Our projections show the most likely outcome of yesterday's elections will be that Hillary Clinton gained 187 delegates, and we gained 183.
That's a net gain of 4 delegates out of more than 370 delegates available from all the states that voted.
For comparison, that's less than half our net gain of 9 delegates from the District of Columbia alone. It's also less than our net gain of 8 from Nebraska, or 12 from Washington State. And it's considerably less than our net gain of 33 delegates from Georgia.
The task for the Clinton campaign yesterday was clear. In order to have a plausible path to the nomination, they needed to score huge delegate victories and cut into our lead.
They failed.
It's clear, though, that Senator Clinton wants to continue an increasingly desperate, increasingly negative -- and increasingly expensive -- campaign to tear us down.
That's her decision. But it's not stopping John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination last night, from going on the offensive. He's already made news attacking Barack, and that will only become more frequent in the coming days.
Right now, it's essential for every single supporter of Barack Obama to step up and help fight this two-front battle. In the face of attacks from Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we need to be ready to take them on.
Will you make an online donation of $25 right now?
The chatter among pundits may have gotten better for the Clinton campaign after last night, but by failing to cut into our lead, the math -- and their chances of winning -- got considerably worse.
Today, we still have a lead of more than 150 delegates, and there are only 611 pledged delegates left to win in the upcoming contests.
By a week from today, we will have competed in Wyoming and Mississippi. Two more states and 45 more delegates will be off the table.
But if Senator Clinton wants to continue this, let's show that we're ready.
Make an online donation of $25 now to show you're willing to fight for this:
The obvious strategy for Obama: A subtle attack on Hillary's tax ... San Diego Union Tribune The delegate count and the dynamics of the race still make Barack Obama the strong favorite to win the Dem nomination, but the chances that Hillary Clinton can credibly take the fight all the way to the party's convention in Denver appear far higher after her wins Tuesday in Texas and Ohio. ..... A revote in Michigan would probably favor Hillary, and perhaps Florida, too. ...... He needs to preserve his image as a sunny, positive idealist.
Hillary is not losing, Barack is winning. This new kind of politics, politics of hope is a paradigm shift thing. And that is why the old Clinton hands are flustered.
This nomination fight has to end March 4. Hillary has to be prepared to give a great concession speech. She is going to lose the two biggies. Both Texas and Ohio will be had by Obama 08. Then it is over. But things don't have to end for Hillary if she gives a great concession speech. She is a capable woman who has a lot to contribute.
I relate to Hillary in a very personal way. Hillary has been a first in many ways. When Hillary got into the White House, people were like, this First Lady is actually talking public policy, woe is to me. It was unfair to her and to the women of the world that her talking policy was news, but it was. She has been a pioneer woman. She has taken a lot of flak from right wingers, and sexist men in the Democratic camp. But she has also taken a lot of flak from women, period. And I relate to that. There is sexism, anti-sexism, but also internalized sexism. Hillary has been one angle facing two angles. There is ethnic prejudice, anti-prejudice, and internalized prejudice, this I say about being a Madhesi in Nepal. There is racism, anti-racism, and internalized racism. I have been one angle facing two angles on those two counts. So I relate to her in an extremely personal way.
And there is also this sidestepping thing. The powers that be will always find another Madhesi, or another brown guy who does not have "issues." They will find people in that second angle to suggest, see, I am not prejudiced, I am not racist, there are these people who get along with me just fine, it is just you.
We can't do that to Hillary. We can't think of another woman for the ticket. And white men are absolutely, totally out of bounds. Women have come so far, and I don't mean just the women in America, but the women of the world, actually I mean primarily the women of the world, the women of the world have come so far in Hillary simply have come this far as a candidate. America had never before seen a serious woman candidate for president. This was a first time. It is kind of primitive that the country waited for so long. But that does make Hillary a pioneer woman. She can not be wasted. She has come this far. She has to go further. She has to get on the ticket.
This has been such a tight race. Simple arithmetic says you got to get Hillary on the ticket to unify the party, as simple as that. Don't make a short list. Don't shop around. As soon as Hillary gives her concession speech, call her up and offer her the slot. As soon as she accepts, and accept she will, she suggested as much during the Texas debate, you go public. You give your speech saying you are honored to have Hillary on your ticket.
Great Chemistry
Barack and Hillary genuinely like each other. So it is not just about arithmetic. We got arithmetic, but we also got chemistry. Hillary ran a tough, competitive campaign. That is why she will be a great Vice President.
History
Barack fans are like, oh, Barack is just so great. Hillary fans are like, oh, Hillary is just so great. Well, when you are a black man, or a woman, you have to be great, you have to be super, you have to be a superduper individual to get as far as these two have gone.
We can't waste either of them. So it is about arithmetic, it is about chemistry, it is about history.
It Is Hillary Or It Is Nobody
I can't think of anyone else.
Dragging On Makes No Sense
March 4 is it. That is the day when we have to become one campaign. That very night, we have to announce that we have become one.
