Hillary Clinton still counting; Barack Obama still leading

On the same morning Hillary Clinton's campaign e-mailed around to the press corps a link to a column that argues she may be leading in the total popular vote, Barack Obama scored four more superdelegates -- two from California (currently the land of fire and rain), one of them yet another Clinton defector.

The vote-count argument goes down the well-traveled trail of who do you count, and where, pointing out that if all the ballots cast in all the primaries -- including Michigan and Florida -- are counted, then she ekes out 71,000-vote lead with Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota still to vote. The general sense is Clinton will carry Puerto Rico, with Montana and South Dakota harder to read.

But the only way Clinton gets the votes-cast lead is to include those in Michigan and Florida (as well as estimates from the caucus states). Of course, the count that matters under the Democratic Party rules is the delegates. And Obama inched ever closer today with two California SuperDs -- Reps. Jim Costa of Fresno and Dennis Cardoza of Atwater -- and two former John Edwards superdelegates from New Hampshire.

Cardoza had been in the Clinton camp, and his flip seems to have more to do with wanting to jump on a stronger horse (or leave a sinking ship) than based on policy and vision. "While I continue to greatly respect and admire Sen. Clinton and feel she has made history with her campaign, I believe that Sen. Obama will inevitably be our party’s nominee for President," Cardoza in a statement released by the campaign.

He adds that he's doing it in the name of unity: "I am deeply concerned about the contentious primary campaign and controversy surrounding the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan -– two states Democrats need to win in November... I believe we need to avoid this potentially divisive situation by uniting behind one nominee and bringing the party together immediately. Therefore, I have made the decision to support Senator Obama at the Democratic Convention in my role as a super delegate.”

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[mark]

And how does the Clinton campaign explain that Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan and therefore got zero votes counted. How the heck is that fair???????????
On this issue with the Clinton campaign, it's just like dealing with a stubborn child who is angry because they can't get their way. It's not befitting a potential President for Hillary to be trying to manipulate Florida and Michigan to count the way they voted when they were told their votes did not count, it changes everything that may have actually happened as Obama's supporters stayed home because they were not allowed to vote for their choice of candidate. She agreed they would not count and now wants to change the rules because she is LOSING! Go ahead and seat the delegates, but no one can count votes for her when he wasn't even involved in the vote because he followed the rules. IT MAKES NO SENSE!

[NinaK]

Hilliary and her gang of corruption can twist, spin, and turn the numbers any which way in an attempt to convince the public she is ahead on the popular vote. Hilliary, people are no longer listening or hearing you. We turn the TV OFF when you invade our livingrooms and family rooms. You have lost all credibility and what little integrity you had. Try to work up a tiny bit of grace and do the right thing. Quit trying to prove you are right and instead do what is right for your party and the nation....zip your lying mouth up! Join the republican party if that is what you want; you certainly are NOT a democrat!! Attacking your own party is dispicable!!

[Maya Ayazi]

Barack Obama is beginning to show his true face in his votes, and his supporters are not going to like what they see. On Thursday, May 22, 2008 the Senate voted 70-26, with 4 not voting, to continue funding the illegal Iraq occupation. Although Barack Obama was present, he chose not to vote for some reason known only to him. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, voted against it. The bill will pump $165.4 billion into the pipeline for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As expected, the Senate rejected a provision that would have established a June 2009 goal for the partial redeployment of troops from Iraq.

[robinia]

Hillary, it is OBAMA the country is infactuated with and has established himself as a front-runner in the midst of a divided party.

We like him, we hate him, we elevate him or we berate him, but the bottom line is HIM and not YOU! It's okay. It is nothing personal, it is just your destiny at this point in your life. Don't get me wrong:

You are the more experienced candidate - yes.

You have a formidable health care platform - yes.

You have a high IQ and are very intellegent - yes.

You serve as a highly respected Senator to the 2nd most important state in the union, New York. (The first being California, of course.) - yes

You are a sore loser not wishing to face reality - HELL YES!

Hillary, wake up TOTO, and go back to Kansas! Losers are people too!

