Democrats Close In On Another Milepost

Clinton, Obama Stump In North Carolina And Indiana Ahead Of Crucial Tuesday Primaries

(CBS/AP)  Dueling over gas prices, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama strained for every last vote on Monday, the eve of the Indiana and North Carolina primaries that are the biggest prizes left in their epic Democratic nomination fight.

Her TV ads promoted her plan for a summer-long gas-tax holiday and contended she was the candidate who "gets it." He said the plan was just another Washington stunt.

A combined 187 delegates are at stake in the two states, nearly half of the pledged delegates left with eight primaries to go before voting ends in a month.

In interviews with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric on the eve of the primaries, both candidates argued that they would be able to defeat presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in the general election.

"I think that I can make a much stronger case that I go into the race against John McCain much better positioned to actually win in November," Clinton said.

Obama said that electability was not the most important issue in the Democratic race, but that nonetheless, he would match up well against McCain.

"This issue has come up lately because it's the only argument that Senator Clinton has for winning the nomination. But in fact we've won by substantial margins in places like Virginia, Iowa, Wisconsin. The polls indicate we can beat John McCain in all the swing states," he said.

Obama was the favorite in North Carolina, but both candidates campaigned vigorously there with polls showing a tightening race since Clinton's win in Pennsylvania two weeks ago. Indiana was considered a tighter race, with most polls in the final days showing Clinton taking the lead.

Top Clinton aides are confident that blue-collar white voters will provide the boost Clinton needs to win Indiana, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

But Obama victories in both Indiana and North Carolina on Tuesday night could potentially end the confusion and end the race, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

Obama hurried back and forth between the two states, pleading for votes. "I want your vote. I want it badly," he said on a factory floor in Durham, N.C., one of many stops aimed at winning over working class voters. He is hoping to gain support from a group that has not greeted his candidacy enthusiastically - white, mostly male construction and factory workers.

Clinton, also campaigning in North Carolina, campaigned for blue-collar votes, too, talking about the hard times the country faces.

"It's time to quit wringing our hands and start rolling up our sleeves," she said.

Pain at the gas pump has become a big issue in the long campaign that started out focusing on the Iraq war.

Oil futures reached a record of more than $120 a barrel Monday, raising concerns about even higher prices for gasoline. In a new 30-second ad featuring drivers complaining about the price of filling up, Clinton touted her plan to cut gas taxes over the summer and said Obama was just attacking her idea "because he doesn't have one."

"Barack Obama wants you to keep paying, $8 billion in all," an announcer says. "Hillary is the one who gets it."

Obama responded with his own spot that said Clinton was offering "more of the same old negative politics." It points out a New York Times editorial that said she's taking "the low road" and that her criticism does "nothing but harm."

The ad didn't point out that the same editorial said Obama is contributing to the negative nature of the campaign by "increasingly rising to Mrs. Clinton's bait, undercutting his own claims that he is offering a higher, more inclusive form of politics."

Obama said the proposal to suspend the 18.4 cents-a-gallon gasoline tax and the 24.4-cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day would provide little in actual savings to motorists. He said oil companies would quickly raise prices to make up the difference.

"It's a stunt. It's what Washington does," Obama said in Evansville, Ind.

Obama's stance was backed up by 230 economists who released a letter Monday opposing the gas tax holiday. The signers included four Nobel Prize winners and economic advisers to presidents of both parties.

And in a CBS News/New York Times poll released Sunday, 49 percent of voters said they thought lifting the gas tax for the summer was a bad idea. Only 45 percent thought it was a good idea.

Any belt-tightening didn't extend to the presidential campaigns, with Obama outspending Clinton in both states. By Clinton campaign estimates, Obama has spent $5.6 million in Indiana to Clinton's $3.2 million. In North Carolina, the Clinton campaign said, Obama has spent $4.9 million to Clinton's $3.5 million.

Both candidates have had supporters spending money in Indiana as well. The Service Employees International Union, which is backing Obama, spent about $1.1 million in the state, much of it on ads. The American Leadership Project, which has received most of its money from labor groups backing Clinton, spent more than $1 million in ads in Indiana that questioned Obama's economic policies.

North Carolina and Indiana are important because they are the largest states left to vote, but they cannot mathematically settle the nomination. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win, and Obama had 1,745 to Clinton's 1,603 according to the latest CBS News count

Obama continued to close Clinton's long-held lead among superdelegates, those party leaders who aren't bound by the outcome of state contests. He picked up two from Maryland Monday, leaving him trailing Clinton 271-257, according to the CBS News count.

