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Obama/Clinton Hug It Out Behind Closed Doors
With nothing but a couple glasses of water and two plush chairs to sit in, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sat privately for an hour last night in Sen. Dianne Feinstein's living room trying to come to grips with their historic and contentious 17-month battle for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"They just wanted the opportunity to meet together alone. This is a deeply personal time, too. You're sorting out your feelings. Hillary's going to be giving a big speech tomorrow, Barack is trying to put things together for a major presidential campaign. So there are a lot of decompression, nerve-endings, all these things that need to kind of come together, and I think the opportunity to sit down, just the two of them, was positive," Feinstein (D-Calif.), who hosted the meeting at her "Willow Oaks" Spring Valley estate, recounted for reporters in the Capitol this morning. (Click here for audio.)
Sadly, for history's sake, Feinstein did not attend the meeting, nor did staff for either senator, so only Sens. Clinton (N.Y.) and Obama (Ill.) themselves know precisely what was said.
The secretive meeting came about after Feinstein, a Clinton backer, offered Clinton her home earlier this week if she wanted to finally sit down face-to-face with Obama, who had said for several weeks that he would meet Clinton "anytime, anywhere" she chose.
Late yesterday afternoon Clinton, who will formally drop out of the race tomorrow at a rally here in Washington Saturday, decided the time was right.
[Credit: Paul Kane, Washington Post]
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Maybe it was just an opportunity to smooth over any rough spots. Maybe it was a sign of respect from both individuals to the other. Whatever the case may be, talk of the VP spot surely came up and, with John Edwards withdrawing his name yet again, I'm beginning to suspect these two on the Democratic ticket.
Any thoughts? With nothing but a couple glasses of water and two plush chairs to sit in, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sat privately for a... more -
Barack Obama's Victory Speech on June 3, 2008
"On the evening he wins the Democratic Party's nomination for president, Barack Obama speaks from St. Paul, Minnesota."
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Obama's victory speech in Minnesota
Sen. Barack Obama thanks his supporters during a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota after he secured enough delegates to be declared the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Sen. Barack Obama thanks his supporters during a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota after he secured enough delegates to be declare... more
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AP: Obama Clinches Nomination
Barack Obama effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday after a grueling marathon, based on an Associated Press tally of convention delegates, becoming the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a fall campaign for the White House.
Campaigning on an insistent call for change, Obama outlasted former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in a historic race that sparked record turnout in primary after primary, yet exposed deep racial and gender divisions within the party.
The tally was based on public declarations from delegates as well as from another 15 who have confirmed their intentions to the AP. It also included 11 delegates Obama was guaranteed as long as he gained 30 percent of the vote in South Dakota and Montana later in the day. It takes 2,118 delegates to clinch the nomination.
The 46-year-old first-term senator will face John McCain in the fall campaign to become the 44th president. The Arizona senator campaigned in Memphis during the day, and had no immediate reaction to Obama's victory.
[Credit: David Espo & Stephen Ohlemacher]
Barack Obama effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday after a grueling marathon, based on an Associated Pre... more -
Obama Nearing Win; Clinton Close to Defeat
Barack Obama pushed close to victory in the marathon Democratic presidential race Monday on the eve of a final pair of primaries amid signs that Hillary Rodham Clinton was preparing to acknowledge defeat.
Said a confident-sounding Obama: "I told her that once the dust settled I'm looking forward to meeting with her at a time and place of her choosing." That was from a conversation the two rivals had on Sunday night. He did not describe her response.
He also said he would begin thinking about a vice presidential running mate "the day after I have gotten that last delegate needed to officially claim the nomination."
The former first lady gave no public hint of quitting the race, and she has said repeatedly she might continue her candidacy even beyond the end of the primaries.
But her husband, former President Clinton, strongly suggested otherwise. "This may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind," he said as he worked for his wife in South Dakota.
Obama, bidding to become the first black major party nominee in history, was 41.5 delegates shy of the 2,118, needed to clinch the nomination at the party's convention in Denver, according to The Associated Press count. He gained 5.5 delegates during the day Monday, including Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, a member of the House leadership who scheduled a formal announcement for Tuesday.
[Credit: David Espo, AP; Photo: Steve Rhodes] Barack Obama pushed close to victory in the marathon Democratic presidential race Monday on the eve of a final pair of primaries amid ... more -
Gallup: Obama polls ahead of McCain
Democrat Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain 49%-44% among "likely" voters, the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows. A month ago, McCain had a 48%-47% advantage.
Obama's advantage narrows slightly among registered voters, to 47%-44%.
The results come from a national survey done over the weekend of 1,012 adults.
[Credit: Mark Memmott & Jill Lawrence] Democrat Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain 49%-44% among "likely" voters, the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows. A month ago,... more -
After Puerto Rico, Obama Closer To Nomination
Hillary Rodham Clinton won most of the delegates in Puerto Rico's primary Sunday, but Barack Obama crept closer to clinching the Democratic nomination for president.
