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

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

On to crush McCain!! Go Obama!

[chefrasta]

After a long and sometimes bitter campaign the end is almost here. I know Sen.Clinto­ns supporters will say that it was stolen from them but take a deep breath exhale and now think it was Clinton who at the beginning had the most money, more endorsements ,the media proclaiming inevitability and universal name recognition and in the end you lost fair and square.You got out raise by the people,the people voted for Obama and it was the people who said enough with the politics of division. Now it is time to come together for the good of our Country.

[suntzu]

Please explain in what possible sense the nomination was stolen from Clinton. If you are referring to Michigan and Florida, Clinton knew beforehand that the primaries in those two states would not count. If by "stolen" you mean Hillary can make up the rules as she goes along, then yes, the nomination was stolen.

Vince Lomardi, the winner of the first two SuperBowls once said of a game whose outcome went against him: "We did not lose that game, we just ran out of time."

The same thing can be said for Hillary. She did not lose the battle for the nomination, she just ran out of time.

[flydoghead]

and states
and voters
and money

[nick1936]

It also appears when this is over Hillary will end up winning the popular vote a milestone that Obama supporters have been pushing. It would be a shame if the party of Gore who won the most votes against Bush but lost the Presidency would deny the voters their choise

[mochaa924]

She only wins the popular vote if ou count michigan and florida and it would be against party rules to do that.

[Hajji]

Uhm...yeah­...IF you count ALL her votes in FL and Mich and count Obama as having "0" there...oh­, and IF you refuse to count the 4 "caucus" states that don't report total vote tallies...

THEN maybe, just MAYBE the Hildebeast has more popular votes... And the monkeys flying out of my ASS say so!

[rsg5354]

UUUMMMMMM not Sen. Obama will have the popular vote not Hillary, fantasy time is over. She ran a hard campaign but it's truly OVER.

[ayc]

What popular vote count are you referencing? All I have seen, that count caucuses and not Michigan, as Obama's name was not even on the ballot, have Senator Obama ahead.

[1PALady]

Only if you count MI and FL which if you play by the rules, you cannot.

[Amerigucci]

According to Bill Schneider on CNN today, even if you you included Michigan and Florida, she still wouldn't win the popular vote.

She is, however, also including Puerto Rico in her count of the popular vote, in spite of the fact that Puerto Rico, as a commonwealth, can't vote in the general election.

[Testtubebaby]

This sh*t needs to end tomorrow! At least fifty superdelegates should roll out. The other seventy five can roll out June 3rd. At least send her a signal it's so over.

[Kalima]

Great news and deservedly so. Sen. Byrd from WV is icing on the cake, I had to laugh.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Timing is everything.

[Kalima]

Well played I would say. I hope that people will get the irony of it.

[nacilbuper]

aint't that the truth.

[Amerigucci]

I know. Me, too.

It just goes to show how sexist Byrd is, he prefers an African-American over a woman.

[nazirmo]

Let is get real. United Democrats can beat the Republican McCauin.
Hillary Clinton has shown the energy levels that are worthy of appreciation. The passion with which she has marched on inspite of the all the odds against her is incredible. It is a sign not of weakness or desparation but a sign of courage and strength. I really feel strongly that the only way the Democrats can take control of the White House is through a dream team inspite of all the critics and political pundits and politicians who do not favour it. I think that a dream team will bring together the best of both - Obama has won many states but Hillary has won key states that are important to any win in a general election. Wheras Obama has brought almost all of the African American voters to support him , Hillary has other supporters. When the game is over the DNC has a whole and not some politicians who despise Hillary and the Hillary supporters should put immense pressure on Obama and Hillary to form a dream ticket. If Obama wins then Hillary should be the V.P and she should accept it for her supporters sake and if Hillary wins then Obama should be on the ticket with her.

[Testtubebaby]

She's not going to win. And that's why this delusional mess should be stopped. The longer the superdelegates let her supporters hold on to hope the worse it gets. As far as her being VP, hell I know I don't want her on the ticket but who knows. *shrug*

[ayc]

As you stated, let us get real.

[IntelligentDesign]

Operation Chaos has been scrubbed, return to base for further instruction - that is all.

[bobsmith]

Hilarious!

