The Political Phenom Takes Down Clinton 9 Straight

Make that 10

Hey folks,

The Phenomena known as Obama is in full force. OH, and McCain won again. McCain is pretty much the nominee on the Republican side. Huckabee no longer really stands a chance. Ron Paul? Well, single digit percentages will not get you that far. So lets talk about the Phenom Obama. AP - Obama wins Wis. primary, Hawaii caucus

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent
31 minutes ago

Barack Obama cruised past a fading Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucuses Tuesday night, gaining the upper hand in a Democratic presidential race for the ages.

The twin triumphs made 10 straight for Obama, and left the former first lady in desperate need of a comeback in a race she long commanded as front-runner.

"The change we seek is still months and miles away," Obama told a boisterous crowd in Houston in a speech in which he also pledged to end the war in Iraq in his first year in office.

"I opposed this war in 2002. I will bring this war to an end in 2009. It is time to bring our troops home," he declared.

That is new. He said every time he has been asked if he would pledge to bring the troops home his first year, He said NO. He said he reserves the right to evaluate the situation as Commander and Chief. Watch and see. If he does win, I bet you he will NOT end the war, unless he can declare victory.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican front-runner, won a pair of primaries, in Wisconsin and Washington, to continue his march toward certain nomination.

In a race growing increasingly negative, Obama cut deeply into Clinton's political bedrock in Wisconsin, splitting the support of white women almost evenly with her. According to polling place interviews, he also ran well among working class voters in the blue collar battleground that was prelude to primaries in the larger industrial states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

As a matter of fact. According to the AP- Wis. exit poll: Obama with broad backing

In a potent showing, the Illinois senator essentially split the votes of white women and lower-earning white workers with his rival, who had relied heavily on them until now. He also tightened his grip on groups he has dominated before, winning two-thirds of men and 70 percent of voters under age 30, according to surveys of voters leaving polling places across the state.

Political "Rock Star."

Obama was backed by six in 10 moderates and most loyal Democrats — groups that have been closely contested in past races — while expanding his decisive leads with independents and middle-aged, college-educated, high income and very liberal voters.

Among the few mainstays where Clinton remained strong were older voters and those looking for experience.

Underscoring Obama's inroads, the two split those with no more than a high school diploma, whom Clinton has carried easily in most previous contests. They were also even among whites who have not finished college — a group she has dominated by nearly 30 percentage points among the 21 contested Democratic primaries held earlier.

Obama won among those earning less than $50,000 a year — and significantly, the two split the white vote in that income group, for one of his best showings of the year with them. In previous primaries, she led him among whites making that amount of money by 23 percentage points and had a narrow advantage with people of all races earning that amount.

Nine in 10 blacks backed Obama, similar to his usual margin with them. But they represented fewer than one in 10 voters in Wisconsin, meaning Obama had to do well with whites — which he did.

Clinton had a 22-percentage-point lead among white women in earlier primaries combined. Tuesday, she got 52 percent of their votes — a statistical tie with Obama. He also had a huge margin among young whites.

Two-thirds of men were supporting Obama, including nearly the same proportion of white men. That is a group Obama has done increasingly well with, especially since former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards left the race two weeks ago.

Almost six in 10 liberals and moderates supported Obama, another show of muscle among groups that usually tilt Clinton's way.

Not any more. The Phenom is rising. Hillary's desperation is growing as well. Did she congratulate him on his wins? NOPE. Back to AP

Clinton made no mention of her defeat, and showed no sign of surrender in an appearance in Youngstown, Ohio.

"Both Senator Obama and I would make history," the New York senator said. "But only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy, and ready to defeat the Republicans. Only one of us has spent 35 years being a doer, a fighter and a champion for those who need a voice."

Oh STOP with the 35 years of experience. PROVE IT. She hasn't yet. Like me, people are getting tire of this outright and blatant lie.

In a clear sign of their relative standing in the race, most cable television networks abruptly cut away from coverage of Clinton's rally when Obama began to speak in Texas.

{Laughing} I do not know why that is funny to me. But it is. Maybe because the Clintons have OWNED the big news outlets for nearly 10 years.

McCain easily won the Republican primary in Wisconsin with 55 percent of the vote, dispatching former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and edging closer to the 1,191 delegates he needs to clinch the GOP nomination at the party convention in St. Paul, Minn. next summer. The Arizona senator also won the primary in Washington, where 19 delegates were at stake, with 49 percent of the vote in incomplete results.

In scarcely veiled criticism of Obama, the Republican nominee-in-waiting said, "I will fight every moment of every day in this campaign to make sure that Americans are not deceived by an eloquent but empty call for change."

They ARE being deceived. Or could it just be the alternative is Hillary, and no one wants her? Up next is Ohio and Texas. She has to win there. If not, she is pretty much out looking in. But NEVER underestimate the Clinton Machine. I keep telling you, she will lie, cheat, and steal to get want she wants. She WANTS to be President. But she sis not lose by one or two percents. According to the AP.

With the votes counted in all but one of Wisconsin's 3,570 precincts, Obama won 58 percent of the vote to 41 percent for Clinton.

With more than 70 percent of the vote counted in Hawaii, Obama was winning 75 percent to 24 percent for Clinton.

Wisconsin offered 74 national convention delegates. There were 20 delegates at stake in Hawaii, where Obama spent much of his youth.

Washington Democrats voted in a primary, too, but their delegates were picked earlier in the month in cacuses won by Obama.

The Illinois senator's Wisconsin victory left him with 1,303 delegates in The Associated Press' count, compared with 1,233 for Clinton, a margin that masks his 145-delegate lead among those picked in primaries or caucuses. It takes 2,025 to win the nomination at the party's national convention in Denver. Allocation of the 20 Hawaii delegates was not being calculated until later Wednesday.

Today folks. Of course they will go to him. Can the Phenom pull it off? We'll keep watching. I do not think most understand the importance of this election. We ARE watching history.
Peter

Sources:
AP- Obama wins Wis. for 9th straight triumph
AP- Wis. exit poll: Obama with broad backing