Obama Set To Reach Delegate Milestone

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama will reach a significant milestone Tuesday as he marches toward the Democratic nomination for president _ a majority of pledged delegates at stake in all the primaries and caucuses.

Obama will still be short of the overall number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, unless he were to suddenly receive an avalanche of endorsements from the party and elected officials known as superdelegates. But the Illinois senator's campaign is touting the delegate milestone as a big step in defeating his rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

"A clear majority of elected delegates will send an unmistakable message _ the people have spoken, and they are ready for change," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe wrote in a memo to supporters Monday.

"As we near victory in one contest, the next challenge is already heating up," Plouffe wrote. "President Bush and Senator McCain have begun coordinating their attacks on Barack Obama in an effort to extend their failed policies for a third term."

Obama picked up the endorsement of Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia Monday, less than a week after Clinton overwhelmingly won the state's primary. Byrd is the longest serving member of the U.S. Senate.

Obama has led in pledged delegates since he won the first caucuses in Iowa on Jan. 3. The two candidates stayed close through Super Tuesday, when Democrats voted in 22 states and American Samoa. Obama won 13 more delegates than Clinton that day _ out of nearly 1,700 at stake.

Obama built an imposing lead the following two weeks, winning 11 straight contests in states such as Louisiana, Maryland, Washington and Virginia. He led by 161 pledged delegates on Feb. 19, after victories in Wisconsin and Hawaii. The lead has been relatively unchanged ever since as the candidates spent the past three months trading victories.

Obama goes into Tuesday's contests with 1,610.5 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. He needs 17 more to reach a majority of the 3,253 pledged delegates available. Clinton has 1,443.5 pledged delegates, according to the latest tally by The Associated Press.

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Clinton's campaign played down the significance of the milestone, accusing Obama of declaring victory without reaching the required number of overall delegates.

"Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted. Declaring 'mission accomplished' does not make it so," Howard Wolfson, Clinton's communications director, said in a memo to supporters.

Obama has a total of 1,915 delegates overall, including endorsements from superdelegates. Clinton has 1,721, according to the latest AP count.

Obama is a little more than 100 delegates short of the 2,026 needed to clinch the nomination. He cannot make up that ground in the Kentucky and Oregon primaries because of the proportional way in which Democrats award delegates. The two states have a total of 103 delegates at stake Tuesday.

But winning a majority of pledged delegates could help his case with undecided superdelegates, who are free to support whomever they choose at the party's national convention in August. Obama argues that superdelegates should support the candidate who wins the most delegates in the primaries and caucuses. Otherwise, he says, they would be overturning the will of the voters.

Obama, who overtook Clinton in superdelegate endorsements a little more than a week ago, picked up six more Monday. Clinton added none.

Clinton argues that superdelegates should exercise independent judgment.

Her campaign is also trying to change the math by getting the delegates seated from the Michigan and Florida primaries. Clinton won both primaries, but the states had been stripped of their delegates for violating party rules by holding their primaries before Feb. 5.

The Democratic National Committee's rules panel is scheduled to address the issue May 31. If any of the delegates are reinstated, it would increase the number needed to clinch the nomination.

Comments

[kilv]

UPDATE: After yesterday now Clinton only needs 81% of all remaining votes and Superdelegates (as opposed to 74% before OR & KY)!

[pupbayer]

I'm pleased to see that huffingtonpost FINALLY realized that Senator Kennedy's situation is a little more important than "Obama's night" as they like to call it. The story on Senator Kennedy should have been the main story ALL day not just this evening. I guess it is just a matter of priorities and Obama's ego doesn't rank up there with the malignant brain tumor of a leader of the Democratic Party and this country. But...that's just me.

[missjabez]

It would be great if this happened. But judging by her past behavior, not very likely.

