were a bit more gracious in defeat and at least acknowledged a state called Wisconsin exists, I'd feel differently. But to the victor goes the spoils.

@cal: I believe the standard has become that Hillary doesn't get to decide when Barack speaks anymore.

Proper etiquette is for the WINNER to wait until the LOSER concedes. However, since Clinton NEVER conceded, nor did it appear that she would, that turned proper etiquette on it's head, which allowed Obama to speak...and yes I have a degree in etiquette, before you ask.

The Democratic Party will lose credibility if these two candidates continue aiming to destroy the other. Destroy the candidate = alienating the base.

Clinton continues to take the low road and Obama does a reasonable job of ignoring her, but to interrupt a speech seems childish and petty.

If this play fighting continues into the summer, McCain might gain the upper hand. And we all know what that means... 4 more years of Bush in an old man's outfit.

There's no reason to give Hillary an inch anymore. She's simply irrelevant. Her only function at this point is to help the Republicans get McCain into the White House. She's dividing the Democratic Party and attacking the best candidate they've had since Bobby Kennedy. There is NO CHANCE Hillary will be president. She's lost. It's over.

It's time for Democrats to come together to fight against McCain. It's time to stop the infighting. Hillary is not going to be president. Give it up.

doesn't she look tired?

the clinton's look so desperate that they seem willing to tap into their Bush/Rove/Cheney beltway buddies to declare marshall law and declare the clintons the winners. they'll give it back to the bushes in eight years,

I thought- words don't matter for Hillary. So why the fuss about she not getting a chance to broadcast her words.

Officially now, WI doesn't matter- ask Mark Penn.

I always thought Obama was being little bit too courteous to Hillary- I'm proud he did tonight.

She looses by 20 points and comes out and pretends as if nothing happened. Well if nothing happened, then nothing to see.

zoey: I agree. She looked like a talking skull tonight. Normally I would have felt a little sorry for her, but she's brought this upon herself. She thinks "fighting" and "doing battle" is what American politics is all about. Clearly she's wrong. And clearly, it's taking its toll on poor old Hillary. She's losing, she knows it, and it shows on her face.

This doesn't make sense.

Sen. Clinton was delivering a standard stump speech in OH for an election that is two weeks away. She hasn't received network coverage for the entirety of her other stump speeches. Why would this one be any different?

Sen. Obama was was acknowledging and commenting on an election that took place today in WI. He also spoke about the upcoming elections in TX and OH. But the networks were providing election night coverage for the election that took place in WI.

Sen. Obama doesn't - and shouldn't - coordinate the timing of his speeches with his opponent.

Clinton moved her speech up in a foolish attempt to preempt Obama - WITHOUT even giving some sort of concession.
Obama says to hell with that = PWNED.
Sorry Taylor Marsh.

I listened to a McCain speach at my son's Ohio State Univ. commencement a few years back, and realized then that I would never vote for that man to be my President.
(It's like, wake me up when he finally gets off the stage.)
Obama is the best candidate for what this country needs now. I'm anxious to see the day again when I am proud to be a US citizen.

I think its: Loser interrupted.

Also, I must say, when will Hillary show she's tough enough to win this thing? Looks to me like Obama's clearly the better fighter.

"doesn't she look tired?"

If this is the quote I think it is, heh.

Otherwise... Hey, what, Obama was supposed to keep a crowd of 20k waiting for Clinton to polish off what was clearly going to be an attack speech? If he did decide to bigfoot her, then it's about the most gentlemanly thwack we could ask for. Otherwise, hey -- at least he's showing that when he has to make a big move, he will.

Just because she decides to take advantage of free press to deliver a new speech doesn't mean he has to linger in the wings until she's done. Nonsense.

I think its: Loser interrupted.

Also, I must say, when will Hillary show she's tough enough to win this thing? Looks to me like Obama's clearly the better fighter.

Hilary sure does look tired - not just Harriet.

Obama has been gracious in the past, letting Clinton go "ladies first" with what proved to be non-concession speeches. Well, he's learned. No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Hillary will learn, too, though Mark Penn will not.

Hillary's campaign is tone deaf. She is paying the price. How many times can she reinvent herself and still retain any measure of credibility? She is out of sync with the voters. They prefer Obama. Period.

Yes, Hillary does look very tired. Very tired in deed. But she's not nearly as tired as I am of her and her husband's republican tactics. Go Obama!

Hmmmmm...Mark Penn=Mr. Harold Saxon? Yeah, sounds right.

Yes, Hillary does look very tired. Very tired in deed. But she's not nearly as tired as I am of her and her husband's republican tactics. Go Obama!

Hmmmmm...Mark Penn=Mr. Harold Saxon? Yeah, sounds right.

Hillary's campaign is tone deaf. She is paying the price. How many times can she reinvent herself and still retain any measure of credibility? She is out of sync with the voters. They prefer Obama. Period.

Yes, Hillary does look very tired. Very tired in deed. But she's not nearly as tired as I am of her and her husband's republican tactics. Go Obama!

Hmmmmm...Mark Penn=Mr. Harold Saxon? Yeah, sounds right.

Hillary's campaign is tone deaf. She is paying the price. How many times can she reinvent herself and still retain any measure of credibility? She is out of sync with the voters. They prefer Obama. Period.

To those who think the bickering/back and forth will hurt the Dems: I've been listening to political analysts say the opposite: the longer the Obama/HRC back-and-forth continues the longer it will take for the GOP to figure out a "response" strategy. That is, they will be unable to open their own can of swift-voting whoop-ass b/c they won't be able to figure out where to direct it. Supposedly, but I still think the general idea here is to choose a candidate and start running a stellar presidential campaign.

HRC doesn't even care to thank her supporters in Wisconsin in her speech, let alone a concession to Obama. For such contemptible behavior, why does she deserve free air time for her promises and words of solutions?

HRC doesn't even care to thank her supporters in Wisconsin in her speech, let alone a concession to Obama. For such contemptible behavior, why does she deserve free air time for her promises and words of solutions?

There is much to admire in HRC; however, her time has passed. She could and would have won in 2004... unfortunately, she was not willing to take the risk then.... This is 2008 and it is time for my (and HRC's) generation to step aside for the next generation... Is Obama perfect? No. But, he is the best fit for the times. Most importantly, he will pull 60%+ of the popular vote in November and that will empower him to do what needs to be done.

More importantly, Obama's candidacy has created a movement in the American electorate that is bigger than he... we are, today, on the cusp of a new New Deal which will relegate the GOP to irrevelancy for the next 50 years.... that, my dear friends, it a good thing.

Clinton and Obama need to stop all this silliness. They need to learn to respect one another. Obama should not have started his speech before Clinton finished out of respect for voters that wanted to hear both speeches. They both need to learn a bit of common courtesy. If not then Democrats are not going to go out and vote for either of them. They will need one another once one is nominated. And the one nominated will need the other's backers. Just stop all this insanity and grow up!

The silliness is that Hillary seems to think rule are for everyone else. She was scheduled for 8:30, Barak for 9:30. She went on at 9:15. If she chose to throw away 45 of her minutes, why blame Barak?

Hillary has sharp elbows, rushing on stage to give the first speech. I am heartened by the fact that he is willing to mix it up with her, not just allow her to elbow past him.

Olbermann was referring to Hillary's lack of concession, not Obama's timing, in his comment about etiquette.

What was missing from all the pundits' punditry on the issue last night was that Hillary hasn't conceded in weeks, so why should Obama wait?

Oh, the Republicans must be laughing themselves silly over this latest tempest in a teapot. There are so many serious topics to be discussed, yet this is what all of you are worried about? Cripes.