Obama Catches Clinton On Capitol Hill

Washington Post: Dem Rivals Have Equal Number Of Endorsements From Party's Senators, Representatives

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Jonathan Weisman and Shailagh Murray.

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With endorsements coming in from California, Iowa and Indiana, Sen. Barack Obama yesterday pulled even with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the race for support on Capitol Hill, as Democratic lawmakers shrugged off his recent struggles.

Obama (Ill.) received the backing of Rep. Baron P. Hill, a conservative from a critical district in southern Indiana; Rep. Bruce Braley, an Iowa freshman who grabbed a Republican seat in 2006; and Rep. Lois Capps, who has held her liberal Santa Barbara, Calif., seat for five full terms and whose son-in-law works for the Obama campaign.

A congressional contest that Clinton once dominated is now knotted at 97, and the senator from New York continues to lose ground with the one group that can still deliver her the nomination -- the party leaders and elected officials known as superdelegates. (See the full CBS News delegate count here.)

For the Clinton campaign, the reemergence of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., soon after Obama's comments about "bitter" small-town voters, was supposed to be the moment when superdelegates decided Obama could not be elected president. Instead, he has won more superdelegate endorsements than Clinton in recent days, whittling her once-overwhelming lead down to about 20.

At an hour-long Obama campaign stop that focused on jobs and health care yesterday at a factory in Indianapolis, no voters asked about Wright. And the candidate told the workers that an Indiana win for him could end the long Democratic nomination fight.

"If we win Indiana, we've got this nomination," Obama said. "We will win the general election, then we can roll up our sleeves and start changing the country."

On Monday, Obama took the endorsement lead among his Democratic Senate colleagues when Sen. Jeff Bingaman (N.M.) announced his support. Obama then pulled even overall after four House nods in two days, with even some rural lawmakers in tough, Republican-leaning districts giving him the benefit of the doubt. Swing-district lawmakers said they are no longer as certain as they once were that Obama would be less divisive than Clinton and attract the support of independents and Republicans in November -- but between the two, he appears to still be the better option.

"I am pleased that Senator Obama clearly and unequivocally denounced Reverend Wright's remarks," Hill said in a statement yesterday. "Hoosiers don't feel that way about our country, I don't feel that way about our country and Senator Obama made it abundantly clear that he doesn't feel that way either."

For elected superdelegates such as Hill, taking a public stand holds considerable political risk. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which hopes to take Hill's always-contested seat in November, quickly attacked him for backing a candidate "who recently claimed that people 'cling' to their religion and the Second Amendment because they are 'bitter.' "

Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio), who remains neutral, marveled that Hill -- who lost his seat in 2004 to Republican Michael E. Sodrel, won it back in 2006 and is likely to face a rematch with Sodrel in November -- came out for Obama. But he said he was even more amazed by Tuesday's endorsement of Obama by Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), whose district is likely to vote overwhelmingly for Clinton in the Kentucky Democratic primary May 20.

"That's courageous," he said.

Hill and other lawmakers made clear that Obama's recent efforts to put the "bitter" comments behind him and distance himself from his former pastor have satisfied them that he is the best candidate for the top of the Democratic ticket.

"Anybody who did not think Republicans would characterize either of our candidates somehow as deeply flawed has been living in another country, if not another planet," said Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), who remains undecided but believes Obama will be the nominee.

Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.), an Obama supporter, said that at this point there are very few truly uncommitted lawmakers among the 92 who have not publicly endorsed, and he predicted that Obama would seal a majority of them by the final Democratic primaries on June 3.

Amid the positive signs for Obama was one worrisome development: a new television ad by Mississippi congressional candidate Travis Childers, a Democrat, that tries to create distance between Childers and his party's potential nominee. Childers's GOP opponent, Greg Davis, linked him to "liberal Barack Obama" in a previous ad that places Childers's face next to Wright's. The narrator says, "When Obama's pastor cursed America, blaming us for 9/11, Childers said nothing."