[Bella Liberty]

Remember that President G.W Bush waged war on Iraq, March 19th 2003. after Iraq war in 2004 American elcetion you all voted for G.W Bush and kicked out John Kerry but today the same people you all are balming to President Bush, also voicing for Iraq war and voting for Obama. If he will be the next President , very near future you all have to blame Obama and you all have to cry for America.
Save super power dignity and White House in time.

[dentuso]

This is a bit of a perverse statement.

We have a Democratic nominee, and a Republican nominee.

61% of the electorate this year are registered Democrats.

100% of McCain supporters are McCain supporters. Similarly, 100% of Obama supporters are Obama supporters.

The only variable party in this is the Clinton supporters. If 100% cast their votes for the Democratic Party nominee, we win.

If they don't, we won't.

The responsibility and credit or blame in November will, in the eyes of history, sit with one group; Clinton's supporters.

To suggest otherwise is unreasonable and disingenous at its core.

[pupbayer]

Making excuses already? This election is for Obama to lose. Coming off the Bush years, ANYBODY out to be able to win! If he doesn't, he has only himself to blame. I know that's not his style...everything is always someone else's fault but with this election, whatever happens is his responsibility.

[SensibleAmerican]

Another Obama-blowing-and-sucking-media "milestone"! The poor fellas are so scared of Hillary taking the overall popular vote lead that they are ready to declare a "nominee" with 48 States! LOL What a buncha ninnies and hypocrites! The same losers who cried foul in 2000 that "all votes should have been counted" now want to short circuit the electoral process!

Hillary has won in States which actually matter in the General. Obama has won caucuses that are a farce and that too in States which are deeply RED! If the Dems had a "winner take all" rule, Hillary would be the nominee by now! But then, the Dems are known to nominate losers! They are desperate to do so again!

[dajay]

Yes, but when he is going to actually secure the nomination with the needed amount of delegates votes.

So he is almost there,but not quite yet, and will even lose big in another state tonight.

How ridiculous

[Mercedes]

Let's just tell the TRUTH:

Most white people in the country don't want Barack Obama as their president because he is not 100% white. No matter how intelligent he is, or worthy of the job, there are those who will refuse to even consider him a candidate just because of his skin color.

And being a brown-skinned Hispanic woman, I can fully relate to this, because over my 41 years on this planet I've been treated by many whites as being Inferior to them, even though I am a pretty smart lady.

Hopefully, the young people and more sensible and intelligent people will realize that between McCain and Obama, Obama is the ONLY wise choice to be president, no matter what his skin color is.

[Mogamboguru]

Skin colour shouldn't matter a damn thing. I mourn you being exposed to malign treatment so often.

But as long as we keep talking about this matter, as long it will be perpetuated. So lwt's stop talking and start acting - acting, like there has never been such a divicive thing as colour, race, or gender. It's time to overcome colour, race, gender, religion, handicap - you name it.

We are all children of one and the same ancestor - HUMANITY. That is all, that should be of interest to everyone.

[Mercedes]

Mogamboguru:

If only the rest of this country could think like you do.

Yes, I know I talk about race a lot, but when I've asked my co-workers and friends who are white and who are not voting for Barack WHY, they can't give me a good answer. They just say, 'well, he's inexperienced', 'he doesn't know how to deal with foreign policy' , 'he is too young', etc... These are some reasons, but NOT GOOD or LOGICAL reasons to not vote for Barack. Even McCain, being as old as he is, is not an expert on foreign policy or everything a president has to know how to do. The job of president calls for someone who is highly intelligent and who can deal in Diplomacy, not make threats like McCain-who I know wants to bomb Iran first, then try to negotiate with them and who wants to basically continue the path of hypocrisy that we've been on with Bush for the last 7+ years.

So the only TRUE reason I can find is that people will not vote for Barack because of his skin color. What a tragedy!

[RussnCA]

Some don't want him because of his lack of experience, particularly in foreign affairs. Also, some don't support him because he supports nuclear power and his lack of support for universal health care. Add to that the Chicago-style campaign he has waged... and his edge is pretty much fresh face, same old politics.

