Little Gain In Big Win For Clinton

Analysis: A Blowout Win Doesn't Erase Obama's Lead, Says CBSNews.com's Vaughn Ververs, But It Does Increase Dem Concerns

(CBS)  This analysis was written by CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs.

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It’s telling that on the night Hillary Clinton took one more bow in the spotlight of a big win in the West Virginia primary, Barack Obama was winging his way to the state of Michigan to begin smoothing over bruised feelings in preparation for the general election. Speaking even louder was the fact that he wasn’t coming off a campaign day in the primary state but from Missouri - another fall battleground state.

Such is the state of the Democratic primary contest as it approaches the final five contests on the calendar. Clinton continues an increasingly quixotic effort to somehow gain a nomination all but beyond her grasp while Obama runs a parallel campaign aimed a reinforcing the inevitability of his nomination and uniting the party while at the same time gearing up for the campaign to come.

While Clinton’s decisive West Virginia win doesn’t wipe out that dynamic or change the overall direction of a race that is lurching toward an end, it won’t help Obama with that second part of his task. And there are continuing signs which, if not a threat to his ability to win the nomination, can’t be comforting for him or his party.

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West Virginia Results

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The split within the Democratic Party reached new highs Tuesday. According to CBS News exit polls, 74 percent of Clinton voters said they would be dissatisfied with Obama as the nominee. While that number has grown in recent contests, it represents the highest yet. In Indiana a week ago where Clinton won a tight contest, 62 percent of her voters said they would not be satisfied with Obama.

More troubling for Democrats in the general election, 59 percent of Clinton’s voters in West Virginia said they would either vote for John McCain in November or sit out the election altogether. And 61 percent said she would have the best chance to defeat McCain. The state, and its five Electoral Votes, has gone with the winner in the last four presidential elections. (Click here to see the full exit poll data.)

Clinton has argued that despite Obama’s overall lead in delegates won, in the popular vote and in endorsements from the party’s superdelegates, she appeals to a broader coalition for the general election. “I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," Clinton said in an interview earlier this week in which she singled out “white Americans” and insisted there is “a pattern emerging here.”

It’s a pattern Clinton may tempted to point to again after West Virginia, where she won 69 percent of the white vote on her way to a huge victory. But there are several factors that should dampen the urge to draw large conclusions about the meaning of the results. The makeup of the primary electorate could hardly have been better for her with large numbers of the kinds of voters that have made up her coalition throughout the process: women, whites, older voters, those at lower-income levels and those with less than a college education.

The Clinton name is well-remembered in a state the former president carried twice and Obama spent only a token amount of time and effort there, gaining some distance from a blowout loss for his otherwise surging campaign.

Even as Clinton rolled up large vote totals, she made precious little gain in the race for delegates. In the week since winning North Carolina and narrowly losing Indiana, Obama picked up the support of 27 superdelegates - nearly as many as the 28 pledged delegates at stake in West Virginia. So, despite a big win, Clinton isn’t making any headway on her delegate deficit.

Expecting a loss, the Obama campaign today rolled out a series of endorsements, the biggest of which came from former Democratic National Committee chair Roy Romer. The former Colorado governor, who had remained strictly on the sidelines throughout the primary campaigns, gave voice to something many party leaders have said in recent days. “The math is controlling,” Romer told reporters. “This race I believe is over, Senator Obama has accumulated a lead in delegates chosen by primaries, caucuses and superdelegates that cannot be overcome.”

Romer, like most all Obama supporters, was quick to insist that nobody is pushing or bullying Clinton to get out of this race. Any suggestion of that could cause more damage to Obama’s November prospects than an embarrassing loss in West Virginia. So sensitive to that dynamic is the campaign that Obama himself left a congratulatory message for Clinton Tuesday evening, according to CBS News.

And what does Clinton want in this endgame? It’s one of the remaining mystery of the primary campaign. Does she want to remain a viable option for Democratic leaders in case Obama stumbles on the way to Denver in August? Is she seeking some influence over specific policies or even the opportunity to continue the campaign as Obama’s running mate?

