The New York Times reported on its Web site that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) will suspend her presidential campaign and endorse her rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) at an event on Friday, possibly in New York City.
--Samuel Rubenfeld
Showing posts with label Democratic primary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democratic primary. Show all posts
June 4, 2008
In final rally, Clinton does not concede
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) speaks to supporters in Midtown Manhattan on the final night of the Democratic primary season. (Video provided by MSNBC.com.)
By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor
NEW YORK--After all 57 nominating contests, Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) clinched the Democratic party's nomination for president by claiming the majority of delegates and declared victory in front of nearly 20,000 people in Minnesota, but at Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) event in the basement gym at Baruch College in the Park Avenue South area of Manhattan, she delivered a speech more defiant than mollifying.
Clinton was introduced by chief campaign strategist Terry McCauliffe, who said she was going to be "the next president of the United States," despite the torrent of delegates that endorsed Obama earlier in the day. (Obama began Tuesday needing 40 delegates to get the nomination, and before the polls closed in South Dakota, he only needed four.)
"This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight," she said to several hundred supporters here following the projection of a surprise win in the South Dakota primary.
She did not recognize Obama's delegate victory, but did his overall accomplishments: "It has been an honor to contest the primaries with him," Clinton said.
Addressing the question of what she now wants, Clinton said, "I want the nearly 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected, to be heard and no longer be invisible."
Her supporters at the rally were just as defiant. "I hope she goes all the way," said Leslie Flug of Brooklyn. "No one else deserves it."
June 3, 2008
4 to go, no one notices
South Dakota polls close in 25 minutes and Obama is four shy of the nomination, but none of the Clinton supporters in the basement gym at Baruch College seem all too concerned.
Chants of "Hillary--President" came from the bleachers in the hastily put-together event.
"I've been waiting all my life for a woman president," said Annette Miller, 74, from New York.
Another supporter said she will not concede, but will continue all the way to Denver. "We're going all the way, baby!" said Charles Rosen, 40, from Montclair, N.J.
--Samuel Rubenfeld
Chants of "Hillary--President" came from the bleachers in the hastily put-together event.
"I've been waiting all my life for a woman president," said Annette Miller, 74, from New York.
Another supporter said she will not concede, but will continue all the way to Denver. "We're going all the way, baby!" said Charles Rosen, 40, from Montclair, N.J.
--Samuel Rubenfeld
CNN: 7 to go
CNN reports that Obama needs seven delegates to reach the magic number of 2,118 delegates, which would clinch the nomination.
THE RECAP:The last 96 hours
By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor
NEW YORK--Heading into the final weekend of the long-running Democratic presidential primary season, the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) had at least something to be hopeful about: the restoration of the delegates from Florida and Michigan, an expected landslide in Puerto Rico and possibly, just possibly, a stumble by her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), to thrust her into victory.
Oh, what a torrid weekend and primary finale it has been.
First came the fights over delegates and votes from Michigan and Florida: both states' delegates were barred from the convention due to holding primaries too early. The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee held its meeting in a Washington hotel on Saturday to settle the matter, resulting in a compromise deal where each states' delegates get a seat, but can only count for half a vote.
Michigan was especially controversial because Obama was not on the ballot there, but he was awarded all of the votes estimated to have gone to him based on exit polls, which gave him four more delegates than the Clinton campaign thought he deserved.
Clinton supporters were fuming, with loud chants of "Denver! Denver! Denver!" coming from the gallery. Harold Ickes, a chief Clinton adviser who himself serves on that committee, said Clinton "instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the credentials committee," implying that the showdown over Michigan and Florida delegates would go all the way to the national convention in Denver in late August.
The decisions also changed the number of delegates required to claim a majority and the presumptive nomination to 2,118, and Obama was within 60 delegates of the required amount, based on multiple delegate estimates.
Clinton's only recourse was now claiming a popular vote majority, which the campaign began doing by counting the votes from Florida and Michigan, but not counting votes from caucus states such as Iowa and Maine that do not give official vote tallies. The Obama campaign countered, saying they held the popular vote lead.
She needed a huge turnout and a large win in the Puerto Rico primary the next day, Sunday. Clinton got the victory, which she received by a nearly two-to-one majority, but the turnout was lower than Clinton needed. And the superdelegates were not going her way.
