Clinton Overwhelmingly Wins Puerto Rico

N.Y. Senator Makes Her Case To Superdelegates As Obama Closes In On Magic Number

(CBS/AP)  Hillary Rodham Clinton won a lopsided, but largely symbolic victory Sunday in Puerto Rico's presidential primary, the final act in a weekend of tumult that brought Barack Obama tantalizingly close to the Democratic presidential nomination.

With 85 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton was leading Obama 68 percent to 32 percent.

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Puerto Rico Results

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Before cheering supporters in San Juan, she predicted she would have more combined votes than her rival when the primaries end Tuesday night, claimed victories in key swing states and said that no contender will command enough delegates to claim the nomination.

"In the final assessment I ask you to consider these questions. Which candidate best represents the will of the people who voted in this historic election?" Clinton said in an appeal to some 200 uncommitted superdelegates who hold the balance of power in the fight for the nomination.

"Which candidate is best able to lead us to victory in November and which candidate is best able to lead our nation as our president in the face of unprecedented challenges at home and abroad?"

At a rally in Mitchell, South Dakota, Obama congratulated Clinton for her Puerto Rico win.

Senator Clinton is an outstanding public servant," Obama said. "She has worked tirelessly on this campaign, she has been a great Senator for the state of New York and she is going to be a great asset when we go into November to make sure that we defeat the Republicans. That I can promise you."

In a CBS News poll conducted by telephone among likely voters in Puerto Rico, 74 percent of Democrats had a favorable opinion of Clinton, while 53 percent had a favorable opinion of Obama.

Seventy-two percent of those polled in Puerto Rico said that Clinton shares their values, and 54 percent said that Obama does.

Women made up 43 percent of Puerto Rico's likely Democratic voters, and 61 percent of them supported Clinton, while 30 percent backed Obama. Fifty-seven percent of likely voters were men, and they also supported Clinton 61 percent to 35 percent.

Obama's aides indicated that the 46-year-old Illinois senator would amass the 2,118 delegates needed to claim the nomination within days. "We hope this week, absolutely," said spokesman Robert Gibbs. Montana and South Dakota hold primaries on Tuesday, the last of the primary campaign season.

Gibbs' confidence reflected the outcome of Saturday's meeting of the Democratic Party's rules and bylaws committee. Before an audience that jeered and cheered by turns, the panel voted to seat disputed delegations from Michigan and Florida, but give each delegate only one-half vote rather than the full vote sought by the Clinton campaign.

While the decision narrowed the gap between Clinton and Obama, it also erased the former first lady's last, best chance to change the course of the campaign.

Obama has so far won 19 delegates in Puerto Rico, while Clinton has added 42 to her total. Obama had 2,069 delegates to 1,912 for Clinton in the latest CBS News delegate count. 2,118 delegates are now needed to clinch the nomination.

Obama campaigned in South Dakota during the day, while Clinton was in Puerto Rico hoping for a victory celebration.

There are 31 delegates combined at stake in Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday, and Obama's high command sounded confident that enough superdelegates were poised to quickly climb on and deliver him the nomination.

In addition, there have been numerous statements by party leaders in recent days indicating they favor a quick end to the presidential race so the party can begin unifying for the fall race against John McCain, the Arizona senator who wrapped up the Republican nomination months ago.

And while Clinton's campaign said it reserved the right to challenge the decision concerning Michigan's delegates, Speaker Nancy Pelosi rushed out a statement Saturday night that congratulated the committee "for its good work."

The California Democrat has been neutral in the race, but also has been calling uncommitted lawmakers in recent days, urging them to issue their own endorsements soon after Tuesday.

Gibbs also did not rule out the possibility that Obama will seat the Michigan and Florida delegations at full strength if he is the nominee.

"I think any nominee may make some decisions at some point regarding those delegations," he said on ABC's "This Week."

McAuliffe, appearing on the same program, declined to say what Clinton would do. "We'll see where we are when we finish up Tuesday," he said. "Then superdelegates will begin to move."

He, as well as Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson, said the former first lady had won more votes that Obama in the course of the primary campaign.

Gibbs disputed that - and Clinton's claim includes the results of Florida, where no campaigning occurred, as well as Michigan, where Obama's name was not on the ballot. Her calculation fails to include caucuses in Iowa, Maine and Washington, all of which Obama won. In those states, delegates were awarded but party officials did not report any popular vote breakdown between the two candidates.

