Latest news from the 2008 race - Political Forum

W.E.B. Du Bois · #1 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 02:00 PM

This is a thread I'm creating that is basically about all the various things that happen and develop on the 2008 race that don't quite warrant their own thread, but are very interesting and important nonetheless. I will sticky this thread that the top of this forum.

Sources:

RealClearPolitics - Opinion, News, Analysis, Videos and Polls
First Read - msnbc.com
Politics, Political News, Campaign 2008 - Politico.com
ABC News: Politics Index
CQ Politics - Home Page

W.E.B. Du Bois · #2 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 02:04 PM

Obama wins endorsements from two huge national unions and the Democrats abroad primary.

The Associated Press: Change to Win to Endorse Obama

Quote:

Change to Win to Endorse Obama
By JESSE J. HOLLAND – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The new Change to Win labor federation will give its first presidential endorsement to Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, a union official said Thursday.

The endorsement comes after a teleconference between Change to Win's leaders and the heads of the seven unions that make up the 6-million member federation, Greg Tarpinian, the federation's executive director, said in an interview.

Four of Change to Win's unions had already endorsed Obama, with the Teamsters endorsing Obama on Wednesday. UNITE HERE, the Service Employee International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers also have endorsed Obama.

The Change to Win endorsement gives Obama a boost in the upcoming March 4 primaries in Texas and Ohio, as well as in Pennsylvania on April 22. There were 830,000 union workers in Pennsylvania and 730,000 in Ohio in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the largest numbers of unionized workers in the nation.

Tarpinian the vote was unanimous although the United Farm Workers, the Laborers' Union and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners had abstained. The farmworkers already had endorsed Clinton; the Carpenters originally endorsed John Edwards, who has dropped out, and the Laborers had yet to make an endorsement. Tarpinian said, however, the three unions released the federation to work for Obama in the upcoming primaries and caucuses.
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Quote:

Obama Wins Democrats Abroad Primary
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama won the Democrats Abroad global primary in results announced Thursday, giving him 11 straight victories in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Illinois senator won the primary in which Democrats living in other countries voted by Internet, mail and in person, according to results released by the Democrats Abroad, an organization sanctioned by the national party.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has not won a nominating contest since Super Tuesday, more than two weeks ago. More than 20,000 U.S. citizens living abroad voted in the primary, which ran from Feb. 5 to Feb. 12. Obama won about 65 percent of the vote, according to the results released Thursday.

....
The Democrats Abroad controls seven pledged delegates at the party's national convention this summer. However, the group's system of dividing the delegates is unique, and could create an anomaly in which Obama and Clinton end up with fractions of delegates.

The party will send 14 pledged delegates to the convention, each with a half vote. The primary was used to determine nine people, or the equivalent of 4.5 delegates. Obama won 2.5 and Clinton won two, according to Schon Marques.

Obama got an extra half a delegate lead today.

The bigger story is the unions though. That's Hillary's base.

mairead · #3 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 04:21 PM

For what it's worth, I think I would like to see Obama in the White house. I think it's a younger man's game in the world as it is at present.
Having said that, we once thought the same about Tony B liar and were wrong about that younger man.
Still, I think at 71 McCain is maybe too much of the 'old school' to make many changes. As for Hilary, she seems too much like a modern Thatcher to me.
If I had a US vote, it would go to Obama.

W.E.B. Du Bois · #4 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mairead

For what it's worth, I think I would like to see Obama in the White house. I think it's a younger man's game in the world as it is at present.
Having said that, we once thought the same about Tony B liar and were wrong about that younger man.
Still, I think at 71 McCain is maybe too much of the 'old school' to make many changes. As for Hilary, she seems too much like a modern Thatcher to me.
If I had a US vote, it would go to Obama.

Hillary is no Margaret Thatcher, unless Thatcher made up policy everyday according to the polls.

Anyway, here's Hillary getting into trouble again. Another bungled attempt to communicate with even fellow Democrats.

Politics | RI Mayor Disappointed in Clinton Camp | Seattle Times Newspaper

Quote:

RI Mayor Disappointed in Clinton Camp

Mayor David Cicilline indicated this week that his support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton might be wavering, after he said members of her presidential campaign urged him to cave to the demands of the firefighters union ahead of her weekend appearance here.

But Clinton's campaign told a different story Friday, saying no members of the staff would interfere in the city's business.

