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Obama campaign chief sees his man winning soon

Reuters News
Posted: 2008-05-11 16:26:37
By Alan Elsner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama's campaign chief predicted on Sunday his long battle against Hillary Clinton for the party's presidential nomination would soon be over, saying "we're coming to the end of the process."

Interviewed on "Fox News Sunday," David Axelrod said undecided superdelegates to the party convention who will decide the nomination were opting for Obama, the Illinois senator who would be the first black U.S. president if elected in November.

"You're going to see people (superdelegates) making decisions at a rapid pace from this point on," he said. "We've been announcing several each day for the last few days. We're going to continue to unfurl these endorsements on a regular basis."

Clinton's senior adviser Howard Wolfson, appearing on the same program, rejected the idea that the campaign was over and predicted victory in the next state primary in West Virginia on Tuesday.

"If Barack Obama wants Hillary Clinton out of this race, beat her. Beat her in West Virginia, beat her in Puerto Rico, beat her in Kentucky," he said, referring to three of the final six contests for the nomination, all of which favor Clinton.

But he said if Obama, 46, won the nomination, the New York senator would throw all her support and resources behind him against Republican nominee John McCain.

Clinton, the former first lady, spent Mother's Day campaigning in West Virginia, calling for more progress toward full equality for women.

"Hard work and resiliency are encoded in our genes," she said, picking up on two qualities she herself has won praise for during the exhausting presidential campaign.

Obama spent the day resting in Chicago. Since decisively winning the North Carolina primary last week, he has increasingly looked ahead to his coming battle with McCain, testing themes he hopes to use in the campaign.

LINK TO BUSH

In an interview with CNN last week that was aired on Sunday, he made it clear he would seek to link McCain to unpopular fellow Republican President George W. Bush.

"Think about what I am going to be running against, the failed policies of the Bush administration which John McCain wants to continue." Obama said.

Even if she triumphs in the remaining contests, Clinton, 60, cannot overtake Obama in pledged delegates for the Democrats' August national convention in Denver. The delegates have been allocated proportionately in the state-by-state battles that began in January.

That leaves the decision on which Democrat will face McCain in the November election in the hands of around 800 superdelegates -- party leaders and activists free to choose whichever candidate they wish.

The latest delegate count from NBC news gives Obama 1,859 delegates and Clinton 1,703, while 2,025 are needed to clinch the nomination.

Many Democrats are eager to get the nominating battle over so the party can unite and prepare to face McCain, 71. Some worry the protracted battle is hurting their chances in November by highlighting both candidates' weak points and driving a wedge between their supporters.

Obama has won most support from upscale voters, young voters and blacks. Clinton's support comes more from working class white voters and Hispanics.

A Los Angeles Times poll this weekend showed both Democrats leading McCain. Clinton led the Arizona senator 47 percent to 38 percent while Obama was ahead 46 percent to 40 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

A poll analysis said dissatisfaction with the economy was driving the results, with 56 percent of respondents naming that as their main issue, a turnaround from six months ago when the war in Iraq was the top concern.

Among voters worried about the economy, a solid majority backed either of the Democrats against McCain.

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Todd Eastham)

05/11/2008 15:17 EST
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 176
176 comments

ovannessa 09:49:16 AM May 12 2008

Oh my goodness! The worst has certainly come out in us! Do we really need another event that threatens the US for us to come together? How short your memories are.

I do understand the anger of HRC supporters. They feel the media has been unfair to her. But understand this. I have felt the media has been unfair to Obama also. Once the media smells ANY story they exploit it.
Race and gender was first raised by the media at the begining of this election process. THey continued to push it until people (stupidly) responded to it. Because the response was greater with race they went with it. PERIOD
I KNOW the Obamas are not racist -look at their family make up!!! I also know Cliniton is not a racist. Don't follow so blindly.
Are we really going to decide this election on emotion, irrational fears? Obama can not make it without many of Clinton's supporters. But understand this Clinton CAN NOT make it without the African American voters.(remember Pres Clinton's 2nd term. Re

lulunaplesfl 09:37:25 AM May 12 2008

parma23 08:31:44 AM May 12 2008

Report This! Why pick on Oprah.She has the right just like you and me to vote for who she wants. I wish Oprah had not backed Obama but that is her business
_______________________________
Parma, I somewhat agree with you, however, Oprah has made it a point to never publicly endorse a candidate...that is until BO came along. Since then, she has lost 20% of her viewers and has gained 50 pounds. In her defense, she has attended the same Trinity church as the Obama's, but was never a so-called parishioner. She only attended for a year or so.