[maz hess]

the clintons still want to sell their votes to the obama campaign for a huge price. Because barack will not agree to pay the price, they will give him hell. Between the obama's and the clinton's we have a funtamental cultural clash: The clinton's are only negotiating when there is something to win. And the obama's are only negotiating when it serves their political cause: Profit against ideology. For the obama's to weaken the clinton means to strengthen their political cause, For the clintons to weaken the obamas means to protect their profit. So the clintons will get no money, no power and no influence from the obamas. And for the clintons that will mean: let's give them hell.

[Shannon, Michigan]

Ever since Teddy Kennedy got sick, Clinton has been out of control. She thinks because the Lion is out she can play hell on everyone. HE's still around, he's not down yet and he still has lots of clout. It is a shame that we have to have someone like Teddy Kennedy babysit to make sure everyone plays fair. Doesn't this translate to bad leadership to any of Hillary's supporters? My goodness, I am just shocked at the level of disagreement of basic principles that exist in our country.

[keith]

I think FLA should definitely be counted, I don't understand how can the DNC leadership say to all those in FLA that their vote is worthless? Other states moved their primaries around and were not censured as drastically, this is for the future of the nation, get a clue DNC leaders.

MI, on the other hand, is a different story. This primary needs to be reconducted in a hurry. Obama's name was not on the ballot, a do-over is necessary.

The real story is that the DNC leadership has made a real mess of things and has done nothing to get it fixed. And is still doing nothing. Why is that? Why do all those people in FLA and MI not count for this historic election?

[monarnyc]

I feel that since FL and MI broke the rules each delegate from these states should get a 1/2 vote. MI the votes should be divided by those who voted for HRC and those who did not

[Jennifer]

If any of you Obama supporters could see the rap sheet the republicans have on Obama you would be clinging to Hillary and throw Obama out with the bath water. Obama has a cult following that does not care what Obama does and has done and will threaten to kill people who dispute their messiah like Larry Sinclair. I find it unfortunate that Americans have sunk so low as to elect the president of our United States based on likeability and not qualifications. Obama has no experience and cannot take any criticism about himself or his wife but he wants to go into the lions den and speak to terrorist countries who will not be as nice as Hillary is in their assessment of our chosen president. I am sad that we are about to elect another George W. Bush who voters said was the one they wanted to have a beer with but they failed to hear him when he said that he would give all of the major tax cuts to the rich and that he would declare war even before he claimed weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to kill Hussein. Wake up American people and see the truth about Obama before all of us find out the hard way that Obama is an inexperienced rookie who wants to be started before the experience players who know how to win and John Mccain is crowned President of the United States and the democrats lose their chance to be elected again for another 20 years!

[Anthony]

Wow Only one news organization has Clinton in the lead in popular vote. The results are quite dubious, also Jonathan Last　does show his bias. This article by Scott Martelle has it correct 'Barack Obama still leading". Most pundits suspect that Clinton and Obama will split the next two contest.

[Jade]

I just don't know what to say anymore. It's so obvious to everyone but the blind rats following the pied piper over the cliff and into the sea that Obama is only running in this campaign because Howard Dean and his band who are jealous of the Clintons (because Dean couldn't win a position as dog catcher if he tried, much less President) wanted to steal the black vote from Hillary. If it wasn't for Obama bussing 800 black voters to every caucus, and from precinct to precinct, whether they lived there or not, to wreak havoc and steal the caucus vote, Hillary would already be the winner.

I'm sad that our democratic nominee will be some idiot who is supported by thugs, criminals, career welfare recipients, racists, children who don't know their own minds yet, terrorists, and rich white men who want to make people believe they aren't the racists they really are.

I'm not voting this year. There is no one to vote for, unless by some miracle, Hillary gets to run. I refuse to vote for the other two.

[James Kimberly]

The only fair way to handle Florida and Michigan is to hold primaries in which the candidates can campaign.
Since both cadidates were told the two states had no deglates it would be very unfair to could the votes both candidates were told did not exist.