In her victory speech Tuesday night, Clinton insisted she remained in the race to win and made a direct plea to the party leaders who will eventually decide this race, saying, “I am in this race because I believe I’m the strongest candidate.” No doubt she and her campaign will find plenty of evidence in the West Virginia results to press that case - but no mathematical evidence that would make it easy for those superdelegates to overturn Obama’s lead.

The campaign turns next to Kentucky, where Clinton is expected to do well and Oregon, where Obama is favored. Even a split decision in those states next Tuesday will likely give Obama a majority of the pledged delegates up for grabs this year and perhaps give him a chance to claim victory. But like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and other states before it, West Virginia raised more questions about his ability to win among the white, blue-collar voters who’ve kept Clinton in this race. Questions he’ll need to find ways to answer as he turns his attention to the November race against John McCain.

[veteran72]

It means squat. She can''t win. Do the math.
She''s about to pisss off the Party elders and end up like LIEberman, an outcast for life......

[yongamerica]

Whooo Hooo. So a white woman wins over a black man in a very racist state. This does not reflect the country''s overall perception of this woman or her opponent.

[wogerwabbit]

I can''t help but think that she is just so freakin sleazy... she ain''t half the man her husband is, she''ll never make it... it''s like she''s wearing a fake beard. Tacky...

[no_billary]

Hillary who?

[veteran72]

Even as Clinton rolled up large vote totals, she made precious little gain in the race for delegates. In the week since winning North Carolina and narrowly losing Indiana, Obama picked up the support of 27 superdelegates - nearly as many as the 28 pledged delegates at stake in West Virginia. So, despite a big win, Clinton isn%u2019t making any headway on her delegate deficit......

''Nuff said.....pack it in, Cookie Girl....

[veteran72]

Even as Clinton rolled up large vote totals, she made precious little gain in the race for delegates. In the week since winning North Carolina and narrowly losing Indiana, Obama picked up the support of 27 superdelegates - nearly as many as the 28 pledged delegates at stake in West Virginia. So, despite a big win, Clinton isn%u2019t making any headway on her delegate deficit......

''Nuff said.....pack it in, Cookie Girl....

[randynason]

Hillary looks like she''s trying out for the first female role of the Joker in Batman V.

[oldabeeagle]

Well I am back on my way to BarackObama.com to make my 6th donation. You see I am one of the 1.5 million Obama donors (99 % of Obama donors are white). Barack inspires me to vote and work for him, but every time Billary opens her mouth I am inspired to contribute at www.BarackObama.com. Although I have made 6 contributions I am not close to the limit yet. So keep it up Billary.

[huanaco]

REGARDLEES OF HILLARY WIN IN WEST VIRGINIA, ONE THING IS CLEAR, OBAMA IS UNABLE TO WIN THE BIG STATES. HE HAS LOST AND HILLARY WON WHERE IT COUNTS IN A GENERAL ELECTION, SO, DEMOCRATS HIGH ECHELON ARE WRONG IF THEY BELIEVE HE CAN GET THE WHITE HOUSE. MARK MY WORDS , AGAINST MCCAIN HE WILL BE A LOOSER.

[enugu-nine]

Ok. Clintonites, enjoy. Don''t be bitter. Now go home and prepare to elect the real winner tonight, Barack Obama. He just got closer to closing the deal tonight. That''s the real story. And if you won''t vote for him, that''s fine too. Just be happy please.

[gehlenv]

wow...some of these comments? I''ve been an Obama supporter right along but am really starting to worry. He needs to be winning some of these key states, or at least doing better. The end game is to win in November. Something seems off to me.

[sjc_1]

If you count the pledged delegates in primary states you will have the indication of how people voted. When you do that you will find that they are even and Clinton pulls ahead after June 3rd.

[gehlenv]

wow...some of these comments? I''ve been an Obama supporter right along but am really starting to worry. He needs to be winning some of these key states, or at least doing better. The end game is to win in November. Something seems off to me.

[enugu-nine]

The Republican nominee, John McCain won just 1% in WV. That''s how important the state is in the overall process. But the people of WV have the right to vote for Hillary. She needed it. Who knows what she might have done to herself without the win?

[ozonmojo]

A resounding slap in the face for those that have been disparaging and demeaning President Bill Clinton.

[Lai K W]

Superdelegates can change their vote anytime. Counting on them is just like counting on quick sand.