[Mogamboguru]

John F. Kennedy had LESS experience than Obama, when he came to office. Intelligence and smartness cannot be replaced by experience. If it was otherwise, the eligibility of a president shoudn't start before the age of 80. In that light, even John McCain would still be a minor.

On the other hand, age doesn't save his bearer from idiocy - see McCain's last gaffes on Iran.

If it comes down to a choice between Intelligence or age - I'd ALWAYS vote for intelligence.

[Freedomscap]

Well, if those folks don 't support Obama because of the reasons you cited, they don't reason well and it might as well be his race.

Do some reading on presidential history for starters: I would suggest the presidency of FDR, for starters.

Him not supporting universal healthcare is hogwash. You think the biggest proponent of universal healthcare, Kennedy, would be supporting him if that were true.

I don't know about the Chicago-style campaign issue -- elaborate on that issue, please.

[jamjam]

Hillary cannot win. This much is clear.

Will her supporters vote for this man?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c

I don't think people on the Democratic side have honestly seen enough of McCain to know who they are voting for - ironically enough.

As the late, brilliant,and deeply missed Ann Richards said, Bush was born with a "silver foot in his mouth". McCain manages to make Bush look at least relatively articulate and consistent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI

As Bill Maher said, this guy is a warrior who is "dumb about war": he's obviously on the CFR, but so is Obama. McCain rattles on about Iran supplying weapons to Al-Qaeda, and has to be corrected (via a whisper in the ear) by of all people, Joe Lieberman.

Not only that - he is fairly clear on his position with regard to Iraq. More troops. It may be "unpopular' he says, but he will send more troops there if he's elected:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW8IRU1PKwk

He's got his own friendly pastor, a "moral compass" and "spiritual guide" - not Hagee, another guy named Parsley.

Rod Parsley says the US cannot truly fulfill it's "divine purpose" until it understands it's "historical conflict with Islam". Islam is the single most dangerous enemy the US has, according to this guy.

"We were built for the battle! We were created for the conflict!" screams Parsley, "We get off on warfare!"

He makes Reverend Wright look like Ghandi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXZbIGJrDkg

[rmetz74]

Well RButler, since the system won't let me respond to you in the original thread, I'll do so here.
Let's summarize your points, such as they are.

1 - There is no difference in political stature or relevance between Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama.

2 - Comments made by posters on a blog's message board in response to a pundit carry as much weight as comments made by state legislators via national press release in response to a candidate's wife.

3 - This one really deserves to be quoted. "I also recall Obama supporters making ugly remarks about the tragedy of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby. Clean your own house first, rmetz74."

All three of these make the same point - you have chosen to wholly abandon logic and reality in favor of lazy, polarized nonsense.

And to be clear, I don't mean all Hillary supporters, I mean YOU.

That's the difference between us. Not which candidate we support, but that I don't assume a group of people who shares one opinion is therefore an army of like-minded clones. I have the utmost respect for the majority of Hillary supporters - smart, caring people who have simply come to a different conclusion than I have. And I feel for that majority, who read comments from nutbags like you and wish you'd stop associating yourself with them - just as the vast majority of Obama supporters feel when the nutbags among us go off on a tantrum.

[dentuso]

Okay,

I keep being told that I'm supporting Obama because he's not Hillary. Because he's not a woman. I'm being told that my support for the Democratic nominee is a vote against woman.

You're very, very wrong. Just like a vote for Hillary BECAUSE she's a woman is a vote for Obama BECAUSE he's black is a vote for Sanchez for mayor because he's hispanic, is a vote for Herve Villichaez BECAUSE he's a little person is a vote for Larry Bird BECAUSE he's tall is nothing more than justification for others to vote AGAINST people because of these attributes and God-given attributes.

I am supporting Obama because he's our candidate, who happens to pursue precisely the same ideals as the Democratic voters, including Hillary Clinton.

