Clinton-Obama Tussle

Canada's US Envoy Urged to Resign Over NAFTA-Gate

Globe and Mail  |  Mar 12, 08 12:32 PM CDT

(Newser) - The scope of the Barack Obama NAFTA memo scandal widened again yesterday, with Canadian opposition legislators calling for the resignation of Canada's ambassador to the US after he was implicated, the Globe and Mail reports. Michael Wilson admitted speaking to the reporter who broke the story that the candidate was voicing opposition to the trade agreement merely for political purposes. More »

Dems Launch New Spin Cycle

New York Times  |  Mar 12, 08 11:27 AM CDT

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both say they're winning the Democratic nomination race, of course, but each backs it up differently. Obama points to a lead in delegates overall, pledged delegates, and popular vote. Clinton claims important groups like women, blue-collar workers, and Latinos—and so-called "big states" like California and Ohio—are in her column, the New York Times reports. More »

Ferraro: Obama Camp Crying Racism Again

New York Times  |  Mar 12, 08 5:10 AM CDT

(Newser) - Despite charges of racism from the Barack Obama camp, former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro yesterday refused to back off earlier comments  that the candidate is enjoying a campaign advantage because of his race. "Every time that campaign is upset about something, they call it racist,” snipped Ferrro. “I will not be discriminated against because I’m white. If they think they’re going to shut up Geraldine Ferraro with that kind of stuff, they don’t know me." More »

Obama Wins Miss. Primary

CNN  |  Mar 11, 08 8:25 PM CDT

(Newser) - Seeking to regain momentum, Barack Obama triumphed in a racially divided Mississippi primary today by winning about 90% of black votes and a third of white voters, CNN projects. He also won last week's Texas caucuses, scoring more state delegates overall than primary-winner Hillary Clinton. Mississippi awards 33 delegates and Texas 193 in their respective state races. More »

Obama Camp Wants Ferraro Fired for Slur

MSNBC  |  Mar 11, 08 4:57 PM CDT

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton is ignoring calls to fire adviser Geraldine Ferraro after she said Barack Obama is succeeding because of his race, MSNBC reports. "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," the former vice presidential nominee said. “He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." More »

Clinton-Obama Race Ups Stakes for Secret Service

Bloomberg  |  Mar 11, 08 4:13 PM CDT

(Newser) - The race for the Democratic nomination is confounding an unlikely group—the Secret Service, which started covering Barack Obama earlier than any previous candidate and has protected Hillary Clinton since Bill's nomination in 1992. And the throngs of passionate supporters—as many as 30,000—at campaign events “definitely add something the Secret Service hasn't seen in a while,'' said an ex-agent. More »

Can Spitzer Hurt Clinton?

Nation  |  Mar 11, 08 3:40 PM CDT

(Newser) - Will the Eliot Spitzer scandal hurt fellow New York Democrat Hillary Clinton, who's all too familiar with the travails of philandering men? Writers are weighing in: Clinton had trouble securing Spitzer's endorsement, writes John Nichols in the Nation , and now, "He is a distraction—the big player in her adopted home state who is now in big, big trouble." One positive: David Paterson would "instantly become Clinton's most prominent African-American backer." More »

Obama Rejects VP Offer as 'Double-Speak'

Los Angeles Times  |  Mar 10, 08 5:50 PM CDT

(Newser) - Barack Obama spurned Hillary Clinton's vice presidential offer today as an attempt to "hoodwink" and "bamboozle" voters, the Los Angeles Times reports. “I don't know how somebody who is in second place is offering the vice presidency to somebody who is in first place,” he said, noting his lead in state races, delegates, and the popular vote. More »

Obama Has 70% Chance of Topping Ticket

New York  |  Mar 10, 08 4:35 PM CDT

(Newser) - Barack Obama is far more likely to be the Democratic nominee than Hillary Clinton is, says Joe Trippi, the veteran strategist who advised Howard Dean and John Edwards. In an IM interview with New York, he puts Obama’s odds at 70%, predicts a race that lasts until the convention, and foresees "a remote chance of a third candidate if this gets really ugly and Clinton takes a meat ax to Obama." More »

Obama's Church Flouts Tax Law

Wall Street Journal  |  Mar 10, 08 2:35 PM CDT

(Newser) - Barack Obama's home church in Chicago may be risking its tax-exempt status by promoting the candidate in sermons. Churches are allowed to support specific causes, but not candidates, and some experts say the praise—and attacks on Hillary Clinton— violate IRS laws. "There does seem to be a pattern of attempting to tip the scales," a law professor tells the Wall Street Journal. More »

Clintons Push 'Dream Ticket' —With Obama as Veep

Reuters  |  Mar 10, 08 7:01 AM CDT

(Newser) - Both Clintons are hinting that Hillary's camp wants to unite the nation's Democrats by joining forces with Barack Obama—with him as No. 2, Reuters reports. This dream ticket would be an "unstoppable force," Bill has said on the stump, attempting to position his wife as winner and uniter, and Obama as VP material. Obama himself says he's not running for vice president, and remains focused on the top job. More »

Mich., Fla. Closer to Approving Re-Votes

Chicago Tribune  |  Mar 9, 08 5:50 PM CDT

(Newser) - Michigan and Florida senators appeared closer today to approving mail-in re-votes for their disqualified primaries, the Swamp blog reports. DNC chair Howard Dean said he also supported the mail-ins if state leaders can agree with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on how to run them. “I have to run these rules so that the losing side feels it’s been treated fairly,” he said on “This Week with George Stephanopolous.” More »

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