Obama acted throughout like the general election nominee; he was quoted by Monday's New York Times calling a rally in South Dakota "a good way to end my campaign in the primary phase." Each day saw the announcement of more superdelegate endorsements, putting him closer to the nomination.
Monday was what was hinted as the beginning of the end for the Clinton campaign. Newsday reported that she was hosting a private meeting at her home in Chappaqua, New York, for high-level aides, where she would decide the future of her campaign. Politico.com added that aides were told she would host her last primary night event in Midtown Manhattan and that their roles on the campaign were ending.
Bill Clinton, who was a thorn in Hillary's side at moments during the campaign, may have hinted at the looming endgame: "I want to say also, that this may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind," he said at a town hall meeting on Monday in Milbank, South Dakota.
Tuesday is the final day of the primary season, and it is shaping up to be a major one for Obama. Montana and South Dakota held their primaries, with the polls closing at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. EDT respectively. But as previously posted, the Associated Press reported at 1:30 p.m. EDT in an alert that Obama was "effectively" the presidential nominee, counting both public and private commitments to the campaign.
The superdelegates came in droves, with liberal blog TalkingPointsMemo.com reporting 19.5 of them endorsing Obama as of 5:36 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday alone.
CNN, as of 7 p.m., reported that Obama needs only 10 delegates to clinch the nomination. As the results come in, we will bring them to you.
Senior News Editor
NEW YORK--Heading into the final weekend of the long-running Democratic presidential primary season, the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) had at least something to be hopeful about: the restoration of the delegates from Florida and Michigan, an expected landslide in Puerto Rico and possibly, just possibly, a stumble by her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), to thrust her into victory.
Oh, what a torrid weekend and primary finale it has been.
First came the fights over delegates and votes from Michigan and Florida: both states' delegates were barred from the convention due to holding primaries too early. The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee held its meeting in a Washington hotel on Saturday to settle the matter, resulting in a compromise deal where each states' delegates get a seat, but can only count for half a vote.
Michigan was especially controversial because Obama was not on the ballot there, but he was awarded all of the votes estimated to have gone to him based on exit polls, which gave him four more delegates than the Clinton campaign thought he deserved.
Clinton supporters were fuming, with loud chants of "Denver! Denver! Denver!" coming from the gallery. Harold Ickes, a chief Clinton adviser who himself serves on that committee, said Clinton "instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the credentials committee," implying that the showdown over Michigan and Florida delegates would go all the way to the national convention in Denver in late August.
The decisions also changed the number of delegates required to claim a majority and the presumptive nomination to 2,118, and Obama was within 60 delegates of the required amount, based on multiple delegate estimates.
Clinton's only recourse was now claiming a popular vote majority, which the campaign began doing by counting the votes from Florida and Michigan, but not counting votes from caucus states such as Iowa and Maine that do not give official vote tallies. The Obama campaign countered, saying they held the popular vote lead.
She needed a huge turnout and a large win in the Puerto Rico primary the next day, Sunday. Clinton got the victory, which she received by a nearly two-to-one majority, but the turnout was lower than Clinton needed. And the superdelegates were not going her way.
Obama acted throughout like the general election nominee; he was quoted by Monday's New York Times calling a rally in South Dakota "a good way to end my campaign in the primary phase." Each day saw the announcement of more superdelegate endorsements, putting him closer to the nomination.
Monday was what was hinted as the beginning of the end for the Clinton campaign. Newsday reported that she was hosting a private meeting at her home in Chappaqua, New York, for high-level aides, where she would decide the future of her campaign. Politico.com added that aides were told she would host her last primary night event in Midtown Manhattan and that their roles on the campaign were ending.
Bill Clinton, who was a thorn in Hillary's side at moments during the campaign, may have hinted at the looming endgame: "I want to say also, that this may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind," he said at a town hall meeting on Monday in Milbank, South Dakota.
Tuesday is the final day of the primary season, and it is shaping up to be a major one for Obama. Montana and South Dakota held their primaries, with the polls closing at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. EDT respectively. But as previously posted, the Associated Press reported at 1:30 p.m. EDT in an alert that Obama was "effectively" the presidential nominee, counting both public and private commitments to the campaign.
The superdelegates came in droves, with liberal blog TalkingPointsMemo.com reporting 19.5 of them endorsing Obama as of 5:36 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday alone.
