Feb. 11, 2008
Maine Puts Topper On Obama Sweep
Obama Takes Delegate Lead With Wins In 4 States; Clinton Manager Steps Down
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Play CBS Video Video Barack Obama Steve Kroft interviews Barack Obama and 60 Minutes cameras capture the only behind-the-scenes video of the Democratic presidential candidate?s headquarters on Super Tuesday.
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Video Hillary Clinton Katie Couric interviews Hillary Rodham Clinton as the race for the Democratic presidential nomination between her and Barack Obama grows tighter.
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Video Clinton Fires Campaign Manager As the prospect of her winning the Democratic nomination takes a hit in the face of Sen. Barack Obama's formidable challenge, Sen. Hillary Clinton fired her campaign manager. Dean Reynolds reports.
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(CBS/AP)
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News Tools Campaign Calendar The latest list of primary and caucus dates as states continue jockeying for position.
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Section Campaign Coverage News and video from the campaign trail.
Obama’s victory in the Maine caucuses follow on the heels of his Saturday sweep in which he won Louisiana’s primary contest as well as caucuses in the states of Washington and Nebraska.
His winning margins ranged from substantial to crushing. In Maine, he led 59 percent to 40 percent with 99 percent of the precints reporting. In Louisiana, Obama defeated Clinton, 57 percent to 36 percent. He won in Nebraska by a 68 percent to 32 percent margin and in Washington 68 percent to 31 percent.
Obama's victory in Maine -- and the ease with which it came -- actually exceeded expectations, even though he swept the caucuses held on Super Tuesday. Clinton had the backing of the state's governor, John Baldacci, and its proximity to New Hamsphire and Massachusetts, both of which Clinton has already won this year, led some analysts to expect a close race.
Even Obama's own campaign said they didn't expect to win Maine, according to a document the campaign said was accidentally leaked earlier in the week.
In the delegate chase, Obama has pulled ahead of Clinton, even when the support of uncommitted super delegates is figured in. According to CBS News estimates as of Sunday night, Obama holds a razor-thin lead with 1,134 delegates overall to 1,131 for Clinton. Click here for the latest state-by-state delegate count.
The results in Maine came in the wake of a shake-up on the Clinton campaign. Sunday afternoon, Clinton campaign manager Patti Patti Solis announced she was stepping down from that post. She will be replaced by senior advisor and longtime Clinton confidant Maggie Williams.
Campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee said Solis Doyle was "not asked to step down," reports CBS News' Fernando Suarez. Elleithee said the change in leadership was not due to this weekend's losses.
In a letter to campaign staff, Solis Doyle wrote, "I have been proud to manage this campaign, and prouder still to call Hillary my friend for more than sixteen years. I know that she will make a great President."
"This has already been the longest Presidential campaign in the history of our nation, and one that has required enormous sacrifices from all of us and our families," she continued.
Democrats in 420 Maine towns and cities were deciding Sunday how the state's 24 delegates will be allotted at the party's national convention in August. Despite the weather, turnout was "incredible," party executive director Arden Manning said.
Organizers had expected heavy participation at the caucuses, but up to 8 inches of snow and Arctic cold were expected when many of the gatherings were scheduled. Even so, Democrats started Sunday with more than 4,000 absentee ballots in hand.
Maine Results
Manning said the weather would not hurt turnout. In Bangor, the caucus started late because so many people showed up that they were lined up outside the door, he said.
In Portland, waterlogged Democrats carrying "Obama" and "Hillary" signs waited to get into the citywide caucus at Portland High School in separate lines that snaked nearly three city blocks in opposite directions.
Colin Johnson, an Obama supporter, said the Illinois senator is not a typical politician. "I'm convinced he's a once-in-a-generation leader," he said.
"He's young and energetic and Washington and the White House could benefit from some fresh air," said Joe Lewis, another Obama supporter.
But Tony Donovan said Obama can use some more seasoning. Donavan was supporting Clinton because she, like him, was a baby boomer who shared similar values and because she has the experience and the team to lead in Washington.
"Obama's a great guy. He'll be great in eight years," Donovan said. "He doesn't have the experience in the Senate. He doesn't have the experience in Washington. He's not ready."
Both campaigns hit Maine heavily with radio and TV advertising, and voters' homes were being called with pre-taped messages in support of both candidates.
On Sunday, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, were scheduled to visit Maine caucuses on Obama's behalf.
