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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Looking ahead: Hillary's PA edge?

Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 9:07 AM by Domenico Montanaro

PENNSYLVANIA (April 22): Here’s a look at the delegates who are actually being elected on April 22, and suggestions that they are free to change their votes: “Three of the state's superdelegates and 55 of its pledged delegates will be chosen in June at the convention of the Democratic State Committee, which is heavily influenced by Gov. Rendell and whose chairman is T.J. Rooney. Both are strong Clinton supporters. Could party leaders stack the deck, handing Clinton the three superdelegates, and assigning Obama pledged delegates whose loyalty is questionable? “Absolutely not, says Rooney.”

INDIANA (May 6): Bloomberg News looks at how the Wright controversy is playing in Indiana. "Interviews with dozens of Democrats in this overwhelmingly white region -- where voters will go to the polls in the May 20 primary -- suggest residual concerns over the controversy involving Obama's former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. To be sure, this flies in the face of most polls taken after Obama's widely praised March 18 speech on race and the Wright controversy."

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I find it hard to believe that the people of PA haven't researched the Wright issue and will vote on the 2 min. blurb they see played over and over again. Just like the Clinton campaign wants them to do. Talk about "sheep" being lead to slaughter! Have they EVER heard a racist remark out of Obama's mouth? This morning he said the biggest thing his mother taught him was empathy....to be able to see someone elses plight by trying to step into their shoes and see it from their eyes. The people of PA need to do this. Ask yourselves what we,as a nation of multi cultures, have in common rather than what differences we have. Parents want to see their children safe; they want a good education for their children; they want health care coverage. This is true whether parents are white, black, hispanic, native american, or asian. Focus on what issues are important to ALL of us and ask yourself WHO can reach out to all races and your answer will be Obama. Give him a chance. Unless you've liked the way things have been for the past 7 years....then stick with the Washington insiders of either Hillary or McCain. The chioce is very clear to me.
Oh Wright isnt done yet. Either is pastor Meeks and there will be more before than. We have debates coming up.It is just getting interesting now?What about no guns Obama says. No sale, ownership and manufactoring. Hope he has to ans that at debate. Now he says he didnt read the questionner he signed. What?? didnt read it??wanting my guns gone and didnt read it?? I dont think so!!
Amazing! when it is superdelagates that support Obama, it is a big deal.  When they support Hillary then there is something wrong.  I am sure that there are "residual concern". Why should there not be? Widely praised speech from who? And polls taken by whom when? You'all seem to foget that there are thinking people out here. Don't remember who said it, but you can fool some of the people, some of the time but no all of the people all of the time. Give us more Obama. The Empty Suit as he is refered to by some just gets more empty with exposure. No wonder he wants to call the race. Let's see what he's offering behind curtain 3
You have to love this guy Ed Rendell,campaigns full time for the hillbilly bunch,uses" heavy influence" to sway not only democratic state officals but also has pressed mayors,local officals thur the whole state.I have heard Cris M. on hard ball refer to it as strong arm tatics,in the world of the clintons and ed rendell this is called extortion and the way to win at all cost.Now we find out yesterday that wildbill appointed ed rendells wife to a judges position.I guess this is a payback !Dom,  on the Wright issue.what will it be next what he had for lunch yesterday,boxers or briefs?
It really doesn't matter what Pennsylvania does for the primary; it seems like PA is "stuck in the past" with their "rally around the sinking ship" Hillary and have a blind ear to the rest of the states that are voting for a shake up and change in the way politics are played in Washington. Obama has excited many new voters to go to the polls and I only see that continuing into the General election against a feeble contender.
Well Obamabots Pa is going to vote, going to count and you can just put on your depends and let it drip!

Your hero is not a shoe in and as hard as the media tries the people will decide to think and talk about the WRIGHT fiasco!
If they could just see race a mean of the devil to divise people then they will vote according person ability. Peace america
Up until a few important weeks ago I would have told you I was tending to favor Hillary. No More. I don't like being lied to, its insulting. She assumes we're not smart enough to catch her lies. And when Bill referred to Obama as "your BOY", that's it for me. They've sunk too low.
Do you believe absolutely everything your pastor says? Whatever he says you believe? Or do you think for your self? If a catholic priest molests a kid, does that mean everyone in that particular church does it too? There are crazy people in the world, and some of them work in churches. The BTK killer was very involved in his church, and not everyone in that church is a serial killer. Would you have like Obama to switch churches? If he did that, then people would be asking what church he was going to before he switched, then the Clintons would have attacked him, started a rumor that he is a Muslim, but had recently changed churches so voters would see him as a Christian. The pastor spouted off, and unlike a lot of people in America Barack Obama thinks for himself and just because his pastor said some things doesn't mean that he believes them.
Thank you First Read for doing a blog on elected delegates versus appointed delegates, even though for one state..
It certainly brings up the possibility of undue influence for me, since evidently research has proven that delegates loyalties can be purchased..
Don't know if Clinton has enough money and influence for the long haul, however
Rendell, the Clintons, Geraldine Ferraro, etc. are politicians from the 80's and 90's.  Isn't it time we said goodbye to all that?
"It certainly brings up the possibility of undue influence for me, since evidently research has proven that delegates loyalties can be purchased..
Don't know if Clinton has enough money and influence for the long haul, however"
You might be interested to know that Barack Obama's PAC has donated in excess of $700,000.00 to the campaign coffers of super-delegates who support / endorse him. Sen Clinton's PAC has also donated to the campaigns of some of her super-delegates -- less than $200,000.00.
This type of donation is apparently SOP nowadays, having been invented / perfected by Newt Gingrich in 94 and Tom DeLay thereafter. It is perfectly legal (but should it be?) ... but something you Obama supporters might want to keep in mind when accusing the Clinton campaign of buying people off.
Obama has Rev. Wright; Clinton has been for years part of the super-secret, super-conservative, cult-like "Fellowship"; and McCain has Falwell, John Hagee and his "spiritual guide" Rod Parsley.  A maliciously-selected "most-incindiary moments" from any of these would curl the hair of most of us!  ---------  So could we please either examine the religious connections of ALL candidates extremely closely (in which case you would learn that Rev. Wright and Trinity UCC is the most accepted and mainstream, the least controversial, and to me the least frightening).  ------------   Or, as we should, can we let their religious beliefs and practices be private and simply evaluate the candidates based on their *own* character and values?  
Pennsylvania: I don't trust Ed Rendell, he strikes me as someone who would pull precisely the kind of cheat suggested here -- I mean, the man went to FOX NEWS and complemented their "fair" coverage.

Indiana: Did the company responsable for taking this poll also ask the voters (i.e. remind the voters) about their feelings with regard to Hillary's spectacular lie about her foreign experience - Bosnia?
Bill and Hillary have to launch a massive attack before the PA primary to get the results back in line. She was the leading candidate by a significant margin and has to win the state in the high double digits. A single digit victory is actually a loss for her. They really can't use the religious card anymore (maybe go back to having him be a Muslim), so they will probably take out another race card - here comes Pastor Wright again.
I am sure the gutter troops will once again come forward: Wolfson, Penn and Carville.


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