Obama wins Mississippi

By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has won the Mississippi primary, beating Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in a primary which exit polls indicate was the most racially divided contest yet.
Exit polls show blacks favoring Obama – overwhelmingly, at more than 90 percent – while nearly three quarters of white voters went for Clinton.

The Associated Press reported that only two other state contests this year were as racially divisive, Alabama and Arkansas, the latter being a former home state for Clinton, when President Bill Clinton served in the Governor's office.

Obama's win in what is considered one of the most conservative southern states during the general election comes as the announcement of Obama's victory in the caucus portion of the Texas "prima-caucus," which was held March 4.

Clinton won the state's primary, but because of the caucus, Obama will actually score more delegates than her.

Low to moderate voter turnout was reported by the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office, with approximately 125,000 to 150,000 going to the polls.

The state has 33 delegates going to the convention in August.

Spitzer linked to prostitution ring

By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer

Federal investigators have linked New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to a high-priced prostitution ring in the nation's capital, The New York Times reported Monday afternoon.

The 47-page affidavit from a prostitution bust last Thursday refers to a "Client 9," who, according to two anonymous sources close to the probe, is the name used by the prostitution ring for Eliot Spitzer.

The affidavit did not mention Spitzer by name, but sources close to the investigation say he paid prostitutes as much as $4,300 at a trendy Washington hotel last month to have sex with him.

In a press conference delivered an hour after the news broke on The New York Times Web site, Spitzer was apologetic, but he did not directly admit guilt.

"I have acted in a way that violates my obligation to my family and violates my or any sense of right or wrong," Spitzer said, appearing with his wife Silda at his Manhattan office. "I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public to whom I promised better."

At the press conference, Spitzer took no questions, walking offstage to reporters shouting "Are you resigning?"

The incident allegedly occurred on the evening of Feb. 13, the night before Valentine's Day, when room 871 was booked under the name George Fox, a pseudonym that federal investigators say was used by "Client 9" on previous stays.

The visit came after a cash deposit was made with the Emperor's Club, an online prostitution ring, who sent one of their prostitutes, Kristen, to the room.

The prostitute, Kristen, identified as a young, brunette, allegedly visited "Client 9," at the Mayflower, an upscale Washington hotel, after taking a trip on the Amtrak train from New York City.

Kristen was dispatched to the hotel after Temeka Rachelle Lewis, the ring's booking agent, sent a text message to Kristen, reading: "If D.C. appt. happens u will need 2 leave NYC @ 4:45 p.m."

The affidavit shows that "Client 9," also agreed to cover all of the expenses of Kristen's travel on an Amtrak from New York City to Washington.

Spitzer is a supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. The Clinton campaign press office did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Chronicle.

Spitzer is married, with three children.

Obama wins Wyoming caucuses

By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the Wyoming caucus earlier today, making it his second win in the last week.

Obama beat rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) 61 percent to 38 percent, with 100 percent precincts reporting.

The two Democratic contenders are separated by only 100 delegates, according to The Associated Press estimates, with little more than 600 left to score as they look toward a crucial primary in Pennsylvania next month.

Early estimates show that he will score at least seven delegates compared to Clinton's four, with one outstanding and six superdelegates up for grabs, according to CNN.

Earlier in the day Obama campaigned across the state.

"I will bring this war to an end in 2009, so don't be confused ... when Senator Clinton is not willing to acknowledge that she voted for war," he said. "I don't want to play politics on this issue, because she doesn't have standing to question my position on this issue," he said at a rally in Casper.

Wyoming Governor David Freudenthal did not endorse either candidate because he said they have not addressed the environmental and energy concerns his state faces.

But both candidates went in to the contest with some support from the state.

Former Gov. Mike Sullivan endorsed Clinton, while Obama had backing from the state's Democratic Party Chairman John Millin.

It's Showtime for McCain

By Akeem Mellis

Well, it is now official for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). After overcoming many obstacles, including defeating fellow candidates that at one time had a significant lead over him, and being left for dead only just five months ago, the Arizona senator has clinched the GOP nomination.

The only relatively good GOP candidate left in the race, he ended what had looked like to be a long nominating process for Republicans. Congratulations to him. But while McCain has put away a populist Republican in Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, he'll now have to confront putting away one of two populists in disguise over the next eight months.

With one dream achieved, McCain must now prepare himself for the toughest and possibly most frustrating race of his life against either Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) or Barack Obama (D-Ill.). For him to now win the White House, he must mitigate two problems.

