Kerry Wins Idaho, Utah, Hawaii

Comparatively speaking, there weren't a lot of delegates at stake, but a win's a win, and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry did indeed chalk up three more victories Tuesday: Utah's Democratic presidential primary, as well as caucuses in Idaho and Hawaii.

Neither Kerry nor North Carolina Sen. John Edwards actually campaigned in the three states, choosing to instead concentrate on the ten so-called Super Tuesday states - including New York and California - which vote next week.

In this Tuesday's voting, Kerry outpaced Edwards 55 percent to 30 percent with all precincts reporting in Utah. Complete returns in Idaho showed Kerry with 54 percent and Edwards with 22 percent. With 99 percent of precincts reporting in Hawaii, Kerry had 50 percent to 26 percent for Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and 17 percent for Edwards. Kucinich lagged in single digits in Utah and Iowa.

"Thank you, Utah," said Kerry, campaigning in Cleveland, Super Tuesday territory, with Ohioans set to vote on March 2nd. "With outstanding turnout, tonight you've shown that Democrats in Utah are alive and well and ready to kick George W. Bush out of the White House."

The three match-ups Tuesday were little more than blips on the political calendar as the Democrats battle in state elections for delegates who will pick an eventual party nominee at a party convention this spring to run against President Bush in November.

Kerry, a four-term Massachusetts senator, fired back at Mr. Bush during the day Tuesday, depicting him as a "walking contradiction" who has presided over job losses, a deficit increase and frayed international alliances despite promises to the contrary.

The comment came a day after Mr. Bush opened up on Kerry, in what were at that time the president's most partisan remarks so far in this campaign season. Edwards reminded the president that the race for the Democratic nomination is not over.

"Not so fast, George Bush," said Kerry's sole remaining major rival. "You don't get to decide who our nominee is."

Taken together, the exchanges underscored the state of the race for the White House - Mr. Bush able to concentrate his energy on the general election, with Kerry eager to do the same and Edwards struggling to sustain his own candidacy.

Counting early returns from Tuesday's contests, Kerry's lead in the Democratic delegate chase swelled to 748 in the CBS News tally versus 240 for Edwards. Nomination requires 2,162 delegates. A total of 61 delegates were at stake in the night's races.

"We congratulate Senator Kerry and look forward to competing with him on Super Tuesday," said Edwards spokeswoman Jenni Engebretsen. Edwards was in Houston, about to begin a three-day swing in California.

Officials printed 5,000 extra ballots in Salt Lake City to accommodate the demand. "Three blocks from Temple Square and there's a giant line of Democrats," said Blake Sarlow, waiting to vote. "It's the craziest thing."

A day after targeting Democrats, Mr. Bush used the White House as the backdrop for an appeal for passage of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages, a move certain to please his conservative Republican base.

"A few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization," said the president, referring to a recent court opinion in Kerry's home state of Massachusetts and a decision by city officials in San Francisco to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Both Kerry and Edwards promptly accused the president of playing politics with the Constitution - a charge the White House denied. The two Democrats said they oppose gay marriage, but would vote against the amendment if it is brought before the Senate.

Kerry told the CBS News Early Show that the gay marriage issue was not the one on voters' minds.

"What people are really concerned about is whether their kids can go to a school that's functioning as well as possible," Kerry said. "They care about whether or not they wake up in the morning and they've got the healthcare coverage or they're living in terror of getting sick."

With Super Tuesday nearing, Edwards looked to Georgia and Ohio as well as upstate portions of New York to slow Kerry's rush toward the nomination.

Both men have committed to large advertising campaigns in the three states. Officials said during the day that Edwards had increased his commitment in Ohio, even though Kerry was continuing to outspend him there.

The Massachusetts senator was introducing a new commercial for use in Ohio and parts of New York, focused on the Republican in the White House. The commercial calls the Bush economic policy "an astonishing failure" and promises to protect American jobs.

"We need to be on the side of America's workers," Kerry says in the ad. "George Bush won't do it. I will."

The ad was released one day after Kerry said he would run a clean TV ad campaign if the Bush re-election team promises to do the same. The president's campaign is expected to begin running television commercials next week.

On Wednesday, in Toledo, Kerry is expected to pick up his latest endorsement, this one from former astronaut and retired Sen. John Glenn.

Meanwhile, according to a Los Angeles poll of likely primary voters in California, Kerry has a commanding lead in that contest: 56 percent, compared to 24 percent for Edwards. California, with 370 delegates, is the jackpot in next week's Super Tuesday sweepstakes.