Puerto Rico Primary: Clinton Wins

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hillary Rodham Clinton won a lopsided, but largely symbolic victory Sunday in Puerto Rico's presidential primary, the final act in a weekend of tumult that pushed Barack Obama tantalizingly close to the Democratic presidential nomination.

The former first lady was winning roughly two-thirds of the votes as she continued a strong run through the late primaries.

Before cheering supporters, she predicted she would have more combined votes than her rival when the primaries end Tuesday night, claimed victories in key swing states and said that no contender will command enough delegates to claim the nomination.

"In the final assessment I ask you to consider these questions. Which candidate best represents the will of the people who voted in this historic election?" she said in an appeal to some 200 uncommitted superdelegates who hold the balance of power in the fight for the nomination.

"Which candidate is best able to lead us to victory in November and which candidate is best able to lead our nation as our president in the face of unprecedented challenges at home and abroad?"

Obama and his aides projected confidence, and even in defeat, he gained 17 delegates in Puerto Rico, leaving him 47 short of the 2,118 needed to clinch the nomination.

Contrary to Clinton, they predicted he was on track to gain a delegate majority shortly after the primaries in South Dakota and Montana, and questioned her popular vote claim. Her assertion includes estimates for caucuses in Iowa, Nevada, Maine and Washington state, where no official candidate popular vote is available. It also includes the results from Florida, where no campaigning occurred, as well as Michigan, where Obama did not receive any votes because his name was not on the ballot.

Campaigning in Mitchell, S.D., the Illinois senator praised the former first lady in terms usually reserved for a vanquished rival.

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"First of all, Senator Clinton is an outstanding public servant, she has worked tirelessly during this campaign ... and she is going to be a great asset when we go into November," he told his audience. "Whatever differences Senator Clinton and I may have, those differences pale in comparison to the other side."

Obama's confidence in the outcome of the historic battle between a woman and a black for the nomination reflected the results of Saturday's meeting of the Democratic Party's rules and bylaws committee. Before an audience that jeered and cheered by turns, the panel voted to seat disputed delegations from Michigan and Florida, but give each delegate only one-half vote rather than the full vote sought by the Clinton campaign.

While the decision narrowed the gap between Clinton and Obama, it also erased the former first lady's last, best chance to change the course of the campaign.

With all precincts reporting, the Puerto Rico vote count showed Clinton with 263,120 votes, or 68 percent, to Obama's 121,458, or 32 percent.

A telephone poll of likely Puerto Rican voters taken in the days leading up to the primary showed an electorate sympathetic to Clinton _ heavily Hispanic, as well as lower income and more than 50 percent female. About one-half also described themselves as conservative.

Nearly three-quarters of all those interviewed said they had a favorable view of Clinton, compared to 53 percent for Obama. One-third said they didn't know enough about Obama to form an impression.

The survey was conducted Tuesday through Saturday for The Associated Press and the television networks by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. It included 1,587 likely voters with a candidate preference; sampling error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Obama had a total of 2,071 delegates in The Associated Press count, including 17 from Puerto Rico. He also gained the support of two superdelegates during the day.

Clinton has 1915.5, including 38 from Puerto Rico.

There are 31 delegates combined at stake in Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday, and Obama's high command sounded confident that enough superdelegates were poised to quickly climb on and deliver him the nomination.

There have been numerous statements by party leaders in recent days indicating they favor a quick end to the presidential race so the party can begin unifying for the fall race against John McCain, the Arizona senator who wrapped up the Republican nomination months ago.

And while Clinton's campaign said it reserved the right to challenge the decision concerning Michigan's delegates, Speaker Nancy Pelosi rushed out a statement Saturday night that congratulated the committee "for its good work."

The California Democrat has been neutral in the race, but also has been calling uncommitted lawmakers in recent days, urging them to issue their own endorsements soon after Tuesday.

Robert Gibbs, a senior aide, did not rule out the possibility that Obama will seat the Michigan and Florida delegations at full strength if he is the nominee.

"I think any nominee may make some decisions at some point regarding those delegations," he said on ABC's "This Week."

Clinton's campaign chairman, Terry McAuliffe, appearing on the same program, declined to say what Clinton would do. "We'll see where we are when we finish up Tuesday," he said. "Then superdelegates will begin to move."