The new Childers ad denounces "lies and attacks linking me to politicians I don't know and have never even met." (You can read more about the ad and watch it here.)

Braley, the Iowa freshman, said he had already concluded that Obama holds "potential as a leading national figure" because of the "energy and enthusiasm" that he has generated among voters. But he said he was further reassured by the way Obama handled the Wright issue, which erupted again over the weekend.

"He made it very clear where he stands," Braley said.

Staff writer Perry Bacon Jr., traveling with Clinton, contributed to this report.

[greenfun]

Ok let me get this straight-I am pleased that Obama denounced Re. Wright-that''s courageous. Is he high?
Obama say he can''t denounce him, he is like an Uncle. Pressure from media and pundits, Obama says actually I guess I will throw him under the bus. He just sold his soul. He is now officially---just another politician.
There is nothing courageous about it.

[abmitus]

Lets do this!!! OBAMA 08. YEAH!!!!!!

[rowdytexan2]

They make out like these gains are a big deal. This just cracks me up! Hillary Clinton has had her support base for MONTHS and there''s been little change in it! And she''s still getting support daily, just like Obama is.

The fact is, most people don''t care about old gas bag Rev. Wright! They care about Obama LYING about it!

A man who will LIE and evade answering questions about serious character flaws, and ant-American freakoid associates and supporters, will lie to you like Bush did!

[texaslj]

Senator Obama has not won a primary since the Wright controversy and his association with a number of unsavory individuals was exposed. Many of the people who voted for him prior to this would not vote for him now. He leads in delegates and popular vote due to the DNC disenfranchising the voters of FL and MI.

Senator Obama cannot win the general election and a vote for him now is a vote for John McCain in November.

[aldon61]

Senator Hillary "Bosnia" Clinton is a liar! She has zero integrity and is at the bottom of a three way race on honesty. Why wouldn''t the super delegates back Obama? Go Obama!

[xburks]

People are starting to see the light. And for the negative ignorant comments about Obama lying, he did not lie, unlike Hillary, who is clearly a liar. Obama tried to do the honorable thing and stand by is EX-pastor, by saying he did not hear his EX-pastor say what he said, which other members of that church has said the same thing. However, Obama does know of the good deeds his Ex-pastor has don''t in the past, so he tried to defend him. That''s call loyalty, something most people today don''t know anything about. However, Obama is not is EX-pastor keeper nor is he responsible for what his EX-pastor says. Just like members of the Catholic faith is not responsible for their priest''s molestation behavior.

[xburks]

People are starting to see the light. And for the negative ignorant comments about Obama lying, he did not lie, unlike Hillary, who is clearly a liar. Obama tried to do the honorable thing and stand by is EX-pastor, by saying he did not hear his EX-pastor say what he said, which other members of that church has said the same thing. However, Obama does know of the good deeds his Ex-pastor has done in the past, so he tried to defend him. That''s call loyalty, something most people today don''t know anything about. However, Obama is not is EX-pastor keeper nor is he responsible for what his EX-pastor says. Just like members of the Catholic faith is not responsible for their priest''s molestation behavior.

[seanwhit]

Check out the post at the DailyKos; when Obama supporters found out that Ben Chandler was receiving some heat they have raised almost $20,000.00 for him.

[briannorwood]

GO OBAMA!

The Clintons (with the help of the right-wing media) have shot their load of slime, but this good and decent man stands unscathed and, I believe even stronger.

After the 24/7 barrage of the so-called "Wright" controversy, people have finally said enough is enough!

Time to move on.

[neonink]

I want Obama to move on.

You really have Zero experience, when it comes down it it.

[dante805]

Don''t forget Obama''s nature:

Small Town Americans are %u201Cbitter%u201D and %u201Ccling%u201D to Guns or Religion. They are anti-immigrant, anti-free trade. Given at San Francisco fund raiser

%u201CTypical White People%u201D quote

More Blacks are in Prison today than in college

Abortions are better than being %u201CPunished" with a baby

Never attended a White Church (even though he and Michelle preach diversity)

His flat declaration that lobbyists %u201Cwon''t work in my White House%u201D changed after it turned out his own written plan says they could, with some restrictions.

