Obama: I will be the Democratic nominee

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In what he called a “defining moment for our nation,” Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party.

Obama’s steady stream of superdelegate endorsements, combined with the delegates he received from Tuesday’s primaries, put him past the 2,118 threshold, CNN projects.

“Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another — a journey that will bring a new and better day to America,” he said.

“Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”

Obama’s rally was at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota — the same arena which will house the 2008 Republican National Convention in September.

Speaking in New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton, congratulated Obama for his campaign, but she did not concede the race nor discuss the possibility of running as vice president.

There were reports earlier in the day that she would concede, but her campaign said she was “absolutely not” prepared to do so.

“This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight,” she said.

Congratulations, Senator Obama!

Senator Clinton, I do not see a VP slot in the near future for you, and I obviously do not think that you should continue to fight.

In the interest of Party unity, I am going to try to stop bashing you … but you’re not making it easy.

Senator Clinton, I think you made a serious mistake tonight. On the night that your opponent clinches the nomination, you only offered a cursory congratulations, and kept the focus of your speech on yourself, not on the issues, and not on the Party, and not how we defeat McCain in November … it smacked of sour grapes.

You came across as a poor loser, and this is not going to sit well with many Democrats, and especially not Senator Obama. As such, I would be stunned if you were offered the VP slot.

One of your supporters, like Evan Bayh or Ed Rendell, yes. But you, Senator Clinton? No.

I think that you will be of much better value to the Party and to the nation as a major power-broker in the Senate. I think that you still have an extremely important role to play in the political scene, and I, for one, will never consider this year to be your “political obituary”. Keep your focus on universal healthcare and getting it passed through the Congress; and if/when a Supreme Court seat opens up … the do everything you can to ensure that we get another progressive justice, rather than another conservative justice who will continue to erode our rights.

You’re not through … you’re just not Presidential material.

Now let’s bring the Party back together, solidly behind Senator Obama. Let’s march forward, and donkey-kick some Republican elephant butt!

Bill Clinton: ‘Cover up’ hiding Hillary Clinton’s chances

(CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton said that Democrats were more likely to lose in November if Hillary Clinton is not the nominee, and suggested some were trying to “push and pressure and bully” superdelegates to make up their minds prematurely.

“I can’t believe it. It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully all these superdelegates to come out,” Clinton said at a South Dakota campaign stop Sunday, in remarks first reported by ABC News.

Clinton also suggested some were trying to “cover up” Sen. Clinton’s chances of winning in key states that Democrats will have to win in the general election.

“‘Oh, this is so terrible: The people they want her. Oh, this is so terrible: She is winning the general election, and he is not. Oh my goodness, we have to cover this up.’”

Clinton did not expound on who he was accusing.

A cover-up? A COVER-UP????

I’ve said for years that I “love Bill, hate Hill” … but with this latest tirade from the former President, you can pretty much count on the fact that Bill Clinton has dropped several rungs on my ladder of respect.

The Democratic Party, which wants to win the election, is “covering-up” polls that might show that Hillary Clinton stands a better chance of winning the general election in November than Barack Obama.

This is an absolutely ridiculous accusation to make; it ranks up there with some of the more paranoid and delusional comments coming out of Dick Cheney’s and George Bush’s mouths over the past 7 1/2 years.

If Hillary Clinton truly had a better chance to win the election come November, then why doesn’t she have a lead in the number of delegates? Why doesn’t she have a lead in the popular vote? Why doesn’t she have a lead in the number of super delegates? Why doesn’t she have a lead in the number of states won?

Hillary Clinton doesn’t have a lead over Barack Obama in any of the categories that matter … although the only category that does really matter is VOTES cast, and pretty much nothing else.

The Clintons are so desperate to get back into the White House, rather than letting a new generation take over, that they will do and say almost anything to make the other side look bad; and unfortunately, they’re only succeeding in making themselves look bad in the process … ultimately, they will chase many independents and Republicans who are fed up with the status quo back across the aisle to the Republican camp, because people can’t handle the sleaze.

CNN Political Ticker: A clear rift in the party exists

(CNN) — West Virginia exit polls appear to show the prolonged Democratic presidential race has produced a clear rift in the party, at least for now.

We asked supporters of both candidates whether they would be satisfied if the other candidate won the nomination. A large majority of both candidates’ supporters said they would not: only 38 percent of Obama supporters said they would be satisfied if Clinton won, and only 25 percent of Clinton backers said they’d be satisfied if Barack Obama was the nominee.

Translation: There’s a lot of reconciliation to be taken care of.

Thank you, Senator Clinton! Thank you for tearing the party apart. Thank you for making it more difficult for Barack Obama (who will be the nominee) to win the election. Thank you for practically handing the keys to the White House to John McCain. Thank you for being an agent for stagnation, rather than allowing the next generation to really try and turn this nation around. Thank you for not being able to keep your mouth shut and bowing out of the race gracefully.

