US News
Clinton, Obama continue battle for delegates in 'Potomac primary'
Feb 12, 2008, 18:08 GMT
With Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama locked in a tight battle to represent their party in presidential elections, voters across the Washington region went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the latest round of state-by-state nominating contests. EPA/MIKE THEILER
Washington - With Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama locked in a tight battle to represent their party in presidential elections, voters across the Washington region went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the latest round of state-by-state nominating contests.
High turnout was predicted in the so-called Potomac primary - for the river that divides Maryland, Virginia and Washington - as voters in two states and the nation's capital responded to appeals that their choices could influence the national outcome.
'I just decided to vote because of the close race between Obama and Clinton and because Virginia doesn't typically have much of a vote' in choosing the Democratic nominee, said Jennifer Zettler, 38, a first-time primary voter in a Virginia suburb of Washington.
After more than 30 states have cast ballots, Clinton and Obama remain in a virtual tie in delegates to the national nominating convention in August that will officially name the party's candidate for November 4 general elections in a protracted battle that could drag on for several more weeks.
On the Republican side, Senator John McCain has become the clear frontrunner, but former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee remains in the race and could draw conservatives dissatisfied with McCain's moderate image, especially in the states' more rural areas.
In total, 119 Republican and 238 Democratic delegates were at stake in Tuesday's three primaries.
Preference polls showed Obama leading in Virginia and Maryland, with sizable African American populations that have thrown their support behind the black candidate. McCain led Republican opinion polls.
Candidates held campaign events across the states Monday in a last minute push for support and had garnered endorsements from key politicians in all three jurisdictions. Clinton met with students at the University of Virginia and auto workers in Maryland, while Obama drew thousands to massive rallies at the University of Maryland and in Baltimore.
Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty, who like Obama is a young, black leader who has been hailed his appeal across race lines, campaigned hard, handing out Obama stickers and granola bars and shaking hands on election day.
'He's bringing new people to the process, mainly young (people). The government can't do it all, and he is one that thinks outside the box,' Fenty said of his choice for Democratic nominee.
Many voters see the Democratic contest as a choice between Obama's fresh voice and Clinton's years of experience in government.
'It's been 20 years since I was this enthusiastic about voting,' said Joseph Flood, a 42-year-old human rights lawyer, who spent the last four days campaigning for Obama and sees him as the leader of a shift in US politics.
Many voters said they were torn, but ultimately chose to support Clinton, citing her experience as critical in ending the war in Iraq and stabilizing the US economy.
'I wanted someone who'd been in the system and could fight the system on its terms,' said voter Ann Marie Boyer, 42.
COMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Won't matter. Demos will implode in November. The gender/race wars will sink that party of hypocrites.
Are you suggesting the reason why the repugnant repubs have already imploded is because it has become the exclusive party of the toothless, old, poor whiteboy racist trailer trash who's narrow-minded belief in creationism is only defined by how many kids they can breed thru incest?
the Republicans have the finest, gifted, most talented, trailer trash, hillbillies in the country. Every one of them can count to 15 without making any mistakes and they can all draw their name.
Hillary is ready to be President but Obama has experience too! with his
long time pal Tony the Slumlord Rezko who was just indicted on a 26 counts
of extortion, money laundering and fraud! You empty headed Obama supporters with no values are supporting a guy who lied to the world during the South Carolina debate and said he worked with Rezko for just 5 hours. LIE. he has known Rezko in fact for 17 years and has done huge real estate deals with him while taking hundreds of thousands in dirty campaign money too. The thing is, he KNEW Rezko had a reputation for buying politicians and continued to deal with him anyway, ever ask yourself why? or do you just worship Obama blindly like he is some God? like the idiots that voted for Bush did when they ignorantly voted for him? FOOLS. Let's not forget the behind the scenes deals Obama has made with his #2 campaign contributor Exeleon Corp too! don't be surprised when that radioactive waste turns up in your back yard. Exeleon, Obama's best friends, are the largest nuclear waste producer in the world, so much for you environmentalists voting Obama, you ignorant Obama people are clueless, you are being taken for a ride by a slick attorney. Look at his record! check the facts! forget what he is lying to you about, this guy just wants to be President, he doesn't care about you. Hillary would never do what Obama does, vote for Hillary is you want real change and someone we can count on to do the right thing. Obama says some people will say anything to get elected? well let's see, he in fact did do drugs, did take money from criminals he was actually doing business with, is involved with the polluting nuclear power brokers, say anything? no we are just telling the truth, the truth he is hiding from his blind supporters.
Obama is the real thing.