Clinton's main hope for winning the nomination is to persuade most of the roughly 220 superdelegates still undecided to disregard his lead in the delegate chase and support her instead. The Clinton campaign also hopes to get a boost by getting delegates from Michigan and Florida seated.

The Democratic National Committee disqualified those delegates last year because the two states held their primaries too early. Clinton won both contests after all the candidates pledged to boycott the campaigns.

The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee has scheduled a meeting May 31 to consider seating delegates from the two states. Asked about a report over the weekend in the Huffington Post that the Clinton campaign is encouraging supporters on the committee to reseat the delegations, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said, "If it's a secret that we want the delegations from Florida and Michigan seated, it's the worst kept secret in American politics."

[sgtrds]

Almost since he announced his candidacy Barack Obama has been subjected to the worse kind of lies, innuendo and slimy smears ever directed at a candidate, the bulk of it coming from Hillary Clinton and her more rabid supporters. Yet through all of this he has shown himself to be a person of grace and dignity, it sharp contrast to Hillary''s increasingly shrill, bitter and brittle comments. He continually shrugs off the slimy she throws at him and pushes to get back to the real issues that concern America, while she continues to strike out in all directions like a spoiled child, damaging her own party more then anything. She should be ashamed of herself.

[jack3213]

THEY ARE BOTH GUILTY OF "ELITE POLITICAL PANDERING" WHO ARE THEY FOOLING! OH, THAT''''S RIGHT- THE SUPPORTERS WHO WANT TO PAY MORE TAXES-..WHAT A BUNCH OF IDIOTS. THEY WANT TO KEEP THE FIGHT GOING UNTIL JUNE3 OR BEYOND- OBVIOUSLLY THEY DON''T HAVE THE DEMOCRATS BEST INTEREST AT HEART- ONLY THEIR OWN. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND VOTE FOR MCCAIN, AND SAVE US FROM THESE TWO SELFISH CLONES

[perceptions5]

If Obama can''t win his neighboring state of Indiana then this will be "devastating".

It would be a clear sign that the Obama campaign is headed in the opposite direction of where they need to be headed in order to win the Dem nomination.

In the "end" it''s looking more and more like Hillary is the strongest candidate for the Dems.

Unfortunately our elite liberal wolfpack press has done so much "propaganda" with promoting Obama that the DNC switching to Hillary probably won''t happen.

November doesn''t look like it''s going to be a good month for Obama.......

But we are all sure that our liberal wolfpack press will pull out all the stops to help Obama, just like then did with him running against Hillary.

America''s elite liberal press "took Hillary down and out", no question about it.

[broncfan1661]

The whole campaign season is about pandering. They are all doing it. Obama, Clinton and McCain. It''s just a matter of whose pandering sounds the best to you. You have to look past the pandering and decide who you honestly think will do the best overall job for you and your situation.
I''ve been around long enough to remember that things were pretty good for me during Bad Bills two terms. He was far from perfect, but what other president gave us peace and prosperity
like he did? That''s one of the reasons I will vote for Hillary.

[sgtrds]

If Obama can''''t win his neighboring state of Indiana then this will be "devastating".

Posted by perceptions5 at 11:26 AM : May 05, 2008

LOL! Obama doesn''t even have to win out to get the nomination. Hillary doesn''t have a chance in hell of catching up to him and the superdelegates know that if they over-ride his lead in Denver then many Democrats (like myself) will refuse to vote for her because of it.

[johngaltwho]

At some point -
"tough" turns into vicious
"fighter" turns into polarizing figure that accomplishes nothing
"sniper fire" turns into casual kodak moment with a child
"solutions" turns into pandering
"rules" such as Mi/Fla or pledged delegates turn into outdated ideas
"NAFTA" becomes "never accepts factual truthful arguments"

Enough of her lying race-baiting gender-appealing say anything do anything despicable campaign. Obama''s greatest failure and the mark of his character is that he managed not to stoop to her level and rip her apart politically. He has shown restraint during this campaign, restraint toward destroying his ethically vulnerable colleague. Hillary has a distinct advantage in that she has already lost and therefore has nothing more to lose, Obama is actually running for President.

