"Potomac Primary" Voters Make Their Picks

Obama, McCain Both Hope To Expand Delegate Leads In Md., Va., D.C. Primaries

(CBS/AP)  The political world turned its focus Tuesday to primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia as Democrat Barack Obama seeks to widen his slim delegate lead over Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain hoped to tighten his grip on his party's nomination.

The "Potomac Primary" also put attention on a part of the country not used to playing a crucial role in the presidential nominating process.

"At least we feel like we have a say in it this time," said Michael Dowling, a 57-year-old Annapolis resident who voted early Tuesday and couldn't recall the last time he felt the Maryland primary had a role in choosing the nominee.

Early turnout in Virginia was reported high and city officials in the District of Columbia were hoping that a swath of new registered voters would show up at the polls. Maryland election officials were also projecting a strong turnout, particularly in the Democratic race.

With 168 delegates at stake in the Democratic contests, Obama hoped to expand the lead in the delegate count he won after convincing weekend victories in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington state, the Virgin Islands and Maine.

The contests also come days after Clinton announced she was replacing her campaign manager. Aides to the former first lady concede she is in the midst of a difficult period in which she could lose 10 straight contests. She is hoping to rebound on March 4, in primaries in Ohio and Texas, states where both candidates have already begun television advertising.

A source close to the campaign is downplaying expectations, telling CBS News' Fernando Suarez that “we will lose all three (contests) today, probably by wide margins.”

“We are still actively working them because we feel like there are opportunities to pick up delegates," the source said, pointing out that since delegates are allocated proportionally, she can still pick up delegates even if she loses statewide.

"There are several districts in Virginia, for example, that we have targeted because they have odd number delegates and we think we have some opportunities to pick up the one," the source said. "So, while we expect to lose we’re focused on the delegate math.” (Read more in the From The Road blog.)

According to delegate estimates compiled by CBS News Obama has 1,143 delegates while Clinton has 1,132. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates to secure the nomination. (View the Democratic delegate scorecard.)

Obama has campaigned before huge crowds in recent days, and far outspent his rival on television advertising in the states participating in the regional primary in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

He began airing commercials in the region more than a week ago, and spent an estimated $1.4 million. Clinton began hers last Friday, at a cost estimated at $210,000.

With Clinton facing a series of possible defeats, and Obama riding a wave of momentum, the two camps debated which contender is more likely to defeat McCain in the general election.

An Associated Press-Ipsos poll found Obama with a narrow lead over the Arizona senator in a potential match-up, and Clinton running about even.

"We bring in voters who haven't given Democrats a chance" in the past, said Obama pollster Cornell Belcher, citing support from independents.

Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist, countered that she holds appeal for women voters and Hispanics. "Hillary Clinton has a coalition of voters well-suited to winning the general election," he said.

While it expects victories in all three races tonight, the Obama campaign is already trying to keep expectations about any momentum gained in check, particularly regarding the Feb. 19 primary in Wisconsin.

“I don’t think that it’s about momentum, it’s about reality and the math,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said on a conference call with reporters, according to CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. )(Read more in From The Road.)

Plouffe and Gov. Jim Doyle, D-Wisc., disputed the notion that Obama has momentum from his slew of recent wins. Doyle said voters in Wisconsin are evaluating both Clinton and Obama, and are not affected by previous outcomes.

Plouffe described Wisconsin has a battleground state, and said the campaign is aggressively organizing in the state. He believes that the timing of the primary will give Obama an edge in Wisconsin because he has more time to campaign.

Among Republicans, McCain, the faraway front-runner, hoped to rebound from a poor weekend showing. There were 116 GOP delegates at stake.

McCain lost caucuses in Kansas and a primary in Louisiana on Saturday to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, his last remaining major rival. When asked by "Up to the Minute" Anchor Meg Oliver if he planned to stay in the race to secure a cabinet position, Huckabee replied, "There's less likelyhood of me accepting a cabinet position than there would be of me becoming Hillary Clinton's running mate. So let me take that off the table. I told some group today - they thought I was hanging in so I could run for the Senate - and I told them I'd rather tattoo my body and go on a tour with Amy Winehouse than... run for the senate." McCain won caucuses in Washington state.

