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Clinton Raises $2.5 Million in Hours [UPDATE]
2008-04-23 05:49:00
Since Clinton was declared the winner of the Pennsylvania primary, the Clinton camp has raised about $2.5 million, 80% of which are new donors. That is an impressive haul for about 3 hours. Reason enough to stay in the race.So far, it looks like Clinton may secure a 10-point win over Obama, 55% to 45%.[UPDATE] April 23, 2:27 PMTerry McAullife announced on MSNBC the campaign raised $10 million since being declared the winner in Pennsylvania. "50,000 brand new donors." "The biggest day we've ever had."
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Update

Clinton, McCain Wins PA.
2008-04-23 02:51:00
Fox News has projected that Hillary Clinton will win the Pennsylvania primary. Of course, if this was fair, a win is a win is a win, but it is not. The question will be the margin and at this point, looking at the exits, it does not look like the double digit win Clinton was hoping for and needs.CNN also projects that John McCain will win the Pennsylvania Republican primary. It will be interesting to see the vote totals for Huckabee and Paul.
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama

"Too Close to Call"
2008-04-23 02:20:00
CNN and MSNBC are saying it is "too close to call." Not a good sign for Clinton. Then again, CNN said Ohio was close.
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Pennsylvania , Close

Early Exit Polls
2008-04-23 00:43:00
From CNN55% name the economy as the number one issue while 28% name Iraq as the number one issue. Clinton leads 56% to Obama's 43% among voters who name the economy as the number one issue.Obama is winning 92% of the black vote. Clinton wins among voters 65 and older, 61% to 38%. White males vote for Clinton 55% to 45%.First time voters went to Obama 60% to 38%. Among voters who decided in the last week, Clinton wins 58% to 42%Remember these are early numbers and will change.Drudge Report is reporting an early exit poll lead for Clinton, 52% to 48%. She needs this to finish in the double digits.According to Blumenthal, early exits disproportionately have favored Obama 18 of 20 primary states. According to Jim Geraghty, Obama leads 52% to 47% and also notes that early exit favor Obama by 7-8 points. So do the math. Clinton either wins by 2 or wins by 12 according to these VERY EARLY exits.
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Pennsylvania , Polls

The Spin: Obama Memo
2008-04-23 00:31:00
TO: Interested PartiesFR: Obama CampaignRE: The Bar for Clinton in Pennsylvania and BeyondDA: April 22, 2008_____________________________________ ___________________The Bar for Clinton in PennsylvaniaWith all eyes on today?s contest, one thing is clear: Pennsylvania is considered a state tailor-made for Hillary Clinton, and by rights she should win big. She has family roots in the state, she has the support of the Democratic establishment?including Governor Rendell?s extensive network?and former President Clinton is fondly remembered.Clinton has been leading by large margins in Pennsylvania. In the weeks leading up to the primary, she led by as much as 25 points. They were so confident that their own Pennsylvania spokesman said Clinton would be ?unbeatable? in Pennsylvania?regardless of spending by her opponent. [Washington Post, 3/7/08]But as he has done in every state, Senator Obama campaigned hard and tapped into the hunger for change at grassroots, looking to pick up as many dele...
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Spin

The Spin: Clinton Memo
2008-04-23 00:30:00
To: Interested PartiesFrom: The Clinton CampaignDate: April 22, 2008MEMO: Watch What They Do, Not What They SayThe Obama campaign is attempting to pre-spin the results from tonight's Pennsylvania primary by suggesting that Sen. Clinton should - and will ? win.But after the Obama campaign?s ?go-for-broke? Pennsylvania strategy, after their avalanche of negative ads, negative mailers and negative attacks against Sen. Clinton, after their record-breaking spending in the state, a fundamental question must be asked: Why shouldn't Sen. Obama winSen. Obama's supporters - and many pundits - have argued that the delegate "math" makes him the prohibitive frontrunner. They have argued that Sen. Clinton's chances are slim to none. So if he's already the frontrunner, if he's had six weeks of unlimited resources to get his message out, shouldn't he be the one expected to win tonight? If not, why not?As the phrase goes, watch what they do not what they say.There's a reason Sen. Obama and h...
More About: Democrats , Hillary Clinton , Spin