CNN, as of 7 p.m., reported that Obama needs only 10 delegates to clinch the nomination. As the results come in, we will bring them to you.
June 1, 2008
Clinton to win Puerto Rico
CNN projects Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) as victor in Puerto Rico primary by a wide margin on Sunday, based on its "exclusive" exit poll data there.
May 13, 2008
Clinton wins big in W.Va., vows to 'carry on'
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) declares victory in West Virginia. (Video provided by MSNBC.com.)
By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) won the West Virginia party by a wide margin, holding a more than two-to-one lead with 54 percent of precincts reporting, by winning white and lower-income voters who have eluded Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) at times during the primary season.
Ninety-five percent of voters were white, according to exit polls. Twenty-two percent of voters said race was an important factor, and 81 percent of those voters came to the polls for Clinton.
Clinton's win nets her 10 delegates, according to NBC News, but the win does not greatly blunt Obama's momentum for the Democratic nomination, because he still holds a significant lead in states won, pledged delegates, popular vote and superdelegates.
The victory could, however, raise questions about Obama's ability to win the support of white, working-class voters, a potential weak spot the Clinton campaign has stressed recently.
“I’m more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has the chance to make their voices heard,” Clinton said at a victory rally in Charleston, W.Va.
She said she will carry on her campaign through June 3, when South Dakota holds the final primary in the Democratic nominating contests.
Obama conceded late Tuesday afternoon at a campaign event in Missouri, where he said he still had work to do to earn the nomination.
"We haven’t resolved this nomination," he said. "It would be presumptuous of me to pretend like I’ve already won and start talking about who my vice president’s going to be."
Clinton wins W.Va. by wide margin
By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor
The Associated Press calls Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) the winner by a two-to-one margin based on exits as the polls close in West Virginia. Details as the votes come in.
Senior News Editor
The Associated Press calls Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) the winner by a two-to-one margin based on exits as the polls close in West Virginia. Details as the votes come in.
May 7, 2008
Obama wins big in N.C.; Clinton squeaks by in Ind.
By Samuel Rubenfeld
News Editor
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won handily in the North Carolina primary on Tuesday, defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) by 14 points and negating Clinton's win in Pennsylvania on April 22.
The trajectory of the campaign changed with Obama's huge win: despite Clinton's squeaker victory in Indiana, where she won by less than 22,000 votes on Tuesday, pundits on all three cable networks called the race "over."
"I have not found an objective Democrat who thinks the race isn't over," said Tim Russert, the NBC News Washington bureau chief on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show.
More details to come in The Chronicle print edition, out tomorrow. (Link to come when posted.)
May 4, 2008
Obama wins Guam caucuses by seven votes
By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the Guam caucuses, declaring victory with the thinnest margin of any primary this election year.
Obama led Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) by just seven votes when the results were announced tonight.
Of the 175,000 residents of the island in the Western Pacific, about 4,500 voted.
Obama received 2,264 votes, whereas Clinton received 2,257 votes, with all 21 precincts reporting.
Guam has traditionally been ignored by candidates, but as both Clinton and Obama continue to duel for the nomination, they did not take any chances.
Neither of the Democratic candidates made any campaign appearances in the territory, but did run advertisements and appeared for interviews via satellite on local television stations.
Clinton and Obama also pitched their health care plans for Guam in long-distance interviews.
Clinton has called for Guamanians to be able to vote in the presidential election.
The New York senator has said she will appoint a senior adviser to the defense secretary to help Guamanians prepare for the arrival of 8,000 U.S. Marines who are expected to be transferred to the island from Okinawa in 2014.
Obama, in interviews prior to the vote, said his Hawaiian heritage makes him "especially sensitive," to the concerns and problems facing islanders.
Citizens of the U.S. territory are not able to vote in the general election in November, but have four pledged delegates and five superdelegates which will be sent to the National Convention in Denver in August.
April 23, 2008
Clinton wins Pennsylvania, vows to fight on
Hillary Clinton delivers her victory speech in Philadelphia after winning the Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday night, after six weeks of campaigning in the state. (Video provided by MSNBC.com)
By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) won the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday night, after a six-week stretch between contests, claiming a state she had designated earlier in the day as one she had to win.
