ABOUT FIRST READ

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



Obama adds another super

Posted: Monday, April 07, 2008 5:48 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Obama is now within 30 superdelegates of Clinton (255-225), as he added one more superdelegate to his total today. Montana National committeewoman Jeanne Lemire Dahlman told AP, and the campaign confirms to First Read, that she is throwing her support to the Illinois senator.

Obama now leads by 134 in the overall delegate count, 1,641-1,507. He has a 164 pledged-delegate lead, 1,416-1,252.

*** UPDATE *** Margaret Campbell, who was reported to have endorsed Obama has withdrawn her endorsement, the Montana newspaper the Missoulian reports:

"Even though the Illinois senator best represented her Democratic ideals, Campbell said, she told an Obama staffer on Sunday she needed to talk with voters, including tribal leaders, before making a public endorsement. ... On Monday, Campbell said not only was she withholding an Obama endorsement, but that Montana Democratic Party rules prohibit her from endorsing a candidate until after the state’s June 3 primary. Montana Democratic Party Rule 10 specifies that the party’s vice chair -- as well as the chair, executive director and paid staff -- 'shall maintain neutrality during primary elections for any office sought by more than one Democratic candidate.'"

We have adjusted the above numbers to reflect the change.

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Comments

How long will we have to wait for anyone at MSNBC to give this side of the story?

Hillary's Much-Maligned Hospital Story Fundamentally True"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/is-hillarys-muc.html?cid=109814178#comment-109814178

And the video of the story told to Sen. Clinton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wqpEt_CdBk&e
...Let's see, it's dripping at the rate of about one superdelegate per day, since Supertuesday.  (As compared to Hillary's loss of 5 since the same day.)

Drip, drip, drip.
Drip...Drip...Drip..
Thank you Jeannie Dahlman.

Our hope is well kept alive today. The GOP, and Obama doubters can not stop the momentum of the 'Peace Train'.

Bless you.

Pulling for Obama '08
I predict the Superdelegates are now lining up to support Senator Obama and bring this nonsense of a race to an end.  Looks to me like Howard Dean has been meeting with the supers and outlined a timeline of "how many per day" will make their announcements.  Then it's on to November and the "Man of Integrity from Illinois" will shut-down the Republican War Machine for the next 8 years.  As for Hillary and family.......I can't even go there!  
Obama is the man. Hillary is a good too, but there is no comparison. Go Obama.
He gained one but lost one.  Maragaret Campbell has retracted her endorsement due to party rules.  
It's 3am in The White House. Something is happening in the world. It seems that a phone is ringing, but, it is not ringing in The Oval Office or The Clinton Party offices.
The phone is loudly ringing at Obama For President. Super Delegates seem to be contacting them almost daily in an effort to make it known that their support will not be going to "Hillarious" Inc, but, to the Presidential Campaign of Senator Obama.
The Fat lady has started.......

Obama 2008 and 2012
Drip, drip, drip  -  GO OBAMA

meanwhile HRC just keeps lying and imploding.
Way to go!!  I wish Biden would come out for Obama.  I really respect him.  Since Carter all but came out and endorsed Obama-he should make it official. Come on superdelegates---Hillary cannot be trusted: Bosnia, Ohio woman, Nafta, Penn, library donations--I could go on but you know what I'm saying.
'..He has a 164 pledged-delegate lead, 1,416-1,252..'

That's a 13% lead in pledged delegates
Alkl the primaries, all the caucuses .....
Obama won 13% more than Clinton

Doesn't that make HIM MORE ELECTABLE ?