Curfew in southern Nepal, capital running out of fuel AFP Election Count Begins in Pakistan Voice of America Obama seeks to turn table in Ohio, TexasLos Angeles Times Obama has launched a newly aggressive strategy to undermine two pillars of support for rival Hillary Rodham Clinton: Latinos and working-class white voters. ...... a push from younger members helped persuade the Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers to endorse Obama last week. ...... "He's not just going to crack a glass ceiling. He can really kick the door off its hinges, and clear the way for all of us, even Hispanics." ..... Texas, where Latinos and blacks have a history of building political coalitions ...... The state's complicated system of voting, involving both a primary and a caucus ..... Obama's strategy is to try to make NAFTA a central issue of the campaign Obama quietly meets with ex-rival John EdwardsLos Angeles Times Obama sneaked down to North Carolina on Sunday and met with former opponent John Edwards .... Reporters normally travel with Obama, but he flew down in secret. ..... eight consecutive losses to Obama. ... Polls show her with a comfortable lead over Obama in Ohio, and the two candidates are scheduled to debate in Cleveland on Feb. 26. ..... she sampled a spicy Mexican sauce at a Milwaukee grocery store in a heavily Latino neighborhood and purchased hot peppers, which she eats in large quantities to try to ward off colds. In Wisconsin, Obama has edge over ClintonMarketWatch Clinton Camp Charges Obama with 'Plagiarism'Washington Post In Wisconsin, Clinton Campaigns at Vigorous Pace Washington Post Is Hillary History? she had just lost four states to Obama, been forced to lend her operation $5 million and dumped her campaign manager ...... She is drowning in a sea of negative coverage. ..... "the once-mighty Clinton campaign is beginning to feel like the last days of Pompeii." ...... if she doesn't win Ohio and Texas next month, "she's out." ..... likened her campaign to the Titanic. A Slate headline put it starkly: "So, Is She Doomed?" ...... The Nation, the country's largest liberal magazine, has endorsed Obama. Markos Moulitsas, the most prominent liberal blogger, voted for Obama in the California primary and has been ridiculing Clinton's campaign. ........ the candidate "crippled by poll-tested corporate packaging that markets her as a synthetic product leeched of most human qualities." ...... a conventional politician pitted against a cultural phenomenon. ...... a mathematical long shot. ...... Clinton is a disciplined and detail-oriented candidate, with a style that produces few sparks, while Obama is filling basketball arenas with thunderous oratory. That is why her choking up in a New Hampshire coffee shop became such a huge story -- because we rarely get a peek behind the steely exterior. ........ After his victory speech Tuesday, MSNBC's Chris Matthews said he "felt this thrill going up my leg." ..... Obama has defied the laws of journalistic gravity, somehow avoiding the usual scrutiny applied to front-runners. ...... her "direct and plain-spoken, with an edgy sense of humor . . . she can be tough, and even a little steely." She is "outspoken, strong-willed, funny, gutsy, and sometimes sarcastic," cutting "an athletic and authoritative figure" ....... The editor of the NYT compares Obama and Mandela. ..... kicking Hillary when she's down ....... "Her attitude clearly is to win, no matter how, and worry about the repair job later. ...... 'I'm tested, I'm ready, let's make it happen!' she yelled into a mic on a stage in Texas on the night of her latest defeat. This is meant to look like confidence. Whether or not you wish her well probably determines whether you see it as game face, stubbornness or evidence of mild derangement. ........ my sense is that Obama has already won this thing. ...... Much of Clinton's current predicament stems from Penn's disastrous, glass-jaw 'inevitability' strategy and the mind-boggling decision not even to contest a slew of states where Obama racked up huge victories and many delegates. ........ that the Clintonistas would even suggest the use of super delegates to subvert the will of the Democratic Party electorate ....... "Among the 125 million people in the U.S. who visit online dating and social-networking sites are a growing number of dullards who steal personal profiles, life philosophies, even signature poems. 'Dude u like copied my whole myspace,' posts one aggrieved victim." Mandela, like Obama, although he wasn’t always the most riveting public speaker, was the kind of speaker who didn’t dwell on the details of his ten-point program, but went for emotional lift. ..... both of them, in a way, transcended race
Obama numbers rise as candidate endorsed by service union Bizjournals.com, USA Obama has taken the lead in the Texas Democratic primary polls ..... Obama ahead of Sen. Hillary Clinton 48 percent to 42 percent ...... Obama took point with self-described independent voters by a vast margin: 71 percent to Clinton's 24 percent. Clinton edged out Obama among women (54 percent to 42 percent), whites (51 percent to 40 percent) and Latinos (44 percent to 42 percent), while Obama captured the lion's share of men (55 percent to 29 percent) and blacks (76 percent to 17 percent). ....... "We haven't seen this kind of energy in years. We hope our endorsement will help propel him to victory in Texas to secure the nomination." ....... Texas primary, with its 228 delegates at stake, could be the most influential of all the remaining state primary elections. Dallas, which offers about 67 delegates