Told a story of how his Kenyan father and his Kansan mother fell in love because of the tumult of Selma, but he was born in 1961, four years before the confrontation at Selma took place. When asked later, Mr. Obama clarified himself, saying: ''I meant the whole civil rights movement.''
Obama exaggerated the death toll of the tornado in Greensburg, Kansas, saying 10,000 people died %u2013 he was only off by 9,988. He was trying to tie the deaths to the lack of National Guard heavy equipment because of Iraq %u2013 also incorrect.

Obama caught with handwriting on Liberal Survey supporting unfettered Abortion and strict gun control

Obama still hasn%u2019t explained REZCO ties fully - Tribune stories linked Rezko to questionable fundraising for Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2004 -- more than a year before the adjacent home and property purchases by the Obamas and the Rezkos

[concorde5]

Amen....Time to move on!

I am sick of hearing about rev wright. Lets talk about the issues. Lets talk about the sagging economy, lets talk about outsourcing jobs, lets talk about the environment, lets talk about high gas prices, lets talk about health care.

Lets Move ON!

[jack3213]

THERE IS NO REASON IN THE WORLD CLINTON SHOULD WIN THE SUPERDELEGATE COUNT- THERE IS NO REASON IN THE WORLD OBAMA SHOULD WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION- ALL THIS PANDERING ABOUT THESE TWO IDIOTS IS SUCH A WASTE OF TIME.

[beltway33]

HOW DO U FIGURE THAT SOME FRESHMAN LYING POLITICIAN THAT HAS TRIED TO DUPE AMERICA UP TO THIS POINT CAN WIN IN NOVEMBER....I GUESS DEMOCRATS ARE GOOD AT CHOOSING LOSERS AND OBAMA IS ANOTHER LOSER LIKE KERRY, MCGOVERN AND GORE...ANOTHER FAILED ATTEMPT FOR 2008...TALK HOPE BUT LISTEN TO HATE FOR 20 YEARS, ATTEND THE MILLION MAN MARCH THAT ACHIEVED NOTHING -MORE BLACK TEENAGE PREGNANCIES...MORE HOMICIDES ETC...HANG WITH POLITICAL FIXERS FOR 15 YRS AND BE-FRIEND TERRORISTS IN CHICAGO...WHAT A RESUME FOR FAILURE...ONLY CLINTONS KNOW HOW TO WIN GENERAL ELECTIONS AS THEY ARE 7-0 AGAINST REPUBLICANS....BUT DEMOCRATS ARE TOO STUPID TO SEE THE WINNING OPTION....

[broncfan1661]

With $40 million in the bank, David Axelrove can probably buy all the superdelegates they need.

[popstom1]

Only Obamanites and the chicago politician Obama
are sick of hearing of Rev.Wright

[popstom1]

And thats is the only way is to buy it

[elsylee28]

Please check out "The Truth vs Barack Obama"

http://savagepolitics.com/?p=317

I saw this today, and HAD to share it with everyone. It is just a brilliantly researched and written list of inconsistencies with several of Obama''s stories. I think it should be done for ALL three candidates, but I guess this is a good way to start at finally looking at the candidates with some honesty.

http://savagepolitics.com/?p=317

[iamthequeen-]

We can''t talk about the issues because Obama refuses to do another debate. In the absence of his participation, all we have is the day-to-day drama surrounding his associations with pastor Wright, comments about we bitter folks, and which typical white person is he throwing under the bus today. We dim-witted rural folks needs to talk some trash about Obama since we obviously can''t comprehend the arguments of his more educated, elitist supporters.

[bookout2]

cbs you are worse than a scumbag. If Obama wins
the nomination, I will vote for John McCain. I don''t
care if he is the world''s oldest person.