[blackyowe]

Hang in there girl! I don''t want that metrosexual greenhorn in the whitehouse!

[sgtrds-e4]

Doesn''t matter. This is a write-off as they can''t vote in the general election anyway and Hillary still doesn''t really gain much in the way of delegates. This race has been over for weeks now.

[blkpresident]

Somewhere in NY a kitchen stove needs cleaning. Where''s lil'' missy? Still criss crossing the country pipe dreaming about a girl becoming president. Terrorist don''t lob softballs or play powder-puff football either.

[onthecase7]

Back in the 50%u2019s, I was raised in a small middle class town that was all white, we didn%u2019t have any minorities. Some of the schoolyard jokes were based on black people trying to apply for a job, join a club, vote or run for office and being given some impossible criteria to meet. When against all the odds, the black person achieved the impossible and met the criteria, the rules were changed. Everybody would laugh. I thought they were only distant memories of a bygone time, or at best, comments on the futility of everyman trying to advance his lot in life. I am in the same age group as the Clintons. Maybe they came from the same background?

[sgtrds-e4]

The last primary is Tuesday. By Wednesday morning the vast majority of remaining super delegates will be endorsing Barack Obama and within another week or so Hillary will be out stumping for Obama. Bet on it.

[perceptions5]

"Down goes Obama".......................................... "Down goes Obama"

How is this clueless guy ever going to win in November if he can''t even win Democrat primaries?

How is it that Obama has won less than half the primaries since March 4th?

Because of Obama''s "own" connections and "bad moves/decisions" he can''t get either "white or hispanic voters" to vote for him in any kind of numbers.

Can Obama win on November 4th with only the black vote and the elite liberal white vote?

Obama, vote NO to a Jimmy Carter second term

[hillary4us]

THE DNC STILL DOESN''T GET IT! WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA! WE WILL VOTE TO DEFEAT HIM IN NOVEMBER.

[sgtrds-e4]

The number don''t lie. Hillary can not catch Barack Obama. She has already lost. He is the presumptive Democratic party nominee and therefore the next President of the United States of America.

[rowdywicca]

Posted by HILLARY4US at 03:13 PM : Jun 01, 2008

AMEN! They just don''t get it do they? The votes are telling Obama to get on his camel and ride out!

[hillary4us]

THERE WILL BE NO PRESIDENT OBAMA, AT LEAST NOT IN THE UNITED STATES! WE WILL NEVER VOTE FOR HIM! THERE IS A MASS DEFECTION FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN PROGRESS. NO MARXIST, ELITEST OBAMA!

[boatdocster]

Doesn''t matter. This is a write-off as they can''t vote in the general election anyway and Hillary still doesn''t really gain much in the way of delegates. This race has been over for weeks now.

Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:05 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Exactly - way too little, way too late. If Hillary had a plan past Super Tuesday and did not ignore the caucus states between Super Tuesday and the major East Coast primaries, we might be looking at a different nominee.

Expect to see the DNC primary wrapped up within the week.

[rowdywicca]

They don''t get it either! Even the PLEDGED delegates and cast their votes in way they want to!

If they canvas their voters before convention and find a huge number number would prefer to cast for the other candidate, the nomination could go either way in the balloting process at convention!

[sgtrds-e4]

To the very few real Hillary supporters (meaning those that are not really GOP trolls as most of them are) who say they''ll vote for McCain, I say goodbye and good riddance. We don''t need or want you so don''t let the door hit you in the as*s on the way out. We''ll win without you and are happy to leave you behind.

[sgtrds-e4]

Expect to see the DNC primary wrapped up within the week.

Posted by boatdocster at 03:17 PM : Jun 01, 2008

No doubt, though Harold Ickes might shoot himself in the head over it, Hillary will be supporting Barack Obama by this time next week, if she likes it or not.

[rowdywicca]

To the very few real Hillary supporters (meaning those that are not really GOP trolls as most of them are) who say they''''ll vote for McCain, I say goodbye and good riddance. We don''''t need or want you so don''''t let the door hit you in the as*s on the way out. We''''ll win without you and are happy to leave you behind.