In The News Obama hits Clinton on NAFTA support in drive to win crucial Ohio ...International Herald Tribune Barack Obama hammered Hillary Rodham Clinton on her long record of support for a free-trade agreement unpopular with working-class voters as he pushed to win next week's Ohio primary and possibly force his rival from the Democratic presidential race. ..... Obama has won 11 straight primaries and caucuses this month ..... Bill Clinton has said publicly his wife probably needs to win both of them if she is to capture the Democratic presidential nomination. .... In Ohio, polls show Clinton with a narrowing lead .... "He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush and eight years later I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about," Obama said. Thousands pack University of Toledo stadium for Obama rally Detroit Free Press The first Barack Obama fan arrived at the University of Toledo at 3:45 a.m. today, anxious to see the political phenomenon. ...... By 3:45 p.m., Savage Hall at the university was packed with more than 10,000 adoring supporters ..... politics that aren’t about tearing people down, but lifting people up Political Memo Somber Clinton Soldiers On as the Horizon DarkensNew York Times she has the perspective of a realist: someone has to lose. ...... To her longtime friends, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton sounds unusually philosophical on the phone these days. She rarely uses phrases like “when I’m president” anymore. ..... Mrs. Clinton has begun thanking some of her major supporters for helping her run ....... she no longer exudes the supreme confidence that was her trademark before the first defeat, in Iowa .... she is also a cold, hard realist about politics ....... “She has a real military discipline that, now that times are tough, has really kicked into gear” ..... she knows that there will be an end ...... Over take-out meals and late-night drinks, some regrets and recriminations have set in, and top aides have begun to face up to the campaign’s possible end after the Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4. ........ expressed frustration with the difficulty of “running against a phenomenon” ...... not planning a political strategy to compete in the primaries after Feb. 5. ..... 700 people, $100 million, nationwide offices ...... Morale is low. After 13 months of dawn-to-dark seven-day weeks, the staff is exhausted. Some have taken to going home early — 9 p.m. — turning off their BlackBerrys, and polishing off bottles of wine ....... Some advisers have been heard yelling at close friends and colleagues. ..... Others have taken several days off, despite it being crunch time. Some have grown depressed ...... some of her major fund-raisers have begun playing down their roles, asking reporters to refer to them simply as “donors” ....... she had been a better candidate than her campaign strategy and operation reflected. ...... she talks to her aides on the trail and at headquarters about the tasks at hand, pursuing them in checklist fashion —impressing some with her hardiness, while suggesting a joyless or workmanlike feel to others. ...... “Hillary is not a fatalistic person — this is no woe-is-me woman.” ....... “I am honored to be here with Barack Obama. I am absolutely honored,” she said. “And you know, whatever happens, we’re going to be fine.” .... to some friends, she is in fact acting differently; to others, the situation has become simply heartbreaking. ..... When Mr. Clinton said last week that his wife had to win in Texas and Ohio, it was not only the first public admission by a senior member of her circle that her candidacy was on the line, it was also a moment that deepened the feeling of shock felt by some of her supporters. ....... Clinton has not retreated into a shell. She asks her aides about their children, spouses and partners. ...... has pointedly not talked to her staff about the notion that she might drop out someday. The Early Word: Hard Times for Hillary ClintonNew York Times speculation that her closing debate remarks amounted to a concession Clinton Takes Strong Exception To Tactics of Obama Campaign Washington Post "the sudden change in tone" and questioning Clinton's timing, ahead of Sunday newspaper deadlines and with another debate three days away. ...... "She's the champ, she's part of the Democratic network in Washington, and if you're the title holder, then you don't lose it on points. You've got to be knocked out."
So. I am going to Ohio. I have decided. I did not think I would do it. But I am going. All political junkies I know are going. This is too much peer pressure. It is like, if you are not going to Mecca, how are you a Muslim?
Since I moved to NYC, I once went a few hours out to New Jersey for a Christmas party with the Madhesi friend who authored the idea of me moving to the city, her boyfriend's family's place, second home. They actually live in Fairfield, CT. I actually did not like the idea of going out of the city.
But this is going to be a big one, an entire weekend out. Adam tells me once in a while you have to get out of the city. So when you come back in, you get excited all over again.
But I am Obama 2008's self-appointed national shadow Campaign Manager. Campaign Managers don't go knock doors, hand flyers. We inspire. So I think I am going to be doing a lot of sightseeing in downtown Cleveland. And I am going to meet as many Obama people as I can. I am sure this is like Iowa. Barack is already on schedule to winning Texas. So the feeling must be, let's take Ohio, and then we are done. I am sure there are Obama volunteers there from literally all over the country. I know Kathleen Sebelius is there.
This is going to be an entire weekend totally offline. That might be good for me. I need to get into the talkative thing. I think I might end up with dozens of new Facebook friends by the time the weekend is over.
It is between sightseeing and just whiling away at the headquarters. And some knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door.
Come to think of it, Cleveland is the first American city I went to. Cleveland, Indianapolis ("But where are the people?"), Atalanta. I covered those three the first year. Downtown Atlanta was quite a feeling. In Cleveland, I kept bugging people, but where is the water, where is the water, show me the water. So they took me. Deep in the night. You could hear the water. The lake.
I have figured out the logistics. Wear jeans. Take one small bag: guys are stuck with the shaving thing. Be super light. Two days of eating out, six meals, okay so that is some more money. And some extra cash, in case you get left out for some reason and have to make the return trip on your own.
I once got left out. I was five, maybe less. This was some relative's wedding. Weddings back there are like this trip to Ohio. They last full three days. So you show up Friday evening. All of Friday night is rituals. All night, I am not kidding. So when my running mate and subsequent SGA Vice President Damien got married, I am like, wait a minute, I was just warming up, the ceremony is already over? It lasted all of 20 minutes.