[broncfan1661]

Almost since he announced his candidacy Barack Obama has been subjected to the worse kind of lies, innuendo and slimy smears ever directed at a candidate, the bulk of it coming from Hillary Clinton and her more rabid supporters.
Posted by SgtRDS at 11:24 AM : May 05, 2008
____________________________________
Rev Wright wasn''t brought up by Hillaries people nor was the statements Obama made about the people clinging to their guns and religion. You Obama people like to blame everything on Hillary no matter where it comes from.
I thought it was rediculus that Russert and Obama had a nice little "chat" between two old buddies, while Stephanofulis was on the attack for the whole hour he grilled Hillary.

[sgtrds]

broncfan1661

Rev who?

[broncfan1661]

Why do you think so many Superdelegates are staying non commited?
Because they have doubts that Obama will be the best candidate.
Let''s face it should we force the party to accept Obama to appease half the voters? Or do we REALLY want to win in November.

[briannorwood]

broncfan1661:

Actually, I watched both interviews (Russert and Stephanofulis).

I though Barak answered all questions posed directly, while with Hillary, it was complete political double-speak.

When asked to name a SINGLE economist who supports her "gas holiday" position, she could not name even one!

When asked about her "obliterate Iran" position, she danced and squirmed and did not answer.

I, for one, am sick and tired of the Clinton''s "triangulation" game. Not gonna work this time. At least not for me.

[broncfan1661]

Rev who?

Posted by SgtRDS at 11:44 AM : May 05, 2008
____________________________________-
You remember the God D**MN America guy who was part of Obama''s campaign until he was thrown under the bus with Obama''s grandmother.

[johngaltwho]

George Step-on-top-of-us had to act at least somewhat journalistic after the damage he did to his own career at the ABC debate. Unfortunately for him, it was too little too late, he committed professional suicide and will have to go back to politics. This may be difficult for him however since it is unlikely that President Obama will find a spot for the discredited journalist in his administration.

[aldon61]

broncfan1661: Did you watch Meet The Press? If so, you would have seen Russert drill Obama on Reverand Wright for the first 20 minutes of the interview. Hillary "Bosnia" Clinton is a proven liar that can''t even manage her own campaign without incurring deficits. You would give control of our entire economy
to this twit? Get real, if you want change, Obama is the only way to go.

[sgtrds]

broncfan1661

If the superdelegates over-ride the will of the party members by handing Hillary the nomination strictly because of their votes over the pledged delegates, then I and many other Democrats will not be voting in November, or at least not for her. She''ll lose.

[sgtrds]

broncfan1661

He threw no one under the bus, least of all his grandmother.

[broncfan1661]

briannorwood,
You''ve got to be kidding. Obama was interviewed in the best possible situation for him. Russert never asked him a tough question.
Hillary was in front of an audience and was only asked tough leading questions.

[broncfan1661]

briannorwood,
You''ve got to be kidding. Obama was interviewed in the best possible situation for him. Russert never asked him a tough question.
Hillary was in front of an audience and was only asked tough leading questions.

[broncfan1661]

SgtRDS
And if they hand it to Obama when at least half the popular vote was for Hillary then more will not vote for Obama. So we have a looser either way in November.

[sgtrds]

broncfan1661

But Barack is ahead in the popular vote.

[dchu76]

The gas tax is apx .50$ per gallon, lets say they give you a relief who is to say the oil companies just dont increase the price by .50$. And then end of the summer when the gas tax comes back in effect, the prices will be .50$ greater than they should be.
The only possible solution is to regulate/standardize the gas prices and thats not happening.

The gas tax relief plan is plain stupid.

[dchu76]

According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association(http://www.jabberwonk.com/flinker.cfm?cliid=8p6p4) , this "Gas Tax Holiday" will lower tax revenue for infrastructure by roughly $9 billion and potentially cost 300,000 highway construction jobs. The highway trust fund that the gas tax finances provides money to states and local governments to pay for road and bridge construction, repair and maintenance.
300,000 American Jobs Lost. $9 Billion in Federal Highway Funds.
North Carolina: 7,071 Jobs and $203,319,748 in federal highway funds
Indiana: 6,390 Jobs and $183,722,596 in federal highway funds

[broncfan1661]

Most of the polls show that more people by far think that the popular vote and who is best to win in November are more important than the delegate count.