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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:19 PM : Jun 01, 2008

And we say, goodbye to you honkers who''ve ignored the vote and good riddance to you. You have no idea what democracy means!

[boatdocster]

RowdyWicca

The Super Delegates are not going to wait until August to cast their votes, nor are the required to.

[drivelphobe]

Look at her kissing up to a small group of islanders, trying desperately to garner a few votes. How pathetic she is. She is gagingly repulsive.

[rowdywicca]

No doubt, though Harold Ickes might shoot himself in the head over it, Hillary will be supporting Barack Obama by this time next week, if she likes it or not.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:21 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Well, isn''t it great that we can exercise our democratic right and vote Obama right back to Chicago and his corrupt buddies!

Yehawwwwwwwww!

[rowdywicca]

RowdyWicca

The Super Delegates are not going to wait until August to cast their votes, nor are the required to.


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Posted by boatdocster at 03:23 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Their votes aren''t even cast till convention! It can go either way come convention!

Yehawwwwwww! Democracy will rule one way or the other...in a democracy majority rules, nor minority!

[sgtrds-e4]

Bill Clinton (who I proudly vote for twice) is above all a consummate politician. He knows this year is over for Hillary, except if he can somehow convince Barack to ask Hillary to be his VP (and I have no idea WHY he''d want her) and knows that if Hillary is to ever have another shot at the White House she needs to come out and enthusiastically campaign for Barack Obama in the fall. If she is seen as anything at all less then completely supportive and he loses, the party will blame her and turn on her like a pack of wild dogs. Her hopes for any political future at all rest with her doing everything she can to get Barack into the White House this year.

[rowdywicca]

It''s either goodbye Obama at convention or in November...either way, let''s get it on!

[stirg]

Hillary leads the popular vote with 17 million and counting. We take this to the convention with the popular vote in hand-at the convention fla and michigan get seated at full strength and those delegates of hers they gave to obama go back to her-Baby it ain''t over by a long shot-Road trip to Denver-what a party-camping in the Rockys-can''t wait-see you there

[rowdywicca]

Bill Clinton (who I proudly vote for twice) is above all a consummate politician. He knows this year is over for Hillary, except if he can somehow convince Barack to ask Hillary to be his VP (and I have no idea WHY he''''d want her) and knows that if Hillary is to ever have another shot at the White House she needs to come out and enthusiastically campaign for Barack Obama in the fall. If she is seen as anything at all less then completely supportive and he loses, the party will blame her and turn on her like a pack of wild dogs. Her hopes for any political future at all rest with her doing everything she can to get Barack into the White House this year.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:27 PM : Jun 01,

Because Obama can''t win it without her! And at this point, it doesn''t matter whether she''s on the bottom of the ticket or not. Obama''s out of there...the voters are speaking right now!

If she''s on top of the ticket, DNC wins...if she''s on the bottom...welcome John McCain...let''s get it on!

[rowdywicca]

Her hopes for any political future at all rest with her doing everything she can to get Barack into the White House this year.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:27 PM : Jun 01, 2008

You bigoted old goats can threaten her career all you want to, but her support is strong, both in Washington and with the people! You haven''t got a ghosts chance trying to force Obama and his racist intimidation game on the majority!

[boatdocster]

Their votes aren''''t even cast till convention! It can go either way come convention!

Yehawwwwwww! Democracy will rule one way or the other...in a democracy majority rules, nor minority!

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:26 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Exactly, and more delegates have voted for Obama (that''s how we pick their nominee). Delegates are awarded based on the number of voters (which include caucus states, even though Hillary would like to pretend they don''t exist).

It''s simple math but hard to fathom, right?? How this young guy came along out of the blue and beat Hillary at her own game?

[sgtrds-e4]

Hillary leads the popular vote with 17 million and counting. We take this to the convention with the popular vote in hand-at the convention fla and michigan get seated at full strength and those delegates of hers they gave to obama go back to her-Baby it ain''''t over by a long shot-Road trip to Denver-what a party-camping in the Rockys-can''''t wait-see you there

Posted by cowgirlblue2 at 03:29 PM : Jun 01, 2008

And in that scenario Hillary''s nomination would be greeted by flocks of flying pigs. It ain''t gonna happen. The powers that be in the party have decided that Barack is the nominee and no amount of fantasy from the Hillary supporters is going to change that. The nomination will be settle once and for all this coming week when the super delegates come out for Barack.