The mayor is a Democratic superdelegate, who, unlike pledged delegates won through a primary or a caucus, can vote for whomever they chose. With the race between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama so close, the campaigns have been lobbying for the support of every superdelegate.

Clinton is scheduled to be here Sunday for a fundraiser and rally. Firefighters who have been in a long-running contract dispute with Cicilline have said they would disrupt any Clinton event the mayor attends.

Cicilline told news outlets Thursday that national and local members of Clinton's campaign called him and tried to get him to cave to firefighters' contract demands, something he said he won't do. He also told The Providence Journal that Clinton political and field director Guy Cecil called him and asked him not to attend Sunday's event, a request he said he would honor.

"I'm obviously very disappointed," he told WJAR-TV. "I'm going to think very carefully about the next step."

Cicilline's spokeswoman, Karen Southern, would not comment Friday when asked if he was considering switching his support to Obama, but said he had not been in touch with the Illinois senator's campaign. She would not say who had contacted Cicilline from Clinton's campaign. Clinton campaign spokeswoman Christine Heenan said Clinton has great respect for the mayor's commitment to the city.

"No one on our staff would ever interfere with the decisions the mayor needs to make to run the city of Providence," she said. Heenan said she was unaware of any attempts by the campaign to contact Cicilline on Friday.

W.E.B. Du Bois · #5 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 03:38 PM

A superdelegate who is some big union guy in Pennsylvania just endorsed Obama. That's breaking news.

W.E.B. Du Bois · #6 (**permalink**) 02-23-2008, 03:16 PM

The Associated Press: Superdelegates Are Flocking to Obama

Quote:

Superdelegates Are Flocking to Obama
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic superdelegates are starting to follow the voters — straight to Barack Obama.

In just the past two weeks, more than two dozen of them have climbed aboard his presidential campaign, according to a survey by The Associated Press. At the same time, Hillary Rodham Clinton's are beginning to jump ship, abandoning her for Obama or deciding they now are undecided.

The result: He's narrowing her once-commanding lead among these "superdelegates," the Democratic office holders and party officials who automatically attend the national convention and can vote for whomever they choose.

As Obama has reeled off 11 straight primary victories, some of the superdelegates are having second — or third — thoughts about their public commitments. Take John Perez, a Californian who first endorsed John Edwards and then backed Clinton. Now, he says, he is undecided.

"Given where the race is at right now, I think it's very important for us to play a role around bringing the party together around the candidate that people have chosen, as opposed to advocating for our own choice," he said in an interview.

Clinton still leads among superdelegates — 241 to 181, according to the AP survey. But her total is down two in the past two weeks, while Obama's is up 25. Since the primaries started, at least three Clinton superdelegates have switched to Obama, including Rep. David Scott of Georgia, who changed his endorsement after Obama won 80 percent of the primary vote in Scott's district. At least two other Clinton backers have switched to undecided.

None of Obama's have publicly strayed, according to the AP tally.
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W.E.B. Du Bois · #7 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 02:18 PM

I gotta give this one to Obama. This was a very shrewd move:

Obama Distances Himself From Farrakhan Praise - Politics on The Huffington Post

Quote:

Obama Distances Himself From Farrakhan Praise

Not all endorsements are welcome on the presidential campaign. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama sought to distance himself on Monday from praise showered on him by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

"Senator Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan's past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister's support," Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

emptypepsi · #8 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 06:51 PM

This move (above) by Obama is going to resonate well in the Jewish community. Quite a few on my Dad's side and on my Mom's are Jewish and this is something that is going to definitley ease the wondering of many in that community.

W.E.B. Du Bois · #9 (**permalink**) 02-27-2008, 05:31 PM

Well, I don't think Obama was strong enough in denouncing it in the debate.

Byron York on Ohio Debate on National Review Online

W.E.B. Du Bois · #10 (**permalink**) 02-27-2008, 05:33 PM

superdelegate John Lewis defects from the Clinton camp, supports Obama.

Lewis says he's supporting Obama | ajc.com

Quote:

Lewis says he's supporting Obama
By BOB KEMPER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/27/08

WASHINGTON — Hoping to put an end to a month of confusion and dismay, Rep. John Lewis on Wednesday said he's switching his support from Sen. Hillary Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Lewis cited the overwhelming preference for Obama in his district as a reason for his change of heart, but he also talked about Obama's campaign as transformational for the nation.
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