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Opinion: Keeping score with the Democrats

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Several media outlets have taken on the unenviable task of trying to track the delegate chase between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race. And the hard-working folks at National Journal’s Hotline have decided to do us the favor of periodically listing the competing figures.

They may vary, but the bottom line is consistent: the Clinton/Obama battle for the magic nominating number -- 2,025 -- couldn’t be much closer. Indeed, three of the tallies pit Clinton ahead, while three others give the edge to Obama.

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Here were the breakdowns, minus the scattered delegates won by candidates who have since ended their candidacies, as of this morning: ...

CNN: Clinton, 1,148; Obama, 1,121.

MSNBC (not including super delegates): Obama, 943; Clinton, 895.

ABC: Clinton, 1,128; Obama, 1,116.

CBS (not reflecting delegates potentially won at Iowa caucuses): Obama, 1,134; Clinton, 1,131.

RealClearPolitics.com: Obama, 1,143; Clinton, 1,138.

Associated Press: Clinton, 1,136; Obama, 1,108.

The only other candidate with more than double-digit delegates is John Edwards; most of the tallies give him 26, ABC’s lists him with 40.

The number 537 will be forever linked to the 2000 presidential election: That’s the margin by which it was determined George Bush carried Florida, and thus won the White House. That Democratic nomination number -- 2,025 -- could similarly become part of political lore.

-- Don Frederick

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