"It's a long road to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., and it runs right through the heart of Pennsylvania," she told a crowd of supporters at a victory speech in Philadelphia.
While her campaign says her victory questions Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) electability in the general election, she offered some comparison between the two competing Democratic camps.
Clinton said she and Obama are "on this journey together," while she was joined on stage with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and her husband, President Bill Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea.
Exit polls indicate she received support of voters age 65 and older and that Obama garnered the votes of the black electorate with nearly 92 percent of the African-American vote.
A majority of white males, 55 percent according to a CNN exit poll, voted for Clinton.
Knowing the demographics were not in his favor, Obama moved his campaign to Indiana early today, a state that holds its primary May 6.
"A win is 50 plus one. So, if Sen. Clinton gets over 50 percent, she's won the state and, you know, I don't try to pretend that I enjoy getting 45 percent and that's a moral victory -- we've lost the state," Obama said before leaving Pennsylvania for Indiana.
Obama still leads the delegate count with 1,720 to Clinton's 1,588, according to Associated Press estimates.
Her victory in the Keystone State will allow her to receive most of the state's 158 delegates.
According to Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes, voter turnout was a record, with between 50 and 60 percent turnouts in some counties.
About four million people are registered to vote in Pennsylvania.March 11, 2008
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.
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.
March 8, 2008
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.March 5, 2008
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.
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.
February 20, 2008
Overnight, Obama picks up Hawaii
By Samuel Rubenfeld
News Editor
Stretching his winning streak to 10 states, Barack Obama picked up a victory on Tuesday in Hawaii, the state in which he was born.
Obama won by a margin of 3-1, beating Hillary Clinton 76 percent to 24 percent in the state's caucuses. The Associated Press called the victory at 3:44 a.m. Eastern Standard time.
The victories Tuesday night of the Wisconsin primary and Washington state's "beauty contest" by Obama gives him a significant lead in the delegate count. According to the Associated Press, which counts superdelegates as well as pledged delegates, Obama leads 1,319 to 1,245.
To reach a majority, a campaign must receive 2,025 delegates.
Analysts believe the race is becoming increasingly difficult for Clinton to win. "Suddenly, she needs 65 percent of these remaining states, of these delegates, just overturn that delegate lead that he has," said NBC News Political director Chuck Todd as the network covered the results Tuesday night.
"It moves that mountain that Hillary Clinton has to climb, when it comes to these delegates, a little bit higher. It's as if it keeps growing, it keeps growing, and she keeps taking steps back and it just keeps getting farther and farther out of reach," he said.
Clinton, at an event at New York's Hunter College Wednesday morning, sharpened her attacks on Obama over words versus deeds.
News Editor
Stretching his winning streak to 10 states, Barack Obama picked up a victory on Tuesday in Hawaii, the state in which he was born.
Obama won by a margin of 3-1, beating Hillary Clinton 76 percent to 24 percent in the state's caucuses. The Associated Press called the victory at 3:44 a.m. Eastern Standard time.
The victories Tuesday night of the Wisconsin primary and Washington state's "beauty contest" by Obama gives him a significant lead in the delegate count. According to the Associated Press, which counts superdelegates as well as pledged delegates, Obama leads 1,319 to 1,245.
To reach a majority, a campaign must receive 2,025 delegates.
Analysts believe the race is becoming increasingly difficult for Clinton to win. "Suddenly, she needs 65 percent of these remaining states, of these delegates, just overturn that delegate lead that he has," said NBC News Political director Chuck Todd as the network covered the results Tuesday night.
"It moves that mountain that Hillary Clinton has to climb, when it comes to these delegates, a little bit higher. It's as if it keeps growing, it keeps growing, and she keeps taking steps back and it just keeps getting farther and farther out of reach," he said.
Clinton, at an event at New York's Hunter College Wednesday morning, sharpened her attacks on Obama over words versus deeds.
The next contests are on March 4, and they are primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Obama wins in Wisconsin, cements frontrunner status
Barack Obama delivers a nearly 45-minute long victory speech heavy on the specifics in Houston, Tex. (Video provided by MSNBC.com)
By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer
Retaining the momentum he garnered after a host of victories earlier this month, Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the Wisconsin primary Feb. 19, making it his ninth consecutive win in a race that now has fellow Democratic contender Hillary Clinton pressured for big wins in the Ohio and Texas primaries to take place March 4.