On Clinton's side, Baldacci, Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern and New York Rep. Gregory Meeks were to campaign.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 214 CommentsObama, you are now more or less like JFK. You have wooed America and now basking in an avalanche of love and admiration from all over the country. You are the man that America had been expecting, the political messiah who has given America hope and the zeal to go for a change for a better America. You are the man who has promised to unify the country and re-empower it. This is your brightest shining moment. A moment in the life of America that your millions of fans would cherish for a long time because you have ran a very organized, disciplined and positive campaign and have won. You have performed magic and a miracle by doing that which millions of people (including me) thought will never be possible: beating Billary!!! Congratulations buddy. May your luck continue to shine and take you to the White House. And may you become a very good President with a very good leadership, who would be a good role model for future presidents after you. forexmillionaire.com
Obama, you are now more or less like JFK. You have wooed America and now basking in an avalanche of love and admiration from all over the country. You are the man that America had been expecting, the political messiah who has given America hope and the zeal to go for a change for a better America. You are the man who has promised to unify the country and re-empower it. This is your brightest shining moment. A moment in the life of America that your millions of fans would cherish for a long time because you have ran a very organized, disciplined and positive campaign and have won. You have performed magic and a miracle by doing that which millions of people (including me) thought will never be possible: beating Billary!!! Congratulations buddy. May your luck continue to shine and take you to the White House. And may you become a very good President with a very good leadership, who would be a good role model for future presidents after you. forexmillionaire.com
http://www.popularprimaryvotenow.com
Add your comments. I am going to print every comment out and walk it to the DNC headquarters. Our voices should be heard!
http://www.popularprimaryvotenow.com
If you think this is an issue please add a comment to the protest page of the website. I will print out all the comments and give them to the Democratic party.
Stop spreading lies!!!! Obama is winning the democratic caucuses because his campaign invested heavily in those smaller states as well as the large ones. Hillary campaign has focused on the large states, as if the smaller states are irrelevent. Which begs the question, if Hillary is elected will she still behave as if the smaller states are irrelevent???
America wants TRUTH -
WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND COURAGE
America wants OBAMA
So be it that our YOUTH sees HOPE in TRUTH...
"LIVE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD."
"Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed."
"A nation''s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people."
GO! OBAMA, TRUTH IS THE NATION, THE WORLD, THE HOPE!
Ding-dong, the witch is dead...
+ report abuse
Okay talk about racist, Why was necessary to point John McCain was white. does that make him less of a man. Note Obama is just as much black as white. HMM. Maybe we should just vote for the best candidate who will do the best job.
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Posted by alanrobisch2 at 03:47 PM : Feb 11, 2008
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I agree 100pct. We need to get race and gender out of this campaign. I am a 61 year old white woman and I am a big Obama supporter. I would love to see a woman in the Whitehouse, IF it is the right woman. I would never vote for a candidate just because they are black, just because they are a woman, or just because they are white and a man. It is amazing that we have a woman, the first in history, and a black, the first in history, running for the presidency at the same time, but it still comes down to who is the best candidate. The Republicans basically had nothing to offer, so it comes down to these two Democrats. I like Obama better and I think he is the more electable of the two. Incidentally, I am an independent that "swings both ways!" :o)
Posted by Sofusbird at 03:25 PM : Feb 11, 2008"
They''ve already had 18 debates.
Obama has said he would debate again before the March 4th primaries but that he couldn''t put a firm date on it. That''s a little less dramatic than your fabricated story but then the truth is sometimes not as interesting as fantasy.
Posted by echeller at 01:37 PM : Feb 11, 2008"
Here here!!! Well put, the only thing we get by occupying Iraq is another generation of western-hating Jihadists looking for a target.
You want to stop terrorism, educate the people, feed the people, respect the people then the terrorists have nothing to offer and get no recruits. As it is now, all our presence in Iraq does is bolster the Al-Quida recruiting program. Bush, Cheney and all the other fools in this government who think we can defeat a CONCEPT with more weapons and troops are traitorous in their stupidity.
Posted by librtyship at 03:04 PM : Feb 11, 2008"
Wow are you a bind fool. Terrorists in check?!? rush to socialism...for God''s sake, put down the cool-aid and pull your head out of your a$$ and stop listening to the drug-addled gasbag for 5 seconds. You sound like a 12 year old.
A 72 year old white veteran who has seen it all.
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Posted by tibu987 at 01:28 PM : Feb 11, 2008
+ report abuse
Okay talk about racist, Why was necessary to point John McCain was white. does that make him less of a man. Note Obama is just as much black as white. HMM. Maybe we should just vote for the best candidate who will do the best job.
McCain is undercuted politically by Democratic Senator Schumer. Schumer''s politial "The Vetrans Disarmament Act," and signed into law by the President recently scuttle POTUS candidate John McCain?
Will John McCain''s prisoner of war treatment and his latest mental blowup; at the "Comprehensive Immigration Package meetings." Be the last
straw that will undue McCain, who has demonstrated over and over again that he suffers from PTSD symptoms.
"The Vetrans Disarmament Act," takes away the second
amendment rights of veterans that have PTSD syptoms.
It also takes away the second amendment rights of children in ADHD and IDEA programs without due process.
Will the law be enforced equally or will John McCain escape by Washington leverage? Equal justice for all.
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