So you show up, and they feed you Saturday, three fancy meals. Sunday they feed you, and then you leave. And it is not always a weekend thing. Depends on when the holy days are.
So I get taken to this wedding. And Sunday morning everyone leaves. In the confusion, I get left behind. Then someone in the jeep asks, Where is Pappu? Where is Pappu? And they turn around and drive back. This is on mud roads. Jeeps raise dust like it was a tornado trying to rise up from the ground up.
They found me all by myself, not a soul in sight, crying.
So carry extra cash just in case you have to buy a ticket back to the city.
$110 is an extremely good deal. I like Walmart, Dell, that 99 cent pizza place on 41st and 9th. I like the low price businesses. They are democratizing. $110 for round trip, and lodging and pizza. How did they do that?
I emailed saying I want to pay cash. Cash is real money.
DL21C Bus Trip to Cleveland, Ohio
Friday, Feb 29 - Sunday, March 2, 2008
Welcome to DL21C's Buckeye State road trip! We hope you'll join us next weekend. We expect the bus to fill up quickly, and the only way to confirm your spot is to sign up here.
The cost for the trip is $110 which covers roundtrip transportation on Campus Coach luxury bus lines, lodging (3-4 per room at the Holiday Inn Express, downtown Cleveland) as well as bus trip, pizza and beverages. You will sign a release upon departure and be responsible for all other incidentals not related to travel and lodging. Dress warmly (lake effect snow!) and be prepared for lots of walking to get out the vote!
Itinerary (we will mail a complete itinerary to you early next week):
Friday, February 29 6:30pm Depart Penn Station via Campus Coach (pizza and welcome party on the bus!)
Saturday, March 1 2:00 am Arrive Cleveland, OH (Accommodations at Holiday Inn Express downtown, around corner from campaign headquarters) 8:00am-8:00pm Volunteer work with campaign of your choice (Cleveland and surrounding suburbs) 9:00pm Dinner and DL21C party - downtown Cleveland
Sunday, March 2 9:00am - 4:00pm Volunteer work with campaign of your choice 5:00pm Depart Holiday Inn for return to NYC 12:30am (Monday) Arrive Penn Station
Please email campaignvol -at- dl21c -dot- org with any questions or if you need more information.
We look forward to you joining us and being a part of history next weekend!
In The News
Superdelegates switching allegiance to Obama Guardian Unlimited After once leading Obama by a 2 to 1 ratio in the superdelegate chase, Clinton now has 241 to his 181 ...... the trickle of superdelegates who have defected from her corner to Obama's. The shift comes as she failed to deliver a telling blow on him in their penultimate TV debate before the Texas and Ohio primaries ...... two percentage points in Texas, well within the margin of error, and seven points in Ohio ..... "I think that it will sort itself out," Clinton said. "We will have a nominee, and we will have a unified Democratic party, and we will go on to victory in November." .... Superdelegates who represent areas won by Obama face pressure to declare for him. In South Texas, Obama Focuses On Hispanic Voters Washington Post Clinton led Obama 59 percent to 36 percent among likely Latino voters ...... Obama offered a brown-black connection with the largely student audience with references to Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez, who organized the United Farm Workers Union in California. King, he said, had once written to Chavez to say their causes were one. ...... "Crank it up, guys," he said to the reporters huddled over their laptops. "Words matter. Don't listen to Hillary."
Obama Campaign On "The Moment" Atlantic Online the difficulty Hillary Clinton would have drawing a clear contrast with John McCain in a general election was when she, quizzically, attacked him for supporting the war in Iraq. Clinton also voted for the war
Texas Debate Watch Party Thursday, February 21, 2008 Time: 7:30pm - 10:00pm Location: Village Pourhouse Street: 64 3rd Ave City/Town: New York, NY 3rd Ave and 12th St.
Believe it or not, I was as fanatically behind Hillary before Obama said in November 2006 that he might run, and then I switched. (Switching To Obama) I mean, I like Hillary. I think she is great. And the symbolism of her being a woman is just fantastic. But I switched for Barack, and I am with him for good. It is just that this race is unfolding to be so amazing to watch. They are going neck and neck.
One thing that has been guaranteed is they are going to have to forge a unity ticket. One can not possibly ignore the other. It was the same way for JFK and Lyndon Johnson in 1960. Bobby Kennedy got offended. I just fought this guy so very hard. Now he is on the ticket?
Right now I am thinking Barack will win the nomination, but barely so. Good thing that they do have good chemistry. In 2004 Hillary fought bad weather to make an odd hour flight to Chicago to go root for Barack when he was running for the Senate.
This new kind of politics is really refreshing. It is okay for me to say my heartfelt good things about Hillary and be rooting for Barack.
Long Campaign Is Okay
That way we keep the media attention. McCain can stay ignored.