Clinton won at least 28 delegates, according to an Associated Press analysis of early returns. Obama won at least 14, with 13 still to be allocated.
Obama has a total of 2,068 delegates, leaving him 50 shy of the number needed to clinch the nomination, with two primaries remaining. Clinton has 1905.5, according to the latest tally by the AP.
Obama also picked up two superdelegates Sunday, which means he has made up most of the ground he lost Saturday when the national party's rules committee voted to reinstate delegates from Michigan and Florida. The delegates had been stripped because the two stated violated party rules by holding primaries before Feb. 5.
There are a total of 31 delegates at stake in Tuesday's contests in Montana and South Dakota. If Clinton and Obama split them, Obama would need to pick up 30 or so superdelegates to secure the nomination.
There are about 200 superdelegates left to be claimed.
[Credit: Stephen Ohlemacher, AP] Hillary Rodham Clinton won most of the delegates in Puerto Rico's primary Sunday, but Barack Obama crept closer to clinching the Democ... more -
Officials say Fla., Mich. delegates will get half-votes
Democratic party officials said a committee agreed Saturday on a compromise to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes after Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton failed to get enough support to force their positions through.
The deal was reached after committee members met privately for more than three hours, trying to hammer out a deal, and announced in a raucous hearing that reflected deep divisions within the party. The sticking point was Michigan, where Obama's name was not on the ballot.
Clinton's camp insisted Obama shouldn't get any pledged delegates in Michigan since he chose not to put his name on the ballot, and she should get 73 pledged delegates with 55 uncommitted. Obama's team insisted the only fair solution was to split the pledged delegates in half between the two campaigns, with 64 each.
The committee agreed on a compromise offered by the Michigan Democratic Party that would split the difference, allowing Clinton to take 69 delegates and Obama 59. Each delegate would get half a vote at the convention in Denver this summer, according to the deal.
They also agreed to seat the Florida delegation based on the outcome of the January primary, with 105 pledged delegates for Clinton and 67 for Obama, but with each delegate getting half a vote as a penalty.
The resolution increased the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination to 2,118, leaving Obama 66 delegates short but still within striking distance after the three final primaries are held in the next three days.
Obama picked up a total of 32 delegates in Michigan, including superdelegates who have already committed, and 36 in Florida. Clinton picked up 38 in Michigan, including superdelegates, and 56.5 in Florida.
Obama's total increased to 2,052, and Clinton had 1,877.5.
[Credit: Nedra Pickler & Beth Fouhy, AP] Democratic party officials said a committee agreed Saturday on a compromise to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes aft... more -
Democrats try to settle Florida and Michigan dispute
The Democratic Party searched for a compromise over disputed convention delegates from Florida and Michigan on Saturday at a raucous meeting marked by pleas for party unity and warnings about the consequences in November's presidential election.
In a room packed with vocal supporters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the party's rules committee waded into the furor over the decision to bar the two delegations from the August presidential nominating convention. Clinton has made the dispute a rallying cry for her campaign.
"We need to come together and unite this party," Howard Dean, the party chairman, said as the meeting opened. "Part of that healing will begin today with a very spirited discussion, I'm sure, about Michigan and Florida."
Clinton faces an uphill battle in the 30-member panel to win her demand that the delegations be seated at the convention with full voting rights based on the contest results. Obama supports alternatives that would seat half of the delegates in Florida, and split the Michigan delegates evenly.
Votes on the proposals were expected later in the day.
Clinton signed a pledge along with the other candidates not to campaign in either state and Obama took his name off the Michigan ballot. Since winning both contests, Clinton has pressed for the results to be recognized.
[Credit: John Whitesides, Reuters; Photo: ABC News] The Democratic Party searched for a compromise over disputed convention delegates from Florida and Michigan on Saturday at a raucous m... more -
Obama, Clinton camps seek end to delegate dispute
Supporters for Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton staked out competing positions Saturday as Democrats searched for a compromise to seat disputed convention delegations from Florida and Michigan and clear the way for a smooth end to the marathon struggle for the presidential nomination.
In the opening hours of a daylong meeting of the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee, Clinton's designated spokeswoman urged the panel to grant a full vote for each of Florida's 211 disputed delegates.
"In life you don't get everything you want. I want it all," Florida state Sen. Arthenia Joyner said with a smile.
But moments later, Obama's campaign called for half-votes for each of the 211. Rep. Robert Wexler of Florida said that marked an "extraordinary concession, in order to promote reconciliation with Florida's voters."
Obama supporters cheered loudly when he spoke, but there were boos from some in the audience who back Clinton.
The challenge is to "come together at the end of the day and be united," Howard Dean, the party chairman, told members of the committee gathered at a hotel across town from the White House.
Obama is a mere 42 delegates short of the 2,026 needed to clinch the nomination, in the Associated Press tally, and appears on track to wrap up the party prize in the coming days. He intends to signal the beginning of his general election campaign next Tuesday by holding a rally in the arena in St. Paul, Minn., where Republicans are staging their convention this summer.