He, as well as Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson, said the former first lady had won more votes that Obama in the course of the primary campaign _ an argument she placed in a new television advertisement in South Dakota and Montana, and one she makes to undecided superdelegates.

Gibbs disputed that _ and Clinton's claim includes estimates for caucuses in Iowa, Nevada, Maine and Washington state, where no official candidate popular vote is available. It also includes the results from Florida, where no campaigning occurred, as well as Michigan, where Obama did not receive any votes because his name was not on the ballot.

Clinton's campaign objected to the rules committee decision on Michigan's delegates, saying it had arbitrarily taken four delegates away from the former first lady and awarded them to Obama. As a result, officials said she may seek a decision on the issue by the convention credentials committee, which meets shortly before the convention opens in Denver.

Harold Ickes, a top adviser to Clinton, said on NBC's "Meet The Press" no decision had yet been made.

"I have not had a chance to talk with Senator Clinton at any length about it, and obviously this will be a big decision. But her rights are reserved," he said.

But one of her strongest supporters, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, sounded uninterested in a further challenge.

"I don't think we're going to fight this at the convention, because even were we to win it, unless it's going to change enough delegates for Senator Clinton to win the nomination, then it would be a fight that would have no purpose," Rendell said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

___

Associated Press writer Danica Coto contributed to this report. AP Special Correspondent David Espo reported from Washington.

Comments

[iPolitics]

Hillary joins a long line of primary candidates who lost and were forgotten.

[Mchris1947]

"Hillary joins a long line of primary candidates who lost and were forgotten.­" iPolitics

That's where you're wrong. Hillary will be remembered for this campaign more than anything else she will accomplish in her entire life. It will overshadow everything she has ever done.

[RThM]

Yes. Her campaign will become a classic study in political science on how a sure-bet candidate defeated herself.

[editorjuno]

Yes, it will overshadow whatever little good she's accomplished (she's been a rather mediocre Senator by almost as measure) with the stinking toxic cloud of her ruthless ambition.

[Anonani]

I listened to HRC victory speech today. I did not hear any hint of concession. I believe that she will fight the good fight at the convention. I hope that I am wrong.

[OnTheOtherBeach]

"Good" fight. Bwahahahah­ahahahahah­aha! that's hysterical­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!

As is Billary.

[edwarvir]

Anonani, HRC is nuts, she might do anything.

[x88justy]

Hillary just mentioned the word "Obama" to her roomful of supporters in Puerto Rico, touching off a brief but almost unanimous angry boo, even as they voted him down handily by a supermajority vote. Though the moment of the boo was very joyful for those in this room in San Juan, I realized I am totally out of touch with people who could boo Obama. The "Hillary side" of the party has become more than a counter-movement to Barack Obama. It's become a kind of place I could never feel I belong. How dare there be such a place!

[GrandpaMcCain]

So?

[klondiker]

Just to clear up some lies that are being circulated:


Nobody is saying that popular vote should be the metric. Everyone agrees that delegate count is the metric that should determine the nominee.


HOWEVER, neither Obama nor Clinton have enough pledged delegates. So, it goes to the superdelegates. And, according to the RULES, superdelegates can base their decision on whatever they want.


THEREFORE, when Clinton campaign argues that they are ahead in the popular vote, they use using this argument for the superdelegates (who are free to employ whatever basis for their decision they want).


Don't be fooled: Obama DOES NOT have enough pledged delegates to win. He too will need superdelegates. And, superdelegates can use whatever they want to decide.

[jean22]

Hillary is a LIAR. Any "lies" being circulated are more than likely being circulated by her. People who lie will cheat and steal. And she is finding ways ANY way she can think of to win this election she couldn't care less about the logic or truthfulness of her ways.

[balthus]

You are absolutely correct.

And Hillary still has absolutely no chance.

Time to move on.