[bfjones666]

Obama told us months ago that this man was like a crazy old uncle, not unlike the ones we all have tucked away in our families. Can anyone say that this man is not old and crazy? He is living in the 60s and crazy enough to talk Sh*t to anyone who will listen. I''m glad Obama showed a little compassion for the old coot but enough is enough. Now, maybe the media and the tabloid mentality people can move onto the real issues facing America. I don''t know how safe my job and house are with our economy teetering on the brink. Why would I care about any of the candidates religious affiliations are associations?

[beader59]

I could not vote for Obama. He is known for great speeches and a lot of rhetoric. I do not feel confident that he will help the United States. He sounds like Bush when he speaks of what he will do as President. SO much of what he says sounds like he will dictated what he wants, not what the American public wants and he acts like he alone will do it. Like Bush, he has forgotten that there is a Congress. If the Republican Senate has been bad this far in blocking bills that the Senate has tried to pass, just imagine what it will be like under Obama. Obama talks abaout change. Change from what? He demands that he has more political experience, well that makes him more old Washington than Hillary now doesn''t it? At Hillary speaks about working with the Congress to get things done. I want Hillary as President.

[randynason]

Hillary''s base is the under-educated and under-financed, if THAT tells you anything. One has to be both poor and stupid to not see through that deceitful, selfish egomaniac. I used to like her too, before all this ugly campaigning and dirty politics that she likes to play. I guess my way of thinking has really done a 180 degree turn and these days I''m NOT looking ahead to more of the same. I want something new and alive, healthy and productive.

[bookout2]

If Obama wins the nomination, I will vote for John
MaCain. And, I am a black democratic. I will also
install a "confederate flag" on the front of my
house.
Go, go, go Hilliary.

[no_billary]

Hiliary should make a promise to train all of her female interns in the art of dodging sniper fire.
That way, when Bill is on the prowl, looking to shoot his "love gun" at one of them, they can just run with their heads down and avoid another stained blue dress.

[spoonerfineart]

HILLARY is the ELITIST...


She cant even get a cup of Coffee on her own much less fill up a truck.

Who is out of touch with the working class???

[kenbomc]

beader59 at 12:15 PM : May 01, 2008;

Nice try. HRC bringing people together in Washington? Give me a break. Like Bush? Yeah right. It is obvious you have not listened to Barack''s message at all. HRC is the status quo -eveyone knows it. John McSame may enjoy a lead in many polls right now, but it is because this DFL primary has not ended yet. Obama will esily be the next president -HRC was his toughest opponent.

[jack3213]

IF YOU ALL WOULD STOP AND THINK FOR A MINUTE- ISN''T IT ALWAYS THE CASE THAT AFTER A WAR, THE ECONOMY PICKS UP? THIS IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER WAR AND THOSE WHO THINK THAT IT IS BUSH''S FAULT THAT THE USA IS IN BAD SHAPE IT IS THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS MAKING THOSE PROMISES TO YOU TWO YEARS AGO ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THEY NEVER MADE. THE LIBERALS WANT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE GOVERNMENT BUT THEIR PARTY HAS THEIR HEAD UP THEIR A--..YES THAT IS WHO YOU WANT TO TRUST- ANOTHER DEMOCRAT??? SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO THINK CONSERVATIVE-AND GET AWAY FROM THE NUMSKULLS.

[sgtrds]

The silly press created up Hillary pushed "flare-ups" after his bitter remark and the Rev Wright story have had the effect they should have. none. Let''s get back top real issues and stop this tabloid garbage the press tries to sniff out and Hillary tries to keep going.

[sgtrds]

Obama has withstood one unfair attack after another and has maintained his grace and dignity while fending them off. Hillary on the other hand has turned into a cartoon caricature of a spoiled brat, denied a "toy" that she thought was hers by some sort of right, she has lashed out in all directions damaging both her own image and the image of our Democratic party. With each attack on Obama she looks more like Dubya everyday.

[jockh]

If all the super delegates came out for Obama today, Hillary would still stay in the race.