Although Wisconsin's blue-collar and lower-income population would appear to have benefited Sen. Clinton, the junior Illinois senator took 58 percent of the vote to Sen. Clinton's 41 percent, with 96 percent of precincts reporting.
Hawai'i also held its caucuses Tuesday, but the results do not come in until after the caucuses close at 1:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Also, Washington state held a primary that will award no delegates, but with 53 percent of precincts reporting, Obama held onto a 50 percent to 47 percent lead, with the Associated Press not declaring a winner.
"We can't just have speeches, we've got to have solutions," said Clinton, referring to Obama in her primary night speech from Youngstown, Ohio. "The best words in the world aren't enough unless you match them with action."
Clinton did not mention the results in Wisconsin in her speech. And she was pre-empted by all three cable-news channels (FOX, MSNBC and CNN) when Obama took the stage to declare victory in Houston, Tex.
"The problem that we face today in America today is not the lack of good ideas, it is that Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die," Obama said, after learning he had won the Wisconsin primary. He delivered an uncharacteristically long victory speech which lasted nearly 45 minutes, and it was heavy on policy specifics, including his views on education reform, health care and immigration.
"We're here because we still believe that change is possible," he said.
Washington awarded its delegates during caucuses held Feb. 9, which Obama won. The state legislature there decided to go ahead with what was being called a "beauty contest" even though the Democratic National Committee decided to allot their delegates after the caucuses. Nearly 500,000 voters had turned out with 53 percent of the precincts reporting.
Obama's ninth straight victory comes after New Mexico announced the winner of its caucus held on Super Tuesday. Clinton edged Obama out by 1,709 votes there, party officials announced last Thursday.
Obama's ninth straight victory comes after New Mexico announced the winner of its caucus held on Super Tuesday. Clinton edged Obama out by 1,709 votes there, party officials announced last Thursday.
In the days before the two contests, the Clinton camp accused Obama of plagiarizing the words of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and using them as his own in his stump speeches.
The Clinton camp said it "calls into question the premise of his candidacy."
But when asked about allegations of plagiarism by Clinton herself which had been raised in press reports about Obama, senior Clinton campaign advisor Howard Wolfson said she "is not running on the strength of her rhetoric" in a conference call with reporters.
Obama rejected the charges of plagiarism and said that he often borrows the words of the Massachusetts governor – a person he campaigned for in his successful 2006 gubernatorial bid, and who has publicly defended him in response to the attacks.
In Texas, Obama was charging ahead. "The change we seek is still months and miles away, and we need the good people of Texas to help us get there," he said.
February 6, 2008
For the Democrats: The Battle Continues
By Elizabeth Mishler
Special to the Chronicle
Just as it was predicted going in, the Democratic Primaries on Super Tuesday were very, very close. Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y) and Barack Obama (Ill.) split the total popular vote almost evenly, with more than 11 million Democrats voting Feb. 5, with 76 percent of total precincts reporting.
Since no candidate swept the day, the campaign continues and the battle for the Democratic nomination moves on.
But instead of the battle involving who won what states, the Democrats battled over delegates within Congressional districts, because the Democratic party nominates its delegates based on proportional vote totals. According to Associated Press estimates, Clinton leads Obama 656 to 558, including super-delegates, who are convention nominees not tied to a specific candidate.
The primary day was the closest to a National Primary election there has been in the modern primary era. Democrats voted in 23 contests, from Alaska to California, New York to Idaho. Because of proportional apportionment, a candidate can lose a state, but still win more delegates than the winner.
In the Democratic Party there are 4,049 delegates up for grabs. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates backing them in order to win the nomination.
At her election night campaign rally at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, Clinton said that she wanted to bring her voters “values and dreams” to the White House. “Tonight is your night. Tonight is our night,” she said.
Obama’s speech from his rally in Chicago emphasized his supporter's role in his campaign. “Ordinary people can still do ordinary extraordinary things,” he said. "We are the change that we seek."
The campaign for the Democratic nomination continues, with both campaigns claiming victory on a chaotic day.
Special to the Chronicle
Just as it was predicted going in, the Democratic Primaries on Super Tuesday were very, very close. Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y) and Barack Obama (Ill.) split the total popular vote almost evenly, with more than 11 million Democrats voting Feb. 5, with 76 percent of total precincts reporting.