Pledged delegates are the counts that is more important and yet they means nothing below the magic number 2025. All the way to convention and give the dumb-found skew representatives like Pelosi, Joe Andrew a taste of bitterness

The superdelegate should choose the nomination based only on who is the better candidate to win the general election:

At this moment, it is Hillary. Nobama is history fading away and pretending it doesn''t hurt with his reluctant smiles and skittish mockery.

[Lai K W]

Superdelegates can change their vote anytime. Counting on them is just like counting on quick sand.

Pledged delegates are the counts that is more important and yet they means nothing below the magic number 2025. All the way to convention and give the dumb-found skew representatives like Pelosi, Joe Andrew a taste of bitterness

The superdelegate should choose the nomination based only on who is the better candidate to win the general election:

At this moment, it is Hillary. Nobama is history fading away and pretending it doesn''t hurt with his reluctant smiles and skittish mockery.

[gehlenv]

wow...some of these comments? I''ve been an Obama supporter right along but am really starting to worry. He needs to be winning some of these key states, or at least doing better. The end game is to win in November. Something seems off to me.

[gehlenv]

wow...some of these comments? I''ve been an Obama supporter right along but am really starting to worry. He needs to be winning some of these key states, or at least doing better. The end game is to win in November. Something seems off to me.

[Lai K W]

Superdelegates can change their vote anytime. Counting on them is just like counting on quick sand.

Pledged delegates are the counts that is more important and yet they means nothing below the magic number 2025. All the way to convention and give the dumb-found skew representatives like Pelosi, Joe Andrew a taste of bitterness

The superdelegate should choose the nomination based only on who is the better candidate to win the general election:

At this moment, it is Hillary. Nobama is history fading away and pretending it doesn''t hurt with his reluctant smiles and skittish mockery.

[oldabeeagle]

Well I am back from BarackObama.com where I just made my 7th donation. You see I am one of the 1.5 million Obama donors (99 % of Obama donors are white). Barack inspires me to vote and work for him, but every time Billary opens her mouth I am inspired to contribute at www.BarackObama.com. Although I have made 7 contributions I am not close to the limit yet. So keep it up Billary.

[spoonerfineart]

Yes, Those Supers are free to change their minds.In fact they are choosing Obama By a 10 to 1 in the last 7 days. Talk about Momentum! He has gained 27 in 7 days. Ouch Billary... that''s got to hurt.

[enugu-nine]

Bill CLinton beat Bush senior, the embodiment of experience itself in National Security, a war hero, former CIA director of Intelligence, and who was already a president.

Now you say Obama will lose to McCain? In this economic conditions? In this period of a long war that the nation is tired of? At his current age of 72?

That''s why Hillary is fighting mad, any democrat can beat McCain, even me.

[ranakarimi]

i am an iranian american woman and been Democrat all my life last night my dad called from iran and told me the tehran friday immam prayer has told millions of pple to pray to god to help obama win so the immam mehdi come soon and save the world and desteroy the usa and west thats why i will never ever vote for obama . again in behalf of millions of hard working american women i like to say if Hillary is not on the ticket we will be more than happy to punish our party and hand the presidency to republican

[zavatchen]

Even with O''Bama outspending Clinton, sometimes 3 and 4 times to one, he is not able to win, or I should say buy, the swing states. Wake up Democratic leaders...he is weak in the states that count in the general.

[enugu-nine]

ranakarimi:

I think you are a lying Republican. But if you are not, you are a traitor in Iran. Either way your are no good.

And by the way Iran poses to real threat to US. Hillary already said it. We will "obliterate" them. And you will lose your cousins and nephews and all the other relatives. So, vote for Obama. Will you?

[veteran72]

It''s all over but the Crying and Lying...Oh,....wait a minute,....she''s already done both of those,.....my bad,....continue on in your delusional quest for nomination to the Laughing Hyena Crazy Cookie Girl Pant Suit Party,............YEA!!!......(coo-coo....)

[enugu-nine]

Good night my fellow Americans. Pundits are talking heads, blogers are talking hands. Thanks for playing.

[zavatchen]

Even with O''''Bama outspending Clinton, sometimes 3 and 4 times to one, he is not able to win, or I should say buy, the swing states. Wake up Democratic leaders...he is weak in the states that count in the general.