She has her pride wrapped up in the whole thing now.
She was told more than a month ago that it was over. There was no way she could win. But she''d rather watch the house burn down than let someone else buy it.

Very sad.

[jockh]

Hillary Clinton . Ready To Cry On Day One
Hillary cried on TV when things were tough in NH during the campaign.
What is she going to do if there is a crisis at 3am, start blubbering like a baby. The last thing the U.S. needs is Hillary in the oval office getting emotional and showing weakness. If we are going to have a woman President we need our own iron lady will who will never show emotion under pressure.

America needs a strong leader, not a cry baby !

[pepperp1]

No Quarter


....


REV. WRIGHT is a huge problem for Barack Obama in the state of North Carolina, which votes Tuesday. People know that repudiations don%u2019t count for much when Obama sat in his pews for 20 years, and that Rev. Wright married him, baptized his children, and %u201Cblessed%u201D his $1.6M mansion. People know the repudiation was poll-driven. People know the repudiation was %u201Cpolitically expedient.%u201D






What this means is Pelosi is vying to be head Dem without an election and no accountability they know Obama is Turing quickly to toxic and their act exposed this is how this country got Bush

[sgtrds]

She has her pride wrapped up in the whole thing now.
She was told more than a month ago that it was over. There was no way she could win. But she''''d rather watch the house burn down than let someone else buy it.

Very sad.

Posted by jockh at 12:54 PM : May 01, 2008

I don''t think it''s pride, i think it''s pure ambition. Her only reason for staying in the race now is to do her best to damage Barack as much as she can to insure McCain gets elected in November, so she can run again in 2012.

[sgtrds]

Do they think the bitter God and gun Americans are that dumb as to forget this flip flop?

Posted by trapbreak at 01:02 PM : May 01, 2008

No they think the bitter god and gun lunatics are ignorant enough to stay with the lies from the GOP anyway, so why bother with their redneck attitudes. thy aren''t worth the effort since they aren''t going to vote Democratic anyway and never were. Scr*ew ''em.

[sgtrds]

Yeah, thats the Obama ticket, screw the voters.

Posted by trapbreak at 01:09 PM : May 01, 2008

No, only the ones who weren''t going to vote for them anyway. You just can''t smarten up an ignorant redneck, so why waste your time.

[metroduck75]

Here are Obama''s winnning Strategies:

(1) Tell the hard working, down-to-earth, working class American familes that their VOTE counts are NOT as important as Black Votes and the Elites who make more $100,000 a year.

(2) Tell the Voters in MI and FL to go to H-E-L--L.

(3) Do whatever it takes, including publicly disowning someone who brought you to God, married you and your "never been proud" wife, and baptised your kids...
First defended the pastor, then sacraficed him in order to Win.

[metroduck75]

Here are Obama''''s winnning Strategies:

(1) Tell the hard working, down-to-earth, working class American familes that their VOTE counts are NOT as important as Black Votes and the Elites who make more $100,000 a year.

(2) Tell the Voters in MI and FL to go to H-E-L--L, so he can "unite" the DEM Party.

(3) Do whatever it takes, including publicly disowning someone who brought you to God, married you and your "never been proud" wife, and baptised your kids...
First defended the pastor, then sacraficed him in order to Win.

[eddynewhope]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Senator Clinton "rode to work with a blue collar worker" in a giant F350 pickup followed by a caravan of 9 Chevy Suburbans for a photo op about gas prices? How so very Republican of her.

[eddynewhope]

It wasn''t Obama that told FL and MI to go to hell, that was the DNC including both Clintons so believe the spin if you want, but like the "gas tax holiday", it''s political B S. Leave it to the looser to try to change the rules. I guess that makes her a "fighter"? Hmmmm.

[rizabove]

Please forgive and get over the bitter comments by Obama and please forgive and get over the comments about jesse jackson by Clinton, now the candidates are even right? right... Time to rally around the party. Obama 08

[perceptions5]

Three weeks ago Joe Klein accused Lanny Davis of "spreading the poison" for having the temerity to voice his discomfort with Reverend Wright in public. Since then, of course, Rev. Wright has been spreading some poison of his own.