29 NC Legislators Endorse Obama
2008-04-23 00:01:00
Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and former Speaker of the House Dan Blue of Raleigh along with over two dozen North Carolina legislators endorsed Barack Obama today, two weeks before the primary."I hope this is not what we can should expect to come to North Carolina in the next two weeks," Blue said. "Tired old political tactics aren't going to bring about the kind of change we need."Obama currently leads in the state 15-25 points and is widely expected to win. The legislators will help get out the vote and raise money.
More About: Endorsement , Primaries

What to Look For
2008-04-22 22:30:00
Polls close at 8:00 PM EST.According to Politico, here is what to look for.1. Turnout. Turnout is key. Over 150,000 new voters registered as Democrats . If Obama is looking to cut into Clinton's lead, these voter must turnout. Turnout in Philadelphia must also be high as he spent much of this time and money there. Voters in the rural towns must turnout for Clinton. So far, it looks like turnout is high.2. Undecideds. In the past, undecideds tend to go to Clinton. They will likely go to her again, but by what margin. Undecideds flocked to Clinton in Ohio and Rhode Island giving her much needed victories.3. Don't be fooled by early results. The big cities and suburbs will report first. Rural towns will likely report later. Don't be surprised if Obama comes in with an early lead. If Clinton leads early, she will lead throughout the night.Here is Mark Blumenthal's last take on the PA race:On the last round of surveys, two important things changed. SurveyUSA, still finding very few "u...
More About: Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Pennsylvania , Primaries

Allegheny Bellwether Predicts Clinton Win
2008-04-22 21:58:00
A poll conducted by Suffolk University shows that Hillary Clinton beats Barack Obama 52% to 40% in Allegheny County, the bellwether for Pennsylvania . While the bellwether county results does not necessarily predict the margin, it often predicts the winner of the state.A word of caution from the pollster:?A cautionary word or two: Past bellwether performance is a guide but not a 100 percent guarantee of future performance,? said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. ?New bellwethers often are created every election cycle as people migrate and as development and geography-driven issues emerge. In addition, local endorsements from popular people can skew margins.?
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Final PA Scenarios [UPDATE]
2008-04-22 09:31:00
As I pointed out earlier, the average of the last polls out of PA comes in at 49% for Clinton and 43% for Obama. The last Zogby poll was released tonight. Removing PPP's poll, which was the only firm to show a lead for Obama in the state and adding Zogby's poll, the new average is 50% for Clinton and 42% for Obama. Now, we move to the undecideds. Here are a few scenarios based on the percentage of undecideds (derived from polls, not exits) that go to Clinton:Absolute Best Case Scenario (+16% Clinton victory)100% to Clinton - game changer; Indiana criticalClinton: 58%Obama: 42%Ohio-like Scenario (+12% Clinton victory)80% to Clinton - Status-quo; Indiana criticalClinton: 56%Obama: 44%Likely Scenario (+11% Clinton victory)70% to Clinton - Status-quo; Indiana criticalClinton: 55%Obama: 44%Even More Likely Scenario (+10% Clinton victory)60% to Clinton - Indiana critical; Obama likely nomineeClinton: 55%Obama: 45%Bad Scenario (+8% Clinton victory)50% to Clinton - Indiana and North Carol...
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Pennsylvania , Update

Nelson and Hastings Criticize DNC's "Secrecy" Regarding FL Delegation
2008-04-22 04:37:00
This one from Marc Ambinder. Senator Ben Nelson and Congressman Alcee Hastings sent a letter to the Rules and Bylaws Committee criticizing them of the secrecy regarding the validity of their state's appeal on Florida 's participation in the nominating process.Here is a quote from the letter:If the Rules and Bylaws Committee does not pro actively and openly resolve the issue of how to honor Florida's primary and seat the state's delegates, the entire nominating process will continue to unfold under a cloud. This only serves to perpetuate division instead of unity as we move toward the convention and general election - something on which we agreed yesterday is not in the best interest of the party or the nation.So far, the DNC has been slow to move along the process of seating at least a portion of the FL or MI delegations. At this point, it looks like they are aiming at a June decision after everyone has voted.
More About: Democrats , Convention , Secrecy