In The News
Major union expected to back Obama CNN amid signs that his rival's support among superdelegates may be slipping. After India's prodding, Nepal govt. invites Madhesis for talks Hindu Former President Clinton Stumps in Texas The Associated Press Bill Clinton knocks Obama on health care Dallas Morning News McCain and Obama draw battle lines for November Guardian Unlimited Obama's bandwagon gathers speedThe Press Association one of the most coveted union endorsements - that of the Service Employees International Union. .... Mrs Clinton notched a minor, but much-needed victory of her own, winning the popular vote in New Mexico's caucuses on Thursday. ..... Obama has a good opportunity to take weekend primaries in Wisconsin and Hawaii Obama Won't Pledge to Take Public FundsThe Associated Press Key Labor Union Endorses Obama The Associated Press With Superdelegates in Doubt, Clinton's Options Could Be Spreading ... FOXNews with reports surfacing that her long-loyal superdelegates are flirting with Barack Obama’s candidacy, the New York senator’s options are spreading thin. .... while national polls show Obama leading, recent Ohio and Texas polls show her ahead. Polls also show her ahead in Pennsylvania, which votes in April. .... Obama’s camp has called for superdelegates to go with the wishes of their districts Super-delegate withdraws support for Clinton to back Obama Guardian Unlimited Black Leader, a Clinton Ally, Tilts to ObamaNew York Times Clinton Supporter John Lewis Has Second ThoughtsWashington Post Presidential Candidates' Focus Shifts to California Washington Post Obama's infusion of money -- more in a single month than Obama raised in the entire third quarter of last year -- enables the campaign to advertise at high levels in nearly all the Super Tuesday states, as well as in states with primaries to follow ........ Obama and Clinton prepared for a debate in Los Angeles tonight -- their first one-on-one encounter ...... Clinton ahead of Obama by 49 percent to 32 percent. Obama campaign reports $32-million infusionLos Angeles Times Also attending today's news conference was former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani ..... gained the distinction of spending more in other people's money for his sole delegate, captured in Nevada ..... The campaign reported 170,000 new donors, bringing the total to 650,000. ..... the "strongest day of the month was the day after the New Hampshire primary Campaigns move into rivals' home turfChristian Science Monitor New York and Illinois, two of the more than 20 states with primaries Tuesday, are a jackpot of delegates and deep-pocketed donors. ..... "Huckabee's got Chuck Norris out there, and McCain's bragging about Rambo's endorsement" ..... Her campaign boasts at least 20,000 volunteers and 35 offices statewide and is backed by much of the political establishment, including Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. ...... New York City, home to many young voters, blacks, and progressives – as well as half the state's Democratic primary votes. ..... "If we can get 40% of the vote that would be huge considering this is Clinton Back yard," a supporter blogged last week on a "Brooklyn for Barack" website. Top Al Qaeda Leader Killed ABC News killed in this week's attack by an unmanned predator in North Waziristan ..... A jihadi Web site today carried a banner congratulating the Muslim worldwide community for the "martyrdom of Sheikh Abu Al-Laith Al-Libi." Gov. Schwarzenegger Endorses McCain FOXNews 4 Edwards Delegates Throw Support to ObamaNew York Times four Edwards delegate candidates in New York City had switched their support to the Illinois senator.
Rudy had a strategy. He was going to ignore the early states, and then he was going to win big in Florida, and then who could possibly stop Rudy?
We all know how that played out.
Now Hillary has a strategy. It is called the calendar has only 11 months to it. She is going to ignore the states this month.
Polls show her leading in OH, TX, PA. But then she was doing 10-50 or so in California and similary in New York for most of 2007. The end tally had Obama losing CA only by 10 points.
How can you lose 10 states in a row and still carry March 4? Beats me. Not gonna happen.
The superdelegates, if they are in the business of democracy, are just going to do the will of the people and get behind the candidate who won the most votes, the most states, and the most regular delegates. They can't go against that democratic current.
Sexist Bill
A few days back Bill Clinton went on record saying if Hillary is president he will "talk her through everything." Granted this guy is super gifted politically, but that is sexist talk. There are all these women all across America, and especially in California, who are salivating at the prospect of a first woman president, and Bill Clinton is saying he will do her job on her behalf. Women, take notice, this man is out to steal.
All States Count
At some level I am glad this has been such a drawn out process. That is the democratic way. This year most states will have had a say. And that will make us strong for the fall contest.
Michigan, Florida, Nevada
The white media routinely says the Clintons won Michigan, Florida and Nevada. Barack won Nevada. This is a contest for delegates, and Barack won more delegates in Nevada. And there were no contests in Michigan and Florida.
The white media has made a leap from calling Barack Osama last spring. This spring they are giving victories to his opponent that she can not claim.
Looks like we only carried Cornell, Ithaca. Otherwise Hillary carried the rest of the state. Fair enough. We did better in Illinois. I was thinking we might have done well in parts of the city.
I don't begrudge Hillary her home state success.
