Fox News's "Fox and Friends"
Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, on why tonight is a big night for McCain: "In Appalachia...those are places where [Obama] has not done well. And from McCain's standpoint, if [Obama] doesn't do well again, they'll see it as that much bigger an opening for them. Among voters in at least the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, you need to get at least some margin to win."
Mike Gallagher, on why Clinton is still in the race: "Because of Rush Limbaugh and operation chaos. It's been executed brilliantly. ... People crossed over and voted for Hillary." On possible protests at Republican National Convention by Ron Paul supporters: "This could be a little bump in the road for the Republicans at the convention. There is no question this could be a major headache for John McCain. ... I think John McCain would be well-served to kind of reach out and give him an olive branch at the convention, give him a role, because if these people are disrespected, this combined with Bob Barr's announcement, that Barr is now running as a Libertarian, is going to just take votes away from John McCain and could be a disaster for the Republican Party."
GOP consultant Stephen Marks, on going negative against Obama: "Here's the problem, I've been doing negative politics all my life. ... But this is the first candidate that I've seen that nothing negative is sticking. And I'll tell you why. ... His white supporters, as you know, they're young people, and they are middle-class and upper-middle class wealthier white folks, and nothing appeals to them. They're getting something from Barack Obama that they've never gotten from any other candidate before. They're getting moral superiority, they're getting self-esteem. ... I'm serious."
Terry McAuliffe, on how Clinton could possibly become the Democratic nominee: "Absolutely, we move ahead in the popular vote, the difference in delegates is only 100 on June 3rd, then they gotta say, 'Who's the best to take on John McCain?' That's Hillary Clinton." On the magic delegate number 2,025 moving to 2,209: "On May 31st, the Rules and Bylaws Committee will hear the challenges from the Florida-Michigan delegations. They will then determine what the number is. It's our belief they're going to use Florida and Michigan because they know they gotta get them in the mix if we're going to win those states in the general election."
MSNBC's "Morning Joe"
Terry McAuliffe, on how either candidate brings in the other's voters in the general election: "May 31st, the Rules and Bylaws [committee] will meet on Michigan, June 3rd is the last day of voting. I do believe soon after that the superdelegates will move very quickly because they want to be a part of this process. ... Once the superdelegates and the nomination is done, I believe this party is going to come together very quickly. George Bush has been the greatest unifying force in the history of the Democratic Party. ... At the end of the day, if Hillary is not the nominee, we'll all be together helping Senator Obama. I promise you by the end of June this party will be united."
"We need to be very careful over the next three weeks. It is a fragile time. Hillary has had 16.6 million people vote for her. They don't enjoy hearing TV pundits say 'This race is over, she cannot win,' that makes them angry. Now we have got to move forward, let everyone vote. It will be up to Hillary Clinton at the end of this process to bring people in. She has said from Day 1, we will be unified, she will do anything in her power to make sure we win the White House on November 4th."
Wall Street Journal's Jerry Seib, on how 2008 differs from previous elections: "We're really living at the end of an era that was shaped by the Great Society, Lyndon Johnson, the 1968 election, and to a certain extent Ronald Reagan in 1980. ... We are now in the last year of the era that began when Reagan rode into town in 1980. And that's why people say it's gotta change, because it's time to change."
NBC's "TODAY"
Andrea Mitchell: "Obama, now ahead of Clinton in super delegates, is already heading to Missouri today, a battleground state in the fall campaign. But first, a small detail, the hammering he's expecting tonight in West Virginia from Clinton who is not yet ready to give up." Andrea noted Clinton has begun pulling her punches on Obama, "her message has softened, no more direct attacks on Barack Obama, reserving her firepower for Republicans." Mitchell concluded by stating that word from the Clinton campaign says "she will in fact quit after June 3 if Obama has clearly wrapped it up, but first she wants to run up the score with a few last victories starting today in West Virginia."
(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Roundup)