[ranakarimi]

I think you are a lying Republican. But if you are not, you are a traitor in Iran. Either way your are no good.

And by the way Iran poses to real threat to US. Hillary already said it. We will "obliterate" them. And you will lose your cousins and nephews and all the other relatives. So, vote for Obama. Will you?

Posted by enugu-nine get a life a real life and get in touch with reality i never vote for some one like obama who wants to sit on the same table with iranian president the most hated person in iran who took the presidency by cheating in election iranian pple love clinton cuz they hate pple like ahmadi nejad and a seceret muslim who has plan to destroy usa

[eroosevelt08]

Once the first vote is over at the Democratic Convention, then the delegates are free to vote for the candidate who looks like she can win in the November election. Senator Clinton has a very reall chance to win the nomination. Many Obama supporters have changed their minds after Rezko, Wrignt and the vetting process.

[eroosevelt08]

With Bill Clinton, we had peace and prosperity. Those were the days!

[zerato-2009]

veteran 72 what an unremarkable post. I guess our veterans have disintergrated into mysogynistic name callers.
ranakarimi I see the republican dirty tricks department is stepping up with their plans to call obama a muslim. You need to do better than that to trick us.
Whatever you say about Clinotn, you have to admit she has shown great character to keep running for president even touhg everyone has written her off.

[zerato-2009]

enugu nine I would think that bloggers are talking donkeys(you know the other word)

[In-Correct]

Omaba is stupid. So is Obama. Same thing.

[oldabeeagle]

Well I am back from BarackObama.com where I just made my 7th donation. You see I am one of the 1.5 million Obama donors (99 % of Obama donors are white). Barack inspires me to vote and work for him, but every time Billary opens her mouth I am inspired to contribute at www.BarackObama.com. Although I have made 7 contributions I am not close to the limit yet. So keep it up Billary.

[lordmi]

to in_correct what a hell are you talking about? He is almost a President, but Who are You?
One more cretin folled by clintons?

They are done.
Send them donation for evacuation
Thank You for consideration

[lordmi]

28 delegates - counts? He did not even campaign in WV giving her a chance to look good before the END.

Do not fool yourself.

[Peerguardianboy111]

Hillary needs to stay in the race, because she''s the stronger candidate, Obama is only ahead because of his eloquent speaking skills, and the massive Black and Young vote, but lacking experience or substance to his messages, the Republicans are going to eat him alive due to his lack of substance, debating skills, and experience, I hope the Super delegates don''t make a fatal mistake and put Obama up to be our Nominee, we will surely lose, and will also be calling McCain Mr. President in 2009. I will in no way vote for Obama if he''s the nominee, I don''t care if Hillary supports him or not, I have left this party and became an Independent, but will still be voting for Hillary as an write-in candidate if she%u2019s not the nominee, but no Obama, no way no how, Hillary stay in the race you%u2019re a fighter not a quitter, don''t let the Obama his Staff, Supporters, or the gender-biased media discourage or pressure you to quit, you can still win this thing, I still have some hope that you could pull this off.

[popstom1]

Bill Clinton had more experience in his little toe
then Obamanition will ever have

[ranakarimi]

i am an iranian american woman and been Democrat all my life last night my dad called from iran and told me the tehran friday immam prayer has told millions of pple to pray to god to help obama win so the immam mehdi come soon and save the world and desteroy the usa and west thats why i will never ever vote for obama . again in behalf of millions of hard working american women i like to say if Hillary is not on the ticket we will be more than happy to punish our party and hand the presidency to republica

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by ranakarimi at 12:27 AM

Shut up. You know full well that the only thing you are is a racist right here in America trying to put out a piece of krapp propaganda.

[ranakarimi]

Posted by rudy654 at 12:34 AM : May 14, 2008 rudy654 u are a alear example of obama supporters who sound talk and act like a member of mafia organization so u shut up get a life and get in touch with reality az a proud iranian american women i dont let pple like u and obama destroy my hlove my hope and my life America

[samthetvcat]

Hillary and virtually all of her surrogates deviate so far from the truth that I was really interested in Hillary''s speech just how disconnected from reality she might be. I guess she''s selfishly hyper-aggressive, but she''s not like having a mental breakdown of denial or anything like that. Until tonight I wasn''t sure . . . because it''s not like any of the results are big surprises any more. And surely she must know that Barack''s going to get more superdelegates tomorrow even after her big win tonight...

