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The Aftermath
Obama needs 2,025 delegates to capture the nomination—a figure that, despite his edge, he will also struggle to reach. But the Clinton forces are seeking to persuade voters and superdelegates that Obama needs to clear an even higher bar. Clinton's camp suggests that 2,210 is the new magic number. That higher figure, she explains, takes into account the votes cast in Florida and Michigan, the two states stripped of delegates by Democratic Party leaders after voting officials in each state moved their primaries up on the calendar in defiance of the national committee's wishes. Clinton won handily in both states—no doubt benefiting from the fact that Obama did not campaign in either place and did not even have his name on the ballot in Michigan.
Clinton's campaign is now leading a challenge to count Florida and Michigan's votes and seat the state's delegates at the Democratic Convention in August. But during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday her advisers admitted that even if they manage to persuade the party to seat both states' delegations, Clinton will still be well behind Obama. "If Michigan and Florida are seated fully, we estimate that we would pick up a net of 58 delegates," spokesman Phil Singer told reporters. "And that would, according to our estimates, bring us within a margin of … fewer than 100 pledged delegates separating—or total delegates, rather, separating Senator Obama and Senator Clinton."
As the battle for delegates continues, the burning question is whether Clinton will have enough money to go on. She loaned her campaign another $6.4 million—bringing her total loans to the effort to more than $11 million—and is running on fumes. On Wednesday morning's conference call communications director Howard Wolfson ducked a question about how much money the campaign has raised since Tuesday night's contests, saying, "I have not yet had an opportunity to check with our Internet team this morning." (Within 15 minutes of Clinton's Pennsylvania victory, by contrast, various advisers were peppering journalists with impressive fund-raising totals.) At a fund-raiser in Washington, D.C., late Wednesday, Clinton told the crowd she'll be making a stand in Kentucky, Oregon and other future primary states and thanked them for helping to keep the campaign going. (Attendees donated $1 million to Clinton's campaign.) "We are being outspent two to one, three to one, even five to one," she said. "But we have been able to battle back."
With a new check in hand, Hillary says she's not quitting. Just two weeks ago, when she spoke about going the distance, she adamantly proclaimed that she would keep her campaign alive until the convention in August and, if need be, let the delegates decide. And on Tuesday night she defiantly told the audience at her Indiana victory speech—given before the outcome was known—that she was going on to the White House. But Wednesday she changed her rhetoric slightly. "I'll go until there's a nominee," she said.
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: paulte @ 05/26/2008 6:55:18 PM
Comment: What really is her point anyway? She can't win the nomination. That is clear from the math. Yet she stays in anyway. Does she just hate the black guy? It seems like it. I guess she just can't believe that someone in America might be more acceptable to the American people than her for the Democratic nomination.
Her monumental ego just cannot process that factoid! Sad but true!, We are observing a woman driven by a power addiction. Her husband was driven by sex and power. She as a celibate for all practical purposes and certainly not for the love of God is driven by power alone. That is the key to understand Hillary!
Posted By: griffin1 @ 05/23/2008 12:17:53 PM
Comment: I am a true democrat and would have supported the winner of the nomination. I am a white woman 73 years old and although I supported Barack Obama I would have supported Hillary if she received the nomination. They both have similar plans and I believe this country need change and fast. Well we are almost down to the wire and I have lost respect for Hillary. She is now playing dirty and desperate to win. She is now going back on what all the democrats agreed to when they were penalized in Florida and Michigan. Now she wants to seat the states - okay let's accept that let's seat the states but don't act like Obama is against seating them when the entire party agreed months ago before the primary. She need the votes now to help her so now fly there and talk trash. Hillary we can give up all you want but with those states you are still losing, Why not unite the party and stop dragging this party down. Oh yes we understand you have a lot of supporters well so does Barack Obama and we love this country enough to still vote for Hillary and not McCain because that would be out right Stupid but to say all Hillary supporters will not back Obama is a campaign of negativity and fear. Let's get on the same track for the best interest of the USA.
OBAMA 08'
Posted By: mkgubbon @ 05/18/2008 9:15:15 PM
Comment: The question that should be asked is: "Does the American public want the media to elect their next President?" The world is shocked and amazed at how the media in the United States has treated a Presendential candidate for The United States of America. The democratic process of electing a President has been thrown to the wind and equal coverage has not been given to Hillary Clinton. The media has already elected THEIR canidate and vowing to the American public true and just coverage reporting, which should be unbiased has left a bad taste in the mouths of the American public. The media did not give accurate or just coverage of West Virginia. They did not ask why Obama did not even try in WV and why he is in Iowa and totally neglecting Oregon and Kentucky. Obviously those states do not matter. How may Americans do not matter to Obama? A revolution is in the forecast, if Americans cannot get fair and just coverage of a candidate without being "influenced" by the media, then as in history past, do Americans need to go "underground"? This is a perfect time to protest and as in history past, get the truth out with "underground" newspapers. Just like the civil war, the slaves, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King the truth will set us free! Just when is it just and fair to watch a 20 minute speech given by an endorsee and cutting off Hillary Clintons' over 2-1 win WV? To have a discussion on the issues facing the candidates and only have Obama supporters represented has sunk the media to a new low. Ask any American, and they will tell you they are not tired of this race for the democratic party going on, they are tired of the media being biased and unjust in not only their portrayal of President candidate Hillary Clinton, but they are tired of not having a voice, a chance to vote, yes, all votes counted, and they are tired of hearing that this race is over when in reality it is definitely not over! Let America be heard, every vote counts, every state counts, and thank God Hillary has the guts and determination to go forth and make this nation once again the Democratic process, the Democratic freedom that so many have fought for. All the way to the convention floor-we will be heard, we will vote, we will have a say on who are next President is, we are Americans!
M.Gubbons speaks out for America!