Hillary Defeat Would Shake Up Democrats

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»

Hillary's camp offers support in exchange for aid on debt

(NEWSER) - Under the eye of one of Washington's most powerful lawyers, Barack Obama is negotiating with Hillary Clinton over a tangle of issues, from how to retire her campaign debt to what role she will play in this summer's convention. The Democratic party is slowly recovering from its bruising primary fight with the aid of Robert Barnett, who brokered book deals for Obama and both Clintons, the New York Times reports. More»

Dem finally clinches the nomination—now the real work begins

(NEWSER) - It wasn’t easy, but a bruised Barack Obama has finally wrapped up the Democratic nomination. The Guardian’s Michael Tomasky knows what he needs to do next:

• Redefine himself. Obama has a lot of time now to remind us why he inspired people in the first place.
• Define John McCain. The honeymoon should be over for the GOP nominee; Obama can attack him pointedly on Bush, Iraq, and his growing array of flip-flops.

Hillary defends her prolonged bid by recalling '68 murder

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton whipped up a storm of anger today by invoking Bobby Kennedy's murder as grounds for staying in the Democratic race, the New York Times reports. Recalling the surprise outcomes of past contests, including her husband’s in 1992, the senator told editors at a South Dakota newspaper that “we all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California" in 1968. More»

Pennsylvania primary changed nothing, party operatives agree

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton's 10-point win in Pennsylvania leaves the Democratic Party in the same quandary it was in before the primary, writes Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle, but with the pressure ratcheted up. While the race did not much improve Clinton's chances, it did expose Barack Obama's possible weaknesses as a general election candidate. More»