It’s just a matter of time before it’s official, and Barack Obama becomes the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

Obama takes superdelegate lead on eve of expected loss - CNN.com

(CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama took the lead in the race for superdelegates on the eve of a contest that’s expected to fall easily into Sen. Hillary Clinton’s column.

Rep. Tom Allen of Maine, Dolly Strazar of Hawaii, Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Keith Roark of Idaho all endorsed Obama Monday, giving him a lead of four superdelegates for the time being.

Obama and Clinton face off Tuesday in West Virginia, where polls show Clinton ahead by more than a 40-point margin.

Under pressure from some to withdraw from the race, Clinton insists that West Virginina, where only 28 delegates are at stake, is a key state in the fight for the White House.

She said again Monday that no Democratic candidate since 1916 has gone on to win the White House without first winning West Virginia.

“West Virginia is making a decision that has far-reaching consequences to send a message to people what you expect from your next president,” she said at a stop in Clear Fork, West Virginia.

Clinton currently trails Obama across all fronts — superdelegates, pledged delegates and the popular vote, according to CNN’s latest estimates.

I do wonder how 28 delegates, of which Clinton is only going to pick up between 15-20, giving her a slim net gain in overall delegates, constitutes a “key state”, especially considering that in most elections between 1916 and now, the nominee was already determined before West Virginia went to primaries … it’s not difficult to win a state when you’re the only candidate still running.

So the Clinton campaign is expecting a blow-out win in West Virginia by about 40 points … I wonder what it will mean to her campaign if she only wins by 10-15 points (or worse … barely eking out a win, like she did in the much more key state of Indiana).

Time will tell … but tick tock tick tock tick tock.

“There was just an AP article posted that found how Senator Obama’s support among working — hardworking Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how the, you know, whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me.”   — Senator Hillary Clinton

So let me get this straight … hardworking Americans are white? There aren’t any hardworking black Americans? And by proclaiming that whites who haven’t completed college support you, you’re basically making a case that the uneducated (or less-educated) should decide who the nominee is?

Well, Hillary, I’m white, being of English and Scottish heritage. I grew up in the Bible Belt, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am a two-time college drop-out, meaning I haven’t completed college. I currently live in one of the nation’s MOST conservative states, Utah. I support Barack Obama.

From the Washington Post:

Joe Andrew Jumps from Clinton to Obama

Former Democratic Party leader Joe Andrew announced he is switching sides in the primary battle, from longtime ally Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama.

Andrew’s announcement came without warning to either candidate. The Indiana superdelegate released a long letter this morning explaining his decision, while anticipating Clinton “attack dogs” would seek their revenge.

“You can be for someone without being against someone else,” Andrew stressed in the letter, using italics for emphasis. “You can unite behind a candidate and a vision for America without rejecting another candidate and their vision, because in real life, opposed to party politics, we Democrats are on the same side.”

But as the contest drags on, he added, “it is clear that a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue” a Democratic battle that threatens to strengthen the presumptive GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain. He said he would use his influence within the party to press uncommitted superdelegates to sign on with Obama as soon as possible. Speaking to reporters by conference call, Andrew said, “We need to try to stop this process now.”

And, of course, Andrew is right about the Clinton “attack dogs” coming out, in a response letter from several other former DNC officials released this morning:

More than 30 million Americans have already cast a ballot in our Party’s nomination contest and millions more will go to the polls between now and June 3. The record numbers of Americans who are registering and coming out to vote reflect the excitement about our candidates and the strength that our nominee will have behind him or her in the fall. The primary process will make our nominee stronger and better prepared to take on John McCain. Our Party only gains from having more voters –- including more new voters -– all across our country.

We encourage you to continue to fully consider Hillary Clinton and the fact that she is qualified and accomplished. Too much is at stake for us not to consider deeply the choice we must make for our Party and our country.

I’m trying to figure out how ripping the party apart, as the Clinton campaign continues to do on a daily basis will “make the nominee stronger and better prepared to take on John McCain” … the fact remains that over the past couple of months, both Hillary’s and Obama’s approval ratings have been dropping, and John McCain’s ratings have been improving.

The record number of new voters are young voters … voters who are overwhelmingly supporting Barack Obama. Do you really think they’ll stick around and vote for Hillary if they see the candidate who wins the popular vote, more delegates, and more states (including states which traditionally go Republican) NOT get the nomination?

Republican voters in states like Idaho, Wyoming and Utah will never vote for Hillary Clinton. These same voters may well cross party lines to vote for Barack Obama, because they see what the Republican party has done over the past 7+ years and they are ready for change as well … but if the choice is between Clinton and McCain, the vast majority of voters will stick to the traditional party lines … and the Republican party will carry these states yet again.

Barack Obama can turn more traditionally “red” states into swing states. Hillary Clinton cannot. And Obama would still carry the traditional “blue” states … and the traditional swing states would still be in play; there’s no real evidence that if they are leaning towards the Democratic party now that they’d change sides because Obama is the candidate.