In The News
McCain and Obama Turn Fire on Each Other New York Times ANALYSIS-Seeds of class war sprout in Kenya's crisis Reuters Surging Obama whacks Clinton, McCain on economyAFP Clinton intensifies her attacks on new front-runner Obama Los Angeles Times A day after she lost her status as front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination ...... eight consecutive wins over Clinton ..... next Tuesday's contests in Wisconsin and Hawaii. ..... Texas, which holds its primary on March 4, along with Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. ..... "It's a Washington where politicians like John McCain and Hillary Clinton voted for a war in Iraq that should've never been authorized and never been waged -- a war that is costing us thousands of precious lives and billions of dollars a week" that could be used on infrastructure, job training and healthcare. ....... "After March 4th, over 3,000 delegates will be committed, and we project that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be virtually tied with 611 delegates still to be chosen in Pennsylvania and other remaining states," Penn said. Clinton works to make stands against Obama in Texas, OhioCNN Obama leading Clinton 45-41 ..... Virginia, Obama earned 64 percent of the vote compared with 35 percent for Clinton .... Maryland, the Illinois Democrat won 60 percent to 37 percent ..... District of Columbia, he won 75 percent to 24 percent ........ Obama for the first time has a lead over Clinton in the delegate count -- 1,253 to 1,211 ...... He did well with Democrats across race and gender lines Tuesday night, and seems to be eating away at Clinton's backbone of support: women. Clinton gropes for swift game-changer Inquirer.net has lost her once-gaping national poll leads, and seems at a significant financial disadvantage. ...... Wisconsin, which holds its primary Tuesday, had Obama up 11 points, suggesting, that, along with his former home state of Hawaii, he could roll off a 10-0 streak before March 4. ...... lead the total of pledged delegates by 136. ..... "The only way she could do it is by winning the rest of the contests by 25 to 30 points. We see not a single contest on the calendar left where we would expect her to win those kinds of margins." ...... The former first lady currently leads that block 242 to 156 ..... sparking comparisons with Republican Rudolph Giuliani's disastrous strategy. ..... whether the double-digit Clinton advantage in Ohio and Texas, and another potential firewall in Pennsylvania on April 22, might simply rupture under Obama's surge. Clinton struggles to convince party she's still in itGuardian Unlimited David Wilhelm, who managed her husband's 1992 campaign for the White House endorsed her opponent. ..... as Obama began to peel away sections of Clinton's supporting coalition among working-class households, women, Catholics and older voters, to win primaries in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC by overwhelming margins ...... "Winning Democratic primaries is not a qualification for who can win the general election," he told a conference call with reporters. ..... Clinton's hopes of turning the contest around with big wins in the mega states of Texas and Ohio on March 4 might not work ..... Obama has embraced the role of Democratic frontrunner as the contest moves towards a decisive phase. ..... He won Virginia, 64% to 35%, Maryland 60% to 36%, and Washington DC by 75% to 24%. That now gives Obama 1,224 delegates against 1,198 for Clinton .... he made significant inroads into her core areas of support: working-class households, women, Catholics and older voters. Clinton Scrambles to Contest Wisconsin The Associated Press Clinton, Obama press ahead USA Today Obama Camp Claims Potomac Sweep Is Turning Point of CampaignFOXNews Tuesday night’s Potomac Primary was Gettysburg. ...... it is now “next to impossible” for Clinton to close Obama’s lead in pledged delegates. ...... nearly 500 delegates at stake in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania ....... she’ll be giving a concession speech after March 4. .... Obama eating into Clinton’s traditionally loyal bases of women, senior, Hispanic and white voters. ...... Obama, already claiming that he is the candidate of a “new American majority” ...... create 5 million so-called “green collar” jobs Open Caucus: Obama’s Winning StreakNew York Times Exclusive Interview: Obama Reaches Out to Critics and Republicans U.S. News & World Report Clinton strategists admit she needs to win Ohio and Texas on March 4 to remain in contention Obama overtakes Clinton in delegate tallyXinhua Her deputy campaign manager Mike Henry announced his departure Tuesday, a day after Maggie Williams replaced Patti Solis Doyle as her campaign manager. Henry was the campaign's main field architect and was best known for penning a memo last spring urging Clinton not to compete in Iowa, the first state to hold nomination contest. If Hillary Loses, Do Women Lose?U.S. News & World Report It's Obama's to lose now. The race is as good as over. The Obama Phenom is gaining velocity and surge. ....... Young women have rushed to latch on to Obama's comet coattails. A friend of mine who's fundraising mightily for him says "Obama is a woman" because he's more pro-choice than Clinton. After all, on that most stereotypical of women's issues, She loses progressives as she attempts to navigate the nonexistent common ground on this most divisive of issues. Obama, on the other hand, talks about Clinton refers to the "tragedy of abortion."the tragedy of unwanted pregnancies. In what seems to be the sunset of the era of the religious right, that's quite the courageous stand to take. ...... "I want a woman in the White House, but she's the wrong woman." ...... The nominee will either be a woman with double-X chromosomes or one with XY chromosomes who votes more like a woman than most with XX. Clinton Scrambles to Contest Wisconsin The Associated Press
Barack by now has totally erased Clinton's national lead. But even before he did he managed to bring Clinton down to 40-50 in CA. Considering where he started in CA, that was huge. I am thinking he carried New York City.
Clinton 08 is counting on a strong showing in the three big March 4 states. Right now they are looking good, but they are not factoring in the fact that the rest of February looks great for Barack. His national lead is going to solidify. It is going to grow.
Since money is not a problem, it is important to do some extensive work in these three big states. Establish more offices, build organization. Run ads. Reach out to volunteers in states that have already voted and get them to do some major phone banking for these three states.
Clinton 08 counting on these three states is like Rudy counting on Florida. Rudy figured the January states don't matter. Clinton 08 thinks the February states do not matter.