Anybody else get the sense that her plan seems to be to bide for time in the hope that something comes up in Barack''s head to heads against McCain that shows him to be unwinnable? Which means pushing it all the way to the convention with the 2209 number? And beyond if Barack even reaches that before she does?

Kind of a weird argument to say that she didn''t win the long-game because she screwed up and took too long to course-correct and therefore she should be thrown into a whole new ball-game with a whole new opponent because she''s slow-on-the-take. Supposedly because she''s gone against ''the machine'' before that makes her able to not just prevail but win against them? But Barack didn''t even have a ''machine'' and she had all that ''experience'' and she wasn''t able to win against him...

[moonshadow22]

Our economy is in real trouble, and it''s due, in a large part, to spending money that we don''t have. The Iraq War has cost $500 billion or so and some estimates have estimates of over $1 trillion as the final bill...all on credit. For a candidate whose faltering campaign is $21 million in the hole to claim to be able to solve the nation''s economic woes sounds more than a little sketchy to me.

[agog2]

Wake up Democratic Super delegates before its too late casting your vote for Obama. You will be casting your vote for John McCain in November. Not until the inner core of the major cities clean up (The Hood) get rid of the drugs, drive by shootings, gangs and pimps, but most of all make it safe for a young white couple to walk the street after dark in the black neighborhood, will a black man or black woman ever be elected as president of the United States of America. Yes a lot of white people are afraid of blacks, but that is only because of the deep prejudice of blacks that live in the inner core of our major cities. Hillary Clinton can beat John McCain in November; don%u2019t waste your vote on Obama.

[agog2]

Come on now how dumb can you people really be? Only 13 percent of the people in this country are black. And most are in the Democratic Party. That is the only reason that Obama has the votes he has now. The rest of the votes are coming from some of the college kids that have no idea about what this country was like before Bush was president. You no cheap gas, everyone had a good job lot of food on the table, a dollar was worth a dollar. Why He!! You could even travel over sea and if you were from America everyone liked you. But now all the college Kids know is Hip Hop and Rap and partying. If Obama gets to run on the Democratic ticket for President he will lose and McCain will be you%u2019re new President Bush for the next four years. Come on Democrats don%u2019t throw your vote away on Obama, which is why the Republican Party is hoping you will do. Remember Republicans control the Media like the TV, Radio, News papers that is why they are playing up Obama. Hillary Clinton is the one that they are afraid of because they know that she can win the general election.

[surebetva]

Actions speak louder than words...20 years in the pew at Rev Wright''s Church...$27k a year in donations supporting a racist pastor...Face on the front of Rev Wrights Religous/Political racist magazine "Trumpet". Barrack is a bigot. Either that, or he is lousy at choosing people such as Pastors / Religous Consultants to his campaign...and this is the guy you want to pick supreme court justices and cabinet members He can''t even choose a pastor who isn''t a flaming racist. If the majority of voters in West Virginia vote for a white candidate and it makes them racist, does that make the black voters in North Carolina racist because the majority of them voted for a black man? Or is Rev Wright correct in that there is no Black Racism...Racism is only White Racism and its a one way street. Are 93% of Blacks in NC voting for Barrack because he has the best ideas?

[kansas1946]

Come on now how dumb can you people really be? Only 13 percent of the people in this country are black. And most are in the Democratic Party. That is the only reason that Obama has the votes he has now. The rest of the votes are coming from some of the college kids that have no idea about what this country was like before Bush was president.
*********************************************

Really. I live in Kansas and Obama took 75pct of the vote. We have a relatively small black population, so how exactly did Obama get those votes. I think he will beat McCain in November.

[crusherking]

Hillary, Seems like you have done more to harm the Democratic party than any debate with a Republican ever did. Somehow I just knew that you, in you narcissitic nature, could not accept defeat regardless of what your denial may cost others. Although I am partially disappointed that you won''t be on the Nov ticket so that McCain could completely annihilate your campaign, I take solace in the fact that someone finally put you in your place. I bid you a good day and wish you nothing but the worst.