Obama Downplays Expectations in Pennsylvania

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

PHILADELPHIA -- Barack Obama and his wife Michelle met with voters at a popular cheesesteak restaurant this afternoon as he continued to downplay expectations in today's primary. "Let me cut to the chase," Obama told a local radio host at Pat's King of Steaks. "A win is fifty plus one. So if Senator Clinton gets over 50%, she's won the state."

He explained that his campaign's overall strategy was to gain more delegates in the nominating process as opposed to winning large states. "That was a decision based on the notion that this was a delegate race,'' Obama said, noting that he leads Clinton, 1,413 delegates to 1,246.

"What I do believe is we're coming to the end of this process, and if you look we've won twice as many states. We've won the popular vote by a fairly substantial margin," Obama said. "We've got a very big lead in pledged delegates and we've competed in every state, win or lose." Clinton, however, leads in superdelegates.

As he was leaving, Obama, who is usually conscious of what he eats on the campaign trail, indulged in a Philly cheesesteak and French fries at the local stop. As photographers surrounded his table, Obama turned to his wife and asked, "Do I have Cheez Whiz in my teeth?"

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by efarris38 April 25, 2008 12:03 PM EDT: No one is spinning facts! Here is a FACT.....I am a Clinton voter, and if she doesn''t win then I will put my support behind Senator McCain....There are many Clinton supporters who will do the same! You need to get you candidate to provide more details about his campaign, and also get him to quit hiding secrets about his religion. The last President who held a lot of secrets was impeached (Nixon). I will NOT vote for Senator Obama, so no one is spinning facts my dear!; Reply to this comment


by typodi April 23, 2008 11:21 AM EDT: If a state is blue it will stay blue. So Obama will win those states in a GE. Ca isn''t going red. Stop spinning the facts. Here''s a fact that maybe we can use to raise ourselves up as a party of change regardless of the ultimate leader. 120 veterans commit suicide EACH week. So since the start of the Iraq war the death toll of American soldiers is almost 9000. The veterans that we all speak of so reverently are not getting the proper care when they come home for PTSD. I would think that little fact alone would turn those "16 little red states" purple with rage .; Reply to this comment


by cher1946 April 23, 2008 2:45 AM EDT: I have been a democrate all my life but before I would vote for Obama I feel like alot of other voters and will vote for McCane if Hillary doesn''t make it to the end. If Obama was going to make all these changes why hasn''t he done something so far. BS that is why.; Reply to this comment


by verycold April 23, 2008 12:58 AM EDT: Looking at this from a logical viewpoint, Obama should be easily beating Clinton at this point in the race. I say that because the media wants Obama and do not give Hillary any chance of winning, and the far left of the democratic party strongly dislikes Clinton and hence just want her gone. So the voters of PA are basically bucking the desire of their party. Why would they do that? The only reason is that they do not want Barack as their party candidate and they are not changing their minds.; Reply to this comment


by rowdytexan2 April 22, 2008 11:31 PM EDT: Yeah, he''s won 16 tiny little red states that won''t support a democrat in November!

RIGHTTTTTTTTTT!; Reply to this comment


by truth-hurts April 22, 2008 11:23 PM EDT: Obama supporters should downplay their expectations that Obama will be the President too. It''s going to be a long, hard fall if they don''t.; Reply to this comment

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