CBS News delegate estimates McCain has won 705 delegates so far, giving him nearly 60 percent of the 1,191 required to secure the nomination. Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, is far behind, with 199 delegates. (View the Republican delegate scorecard).

It takes 1,191 delegates to clinch the nomination, and McCain appears to be on track to reach the target by late April.

"We have close to 800 delegates. Last time I checked, Governor Huckabee had very few, so I think I'm happy with the situation I'm in," McCain said Monday. "I'm quite pleased, recognizing that we have a lot of work to do."

In Annapolis, McCain chuckled at a question about why people persist in voting for Huckabee despite McCain's lock on the nomination.

"Because they like him," McCain said. "I never expected a unanimous vote, although I would certainly like to have that."

[user168-2009]

The Clintons have nothing to say to a generation of young people looking for authenticity, honesty and transparency in their leaders and in their government.

That''s why more and more young people are turning to Barack Obama.

MARTIN EDWIN ANDERSEN


Well said!

I am 60 years old and I don''t think I want anything to do with these Hillbilly Crooks either. How many out there want a pair of crooks to represent them? Everything these Hillbillies did is deceitful and self-gratifying. Words such as wisdom, compassion, or courage just do not exist in their dictionary.

The Billary Hillbillies are shameless and loveless in misleading our youths by setting the worst of examples!

%u201CSetting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.%u201D

%u201CThe foundation of every state is the education of its youth.%u201D

%u201CTo know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.%u201D

%u201CKnowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.%u201D

%u201COne atom of the plane where He functions would shatter the world.%u201D

%u201CWhat is governing to him who cannot rule himself? Who cannot rule himself, how should he rule others?%u201D

KEEP THE HILLBILLIES OUT OF SIGHT!

NO CHILD SHOULD LEARN ANYTHING FROM THEM!

[picoso21]

This is the first blog that I''ve ever joined. I read a lot and there is so much immaturity, hate, and inaccuracy. Where''s the proof that the Clinton''s are crooks? There''s none. Obama is not a Muslim. As far as educating the youth, it was during the Clinton Administration that I got to go to college on Pell Grants, scholarships, and student loans with reasonable rates. For those of you who focus on the "youth", what about CHIPS. That was a focus on youth and successful (point for Hillary). Obama has flaws, i.e. Rezco. Clinton has flaws, like supporting the President when he wanted to go to Iraq. So many hold it against her. However, I recall when the bombs were flaring, and everyone around the U.S. was cheering. Come on, a grave majority of us did not know the difference between Iraq and Afganistan at the time. She was in N.Y. at ground zero at the time and we all wanted revenge and did not care where the "terrorists" were. We just wanted them dead. I would not have supported the war back then. But that''s easy for me to have said. I was not a N.Y. Senator at ground zero supporting a President who was learning on the job. Can we really afford to have another president learn on the job?

[tibu987]

"NOTICE TO THE DEMOCRATIC SUPER DELEGATES".
My concern now is the course for the Super Delegates to take. They had best honor our votes and give their "Super Electoral Votes" to the popular vote of the people. Our voices, our votes, had better be taken seriously or I see a rise in revolt against the electoral system, the Democratic Party, and the politicians that used their votes against our choice.
Should Obama NOT receive the Super Delegates vote if he wins by plurality, I will vote for the Green Party candidate and protest loudly against that obvious lack of honesty with the electorate.

[akona2]

%u201CWe will make it right in DAY 1%u201D said Barack HUSSEIN OBAMA.

DAY 1 of his life%u2026 he was created by his MUSLIM father.
DAY 1 of education%u2026 he was enrolled in a MUSLIM school.
DAY 1 of his puberty years%u2026 he is a crack HEROIN user.
DAY 1 of his Senator voting%u2026 he voted PRESENT and became a FLIPFLOPPER.
DAY 1 of his real estate business%u2026 he bought land from a slumlord.
DAY 1 of his campaign%u2026 he deny being a MUSLIM and became a LIAR.

ARE WE READY FOR THE NEXT MUSLIM PRESIDENT in DAY 1 after the elections?

[akona2]

F-ellow Americans, you know what I know
L-et Barack HUSSEIN OBAMA tell us his religion
I-am MUSLIM, I mean I am CATHOLIC
P-ick the NEXT MUSLIM PRESIDENT and hear his flipflop game!