First is the obvious reality that conservatives – who were split in their presidential preferences, helping give McCain the nomination – are still ambivalent about his candidacy.

Second is the way he’ll have to mitigate the looming onslaught by his opponents that he would be an “extension” of George W. Bush – a claim that, upon further inspection on certain issues, couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Tie that with how to properly articulate a message that can keep Republicans and Independents together for him and it’s a hefty climb.

But McCain has nearly eight months to do all of this. A now significantly prolonged battle for the Democratic nomination will greatly help him. Already, he has started to speak the message he will deliver throughout the summer and fall of this year.

If John McCain can ride a nearly dead campaign to the nomination, surely he can beat the odds in November. It’s time for Senator McCain to put on another comeback performance.

Akeem Mellis is the president of the College Republicans. You can reach him at amelli3@pride.hofstra.edu.

McCain wins Republican nomination

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) captures the Republican nomination by reaching the necessary delegate count, according to The Associated Press. (Video provided by MSNBC.com.)

By Michelle Westgate
Staff Writer

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) claimed victory Tuesday after reaching the necessary 1,191 delegates to guarantee the Republican Party nomination for president. In Texas, Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) formally stepped out of the race after losing all four states during tonight’s primaries.

Primary races in Vermont, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas have earned McCain a total number of 208 delegates Tuesday. This, according to estimates by The Associated Press, will secure the 1191 delegates necessary to win the party nomination.

“The contest begins tonight,” McCain said in a victory speech given to a room full of cheering supporters. He vowed to fight for a capable, wise, brave, and decent government. “That is our responsibility and I will not let you down,” he said.

Huckabee acknowledged that McCain would receive the presidential nomination for the Republican Party. “I extended to him not only my congratulations, but my commitment to him,” he said.

Huckabee expressed the importance of bringing the party together, supporting the presidential candidate, and working to maintain the party principles.

“Until our country is all that we hope and pray it to be, we won’t be able to walk away completely,” Huckabee said.

McCain described a group of people who control the future and write history. “That is the essence of hope in America,” McCain said. “Hope built on courage, and faith in the values and principles that have made us great.”

President Bush will officially endorse McCain tomorrow afternoon at a press conference at the White House, according to a statement.

At the University tonight, students gathered in the Mack student center to watch the results of the primaries. Several students were not surprised by the McCain victory, but many did not believe they would support him in the upcoming presidential election.

“I’m not going to vote for a republican just because I am a Republican,” said Greg Evangelista, a senior political science major. “There are a lot of people who will do that,” he said.

Evangelista does not plan on supporting McCain in the upcoming November election.

Clinton wins Ohio, Rhode Island; Obama takes Vermont

Sen. Hillary Clinton "comes back" to win in Ohio and Rhode Island. (Video provided by MSNBC.com.)

By Mike Manzoni

Staff Writer

Looking toward a set of primaries outnumbered in pledged delegates and momentum, she aired an ad widely considered an attack on the national security credentials of her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)

And it may have worked.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY.) won the Ohio primary, surprising Obama in a race some thought would make him the party's presumptive nominee.

"For everyone in Ohio and America who has been counted out but refused to be knocked out…this one is for you," Clinton said, addressing a crowd of supporters in Columbus, Ohio.

"It's [Ohio] a state that knows how to pick a president," she said, "as Ohio goes, so goes the nation."

She added that no president in recent history has won the nomination without winning the Ohio primary.

Clinton also picked up a victory in Rhode Island. Obama won Vermont, and Texas, with 69 percent of precincts reporting, still was too close to call, according to The Associated Press.

"We are turning this page and we are ready to write the next great story in American history," Obama said at rally in San Antonio, Tex.

Congratulating Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for winning the Republican nomination Tuesday night, Obama, in the same sentence, contested his policies and welcomed a debate: "He has fallen in line behind the very same policies that have ill-served America."

The divisive night of primaries and caucuses followed a week of campaigning in which Clinton aired an ad – now known as the "3 a.m. ad" – which questioned viewers who they would want answering the White House phone at 3 a.m., should a problem arise immediately warranting presidential action.

The Clinton camp also questioned a memo obtained by The Associated Press that outlined a meeting between Obama's economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, and a representative of the Canadian government at the Canadian consulate in Chicago.

The memo detailed a meeting in which Goolsbee told the Canadian representative to take Obama's comments against free trade as "more of a political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans."

Last week, Obama denied that the meeting ever took place, but early this week admitted he knew of the meeting, but insisted Goolsbee did not represent his views.