March FEC Reports
2008-04-22 04:16:00
The candidate's FEC reports are out for the month of March . Once again, it shows Obama leading in fundraising, Clinton still in the red, and McCain struggling to raise funds.Barack Obama Raised: $41.1 millionSpent: $28.9 millionCash-on-Hand: $51 millionDebt: $662,000Hillary Clinton Raised: $20.1 millionSpent: $21.5 millionCash-on-Hand: $31.7 millionDebt: $10.3 millionJohn McCainRaised: $12 millionSpent: $8.5 millionCash-on-Hand: $11.6 millionDebt: $707,000Some notes: Clinton has more general election funds than any candidate. She also has the most debt, which means she is in the red in primary funds.
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Candidate's WWE Message
2008-04-22 03:57:00
Here are the video's all three candidate put together for their appearance on WWE.It's nice to have a little fun once in awhile.
More About: Video , Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Cain

Last PA Polls
2008-04-22 03:52:00
The last set of polls before the Pennsylvania primary.It is not the 20-point blowout the polls predicted about a month ago. The average of these polls show a 6-point advantage for Clinton, 49% to 43%. 8% are undecided. If all undecided go to Clinton, she will get a 14-point victory. That is unlikely at this point. Best case scenario for Clinton looks like a 10-point victory. Best case for Obama is a 5 to 6 point victory. Again, it all depends on turnout. If turnout is higher than expected in the Philadelphia metro area, then we are looking at a moral victory for Obama. If turnout is higher than expected in rural Pennsylvania, then we are looking at a few more weeks of this Democratic primary. The secondary victory will be the media spin. The media could say Clinton's victory was just too small and not enough for her to secure the delegates or the popular vote need to sway superdelegates. Or the media could focus on the large sums of money Obama spent yet was not able to win the state.
More About: Democrats , Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Polls

Ad Wars
2008-04-16 02:32:00
The ad wars continue. This one is from Hillary Clinton using Obama's "cling" comment against him.Here is Obama's response.And yet another ad hitting Obama by the Clinton camp. This one I think is more effective than their "cling" ad.
More About: Video , Democrats , Barack Obama , Wars

Under Construction
2008-04-16 01:07:00
I get bored very fast, so it is no surprise I got bored of my last template layout. So, for the moment, the site in under construction. Will be back soon.
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What Clinton Wishes She Could Say
2008-04-13 16:01:00
Interesting article at Politico.com. She better not say it to a group of elite Democrats in "private."
More About: Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , Clinton , Wishes

Obama Getting Closer
2008-04-03 01:58:00
According to Politico.com:Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is surging in Pennsylvania, according to several new polls. In one survey, released by Public Policy Polling this morning, Obama is now leading New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for the first time, 45 percent to 43 percent. That represents a closing of a 26-percentage-point Clinton advantage from only two and a half weeks ago.
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Super Delegate Primary
2008-03-26 13:44:00
Tennessee Governor Bredesen wants to see a primary of the Super Delegates by June, to end the contentious Democratic primary. Would that help the Democrats ?
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Rule 1 for Being in a Hole: Stop Digging
2008-03-25 12:19:00
So, behind in the popular vote, behind in the state count, and behind in the delegate vote, Hillary decides to boost her "electability" by boasting about her foreign policy experience with a story as First Lady going to Bosnia and having to run under sniper fire.Click her for the inconvenient truth.But maybe that all depends on what a "sniper" is, is.
More About: Hillary Clinton , Stop , Hole , Rule

Carville on Richardson
2008-03-24 02:38:00
James Carville calls Bill Richardson 's endorsment of Barack Obama , "a betrayal."
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Clinton's $35 Million
2008-03-24 02:29:00
In late February, it was reported by the Clinton camp that they raised $35 million in February, trying to show that her campaign is strong. But did she really raise it?According to the Los Angeles Times and the FEC, that's not true. Is Hillary becoming the "man behind the curtain?"
More About: Hillary Clinton , Million