F-ellow Americans, you say what I say
L-et him vote in Senate and hear what he say 130 times
O-n the issues I say PRESENT so tomorrow I%u2019ll say YES and later I%u2019ll say NO
P-ick the NEXT MUSLIM PRESIDENT whose flipflop game is known.

ARE WE READY FOR THE NEXT MUSLIM PRESIDENT?

[tibu987]

My concern now is the course for the Super Delegates to take. They had best honor our votes and give their "Super Electoral Votes" to the popular vote of the people. Our voices, our votes, had better be taken seriously or I see a rise in revolt against the electoral system, the Democratic Party, and the politicians that used their votes against our choice.
Should Obama NOT receive the Super Delegates vote if he wins by plurality, I will vote for the Green Party candidate and protest loudly against that obvious lack of honesty with the electorate.

[pepperp1]

Excerpt. "Time is short & the contest tightening. We need to rise in furious energy%u2014as we did when Anita Hill was so vilely treated in the U.S. Senate, as we did when Rosie Jiminez was butchered by an illegal abortion, as we did & do for women globally who are condemned for trying to break through. We need to win, this time. Goodbye to supporting HRC tepidly, with ambivalent caveats & apologetic smiles. Time to volunteer, make phone calls, send emails, donate money, argue, rally, march, shout, vote. I support Hillary Rodham because she%u2019s the best qualified of all candidates running in both parties. I support her because her progressive politics are as strong as her proven ability to withstand what will be a massive right-wing assault in the general election. I support her because she knows how to get us out of Iraq. I support her because she%u2019s refreshingly thoughtful, & I%u2019m bloodied from eight years of a jolly %u201Cuniter%u201D with ejaculatory politics. I needn%u2019t agree with her on every point. I agree with the 97 percent of her positions that are identical with Obama%u2019s%u2014& the few where hers are both more practical & to the left of his (like health care). I support her because she%u2019s already made history as a fine senator, because I believe she will continue to make history not as the first US woman president, but as a great US president."




Posted by pacific_c at 03:25 PM : Feb 12, 2008


WOW.... OK but no Dem Party

[sierra20071]

Long before he ever ran for political office, Obama wrote a book about, himself, and his amazing journey from messed up kid to, himself -he was 34 at the time.

In that book, called "Dreams From My Father", he writes that he used marijuana and cocaine ("maybe a little blow".) Oddly enough, he writes that he didn''t try heroin because he didn''t like the pusher who was selling it. In a later interview, he added "Teenage boys are frequently confused."
NOW AREN''T YOU CONFUSED TOO! A little blow to sell more books as weed wasn''t prevocative enuff and it wasn''t gonna get O enuff dineros, O embellished or maybe misled his readers bout his habit too - Man flip-flopping on yo drug habit. And O didn''t like the man that pushed coke to him .. did he have another pusher pushing the weed too. Wonder who pushed the liquer.
DO WE REALLY WANT THIS IN THE OVAL OFFICE

[realpatriot1]

pacific_c,

The reference to ejaculatory politics made me relize just how much I want him to cream her tonight. Am I a male chauvinist pig?

[pacific_c]

I dare everyone to read this link with an open mind. womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html

Excerpt. "Time is short & the contest tightening. We need to rise in furious energy%u2014as we did when Anita Hill was so vilely treated in the U.S. Senate, as we did when Rosie Jiminez was butchered by an illegal abortion, as we did & do for women globally who are condemned for trying to break through. We need to win, this time. Goodbye to supporting HRC tepidly, with ambivalent caveats & apologetic smiles. Time to volunteer, make phone calls, send emails, donate money, argue, rally, march, shout, vote. I support Hillary Rodham because she%u2019s the best qualified of all candidates running in both parties. I support her because her progressive politics are as strong as her proven ability to withstand what will be a massive right-wing assault in the general election. I support her because she knows how to get us out of Iraq. I support her because she%u2019s refreshingly thoughtful, & I%u2019m bloodied from eight years of a jolly %u201Cuniter%u201D with ejaculatory politics. I needn%u2019t agree with her on every point. I agree with the 97 percent of her positions that are identical with Obama%u2019s%u2014& the few where hers are both more practical & to the left of his (like health care). I support her because she%u2019s already made history as a fine senator, because I believe she will continue to make history not as the first US woman president, but as a great US president."