Obama Takes First Delegate Lead

[apawllo]

Obama wins 3 primaries for delegate lead

By DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama powered past Hillary Rodham Clinton in the race for Democratic convention delegates Tuesday on a night of triumph sweetened with outsized primary victories in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

"Tonight we're on our way," Obama told cheering supporters in Madison, Wis. "But we know how much further we have to go," he added, celebrating eight straight victories over Clinton, the former first lady now struggling in a race she once commanded.

The Associated Press count of delegates showed Obama with 1,210. Clinton had 1,188, falling behind for the first time since the campaign began. Neither was close to the 2,025 needed to win the nomination.

His victories were by large margins - he was gaining about 75 percent of the vote in the nation's capital and nearly two-thirds in Virginia. In Maryland, he was winning close to 60 percent.

By contrast, Clinton was attempting to retool her campaign in the midst of a losing streak. Her deputy campaign manager resigned, the second high-level departure in as many days.

Campaigning in Texas, where she hopes to triumph on March 4, she said she was looking ahead, not back.

"I'm tested, I'm ready. Now let's make it happen," she said.

Republican front-runner John McCain won all three GOP primaries, adding to his insurmountable lead in delegates for the Republican nomination. He congratulated Mike Huckabee, his sole remaining major rival and a potential vice presidential running mate, then turned his focus on the Democrats.

"We know where either of their candidates will lead this country, and we dare not let them," he told supporters in Alexandria, Va. "They will paint a picture of the world in which America's mistakes are a greater threat to our security than the malevolent intentions of an enemy that despises us and our ideals."

Interviews with voters leaving the polls showed Obama narrowly defeated Clinton among white voters in Virginia, 52 percent to 47 percent, the first time he has done that in a Southern state and only the fourth time he has done so in a competitive primary this year. Clinton won the white vote by 10 percentage points in Maryland. He won 90 percent of the black vote in Virginia and almost as much in Maryland. She won a majority of white women in both states, though by less than she is accustomed to. He won among white men in Virginia, and they split that vote in Maryland.

In all, there were 168 Democratic delegates at stake Tuesday.

Obama moved past Clinton in the delegate chase on the basis of the day's primaries and newly released results from last Saturday's Washington caucuses. Additional delegates still to be allocated from his new victories were certain to add to his lead.

Article: recordonline.com - The Times Herald-Record, serving New York"s Hudson Valley and the Catskills

Analysis: Obama cuts into Clinton base

By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Memo to Hillary Rodham Clinton: Barack Obama is stealing your faithful.

The Illinois senator racked up sizable wins in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, besting the former first lady by a margin of nearly 2-1 in Maryland and Virginia and 3-1 in the nation's capital. He also narrowly pulled ahead among delegates for the first time in the contest.

He did so by winning over many of the voters who form the core of Clinton's political base.

The Democratic rivals have waged a close battle for votes and delegates thus far, in part because they have appealed to different constituencies. Clinton has been strong among traditional Democratic base voters, such as Hispanics and working-class whites. Obama has run strongest among young people, independents, affluent voters and blacks.

Tuesday's results changed that dynamic, in a way that should trouble the Clinton team.

Obama narrowly defeated Clinton among white voters in Virginia, 52 percent to 47 percent, while Clinton won with that group in Maryland by just 10 percentage points, according to an exit survey conducted for The Associated Press.

Even white women were beginning to move toward the Illinois senator — Clinton won nearly 60 percent of their votes, a much lower percentage than in contests past. Clinton has based her candidacy in large part on her appeal to white women.

In addition to his usual strong showing among young voters, Obama was also running about even among those over 65, a group Clinton usually dominates.

Article: Analysis: Obama cuts into Clinton base - Yahoo! News

If he can win Texas and Ohio on March 4th, this is pretty much a done deal.

[AnTsAniTy]

Ron Paul>
but he doesnt have a chance

[thextremepimp05]

Looks like Obama is pretty much prepping to be the nominee
But don't expect Hillary to just back out, she will fight to the death, even if it means committing political suicide and destroying her own party, she will do anything and everything possible to secure the nomination, and if she is the nominee somehow someway, expect a repeat of 2004 with John Flip Flopping Kerry against George Warmonger Bush

Obama must be the nominee if America really wants a new direction in leadership

[graicen69]

congrats to bama. FUCK THE NAYSAYERS!

[apawllo]

Originally Posted by thextremepimp05

Looks like Obama is pretty much prepping to be the nominee
But don't expect Hillary to just back out, she will fight to the death, even if it means committing political suicide and destroying her own party, she will do anything and everything possible to secure the nomination, and if she is the nominee somehow someway, expect a repeat of 2004 with John Flip Flopping Kerry against George Warmonger Bush

Obama must be the nominee if America really wants a new direction in leadership

Yeah, Hillary will definitely wait until March 4th. If she loses Ohio and Texas she may drop out - she'll definitely be pressured by the media and party officials. However, she's ahead by 10 points in Texas right now and 15 points in Ohio, so Obama has some ground to make up between now and then....which he normally does. The numbers in both states have already started to shift in Obama's favor within the past week or so.

But yeah...Clinton Vs. McCain would basically be the douche vs. turd sandwich scenario.

[jax midwest]

Originally Posted by thextremepimp05

Looks like Obama is pretty much prepping to be the nominee
But don't expect Hillary to just back out, she will fight to the death, even if it means committing political suicide and destroying her own party, she will do anything and everything possible to secure the nomination, and if she is the nominee somehow someway, expect a repeat of 2004 with John Flip Flopping Kerry against George Warmonger Bush

Obama must be the nominee if America really wants a new direction in leadership

co sign brutha

[windyman22]

Originally Posted by apawllo

But yeah...Clinton Vs. McCain would basically be the douche vs. turd sandwich scenario.

Meh McCain isnt that bad.... but if he has huckabee as his VP....


Obama 08'!

[-+JoezDog4+-]

Originally Posted by AnTsAniTy

Ron Paul>
but he doesnt have a chance

Ron Paul knows alot of facts.... but he's a racist. I mean you might know and like that. But if not research before you make your choice...