Barack Obama

Obama +2 Superdelegates, Including Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV)

Scott — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:08:49 -0700

Barack Obama started the work week with a bang, locking down the endorsement of the most senior member of the United States Senate, Robert Byrd, the 90-year old President Pro Tempore of West Virginia, a state dominated by Hillary Clinton in the primary.

"Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and a humble Christian," Byrd said, "and he has my full faith and support."

Obama also added the backing of DNC member Dwight Pelz, the chairman of the Washington State Democratic Party.

The endorsements bring Obama's total delegate to 1,913 just 112 delegates away from the nomination, though that number is likely to narrow significantly after tomorrow's contests in Kentucky and Oregon, the latter of which Obama is favored to win.

Clinton has not picked up any superdelegates since last week.

Updated Results of NC Primary Give Obama 3 More, Clinton 1 Less Delegates

Scott — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:12:23 -0700

A few more changes in the race for the Democratic nomination today.

The state Board of Elections in North Carolina certified its results today after reporting incomplete results from several precincts over the past week. The new total gives Obama an additional three delegates. What's more, Hillary Clinton actually lost a delegate in the process.

The latest count puts Barack Obama over the 1,900 mark by most counts, meaning that he stands less than 1,025 delegates from becoming the first African American to win the presidential nomination of a major party.

Obama-Edwards Ticket Makes Sense

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:06:05 -0700

It took awhile, but he finally did it. After waiting nearly three months since he dropped out of the race, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards took the stage in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Wednesday and took a side.

"The people in America have made their choice," he told a crowd of 12,000 supporters, "and so have I." With that Edwards very well may have sealed his fate as the Vice Presidential nominee- again.

In all likelihood, Edwards was wise to withhold his endorsement. Had it come a month ago, it probably would have been lost in the veritable sea of endorsements flying around before Pennsylvania and Indiana. Certainly, it would have been overshadowed by what most considered a shocker in the Bill Richardson endorsement of Obama. After all, Edwards isn't even a superdelegate.

But Edwards' comment comes at a time of relative quiet, and now, he's thrust right back into the national spotlight as a top contender for the VP slot on Obama's ticket.

For better or worse, the racial tone of the 2008 race for the Democratic nomination has been real, with statewide votes often split down racial lines. In a USA Today interview last week, Hillary Clinton essentially declared herself the poor white man's candidate, and the fact is, she has a point. In putting together a ticket that has any shot of winning, Democrats will need to bring in the Clinton vote. But the hard part will be doing it without Clinton.

That an Obama-Clinton ticket is out of the question is almost a foregone conclusion. Putting the personal nature of the campaign aside, Hillary Clinton is not likely to be a quiet second-in-command. Moreover, Obama would be wary of putting himself in a situation where Bill Clinton- who was the most powerful man in the world just eight years ago- is on the sidelines, but close enough to the action to get involved. Just like any of those who've gone before him, Obama will want his presidency to be his own.

But Edwards essentially accomplishes everything Hillary does. In fact, his appeal in the South and Midwest, coupled with Obama's success among African American voters in the South may very well put Democrats in a position to compete in states beyond the typical Democratic mainstays on the west coast and in New England. Plus, Democrats have never been shy about regional balance on the ticket, and to that extent, Edwards exceeds Clinton in what he brings to the table.

True, the Edwards experiment didn't work so well last time around. But the difference between John Kerry and Barack Obama as candidates is astronomical. Obama carries a far wider appeal nationally than Obama ever did. The fact that the Kerry-Edwards ticket couldn't even carry Edwards' home state of North Carolina is more a reflection of the limited reach of Kerry than of Edwards himself.

The one downside to an Edwards vice presidential candidacy is the experience issue. Neither Obama nor Edwards have more than a single term in the Senate. To that end, it's possible that Obama may opt for a governor like Ted Strickland of Ohio. But still, Edwards' national name recognition, Southern charm, and generally favorable appeal may trump any question of time in office. And having run a national fall campaign before, Edwards may appear to Obama as someone with the experience and know-how to get it right this time around.

Clinton Superdelegate: I Voted for Obama

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:40:33 -0700

Rep. Brad Ellsworth, an Indiana Democrat who has pledged to support Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in August, told reporters that he, in fact, personally voted for Barack Obama.

"In the booth, I voted for Obama," he said. "It's just my preference in the primary."

Obama Pulls Away In National Polls

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:31:05 -0700

After struggling with Senator Hillary Clinton for several months, Barack Obama has finally begun to put some distance between himself and his chief rival in national polls among Democrats.

As recently as May 7th, Senator Clinton had staged a comeback of sorts, returning from being down points to garner the support 45% of Democrats nationwide. That number exactly matched the support for Obama.

But today, the RCP average of the most recent polls puts Obama 7 points ahead of Clinton among Democrats, including one ABC News poll from earlier in the week that gave Obama a 12-point margin.

Edwards Endorsement Puts Gore in the Spotlight

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:24:43 -0700

John Edwards' endorsement of Barack Obama on Wednesday took one of the final major party figures off the table. Though there are a number of superdelegates who remain uncommitted (Edwards himself is not a superdelegate), there are few high profile Democrats who've yet to voice an opinion.

But one of them who has remained out of the fray is Al Gore. In the coming weeks, Gore may become the final prize in the quest for the party mainstays. However, it's unlikely that Gore will break his silence any time soon, at least before Clinton drops out. In the end, Gore's backing will have little effect on the outcome of the primary.

Bush Jabs at Obama from Israel

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:04:21 -0700

Speaking before the Knesset, Israel's federal legislative body, President Bush had some choice words that were almost undeniably aimed at the almost-assured Democratic nominee for the race to succeed him, Barack Obama.

"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is –- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Bush's references to Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany is already drawing significant fire both in Israel and the United States.

McDermott, Waxman, Berman Endorse Obama

Scott — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:59:37 -0700

Barack Obama picked up three new superdelegate endorsements today with support from three Democratic congressman, including the influential California Rep. Henry Waxman, who chairs the House Oversight and Governmental Reform Committee.

Washington Rep. Jim McDermott and California Rep. Howard Berman also jumped on the Obama bandwagon, bringing his total delegate count to 1892, just 133 shy of the 2,025 needed for the Democratic nomination.

Did Barack Obama betray liberal bloggers by appearing on FOX News Sunday?

Scott — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:54:43 -0700

Did Barack Obama betray liberal bloggers by appearing on FOX News Sunday?

Scott — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:54:29 -0700