Again, the very second you support someone because of gender is the very second you open up logic for someone not to.

And THAT is discrimination, every bit as dangerous as the idiots who would actually withhold a vote for someone for one of these reasons.

[willygoo46]

Isn't strange how the probably Democtratic nominee got blown away in West Virginia. How about Kentucky - blown away. Oregon - he'll probably barely win. Oh yeah, another racist state that refuses to support Obama. Just like Ohio, just like Pennsylvania. Thankfully, Obama does great in areas with large amounts of Black voters. There he wins 90% of the Black vote. It's not about race!?!?

Barack Obama will win the Democratic nomination and lose in the general election. Thankfull, we democrats will have majorities in both houses of congress.

[eveready]

It is about race. It is about gender. You are correct Obama will lose the GE.

[Freedomscap]

You need to go back and do your homework. If Obama merely did well in states with large black populations, he wouldn't be winning this race. Try some logic.

The only, repeat, only area Obama doesn't do well in is the Appalachian area -- it's regional, not demographic. Thus, it says more about the Appalachian region, not Obama's candidacy.

You need to do deeper research and thing more critically about these issues.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Obama beats Hillary in many states where McCain is currently polling ahead of EITHER.
http://www.electoral-vote.com

All those Obama blow-outs in the rockies, the plains, the south, mean BUPKES in the upcoming Electoral College system.

Obama can't beat McCain with half a party, while talking about unifying the country.

Note that amongst the few six or so states where WHICH Democrat MATTERS, Ohio and Florida top the list. In both, per current polls, Clinton beats McCain, but McCain beats Obama.

Obama can't win without Hillary supporters, and without Ohio and Florida.

Anyone who thinks Obama is only soft on the back lot for Deliverance is soft in the head.

UNITY 08

[fitconnection]

Nice try, but wrong, wee willy. Of the FIFTEEN WHITEST STATES in the USA - Obama has/will win 11. Hillary has/will win 4.

Time to go back to math class.

The great thing about Clinton camp spin is it's so easy to poke holes through. It's like Bush administration spin - completely full of shit.

[Mk26gmls]

Congress is spending money like it grows on trees. I wish every single person in Congress would be replaced this year. Both sides of the aisle are terrible. Can Obama really change this entrenched attitude in Congress?
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080520/D90P99I80.html

[jupitor]

If I read one more time that She won Fl/MI I'm going to do a stand in protest! The lady did not win those states. Matter of fact His name wasn't on the ballet in MI. She also signed a agreement not to seat either state, or campagne in either state! That agreement can be held up in a court of Law! She wants to change the goals to meet her wants/lneeds, as if she's the whole of the D.N.C commetee all herself, and what she says goes! I'm trying to be graciouse to the lady, as Obama wins this thing----------but she sure makes it hard with her behaviors to forget and forgive and get on with it all. We need to pull together! But I heard her in Kentucky last night she keeps harping on seating Fl and MI. She seems to not be able to do the math correctly. While Cnn went after Obama last night as a sure sign he's the nomanee.It will get worse, grant you as time goes on from the Republicans!

[Mogamboguru]

What belongs together, is coming together again:

Clinton's Base Shifting Obama-wards

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/polltracker/2008/05/clintons-base-shifting-obamawa.html

As the Democrats start to coalesce around Barack Obama, those coming over to his side appear to be drawn from some of the key constituencies that supported Hillary Clinton during the campaign, according to Gallup data gathered between May 1-13. As of now, Clinton's support among whites, women and voters with high school degrees or less have dipped just below 50 percent, while her support among Hispanics stands at 51 percent. Among the first three groups, Obama is now statistically even with Clinton; among Hispanics he trails by 7 points. Gallup says that only major demographic group still supporting Clinton by more than the 51 percent she registers with Hispanics are women over 50.