Barack Obama is inevitable

Barack Obama will be your next President
Smart woman.  She has finally seen the light.  ;-)
It is only a matter of time that the rest of the superdelegates will come out or Obama.  The news of the past few days has been very disturbing about all the lies, secrecy and hypocracy of the Clinton camp.  It is up to the voters in PA, IN, NC and the rest of the primaries to use their good judgment and vote for Sen Obama, who has been a man of honor and a man of his word. I don't know how Clinton supporters can trust her about anything, how many lies does she have to tell before they realize this is the character of the beast.  The Clintons will do and say anything to win and they do it so shamelessly.
It's 3 a.m. and your campaign is imploding.
What do you do?
* quick accuse Obama or his surrogates of some absurd, made up crime
* BOYCOTT OLYMPICS
* PRETEND TO FIRE YOU CHIEF STRATEGIST, BUT KEEP
EVERYTHING ON HIS DESK, BECAUSE HE'LL RETURN LATER
* ACCUSE OBAMA AGAIN, IN CASE EVERYONE FORGETS
* CHALLENGE HIM TO A BOWL OFF
* SEND BILL OUT TO THREATEN SUPER DELEGATES
* ACCUSE MICHELLE OBAMA OF SOMETHING
* LIE ABOUT AN EARLIER LIE YOU WERE BUSTED ON
* PAY OFF THE MEDIA TO SUPPRESS THE STORY
* CLAIM YOU HAVE WON ALL THE STATES THAT MATTER
* CLAIM YOU WON THE ELECTORAL STATES
* BLAME OBAMA'S ENTIRE FAMILY OF SOMETHING
* LOOK FOR BILL, TO RESCUE YOU, WITH FINGER WAGGING
* START CRYING
* BLAME MEN FOR BEATING UP ON YOU
* DENY THAT YOU WERE UNAWARE OF WHAT YOUR STAFF IS DOING OUTSIDE OF WORK
* BLAME OBAMA FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS CURRENTLY   HAPPENING TO YOU
* SAY REPEATEDLY THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HAVE MADE 109k IN SIX YEARS
* BLAME OBAMAS FAMILY IN KANSAS, HAWAII, AND AFRICA FOR A LEFT WING CONSPIRACY

GOOD WORK, YOU'VE PROVEN YOU ARE READY ON DAY 1 OF YOUR NEW JOB...WHEREVER THAT MIGHT BE.
'...Does Clinton have a chance to become president? Sure.
So does Ralph Nader.
Clinton's chances are far closer to Nader's than to either Obama's or John McCain's....'


You're not a quitter, Hillary
You're a LOSER !


'...The New Republic

No Really, You Should Go

by Jonathan Chait

Last week, Senator Pat Leahy suggested that Hillary Clinton ought to quit the presidential race. How insensitive! How boorish! Pundits gasped, Clinton took umbrage, and even Barack Obama was forced to concede that Clinton has the right to run for as long as she desires.

The persistent weakness of American liberalism is its fixation with rights and procedures at any cost to efficiency and common sense. Democrats' reluctance to push Clinton out of the race is the perfect expression of that delicate sensibility.

There is some point at which a candidate's chance of winning becomes so low that her right to continue is outweighed by the party's interest in preparing for the general election. Does Clinton have a chance to become president? Sure. So does Ralph Nader. Clinton's chances are far closer to Nader's than to either Obama's or John McCain's....'


That's just Super!  Only 411 left to go.

I see why Hillary now wants to change the rules - again.
They just keep coming his way.....way to go Obama!!!
There is no stopping this campaign!  Hilary needs to realize she has lost and stop with her desperate attempts to hold on. I used to be a Clinton supporter but was turned off by her desperate measures. Shows she is not interested in the nation's progress but her own progress.  Go OBAMA!!!

P.S. Join us in Oregon and help Obama get out the vote! Visit the obama website for details!
I think this trickle is a planned tactic by the Obama camp. It's a death of a thousand cuts for Clinton. If all of these Supers came out at one time there would be a week of "Wow, did you see all those Supers Obama just got?!?" and then it would fade away. This Super-a-Day tactic keeps the media focused on who's next in line and draws out the impact into a much longer news story.
Drip Drip Drip.... Slowly but surely it is ending for Senator Clinton.
Many people are seeing through the cracks in this democratic contest, even the superdelegates. Many lies and deception. I'm not surprised at all. This is just the beginning of the flock to Sen.Obama. There is no doubt more to come his way in terms of superdelegates.
With Hillary throwing her own campaign, I predict more
SD's will endorse Obama, soon.

Obama '08
Drip, Drip, Drip and so it goes. Hilllary has not picked up a SD for quite awhile. With the Penn stuff hitting, watch for more Union types/supporters to get behind the O'man. In the days leading up to the PA Primary we will see more SDs come to the O'man.

The Penn mess is going to unleash the Teamsters and other Unions on Billary.It will also force those Unions - except AFSCME - to become more silent.

Drip, Drip, Drip....
The Superdelegates are stepping up!

The Clinton lies MUST be wearing them out.

Let's have a strong SD push PRIOR to the Penn Voting.
We are getting there. 29 to go.

Interesting article here as well:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/130606
tick, tock..the witch is dead.
But, do they have to 'take one away' because campbell in Montana had to retract hers?  