McCain Leading in the Polls
2008-03-24 02:22:00
From Rasmussen as of today:"Looking ahead to the General Election in November, John McCain continues to lead both potential Democratic opponents. McCain leads Barack Obama 49% to 41% and Hillary Clinton 50% to 42% (see recent daily results). New polling shows McCain leading both Democrats in Georgia and Arkansas. In Minnesota, the race is very close."
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McCain's Statement on Iraq War
2008-03-20 07:00:00
McCain has placed a large portion of his chips on the Iraq war. Here is his statement on the 5th anniversary of the invasion."Today in Iraq, America and our allies stand on the precipice of winning a major victory against radical Islamic extremism. The security gains over the past year have been dramatic and undeniable. Al Qaeda and Shia extremists ? with support from external powers such as Iran ? are on the run but not defeated. Tough fighting remains ahead, especially in places like Mosul. Important political gains have also been made, but far more must be done in coming months to cement the gains made in huge cost in American blood and treasure."Americans should be proud that they led the way in removing a vicious, predatory dictator and opening the possibility of a free and stable Iraq. Americans should be proud that once we implemented the surge and new counterinsurgency strategy, a dire situation has been dramatically improved. And Americans know that the consequences of fail...
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Hillary Clinton's Schedule Records
2008-03-20 06:53:00
For those of you political junkies, if you have a few hours, head over to the Clinton Library and check out Senator Hillary Clinton 's schedule during her time as First Lady. These were highly sought after and you can bet the entire media and all her enemies are pouring over these thousands of pages to find any inconsistencies.Check them out here.I've only been through January and February of 1993.
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Florida and Michigan A No Go
2008-03-19 16:59:00
No revote for either Florida or Michigan says lawmakers.This from State Senator Tupac Hunter of Michigan, an Obama supporter:"The caucus has expressed again today that there is concern about the proposal and a great deal of unreadiness," he said, saying that sentiment is still "overwhelming.""We informed the four great Democrats who have worked very hard to come up with a solution," he said. "It?s one of those things where you can agree to disagree. The question then becomes, What do we do now?"To answer the last question, few options are available. An appeal can be made to the Rules and Bylaw Committee, which is the committee that imposed the sanctions. If a decesion is made on the delegates, it will have to be made by June/July. If a deal is not struck by then, it goes to the Convention where the Credentials Committee will decide on the issue.
More About: Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton

Obama's Speech on Race
2008-03-18 19:16:00
Without commentary, here it is:
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Are the DNC their own people?
2008-03-17 04:00:00
Interesting post at the Baltimore Sun, where the editorial writes talks about the fact that the Super Delegates in the Mid-Atlantic States, states Obama won in the Primaries a month ago, are tied into the Clinton camp.It shows the strength of the Clinton Machine in the Democratic party. So, who do you think the DNC will value more, the African-American vote, or Bill and Hillary?
More About: People , Democrats , Hillary Clinton

Obama Gains 10 Delegates Out of Iowa
2008-03-16 07:38:00
The County Convention for Iowa ended with some good news for Barack Obama , netting him an additional ten delegates to the Democratic National Convention.About half of the county delegates that supported John Edwards and other minor candidates, switched sides during the vote, giving Obama a second victory over his rival.
More About: Democrats , Hillary Clinton

Top Clinton Fundraisers Threaten to Pull Funds From DNC
2008-03-15 21:52:00
It looks like the pressure is heating up. Top Clinton fundraisers from Florida are threatening to pull their funds from the DNC for the general election if the Florida and Michigan delegations are not seated at the Convention, or if there is no revote.?If you?re not going to count my vote, I?m not going to give you my money,? said Mr. Cejas, who was the United States ambassador to Belgium from 1998 to 2001.Paul Cejas has given $63,500 to the DNC since 2003 and has demanded that the DNC return the $28,500 he contributed in 2007.Christopher Korge, a real estate developer, has also threatened to pull his $140,000 he raised for the DNC.Thus far, all hopes for a revote in Florida diminishes by the day. A mail-in ballot was rejected by many Floridian legislatures. Meanwhile, Michigan is working out the language for legislation that will allow a primary in June.
More About: Democrats , Hillary Clinton , Funds , Pull