AND:

Obama Breaks Open 16% Point Lead Over Clinton Nationally, biggest lead yet

http://www.gallup.com/poll/107395/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Opens-16Point-Lead-Biggest-Yet.aspx

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup Poll Daily tracking finds Barack Obama with his largest advantage over Hillary Clinton in Democratic voters' nomination preferences thus far, 55% to 39%.

Enjoy - both camps.

[Vantunow]

I was in Reno, Nevada, when the Democrat Delegate Convention was held over the weekend. Delegates their told me that 2 of them switched to Obama's camp after the latest round of voting.

I played poker with bunch of them. One lady had both Obama and Hillary button on. Other guys were all Hillary delegates. They were all guys so they were not probably fanatical Hillary supporters. However, they pretty much said that had the Caucus in Nevada been held couple of weeks after that it was, they would have all gone for Barack. Now they feel bad because they are Hillary delegates and they feel responsibility to Hillary's supporters.

Point being that ofcourse their will be a percentage out their that would not come over to Obama. However, overwhelming majority would.

[NABNYC]

This is about the 14th time now that Obama has pretty much won the nomination, but no one will say so. That's because the Clinton Machine has been out in force in recent weeks threatening, whining, weeping, attacking, coming out with ridiculous reasons why the race isn't over or, even if it is, just give her more time. The real reason for the constant demands for more time is that the Clintons have a major assault planned on the leaders of the democratic party and believe they can force the leaders to choose Hillary regardless of the rules.

For example, everyone knows that Oregon wraps it up, but we've been barraged starting this week-end with Hillary people saying "The media is sexist, don't say the race is over," including Hillary taking out a full-page ad. Why this assault? Why is a Clinton insider going around offering superdelegates $1.0 million for their vote? Does this look like somebody who's getting ready to pack it up? Not a chance.

This will go to the convention. It will be mostly about money (the Clintons will line up every big donor, both Democratic and Republican, and say we will bring to the Democratic party $500 million, for this election, if you choose Hillary). If you choose Obama, you will get nothing.

It will be partly about race (Hillary says white people won't vote for Obama).

But it will be all about ugly, betrayal and corruption, Republican Values.

[Freedomscap]

I agree with you. Hillary isn't going anywhere. However, I think the Obama camp is extremeley brilliant and they know what they are dealing with and they will somehow, close this down.

For me, this is a sure sign that money doesn't always talk.

[CocteausTwin]

And that sign make me feel like there is hope for our country despite the efforts of the uber greedy.

[1PALady]

I agree and I believe if the shoes were on the other feet, Barack would have been forced to get out long time ago. It's hard to believe that the Hillary supporters cannot see the double standard.

[SteveZorro]

"...But it will be all about ugly, betrayal and corruption, Republican Values."

Kinda hard pinning this on "Republican Values" when it's our convention and candidates doing it. That makes it "Democratic Values".

We should be ashamed.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Love the analysis. Can't handle so many Obama supporters throwing Hillary supporters off the love bus.

(Beer at the White Horse? I'll buy.)

[Freedomscap]

Check out portions of Obama's speech in Portland:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGBT8p

[fingolfinjones]

Hey, HIllary Clinton hasn't burst into crocodile tears lately. Do you think that even she sees the writing on the wall?

[HannaB]

Hillary will NEVER see the writing on the wall! She talks like she is calling the shots, she decides the number of popular votes that win, she will split the Florida and Michigan votes to suit her, and she decides the number of pledged delegates it takes to win! She is disregarding the DNC! She is trying to change rules! The only thing she will accomplish is to split the Democratic Party! Several "Women's Groups" have already stated that if she is not the nominee, they will vote for McCain! What kind of loyalty is that???

I hate to sound racist (I am a white woman), but I think she is embarassed by being beat by an African American!

[Obama08Supporter]

I am not racist either, I agree with you 100%!

[1PALady]

HannaB - these women will be sorry once Roe is gone. Some more people that want to vote against their own interests. At some point, you just have to let people do what they will do. I guarantee you, they will be sorry!