Did the delegate count change in Washington State as a result of the Legislative District caucuses?  If so, what is that count now?
Drip, drip, drip . . . keep 'em coming!!
Thank you Ms. Dahlman.
Good news for senator Obama, the wave is starting and once again Senator Obama has the momentum. Looks like things have gotten tight in Pa, if Hillary  looses in Pa her goose is cooked. Hillary not only needs a win in Pa, but a big one because she has little chance to win in North Carolina and without momentum she will have trouble in Indiana, maybe the hand writing is on the wall maybe it's time for Hillary to exit stage left. Her campaign has been poorly run, she is the more well known candidate yet she has been out campaigned, out fundraised, and has lost more states, and is even behind in the popular vote. Hillary has had major shakeups in her campaign based on poor management and even had to loan her own campaign money to stay afloat, not to mention the fact that she has not been paying her campaign debts. This seems to be the reason Super delegates are starting to move to Obama, Hillary has proven herself to be a poor candidate and poor candidates make even poorer Presidents... ....something to think about.
Good news for senator Obama, the wave is starting and once again Senator Obama has the momentum. Looks like things have gotten tight in Pa, if Hillary  looses in Pa her goose is cooked. Hillary not only needs a win in Pa, but a big one because she has little chance to win in North Carolina and without momentum she will have trouble in Indiana, maybe the hand writing is on the wall maybe it's time for Hillary to exit stage left. Her campaign has been poorly run, she is the more well known candidate yet she has been out campaigned, out fundraised, and has lost more states, and is even behind in the popular vote. Hillary has had major shakeups in her campaign based on poor management and even had to loan her own campaign money to stay afloat, not to mention the fact that she has not been paying her campaign debts. This seems to be the reason Super delegates are starting to move to Obama, Hillary has proven herself to be a poor candidate and poor candidates make even poorer Presidents... ....something to think about.  
Drip, drip, drip.  
to all those that are raising their hackles over Hillary suggesting Bush boycott the opening of the OOlympics in China ---you need to get away from the Hate Hillary-Love Obama fest--Many of our atheletes have already decided they are not going to China to compete.Their health would be impaired from all the smog and bad air.It is not worth it to them to destroy their health.Get it?Can you comprehend.?
Good Job MSNBC you continue to report biased news.  You are all sexist.  I hope after this election Americans see how disgusting you are
One at the time. Supers are wise and this race will be over by 6/10. HC should stay in the race until 6/3 as long as she stays with issues and not personal. Obama will have a chance to visit every state ( beside MI and FL not his fault!!). He will have more volunteers and more folks will get to know him. However, I believe HC is in the race for two things
1) She is praying something bad to happen to Obama so that she can be the nominee
2) She wants to weaken Obama in order McCain to win so that she can say "I told you so, now line up behind me in 2012". None of these will happen.
My adivce to HC is, stay in the race until 6/3, keep you attacks to McCain
Thumbs down.  
Watch out Jeanne Lemire Dahlman, the Clinton attack machine will be knocking on your door soon.  Bill will be suggesting that you (5)times to his face promised to support Hillery.  Your vote will be a non-factor.....Clinton will say we are no longer counting the delegates at all.  The Clintons will say the only votes that should count are those of Florida and Michigan....They fit in more with our morals and values........
It's amazing how MSNBC continues the story about hillary with sniper fire.  They easliy forget about Obama with his pastor-  Don't worry MSNBC we Americans do not forget and it will show in the upcoming elections.  Obama will never get past this no matter how many eloquent speeches he makes
Ed Shultz is an idiot.  
You go men....President Barack Obama , we are all behind you & all the way to the White House, well
for the Clintons pls my advise to them is to drop out
after PA, thank you very much
Good We will start seeing more and more superdelegates leave Obama over the next weeks.  Real democrats understand that we need to win in November.  We can only win with Hillary.  Obama will get killed by the republicans
Go Obama!! Keep on leaking delegates until 2024.
SUPER!!!
Campbell will be back...she's just complying with the rules for now and remaining neutral, at least technically.  If her intention, then she would have gone to Clinton.  Plus, she clearly said that Obama "best represented her Democratic ideals."
we are getting close to the nomination, almost every day, more support for Barack! Yes!

We love Barack Obama!

Come on democrats, let's get him the presumptive nominee status ASAP! It's time to take on McBush now!

Andrea
My work at home site:
http://www.jobs-from-home.com
http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
Another power-elite abandonds HRC and the fat-bottom gang for Train Obama!
And there's a lot more Super d's to come for the Illinois senator.. a lot more!!!
There are no pledged Indians, Just Indians.  


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