Being aggressive in the South Carolina debate was a big reason why Barack swept that state. He might need to repeat that during the Texas debate. (Become Aggressive, Or Become Adlai Stevenson) Reagan also had a "I paid for this microphone" moment in 1980, was it?
Iraq continues to be his big selling point of differentiation.
That is when he has to do it. You can do it, champ.
In The News
An Obama Memo: Sweep Atlantic Online Obama’s current lead over Clinton: 84 pledged delegates (a total that increased 57 this weekend) ..... Pledged delegates: Obama – 1030; Clinton – 946 ....... States won: Obama – 20; Clinton – 11 ...... Caucuses won: Obama 11; Clinton – 2 ....... Obama won an upset victory in Maine, a state where internal and external polls had Clinton leading in the days leading up to the caucuses. ...... He won a Red State, Purple State, and Blue States this weekend – showing he has broad national appeal and can win in every corner of this country. ...... he’s won a larger share of the popular vote ..... he is the candidate best suited to win Independents, play well in Red States, and beat John McCain in November .... Obama won’t just win an election, he’ll win a new majority for change, so we can finally solve the problems we’ve been talking about for decades.
Bill Clinton said fairytale. Hillary said slum. Bill Clinton said Jesse.
Obama-Sebelius
That might be a great ticket too. Senator-Governor.
Kathleen Sebelius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediachair-emeritus of the Democratic Governors Association. ..... moved to Kansas in 1974 at the age of 26 ...... In 1994 she left the House to run for state insurance commissioner and stunned political forecasters by winning — the first time a Democrat had won in more than 100 years. She is credited with bringing the agency out from under the influence of the insurance industry ....... . She refused to take campaign contributions from insurers and blocked the proposed merger of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the state's largest health insurer, with an Indiana-based company. The decision by Sebelius marked the first time the corporation had been rebuffed in its acquisition attempts....... as of January 2006 was one of the most popular governors in the country ..... 22 months of continuous job growth, although the majority of the job growth was the creation of local government jobs. Taxes were never increased during her term in office, nor did essential service suffer cuts. ....... did not support an April 2005 amendment to the Kansas Constitution that made same-sex marriage in the state unconstitutional. ....... On 2006 May 26 Sebelius formally announced her candidacy for re-election. Four days later, Mark Parkinson, former Kansas state GOP Party Chair, switched his party affiliation to Democratic; the following day Sebelius announced that Parkinson would be her running mate for Lieutenant Governor. ...... landslide re-election with 57.8 percent of the vote to Barnett's 40.5 percent. ....... During the 2004 election Sebelius was named as a potential running mate for John Kerry. In the aftermath of Kerry's defeat in the 2004 presidential election, some pundits named Sebelius as a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. ........ she was chosen by the Democratic Party's congressional leaders to give their party's official response to Republican President George W. Bush's State of the Union Address ......... Sebelius is now chair of the Democratic Governors Association, a popular launchpad for those with national political ambitions. ..... In November 2005 Timenamed Sebelius as one of the five best governors in America, praising her for eliminating a $1.1 billion debt she inherited, ferreting out waste in state government, and strongly supporting public education — all without raising taxes. Also praised was her bipartisan approach to governing, a useful trait in a state where Republicans have usually controlled the Observe also the presence of Legislature.Republicans such as Keith Sebelius in her family. ...... In February 2006, the White House Project named Sebelius one of its "8 in '08", a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run and/or be elected president in 2008.
That would be a good ticket. I think it would be great to see a Mormon on a national ticket. Romney has been manufactured to run for the vice presidency and lose.
Message To Elizabeth Caputo
I want you to quit your current job and come join my corporate team early in 2009. You can become COO. First year or two might feel like a paycut, but the equity will bountifully make up for it over the years. The pay goes up too.
