Texas Looking Like the Newest Blue State

Campaign avoids state's Hillary-loving, white Democrats

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama has a novel strategy in Arkansas, a Southern state that likes Democrats: He's not there. The presumptive nominee has no Arkansas office and hasn't even visited in 2 years. Yet analysts aren't surprised, noting that conservative Democrats heavily favor Hillary Clinton and backed President Bush the past two elections. Arkansas also skews whiter than other Southern states, with only a 16% black population. More»

Anger over Bush's remarks to Knesset unite Democrats

(NEWSER) - Democrats stood shoulder-to-shoulder in fury yesterday to lash President Bush for indicating that Barack Obama is like a Nazi appeaser because he supports outreach to countries like Iran. Even Hillary Clinton leaped to her rival's defense, Reuters reports. "President Bush's comparison of any Democrat to Nazi appeasers is both offensive and outrageous," Clinton said. More»

Hopefuls must end race 'as soon as possible,' TNR says

(NEWSER) - It's time for Democrats to panic, the editors at New Republic say. Americans are ready for a lefty, yet Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are locked in an ugly battle over racism, sexism, and the minutiae of health care policy. When one of them emerges—probably in June—that candidate will have little time to drum up "narratives that justify their claim on the White House." More»

Hillary Clinton still tops woman, followed by Sarah Palin

(NEWSER) - His approval ratings may have cratered over the past two years, but Barack Obama is still the most admired man in America, according to Gallup’s annual poll . Obama took 22% of the vote, cruising past the competition. Who came in second? The Decider himself, George W. Bush, who narrowly edged out Bill Clinton, 5% to 4%. Nelson Mandela and Bill Gates round out the top five. Obama’s dominance isn’t too surprising, Gallup notes—sitting presidents have taken the top spot in 52 of the 64 years it has run the poll. More»

Democrats would love to have state's 34 electoral votes back

(NEWSER) - Rick Perry’s talk of seceding from the union might seem crazy, but calling the Texas governor's bluff would be a great deal for Democrats, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. Consider:

• Democrats would suddenly have a filibuster-proof majority in the 98-seat Senate.
• Republicans would lose eight more House members than Democrats.
• George W. Bush would never have been elected.