Stories related to: Barack Obama

Al Gore dropped his silence on the Democratic race today, saying he may yet endorse a candidate and predicting that the race would end soon after primaries ended on June 3. “There will be a nominee before the convention,” he asserted. Gore laughed off a scenario that had him emerging as a compromise candidate in a split decision between Clinton and Obama, the Boston Globe reports. More »

Undeclared Democratic superdelegates who are also members of Congress are under especially great pressure, reports the LA Times: The popularity of their chosen candidate could affect their re-election chances. In swing districts, "somebody unpopular at the top of the ticket can actually cost you votes," says a political science professor. More »

The Clinton campaign is looking past 2,025—the current delegate threshold for clinching the nomination—and focusing on 2,208, the magic number if the party seats Michigan and Florida delegates, the Washington Times reports. “That’s what we believe is the standard for deciding this,” says a top strategist. More »

Despite claims of an exhausting race, voter registration is officially lifting off this year, with an AP survey reporting that over 3.5 million new voters have signed up. Detailed data are only available from a few states, the AP reports, but what there is suggests that registration is particularly high for African Americans and women. More »

With polls still seesawing as voters pull their levers, maybe it’s best to stop predicting results, and start figuring out what they’ll mean. Adam Nagourney takes a shot in the New York Times : A Hillary Clinton victory in both primaries could “change the world.” Indiana would be Barack Obama’s third consecutive loss due to a blue-collar gap, and the North Carolina result would be chalked up to Rev. Wright. Disaster for Obama. More »

Voters in North Carolina and Indiana go to the polls today in what many are seeing as the last major battle in the Democratic race. The Washington Post outlines the stakes. Has Obama put the Wright controversy behind him? Pretty much, say both sides; it's a media story now. How's the gas tax holiday playing? Economists hate it, but it was a smart strategic move for Clinton. Is the race going to the convention? At least until June 3, if Hillary wins one of today's contests. More »

Urbanites in North Carolina prefer Barack Obama, while rural voters side with Hillary Clinton—which is why she spent all weekend trying to sway mixed regions like small cities and far-out suburbs. Obama, meanwhile, is counting on a hidden strength with country folk and his far-reaching publicity machine to win tomorrow's primary, the Charlotte Observer reports More »

John and Elizabeth Edwards chatted informally about the remaining Democratic candidates on the eve of North Carolina's primary today. John told People that he admires Hillary Clinton’s “tenacity,” but not her "old politics;” Elizabeth said she favors Clinton's health plan but loves Barack Obama's "fantastic" ability to motivate "so many young people." More »

Barack Obama's lead over Hillary Clinton among black voters is perhaps not surprising, but Clinton could have avoided such devastating losses in the demographic, Thomas Schaller writes in Salon. "One would expect Obama to win these voters, but 90-10 is a total collapse that Obama is not experiencing among any constituency. Simply put, Hillary Clinton has a black problem," says one analyst. More »

Coming together “isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Gregory Rodriguez writes in the LA Times , and Barack Obama's attempt to start a national dialogue on race was foiled by an unlikely actor: Barack Obama. Jeremiah Wright "didn't really say anything new last week," Rodriguez argues. "He called Obama’s bluff.” More »

Two of five Hillary Clinton superdelegates who spoke at a California state event said they’d consider switching to Barack Obama if the frontrunner holds his lead through the next month. While not earth-shattering, the development should be wrenching for Clinton, the Los Angeles Times say, as it showcases concerns about drawing out the primary fight too long. More »

Before winning the Teamsters’ endorsement, Barack Obama said he’d support ending government oversight of the union, an unusual stance for a presidential candidate, reports the Wall Street Journal . An independent board has policed the historically organized-crime-influenced Teamsters since 1992; Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and Al Gore left the matter to the Justice Department. More »

Barack Obama appears to be recovering—mostly—from the furor over his former pastor's incendiary remarks, according to the latest CBS News / New York Times poll. His lead over Hillary Clinton has increased from 8 points to 12 points—50% to 38%—among Democratic primary voters, who also approve of how he handled the flap over comments by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, 68% to 22%. There's still some negative residue, however. More »

It’s not often Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and Judd Apatow find themselves on the same list. But they've all made Time's annual pick of the world’s 100 most influential people, ranging from artists and intellectuals to scientists and politicians (including George Bush and all three presidential hopefuls). A short look at the long list: More »

Barack Obama's controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright was making passes at a parishioner's wife when he was supposed to be giving the couple marriage counseling, the New York Post reports. "People were telling me that my extremely attractive wife was seen with the pastor," said Delmer Reed, who says he sought help at Trinity. "But I thought, 'So what?'" More »

Just ahead of North Carolina’s critical Tuesday primary, the Charlotte Observer has endorsed Barack Obama, calling on readers to "send a powerful message to the world."  The paper brushes off the inexperience of "one of the most powerful, effective speakers to seek the presidency in years," and emphasizes the greater importance of his judgement and intellect. More »

Like Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey attended Jeremiah Wright's church but ultimately gave up on it, Newsweek reports. She went for nearly a decade, starting in 1984, and wasn't surprised by his angry sermons. But "Oprah is a businesswoman, first and foremost," a friend said. "She's always been aware that her audience is very mainstream, and doing anything to offend them just wouldn't be smart." More »

Obama likened Hillary's stance on Iran to George Bush's "cowboy diplomacy" on Meet the Press today, while Clinton took to ABC to defend the gas tax and told voters mired in the Jeremiah Wright controversy "We should move on." Tim Russert ignored her advice, however, and devoted his first 18 minutes to the pastor, reports the New York Times . “Obviously, it’s distracted us,” Obama admitted. More »

Barack Obama is trying his darnedest to shed the elitist vibe, writes Maureen Dowd in the New York Times, ditching his dainty sips at a Pennsylvania brewery for big swigs of Bud at an Indiana VFW. But for a man of mixed race and a blue-collar upbringing, it’s proving a surprisingly hard image to shake. More »

Why has John Edwards maintained silence as the precarious Democratic contest heads to his home state of North Carolina? Could be, Politico posits, because he knows he has little sway there. According to insiders, the state, which holds its primary Tuesday, knew the senator only fleetingly before he leapt to the national stage, and though Democrats are proud of this native son's "political comet," an endorsement “would carry no weight.” More »