[Trinidad707]

Clinton wins with Hispanic because she fights for the little guy, she wins with white blue collar workers fo the same reason. She can and has pulled the Reagan democrats and many independen­ts........­..she wins all the major big statesCa,N­y,NJ,Fl,TX with millions of voters, and she wins most except for Mo of the swing states.(Co­lo and Iowa were caucuses).­.the pledged delegates and super delegates should be looking at the final prize...BE­ATING McCain!!..­.most polls show Hillary doing just that,some by wide margins most except 3 one poll being zogby who came out in support of Obama don't.coun­t on that poll to not be biased!!..­...pledged delegates as well as superdelegates should be looking at Novemer strength and Victory which is the ultimate and log awaited goal. not just the contest between Clinton and Obama....t­o nominate Obama only to lose to McCain...a­nd have another republican administration would be horrible! There are too many unknown things about Obama and too many weaknesses to resolve before November which may or maybe not be successful, where as Clinton has no dirty laundry that hasn't been already scrutinized, and many more strengths and less to vercome by November with a more reliable and probable Win in November

[pacats]

If there was anything out there about Obama, believe me, Hannity would have reported it. It you don't want a McCain for the next four years, pull the lever for Obama in November. But seriously, Just a suggestion, maybe have a conversation with people who work in his campaign office in your city, talk to people who support him in your community, or the next county. This campaign is too seriuos to be driven by possible rumors, or scare tactics. Do you remember 4 years ago , when the republicans said, " if Kerry gets elected, we will be hit again. Well, we were hit again, with four more years of their tricks and distractions. From one total stranger to another, take a chance on this candidate in November. Take 1 week from your busy schedule, volunteer in his campaign office, and see what it feels like to you. Obama is a bi-racial candidate with strong leader skills. He, unlike the other 2 candidates is interested in improving Washington, not keeping it the same.

[Wiseblood]

Peurto Rico is an important swing state! You have to give the nomination to Hillary!

[eurydice]

Corrupt bosses calling themselves "Mayors" run all the towns in Puerto Rico, and determine exactly how voting goes. The Clintons are used to dealing with such corrupt machine politicians.

[ClydeSloppers]

You mean like the Daleys in Chicago ? Oops, that's Barack Obama, sorry!

[samtaylor1]

Have you been to chicago. That city is so clean you could eat off of. It is a shining example of rebuilding the downtown areas, and other inner city areas. You don't know what you are talkig about (even if you now claim to be from chicago)

[RThM]

Again, who cares. Obama's won the delegate race and will be the Democratic nominee.

[loocifer]

Just like Chicago!

[NoSpinTruthZone]

So.. can this same argument be used for Obama's southern victories?

[RThM]

Who cares. Obama's won the delegate race and will be the Democratic nominee.

[research]

Didn't Hillary promise PR statehood?

[RThM]

She muttered something about the Constitution needing to be changed, I think.

[robXdion]

Many people are uninformed or simply refuse to be informed because thinking is too much work. They will only accept what is familiar. Obama can't change their minds or win them over until he's already been in office a while.

[eurydice]

They can't even VOTE in the general election, so they count for NOTHING.

But I bet she adds them to her fictitious popular vote numbers.

[McFlipFlop]

It's official that Obama has won the popular vote.

Hillary is only ahead if given the illegitimate 328,209 free Michigan votes, with Obama getting zero. If you apply the Michigan 'uncommitted' to Obama, like they did with the delegate count, he's still ahead.

Without Michigan, Obama is still ahead, and that's even if you count Florida.

Speak up when you hear any Clinton supporter saying she won the popular vote -- she didn't.

[NoSpinTruthZone]

If they're counting the Michigan delegates, which they are, then they must count the vote.

It's an all or nothing. Sorry it upsets you, but the delegates have been seated disproportionately, and Clinton has to deal with that.
So Obama has to deal with the real vote. The popular vote that he's losing..

[GravitonX]

Can't add these votes to the popular vote total when they can't vote in the General.

[ebanks84]

Hillary is making a gigantic play because she's got the spotlight finally this week. She's making her last stand and says she'll keep fighting. Don't worry people, she's bluffing and showing off because the spotlight is on her and she loves the attention. That's all.

Gosh, I feel so sorry for her. She is desperate and will have a very hard time leaving out of this race with the grace she refuses to have.

[pupbayer]

Very gracious speech. She was very nice and flattering to Obama.

[gotalife]

Hillary. Hillary. Hillary.

What a fighter!

[NoSpinTruthZone]

Most definitely! How many times after she's been 'counted out' has she claimed Major Victories?

Hahaha..

The people are speaking, but are the delegates listening?

[amaraya]

So, basically, Senator Clinton wants the super delegates to consider the votes of Puerto Rico but not Iowa or any other caucus state. Nor does she want them to consider the "uncommitted" votes from Michigan. As someone who voted in Michigan, who was told to check "uncommitted" if I wanted to vote for Senator Obama, I find this type of intellectual dishonesty incredibly irritating.