[johngaltwho]

Broncfan - Hopefully, the Clinton supporters will largely transition to Obama given that he actually won the nomination based on the rules of the system. Perception or not, if the supers were to steal it, there would be anger and mutiny. Me, I''m an independent and would support McCain merely because I think Hillary is a really bad person, straight up, she is dishonest and has run a campaign that has been devoid of integrity. I''m just glad the Republicans put up a relative moderate so that I have an alternative in case Bill and Hillary managed to hijack the nomination. They won''t though.

[broncfan1661]

But Barack is ahead in the popular vote.

Posted by SgtRDS at 12:10 PM : May 05, 2008
Not if you count the disenfranchised voters in Florida and Michigan.
But if, when all of the primaries are over he wins the popular vote he will probably get the nomination.

[sgtrds]

Perception or not, if the supers were to steal it, there would be anger and mutiny.


Posted by JohnGaltWho at 12:13 PM : May 05, 2008

Absolutely and I''m one life-long Democrat that will mutiny. If they hand the nomination to her in what is in effect a backroom deal then I''m writing my wife''s name in as president, me as VP and voting straight Democratic ticket the rest of the way.

[johngaltwho]

"Most of the polls show that more people by far think that the popular vote and who is best to win in November are more important than the delegate count."

Come on, now you''re being silly, almost as bad as Hillary herself. Thats like saying - I know they won the superbowl 42 - 20 but most of us agree its really all about the fourth quarter and well they did get a field goal there so, well, there you have it.
There''s a reason there are rules and thats so we can determine who wins. If you rewrite them as you go, you have lost all meaning. Me, I actually think it should be who wins the most independents but I don''t see anybody embracing that metric.

[broncfan1661]

Broncfan - Hopefully, the Clinton supporters will largely transition to Obama given that he actually won the nomination based on the rules of the system.Posted by JohnGaltWho at 12:13 PM : May 05, 2008
_________________________________---
What do you mean steal it? The "rules of the system" say that the superdelegates are not bound to vote for any certain candidate, but who they think will be the best to win in November. They should not be intimidates by pressure from Obama''s people.

[ringading3]

Howard Dean, who could not win on his run, has now decided that your votes don''''t count! He and his hand picked "SUPERDELEGATES" will decide what is best for you. Now shut up and be good little DumboCraps! Florida and Michigan have been "Bad", so now they get to sit in the corner! YeeeeHaaaaWaaaa

[philly1550]

HILLARY IS WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE WITH FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN VOTES THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE COUNTED..WE HAVE 50 STATES, NOT 48.

HILLARY ALSO WON ALL THE BIG STATES WITH THE MOST ELECTORAL VOTES WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO BEAT MCCAIN IN NOV.

HILLARY WIL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT!

[broncfan1661]

JohnGaltWho
You are discounting the fact that half of the voters actually want Hillary to win. You Obama supporters are so narrow minded that you think he is everyones choice whether they like it or not.

[johngaltwho]

The supers won''t do it. Hillary really is unelectable under these circumstances and it is precisely because of the issue of pledged delegates vs superdelegates in the public perception. Obama can win with a healthy transition of a majority of Clinton supporters, tremendous African-American support and the support of young voters and independents that he has enjoyed throughout this process. Hillary, on the other hand, would lose a large portion of the African-American vote, the youth would stay home, the cynical Republicans who have propped her up these past few months were never for her in the first place and the independents like me would vote Republican and that would be it. If the supers stole it, you''d be left with a base of misinformed frightened elderly people, frustrated feminists, racists and a few well meaning but misguided liberals - not exactly the huge groundswell that Obama can bring.

[szelag19]

The United States Senate may vote any day on the stealth imposition of what could amount to an $845 BILLION United Nations style global tax on American citizens?

It''s called the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), and it is being sponsored by none other than Senator Barack Obama.

According to some conservative sources, this disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation''s Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000.00 -- on welfare to third-world countries.

Here''s what Phyllis Schlafly, conservative activist and founder of Eagle Forum, recently wrote:

"Obama''s costly, dangerous and altogether bad bill (S. 2433), which could come up in the Senate any day, is called the Global Poverty Act. It would commit U.S. taxpayers to spend 0.7 percent of our Gross Domestic Product on foreign handouts..."

[dchu76]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/29/politics/main4056059.shtml

"But the impact of the tax holiday was never clear. A government study could not determine how much of the savings was passed along to motorists. Many lawmakers said their constituents didn''t seem to have benefited. They also worried the tax break was pushing the state budget out of balance.