Since no candidate swept the day, the campaign continues and the battle for the Democratic nomination moves on.
But instead of the battle involving who won what states, the Democrats battled over delegates within Congressional districts, because the Democratic party nominates its delegates based on proportional vote totals. According to Associated Press estimates, Clinton leads Obama 656 to 558, including super-delegates, who are convention nominees not tied to a specific candidate.
The primary day was the closest to a National Primary election there has been in the modern primary era. Democrats voted in 23 contests, from Alaska to California, New York to Idaho. Because of proportional apportionment, a candidate can lose a state, but still win more delegates than the winner.
In the Democratic Party there are 4,049 delegates up for grabs. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates backing them in order to win the nomination.
At her election night campaign rally at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, Clinton said that she wanted to bring her voters “values and dreams” to the White House. “Tonight is your night. Tonight is our night,” she said.
Obama’s speech from his rally in Chicago emphasized his supporter's role in his campaign. “Ordinary people can still do ordinary extraordinary things,” he said. "We are the change that we seek."
The campaign for the Democratic nomination continues, with both campaigns claiming victory on a chaotic day.
February 5, 2008
Student: Sen. Obama 'impressive'
"Number one, Obama is very promising," said Landeric Perric, a junior drama major at the University. "The issues about health care, education and immigration are important. I feel he is equipped to tackle these issues in the upcoming presidential race." Perric came out to the polls in the morning at the California Avenue School in Uniondale, three blocks away from C.V. Starr Hall at the University. (Jacqueline Hlavenka/The Chronicle)
January 27, 2008
Obama wins by substantial margin in South Carolina
(Sen. Barack Obama defiantly delivers his victory speech in South Carolina. Video provided by MSNBC.com)
By Kimberly Chin
Assistant News Editor
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama dominated Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) in the South Carolina Democratic primary, winning 55 percent to a 26 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting on another Democratic primary with record turnout. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was right behind Clinton with 17 percent in the polls.
The Palmetto state victory has reinvigorated Obama's campaign after consecutive second-place finishes behind Clinton, who has won New Hampshire and Nevada. Obama also scored a major endorsement from Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy.
Obama's victory speech was defiant in the face of week-long attacks from Clinton's campaign, including from former President Bill Clinton himself.
"After four great contests in every corner of this country, we have the most votes, the most delegates, and the most diverse coalition of Americans we've seen in a long, long time," he said. "They are young and old, rich and poor. They are black and white, Latino and Asian. They are Democrats from Des Moines and Independents from Concord; Republicans from rural Nevada and young people across this country who've never had a reason to participate until now.
"And in nine days, nearly half the nation will have the chance to join us in saying that we are tired of business-as-usual in Washington, we are hungry for change, and we are ready to believe again," he said.
The record turnout in South Carolina was the fourth-straight Democratic contest with more voters than ever before; more than 530,000 voters turned out. Obama got more votes today than the entire Democratic turnout in 2004, said Howard Fineman, a Newsweek political analyst, on MSNBC.
Clinton decided not to deliver a formal concession speech, instead moving immediately beyond the contest to campaign in Tennessee. Instead, she released a statement, which said she had called Obama to congratulate him, thanking her supporters in South Carolina and calling for her campaign to "turn our attention to the millions of Americans who will make their voices heard" in the twenty-four states that will vote on Feb. 5.
Edwards delivered a concession speech in which he announced that he would continue to look to Feb. 5 to gain the support he needed, and told the low- and middle-income Americans that their voices will be heard in his campaign on Super Tuesday. "We will speak for you and fight for you," he told his supporters.
His third place standing came despite a bounce in the polls after a bruising debate on Tuesday, Jan. 22, in which Obama and Clinton leveled personal attacks against each other. South Carolina is Edwards' birth state, and he invested heavily in the state, in an attempt to show credibility as a native-Southerner.
Exit polls indicated a huge amount of support from black voters for Obama. He received 80 percent of their votes, compared with 18 percent for Clinton and 1 percent for Obama. The three candidates split white voters almost equally, but Clinton took the most with slightly more than 30 percent.
Obama emphasized the diversity of his support. "I did not travel around his state and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina," Obama told the cheering audience in South Carolina. "I saw South Carolina."
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