[rowdywicca]

Exactly, and more delegates have voted for Obama (that''''s how we pick their nominee). Delegates are awarded based on the number of voters (which include caucus states, even though Hillary would like to pretend they don''''t exist).

It''''s simple math but hard to fathom, right?? How this young guy came along out of the blue and beat Hillary at her own game?




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Posted by boatdocster at 03:32 PM : Jun 01, 2008

We''ll see how the vote goes at convention! Bring it ON!

[rowdywicca]

Florida and Michigan fully intend to take their fight for their delegate seat to the credentials committee in Denver! Bring it ON!

[randynason]

Try as they may, these Clinton supporters that would prefer to vote Republican than for Obama should Hillary not make the nomination are appearing as the bigoted racists that they are. They may say that it''s because Barack is green or because he is a liar, but the truth is that they are afraid of a black man in the White House and would rather have four more years of dead and injured American soldiers on their conscience than swallow their blind, intollerant pride. I look upon them with the same disgust and embarrassment as I look upon this stupid, ignorant administration.

[rowdywicca]

Democracy will win either at convention or in November! Either way is fine! Get this shill on his camel riding back to Chicago!

Giddy up!

[sgtrds-e4]

RandyNason

Bravo! Well said and 100% spot on!

[rowdywicca]

Try as they may, these Clinton supporters that would prefer to vote Republican than for Obama should Hillary not make the nomination are appearing as the bigoted racists that they are. They may say that it''''s because Barack is green or because he is a liar, but the truth is that they are afraid of a black man in the White House and would rather have four more years of dead and injured American soldiers on their conscience than swallow their blind, intollerant pride. I look upon them with the same disgust and embarrassment as I look upon this stupid, ignorant administration.


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Posted by RandyNason at 03:36 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Bring on your racist intimidation game...nobody gives a rip anymore! They''re telling Obama to get on his camel and ride out!

This is democracy, and majority rules...and they''ve already spoken!

[stirg]

Sgt. Pepper: you haven''t been around politics for long have you? Its not official until those delegates cast their ballot at the convention in Denver,Its so close now-if Hillary can get delegates to switch on the first ballot or second ballot she comes away with the nomination. Ask Ted Kennedy about taking it to the convention-he was about 700 delegates short and challenged it at the convention by taking it to the floor and he lost but dusted up the whole convention and stomed off in a huff? LOL

[hungry1968]

Bring on your racist intimidation game...nobody gives a rip anymore! They''''re telling Obama to get on his camel and ride out!

This is democracy, and majority rules...and they''''ve already spoken!

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:38 PM : Jun 01, 2008





Except in caucus states, in which case they can go fu** themselves, right Rowdy?

[boatdocster]

Democracy will win either at convention or in November! Either way is fine! Get this shill on his camel riding back to Chicago!

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:37 PM : Jun 01, 2008

You are right of course, and Obama will win in both places.

[sgtrds-e4]

If John McCain were to win this Nov (granted that''s not likely) then every time one of our troops gets killed needlessly because Barack is not in to stop this insane war, the blood of that soldier will be on the hands of every person that voted for him, no matter what their motivation for doing it. The needles death of everyone of our troops that dies during the first four years of a McCain presidency will be on the heads of everyone who votes for him.

As will the deaths of every poor woman that dies after seeking out a back ally or motel room abortion because a McCain court threw out Roe.

[rowdywicca]

Democracy will win either at convention or in November! Either way is fine! Get this shill on his camel riding back to Chicago!

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:37 PM : Jun 01, 2008

You are right of course, and Obama will win in both places.


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Posted by boatdocster at 03:40 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Dream on! Dream long! Dream often!

[sgtrds-e4]

cowgirlblue2

I''ve been around for many years and remember well Kennedy conceding at the convention. That still does not change the truth that both parties will not ever allow another floor fight at their conventions. It''s simply suicide and the party leaders know it. There will not be a floor fight this year and the higher ups at the DNC will do anything to stop that from happening even if it means throwing Hillary out of the party completely. It won''t come to that of course as she knows she''ll have to concede this week.