In The News
Why Edwards Never Caught On TIME What no one, not Clinton or Edwards, was prepared for was the insurgency candidacy of Senator Barack Obama. ..... a $6 million home on 100 acres outside Chapel Hill ..... personal worth is as much as $30 million ...... his campaign was stunned when he garnered just 4% of the vote in the Nevada caucuses ...... should help Obama consolidate the sizeable anti-Hillary contingency Giuliani Completes His Collapse McCain Disproves the Doubters The contest between John McCain and Mitt Romney has long resembled a horror movie, a blood-and-guts battle between a man risen from the dead and a candidate seemingly created in a lab. ...... what he might be thinking in the darker recesses of his mind "Why won't you die?!" .... "People understand the difference between a very good salesman and a commander in chief." ..... His embrace of comprehensive immigration reform ..... "There's still a huge number of states to go," says unaligned GOP pollster Whit Ayers. "And Romney has a lot more money." ..... Romney outspent McCain in Florida on the order of eight to one. ...... that skeptical bit character in horror films — the one who refuses to believe that the monster is real. How the Kennedy Nod Helps Obama for a moment there, it was a bit overwhelming for Barack Obama. ...... The Obama campaign is planning a full schedule for Kennedy, particularly in places, such as the Latino community, where Obama remains an unknown quantity and the Kennedy name still carries enormous emotion. Kennedy also carries significant clout with organized labor, which could be looking for a new candidate to rally behind ........ Kennedy declared Obama to be nothing less than his brother's rightful heir ..... proceeded to demolish every attack line that she and her husband have thrown Obama's way. ..... his move was in large part the product of his unhappiness with Bill Clinton's hard-knuckled style of campaigning for his wife. Two weeks ago, the two of them had an angry confrontation by phone. ....... he got word through former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, one of his prominent supporters, that Senator Kennedy was trying to reach him ..... Before Kennedy's sister Jean Smith left the event, she handed the Illinois Senator a slip of paper and asked for one small favor. Obama obliged—and gave her an autograph. Heading for a Delegate Donnybrook?75 media markets and nearly 1,700 delegates up for grabs on February 5 ..... both Obama and Clinton will continue to rack up convention delegates through the spring ..... Clinton and Obama could split the delegate haul in roughly equal fashion ...... February 5 won't determine much of anything at all. Except that the race will go on. And every delegate up for grabs after that becomes even more valuable to all sides. ..... Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis fought a bruising five-month battle for the nomination ..... the fight will go on to all the other states. ...... neither side captures a clear majority before April or even May. ..... Clinton is running ahead of Obama in the super-delegate sweepstakes, although they can technically change their allegiance even after they have pledged it John Edwards to Quit Presidential RaceWashington Post Edwards to Drop Out of Democratic RaceNew York Times A New Burst of Killings in Kenya TIME a new wave of ethnic violence has broken out across the country. ..... "We all have multiple identities but I hope you see yourselves as Kenyans first," Annan said. ...... forcible circumcision of Luos, who traditionally do not practice that rite ..... Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, long accused of being the object of favors from successive Kenyan governments, against Luos, Luhyas and Kalenjin, which had hoped an Odinga victory in the December 27 election would right decades of perceived injustices. ....... the police are not doing their work, they are also political, they are favoring one side ....... Kenya's economy, whose chief engines are horticulture, tourism and tea. All three industries have been crippled. Clinton gains Florida fillip after bruising by Obama AFP Florida may have been a phantom stop on the White House road, but Hillary Clinton trumpeted her Sunshine State victory as she vied to regain the limelight from her high-wattage rival Barack Obama. ....... "Obama and Clinton tie for delegates in Florida -- 0 for Obama, 0 for Clinton." ...... "Now that Senator Clinton has lost badly in South Carolina, she's trying to assign meaning to a contest that awards zero delegates and where no campaigning has occurred." ...... Los Angeles on Thursday, for their last televised debate ..... staunch support from the Hispanic community -- which backed her by a two-to-one margin in Florida. In Background, a Battle for Superdelegates Washington Post But he considers Kennedy "a mentor" who helped to get him elected to Congress in 1982. ..... superdelegates, who account for about a quarter of the total number of delegates ..... Sebelius, Kennedy (Mass.), Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano are among those who recently signed on as Obama supporters. ..... Of the nearly 300 superdelegates who have committed to a candidate, out of a total of 796, Clinton leads Obama roughly by a 2-to-1 ratio ..... superdelegates can change their allegiance at any time ...... The threat of a wholesale shift hangs over both candidates. Kennedy's endorsement came in part after the veteran Democrat grew frustrated with Clinton campaign tactics that some construed as racially charged. ..... "The only reason Hillary Clinton is ahead right now is because more politicians, particularly politicians in very blue states, have endorsed her," said McCaskill ...... Richardson said: "If I do endorse, it's going to be a gut feeling. It's not going to be about statistics, about past ties. I've been on the campaign trail with both of them. I feel that I know them. I feel I know the issues. I feel I know what makes them both tick." ...... "Some people fell in love very easily. Other people have to be courted like you're asking them out on a date. Seriously, it's a dating game. It's exciting." Obama denies snubbing Hillary ClintonLos Angeles Times Obama strikes gold in Kansas National Post dropping in on the town where his white mother grew up to "talk about the roots of my life that directly connect to the broader story of the country." ....... had never before visited El Dorado ...... places where oil is still pumped ..... Clinton, is concentrating on the Democratic strongholds of California, New York, New Jersey and her one-time home state of Arkansas ..... Obama hopes to run Ms. Clinton close in the big states, while scoring in smaller, traditionally Republican "red states" such as Kansas, Utah, Idaho and Alaska. ..... the place where his grandparents met as high-school sweethearts ..... exotic childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia. Clinton Savors 'Great Victory' FOXNews Spike in turnout could benefit both Clinton and Obama Boston Globe a 90 percent increase in Iowa, 30 percent in New Hampshire, and 83 percent in South Carolina ...... Obama beat her among white 18- to 29-year-olds, 52 percent to 27 percent .... Latinos in that state chose Clinton over Obama 64 percent to 26 percent. ..... She beat Obama handily among women in New Hampshire and Nevada, the two states she won, but Obama beat her among women in Iowa and South Carolina, the two states he won. ...... Obama is unlikely to beat Clinton among Latinos, but he can work to close the gap California is Clinton country...MSNBC more votes will be cast by mail in California than were cast in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina combined ...... 47% of all votes will be cast by mail. ..... state voters are fiercely independent, and wouldn’t be swayed in significant numbers by Obama’s significant win in South Carolina