[omaro]

Neither of them has won any "states." They have each won Democratic primaries or caucuses. These are in no way comparable to "winning a state" in a general election. This eliding of primaries with potential general election wins has been the dishonest foundation of the Clinton campaign's argument for why she is "more electable" and is also echoed back and forth by the various talking heads and pundits, with hardly anyone ever pointing out the total illogic in comparing the one with the other. Also, Clinton would be in a much better position to be considered for the vice-presidential slot if she had not made so many arguments along the way that were favorable to McCain and harmful to Obama.

[Cyndee1113]

nazirmo,

Will you guys please get off that. Obama will do fine in the GE. For one thing Hillary will not be in the picture and Obama will do fine. He knows what he is doing so please give it a break and tell Hillary to go home to get some R&R, she is old if she did not realize it.

[jupitor]

It is beyond my ability to believe Senator byrd of W. Virginia came out for Ovama. A man that was steep in racism as it would be in the past. It's good to see a man like this come out of the cloud that seems to cover his state in years of racism. And while we are at it, I will say that if they will attack obama's wife, I will say Cindy mccain becomes open season and he republicans will be sorry. Considering Cindy Mccain has a drug problem, Her husband has verbally abused her by calleing her a trolip and a cu@t! Abuse is Abuse! Verbal or physical and mccain has a terrible temper problem thats been aimed at his wife, who did nothing to stand up for herself, and who no one would ever want for First Lady . gotch Ya Mccain! Back of Michelle obama or you cindy becomes fair games, as does the way you got her out of stealing percription pads to write her own perscription from Dr. on her charity programs, and forged their names. Oh, sorry weren't suppose to remember that your money and name kept your wife out of jail, were we.

[nick1936]

Also the number 2029 may go up after may 31st depending on how many delegates are seated from Florida and michigan

[rsg5354]

The number will remain the same even with the FL and Mi delegates 2026. It doesn't matter Hillary won't get of all those delegates either.

[kilv]

From now until the end of June, Clinton will have to win ALL contests AND Superdelegates at a 74% ratio to barely beat Obama (I calculate by 2 delegates)­... Without winning three of every four votes tomorrow..­. Well the odds just keep getting longer.

[nick1936]

Neither one has the numbers so why is the MSM always pushing Obama In order for either one of them to get the nod it will have to be by the PARTY HACKS otherwise known as super delegates

[Vincero]

forget the hacks then.

lets just go with who has won the most from voters.

guess who that is?

OBAMA!....

[IntelligentDesign]

Operation Chaos is a failure; try your hand at an act of treason that doesn't require the skill level that election tampering does, you'll feel better about yourself.

[bwither]

Yes We Can! Yes We Can!

It's time to heal our wounds, come together around our candidate and his VP, and kick the crap out of the Republican sacrificial Lamb.

It's time to return the nation to its roots in liberalism, with respect for the laws of the Constitution and the people who make up- and are served by- our government.

[Binx101]

Very respectfully -Just a thought.

Your use of the term sacrificial lamb is a metaphor of course ... but in truth - a sacrificial lamb is something that is honored. It is sacrificed because it is of great value - it is offered to the God's or God or whatever one cares to call their Deity in earnest as a gift. Something that deprives the those giving the gift of its value - lest it would not be a sacrifice at all.

John McCain is NOT a sacrificial lamb.

John McCain is NOT being offered up by anyone because of any abundance of respect. He took the lead because the others bailed, knowing what was to come, with a though of running again in 4 years.

I respectfully submit that you were reaching for word 'STOOGE'.

John McCain is the Republican STOOGE.

The other potential choice they had is the eager and willing dangerous disgrace - Mike Huckabee. Who may very well end up being McCain's running mate because of his blind ambition and fundamentalist belief in the land of Faerie. The mystical place where Jesus is pasty White guy and not a Middle Eastern looking Semite as history depicts.

Yes - John McCain is the STOOGE.

To call him a sacrificial lamb elevates him to place he does not deserve.

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[CrankyCurmudgeon]

Right you are, Binx. The word goat comes to mind as well.

Cranky

[bwither]

I guess I must append to my previous statement. . .

It's time to kick the crap out the straw man put forth by the republican party.

Yes we can.

[brabra]

SUPERDELEGATES PLEASE PUT AN END TO THIS TOMORROW! DO NOT LET THIS GET TO THE CONVENTION.

[lisakaz2]

And yet HRC threatens him essentially to not declare victory. Guess she wants to dare him to do something she can pounce upon.

I hope the SDs really "dug" (lol) her citation of Rove as her new hero.