[rowdywicca]

If John McCain were to win this Nov (granted that''''s not likely) then every time one of our troops gets killed needlessly because Barack is not in to stop this insane war, the blood of that soldier will be on the hands of every person that voted for him, no matter what their motivation for doing it. The needles death of everyone of our troops that dies during the first four years of a McCain presidency will be on the heads of everyone who votes for him.

As will the deaths of every poor woman that dies after seeking out a back ally or motel room abortion because a McCain court threw out Roe.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:41 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Nahhhhhhhh, we''ve got a little pill now! Nobody''s much worried about it! Dream on! Dream long! Dream often!

Nobody''s touched Roe v. Wade in 30 years, that''s just Obama intimidate fear mongering just like BUSH!

He looks more like BUSH the DECIDER every day!

[stirg]

Since cacus states don''t report numbers of voters and submit the totals for certification-they can''t be counted

[rowdywicca]

I''''ve been around for many years and remember well Kennedy conceding at the convention. That still does not change the truth that both parties will not ever allow another floor fight at their conventions. It''''s simply suicide and the party leaders know it. There will not be a floor fight this year and the higher ups at the DNC will do anything to stop that from happening even if it means throwing Hillary out of the party completely. It won''''t come to that of course as she knows she''''ll have to concede this week.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 03:44 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Only a bigoted bunch of old goats are scared of a floor fight at convention! Nobody else is!

Bring it on!

[hungry1968]

Nawwwwwww, they can prove up their votes and let''''s count ''''em. How many people do you think got to vote in hours! When I caucused here the majority of voters were still standing in the streets trying to get in!

Tell those caucus states to bring on the votes...

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:43 PM : Jun 01, 2008





Don''t get me wrong - I think the whole idea of caucuses are BS.

But you can''t reasonably expect to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of people IN THE MIDDLE of a nomination process.

Do you REALLY think they''re going to have re-votes in the caucus states on the VERY SLIM CHANCE that Hillary MIGHT win them, so that they can be sure they counted everyone?

[boatdocster]

Except in caucus states, in which case they can go fu** themselves, right Rowdy?

Posted by hungry1968 at 03:40 PM : Jun 01, 2008

Sorry, the state sets the rules for elections, not me, but many many people voted for Obama in those primaries, including myself. You may not like their vote outcomes (after all, Hillary completely ignored our states, and as a result lost in all of them) but to not count 5 states worth of voters that voted against you, then claim you are ahead in the popular vote - ?!?! Wow

That''s kind of like claiming you dodged Sniper Fire (when the facts show otherwise)...

[hungry1968]

Nawwwwwww, they can prove up their votes and let''''s count ''''em.

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:43 PM : Jun 01, 2008





Better yet, why don''t you tell us how they should / could "prove up their votes"?

[sgtrds-e4]

That''''s kind of like claiming you dodged Sniper Fire (when the facts show otherwise)...

Posted by boatdocster at 03:47 PM : Jun 01, 2008

LOL!

[hungry1968]

Nahhhhhhhh, we''''ve got a little pill now! Nobody''''s much worried about it! Dream on! Dream long! Dream often!

Nobody''''s touched Roe v. Wade in 30 years, that''''s just Obama intimidate fear mongering just like BUSH!

He looks more like BUSH the DECIDER every day!

Posted by RowdyWicca at 03:45 PM : Jun 01, 2008





Is that what NARAL or Planned Parenthood told you?

[rowdywicca]

Better yet, why don''''t you tell us how they should / could "prove up their votes"?


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Posted by hungry1968 at 03:47 PM : Jun 01, 2008

They should have a record somewhere! Tell ''em to bring it on! If they want to shill people with percentages, they need bring on what they''ve got to support those percentages!

[hornsnbr1]

I guess the Dumbocrats have proved once again they are just too stupid to vote in Florida. Also, I guess we can now call Obama "Mr Undecided" since that appears to be how he ran in Michigan.

[rowdywicca]

This is America...every vote counts! Bring ''em on, let''s count them!

[noloyalisti]

I knew that Puerto Rico was very conservative and being poor they consistently vote against their best interests. Kind of like the Dinos in the mid-west.

Although any Democrat would be better than the "best" representative of the war party, Hillary is a cunning, kniving Rovian corporatist who could care less about the constitution of We the People. Wake up and take back the country.