clanmcswan 09:24:37 AM May 12 2008

McCain doesn't need to do much "courting". HRC supporters will be voting McCain in November if Obama gets the Democratic candidacy. It won't even be a contest of "the lesser of two evils". The proverbial "evil" in this campaign to date has been Obama, the DNC and the media. Obama has spread around his ill-gotten funding on voting fraud and bribes. He's disenfranchised millions of voters. He and his supporters have called HRC supporters every name in the book (racist, poor, stupid, infantile, etc.). He has more than questionable associates. He refuses to salute our flag, gives the finger on national television and has an equally classless wife. Does he think the HRC supporters are going to develop amnesia in the next 6 months? The numbers just won't add up for Obama in November.

lulunaplesfl 09:09:34 AM May 12 2008

channelok2 11:34:19 PM May 11 2008: Let Me give Bulldog some cheese to go with his Whine ...What a Loser ....Every statement you have made with your buddies in this blog make you the brightest light bulb discussing this issue ..thank god for America nuts like you are in the minority now ...your statements do nothing but show ignorance about issues of today....So Dont vote for Obama any of you racist and we will still win cause you are in the minority now ...Ignorance is bliss!!!!!
_____________________________
Save your whine and cheese...you'll need it in November. Let me tell you something else...Whites are the majority, and Hispanics are the largest minority group now, not blacks. Between the two, your man has lost.

tristenresource 09:09:13 AM May 12 2008

Beware Obama Bin Liar...

www.dontvoteobama.net

Be Afraid ! ! !

Be Very Afraid ! ! !

lulunaplesfl 09:03:51 AM May 12 2008

informedvoter08 12:34:12 AM May 12 2008:: Michelle Obama doesn't hate America and has never said she does. It sounds more like you hate Michelle Obama. I don't know anything about Obama's new preacher and don't care. Just like no one cares about the bigots and racist McCain are going out of his way to court in order to get their support.
________________________________________
I will assume that those bigot and racist voters that McCain is courting are in reference to Hillary's supporters. You better damn well care about those voters because they're the ones who will see that BO is never elected.

lulunaplesfl 08:59:29 AM May 12 2008

informedvoter08 12:23:20 AM May 12 2008

Report This! He takes the time to earn the votes versus Hillary demanding the votes. It's no surprise that she wrote off WI and headed back to Texas where she was ahead.

__________________________________
Hillary "demanding" votes? Obama "earned" the votes?

Come November, Hillary's voters will send their votes to McCain.

jpm3730 08:54:46 AM May 12 2008

You only need to take one hard look and listen to Michelle to know Obama should not be in the White House. The Clinton vote will go to McCain in the General Election. I can't wait to see who the Super Delegates blame when this happens.

xuxa1959 08:51:19 AM May 12 2008

TO ALL HILLARY SUPPORTERS---
IF SHE IS NOT NOMINATED FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
PLEASE,VOTE FOR McCAIN FOR PRESIDENT AND THE SAME TIME VOTE FOR A DEMOCRATS FOR THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
BECAUSE A PRESIDENT CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF A SENATORS,THIS IS WAY TO PRESS McCAIN TO END THE WAR AND NOT TO DO SOMETHING STUPID.
AND IS VERY GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY
AND TO LEAVE "BARACAK HUSSEIN OBAMA" ON THE CURVE WAIT FOR A 4 YEARS TO BE CANDIDATE AGAIN.

U.S.A POPULATION-OVER 300 MILLION-SUB-DIVIDED---80.01% WHITES

HISPANIC OR LATINOS---14.8%
BLACKS---12.8%.......ASIAN 4.6%----NOW,DO YOU THINK WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 80.% WHITES, ARE READY TO ACCEPT BEING RULED BY A BLACK RACIST PRESIDENT????????
PLEASE PASS THIS ON IF YOU ARE HILLARY SUPPORT

goin2dahdumps 08:38:41 AM May 12 2008

FOR YEARS, I ADMIRED THE CLINTONS, MAINLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT WILLIE WAS A GOOD SPEAKER.
NOW, AS THEY'RE IN THE WINTER OF THEIR POLITICAL LIFE, I HAVE LOST TOTAL RESPECT FOR THEM FOR, IN THEIR DESPERATE QUEST FOR POWER-GRAB, THEY'RE RACIALLY DIVIDING OUR NATION. HE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING IN SOUTH CAROLINA, SHE FOLLOWED SUIT OVER THE WEEKEND.
ANY MINORITY,TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE THEIR VOTE, SHOULD REQUEST IMMEDIATELY THEIR AFTER, A LOBOTOMY FOR, THE CLINTONS HAVE PROVEN THAT , IN THEIR DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GRAB POWER THAT SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING AWAY FROM THEIR GRASP, THEY TOO WILL REVERT TO RACIAL SLURS - JUST LIKE THEM COMMON " BITTER" SMALL PEOPLE.

1 - 10 of 176
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