When was the last time a politician's words were made into a popular American song and then to see it downloaded 10,000,000 times in a week across the Web?
Obama is bringing real hope to the country. The changes he will bring will be a result of his ability to get people to take action as they're doing now for his campaign.
I believe in this candidate and after nearly 30 years of a Bush or Clinton in the White House we will finally have a candidate we all WANT to believe in.
And yes, America is sick and tired of Lewinsky, the Rose Law Firm, Whitewater, Vince Foster, Travelgate, or cattle futures.
The real question is the potential for Clinton to steal the campaign with vote-rigging as seen here on YouTube testimony to congress:
youtube.com/watch?v=JEzY2tnwExs
(click this link or copy and paste to view)
They say that Clinton cannot win caucuses, just where voting machines are involved. hmmmm.....
Yesiree.
The only thing that matches the cynicism and Machiavellian nature of the
plan to put team Billary back in the white house (or is it HillBilly now?)
was Karl Rove’s plan to install Dubya. However, standing near a the leader
doesn’t prove you can lead. And, unfortunately if you inherit the
infrastructure of the dear leader, it’s hard for the people to evaluate
what’s you and what’s the machine. Hillary could easily be as big a failure
as Dubya who’s path to the presidency she would have more in common with
than Bill’s. She might have the judgment necessary to be in command hidden
in there but it’s impossible to measure — she hasn’t stood on her own for
many decades. Thinking the machine can be president is the same flawed view
that allowed Dubya to slip in.
Personal judgment is what counts - you can’t ride coat tails to command. You either have it in yourself or you don’t. Clinton hasn’t shown it. Obama has. McCain has.
It’s either Obama08 or it’s McCain08 then Obama12.
''Obama has. McCain has.'' Neither have shown it. They have been put on display by their respective parties like shiny new trophies. They have earned nothing because they've been too busy trying to shine for their parties. Barack has been shining the most. McCain can't shine; he's too tarnished.
Just wait till till elections are over and if the wonder boy gets in they all have skeletons in their closets can't wait to see what creeps out of his.I have't seen a politian yet that didn't have something to hide,Just wait till the shining star wears off.
You are full of crap. McCain actually HAS as resume' so don't include him in your biased appraisal with Obama.
McCain has actually really done some things. Granted, as a conservative, some of them really grate me, but sitting on his ass is not one of them.
Try using logic along with good judgement in you prose.
SP4,
I agree that McCain's resume is longer. However, if you understood leadership at all, you would understand natural leadership capabilities when you see them. If you can't see that ability in Obama you're blind.
I'm comfortable with either McCain or Obama at the helm (and a couple of others who have dropped out) but beyond that, I'd prefer Obama's ability to change course. Brand America has been very seriously tarnished by our last coattails camper in the White House -- Obama is the best man to bring us back on course.
That means rationally extricating us from Iraq, for example. Someone like HRC will have a lot of trouble with that since she can't seem to work with republicans except as political foils. Obama has shown the ability to bring both sides of an issue to the table. I know, you probably want an example. Look up the story about working to get police interpretations video taped in Illinois -- of course the police were against it but, by working as a bridge, he brought them aboard. They supported the final legislation.
MJ
regarding: 'You are full of crap.'
Everyone is full of crap except you, right?
regarding: 'Try using logic along with good judgement in you prose.'
Try it on yourself first, tool. You could also go back to school and learn to spell.
How is the surge, SPfool, is is still working?
4 more years of bush ..
You guys ,please try to steer away from reducing such an important issue as your elections from defining your candidates in terms of character attributes only .Programs are more important but a littlre bit more complex to evaluate .But then again,democracy has to be merited,it takes a bit of interst in matters such as health care,education,global warming ,diplomacy,etc,etc.Those candidate which keep silent on these matters do do because they think it is irrelevant,but is it realy?
a fraud; in his personal life and in his political life. He'll make a great president.
..how little the issues really matter?
We have some kind of sage telling us about the natural leadership of Obama as if he'd EVER had any executive experience whatsoever, while McCain has bucked some of the hardest legislation through congress in history, taking real heat from his own party, while holding the defense dept. and other agencies responsible for their actions 24/7.
So now, the liberal intelligista above seem tot hink he's some kind of hillbilly, while actually is a real, self made man.
Now, the chances are your libnazi superapparatichicks are going to deal out someone, who was legitimatley picked. I can't wait.
Tonny, I think the only people who these issues are tooooo complex for are right above this post.
page: 1
x32792Feb 12th, 2008 - 18:45:38
Define the word 'tight'...
Does they mean a 2 to 1 margin?
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