[Credit: Nedra Pickler, AP; Photo: ABC News Supporters for Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton staked out competing positions Saturday as Democrats searched for a compromise ... more -
DNC: Fla., Mich. Can't Be Fully Restored
A Democratic Party rules committee has the authority to seat some delegates from Michigan and Florida but not fully restore the two states as Hillary Rodham Clinton wants, according to party lawyers.
Democratic National Committee rules require that the two states lose at least half of their convention delegates for holding elections too early, the party's legal experts wrote in a 38-page memo.
The memo was sent late Tuesday to the 30 members of the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee, which plans to meet Saturday at a Washington hotel. The committee is considering ways to include the two important general election battlegrounds at the nominating convention in August, and the staff analysis says seating half the delegates is "as far as it legally can" go.
The DNC analysis does not make recommendations for how the Rules and Bylaws Committee should vote, but gives context from the party's charter and bylaws for the committee to consider.
It underscores a prickly problem: If the Rules and Bylaws Committee decides to restore any of the states' delegates, there is not a simple way to divide them between Clinton and Barack Obama.
Clinton won the majority of the vote in Florida and Michigan and has been arguing that the delegates should be fully restored according to the results of the January primaries. But even if they were, it would not be enough for her to overtake Obama's delegate lead.
The DNC staff analysis argues that the Rules and Bylaws Committee was fully within its rights to strip all 368 delegates from the two states when they scheduled primaries in January. Party rules said their nominating contests could be no earlier than Feb. 5. Michigan voted on Jan. 15, Florida on Jan. 29.
[Credit: Nedra Pickler, AP; Photo: AP] A Democratic Party rules committee has the authority to seat some delegates from Michigan and Florida but not fully restore the two st... more -
Obama claims delegate lead
In a surprise twist after a chaotic Super Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) passed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in network tallies of the number of delegates the candidates racked up last night. In a surprise twist after a chaotic Super Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) passed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in network t... more
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Virtual Democracy Presents: Suzanne Elder
Virtual Democracy Presents: Suzanne Elder, candidate for the Illinois State Senate from the 7th District. Watch her walk through the area and hear her opinions on the issues. Then VOTE for her!
Virtual Democracy Presents: Suzanne Elder, candidate for the Illinois State Senate from the 7th District. Watch her walk through the a... more -
California Draft Gore Hits ActBlue Hot Pages
California is gathering signatures to put Al Gore on the state primary ballot, but we are now asking for donations to ensure we meet our deadline in this very large state. Hundreds of people have been contributing in the last couple days which has put us at #2 on ActBlue Today's Hot Page list. All states can help in this historic movement by donating even if you can't help with collecting signatures. Thanks and please pass it on! California is gathering signatures to put Al Gore on the state primary ballot, but we are now asking for donations to ensure we meet o... more
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I like his plan.
Dennis Kucinich
"The first act in office is going to be to cancel NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] and withdraw from the WTO [World Trade Organization]."
What, did he steal this from my playbook? Dennis Kucinich ... more -
Colbert to run as a Dem; says GOP too costly
Stephen Colbert's presidential campaign is apparently no joke.
The host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" will file papers late Wednesday or early Thursday to put his name on South Carolina's Democratic primary ballot
The South Carolina native will not file papers as a Republican because the $35,000 required to get on the GOP ballot is apparently too high a threshold.
"They priced us out of range," a source told CNN.
The South Carolina Democratic Party only demands that a candidate pay $2,500 or garner 3,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Stephen Colbert's presidential campaign is apparently no joke. ... more -
Al Gore... Trick or Treat ???
Gore O'Lantern, quote and photos by Roy Gayhart of San Diego.
"This is where my mind has been while carving the pumpkin for my 4 year old." He kept asking, Why arent we putting a face on it?
Gore O'Lantern, quote and photos by Roy Gayhart of San Diego. ... more -
Wherefore Al Gore
Follows the progress of a campaign in Western Massachusetts to place Al Gore on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary. This is an interesting effort, thoroughly grass-roots, being undertaken by some 230 similar groups around the country. With Gore having just won the Nobel Peace Prize, an Oscar earlier in the year, huge international recognition and unencumbered by the negatives attached to the front-runners in the Democratic field, Gore supporters think he represents the best chance for the Democratic Party to capture the White House in 2008. Follows the progress of a campaign in Western Massachusetts to place Al Gore on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary. This is ... more
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Me and Al
OK. Take one look at my photo.
Need I say more ?
To whom it may concern.
Please feel free to copy/use/print/share this photo.
You have my full permission.
Enjoy !
BK
OK. Take one look at my photo. Need I say more ? To whom it may concern. Please feel free to copy/use/print/share this photo. ... more -
Run Al, Run
This is a very catch tune on getting AL Gore to run for President.
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Democratic Nominee 2008
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Democratic Nominee 2008