When legislation was introduced to eliminate the tax permanently, Obama voted �no.� The effort failed, and the sales tax was allowed to take effect again.

Obama did a postmortem and discovered it was a dumb policy and voted against making it permanent. That is good judgement...

[johngaltwho]

Come on seriously - Florida and Michigan??? Hillary sat down at the table and agreed that if they break party rules and move up their contests then the delegates would not be counted - it is a shame that this decision was made and that especially in Florida, it was malicious Republicans that made this happen, but again, for Hillary to now sit and whine about disenfranchised voters just shows her lack of integrity and character. That really is an objective observation.

[sgtrds]

JohnGaltWho

Bravo! Well said and 100% spot on!

[johngaltwho]

Being criticized by Phyllis Schafly is a sure sign that you might be on to something good. Next you''ll be quoting George Bush as a source of intelligence.

[craigh9]

When you take the pledged delegate count along with the pledged superdelegates to date, then estimate how the remaining primaries will go based on polling - then Obama only needs about 30% of the remaining superdelegates to get to 2025 - this thing is over boys.

[johngaltwho]

"this thing is over boys"

he means - boys AND girls. We don''t want to be sexist or exclusive here.

[sgtrds]

Being criticized by Phyllis Schafly is a sure sign that you might be on to something good. Next you''''ll be quoting George Bush as a source of intelligence.

Posted by JohnGaltWho at 12:33 PM : May 05, 2008

Is she still even alive? Man what a dinosaur! She''s got to be one of the few people in America even more senile then McCain!

[texanforlogi]

Obama in ''08!

[eddynewhope]

"You are discounting the fact that half of the voters actually want Hillary to win. You Obama supporters are so narrow minded that you think he is everyones choice whether they like it or not."

Posted by broncfan1661

It''s not really a matter of a difference of opinion between Obama and Clinton supporters. The delegate count is a function of simple math. 1,737 to 1,601 - there just aren''t enough delegates up for grabs to close that gap realistically but tomorrow is still a big one so good luck to both candidates.

[philly1550]

HILLARY IS WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE WITH FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN VOTES THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE COUNTED....WE HAVE 50 STATES, NOT 48.

NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY THE CERTIFIED VOTES OF 2 MILLION AMERICANS...THESE VOTES WILL BE COUNTED.

HILLARY ALSO WON ALL THE BIG STATES WITH THE MOST ELECTORAL VOTES WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO BEAT MCCAIN IN NOV.

HILLARY WIL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT!

[neonink]

Here''s what I hear, when I hear Obama''s ads.


blah, blah, blah, blah, Change, blah, blah, Change, blah, blah, blah, Change, Change, blah....

and so on.

[realpatriot1]

szelag,

The key phrase in your discussion of the poverty act is "according to some conservative sources..."

At that point I could no longer hear what you were saying.

[neonink]

Guam counts.

Florida doesn''t.

4th largest state in America gets ignored?

Thank God for Guam, but give me a break.

[realpatriot1]

neonink,

Here''s what I hear from Clinton & McCain ads:

Clinton-"trust me..."

McCain-"Stay the course..."

[realpatriot1]

Guam obeyed the rules while Floirda didn''t. Sorry Florida, it sucks to be you!

[johngaltwho]

OK, those are substantive endorsements for Senator Clinton and deserve thoughtful responses -
Lets see... Hillary leads in the popular vote and Florida and Michigan should be counted, thats number one and second, the thoughtful post that all you hear is blah blah blah, ummm, OK, I''m convinced by those compelling arguments. Go Hillary 08.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by JohnGaltWho at 12:32 PM : May 05, 2008

Nah, it won''t make a whit of difference. Obama was screaming that Florida and Michigan votes should count also, until someone whispered in his ear that he broke the DNC rules there and if he tried to claim votes, it would be contested. Then the refused the re-vote and further disenfranchized the voters.

Anybody with any sense knows that Florida and Michigan votes not being counted was the worst freaking idea the Democrats could come up with.

I mean who the hell cares if they had their primary before Iowa! That''s a bunch of krap manipulation by the party.

[philly1550]

Guam counts.

Florida doesn''''t.

4th largest state in America gets ignored?

FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN VOTES WILL BE COUNTED....THIS IS AMERICA.....NO DUMB RULE CAN OVERRIDE THE WILL OF 2 MILLION VOTERS!!