Now, Klein is back to talking about Wright in this week''s issue of Time magazine calling him "smug, disdainful, outrageous." Klein does this knowing full well that Wright broke no new ground on his recent tour, but merely reiterated the views many Americans - including Lanny Davis - were offended by weeks ago.

By his own standard then, Klein is now "spreading the poison." I guess that''s what happens when you browbeat people to try and shut down debate of a legitimate issue, and then that issue reemerges. I''m sure Lanny Davis isn''t holding his breath for an apology from Klein, but he deserves one.

[sgtrds]

It wasn''''t Obama that told FL and MI to go to hell, that was the DNC including both Clintons so believe the spin if you want, but like the "gas tax holiday", it''''s political B S. Leave it to the looser to try to change the rules. I guess that makes her a "fighter"? Hmmmm.

Posted by EddyNewHope at 01:32 PM : May 01, 2008

100% correct. Hillary was more then happy to agree to disenfranchise MI and FL votes when she was still under the delusion that the Democratic primary was really nothing more then her coronation tour. Once she realized that Obama was going to be the party members choice then all of a sudden she flip flopped like a republican.

[rowdytexan2]

Obama needs to get out and let a real democrat get on with winning the presidency.

We''''ve lived 8 years in total unrest by the extreme right wing, and sat back and let them rape the country.

Now, Mr. Obama SOUNDS real good after all that, I''''m sure. But Mr. Obama and his freakoid anti=American supporters want to take us all the way to the other end of the spectrum to the far left, using grievance and liberation ideology, just like Bush used right wing conservative ideology.

Get a clue people! We cannot survive without a two-party system. We need our republican party and our democratic party working together to keep the balance of power and wealth distributed, NOT DIVIDED!

Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush are both EXTREMISTS who will use unrest and hate to keep us divided for their own *** agendas!

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by SgtRDS at 01:45 PM : May 01, 2008

Bull! Mr. Obama was honking that all the votes should count until somebody whispered in his ear that he broke the DNC rules in both those states and any votes he tried to claim would be contested. Then he shut the hell up, and refused a re-vote. Then he tried to shill HIllary Clinton with his demand for a 50/50 split of the delegates! lol Hillary told him no deal!

Smart cookie she is!

[sgtrds]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Senator Clinton "rode to work with a blue collar worker" in a giant F350 pickup followed by a caravan of 9 Chevy Suburbans for a photo op about gas prices? How so very Republican of her.

Posted by EddyNewHope at 01:31 PM : May 01, 2008

The very idiocy of her using that truck in a photo op to "protest" high gas prices is reason enough not to vote for her. It''s her Dukakis in a tank or George H.W. being fascinated by a supermarket scanner moment. She could not possibly have appeared more out of touch and elitist.

[rowdytexan2]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Senator Clinton "rode to work with a blue collar worker" in a giant F350 pickup followed by a caravan of 9 Chevy Suburbans for a photo op about gas prices? How so very Republican of her.

Posted by EddyNewHope at 01:31 PM : May 01, 2008

Good for HIllary! It shows she''s totally in touch with main stream America!

[tgf33663]

Well its great to see senator Obama has caught Hillary in the super delegate race. To me it shows that the super delegates are seeing that things like wright, and other stuff can be handled well by senator obama and are showing that Obama is going to be a great leader.

Also yeas I found it very ironic that Clinton rode to a factory in a huge ford f-350 with the way gas is lets think about that.

[jlbizzle]

Gallup Daily: Clinton 49%, Obama 45%... Hillary up by 4% vs. McCain... McCain vs. Obama is tied. Obama = unelectable.

[libra127]

She could not possibly have appeared more out of touch and elitist.

Posted by SgtRDS at 01:49 PM : May 01, 2008

Riding in a truck is now "elitist" ? Perhaps she should have ridden a bicycle.... LOL LOL