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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 Political Researcher



Obama gets two V.I. switches

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:04 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: , ,

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Obama picked up two Virgin Islands superdelegates who were previously supporting Clinton, the campaign announced. They are Kevin Rodriguez, who had publicly endorsed Clinton, and Carol Burke, who had been privately considered for Clinton before today. Obama won the Virgin Islands contest overwhelmingly, and Clinton supporters there have been facing increasing pressure to go with Obama.

So far today in the NBC NEWS count, Obama has a net of three to Clinton's negative one. Also expected today are one more add on from Massachusetts and two add ons from Ohio.

The NBC NEWS delegate counts:
PLEDGED: Obama 1,590, Clinton 1,426
SUPERS: Clinton 276.5, Obama 272
TOTAL: Obama 1,862, Clinton 1,702.5

* This leaves 246.5 superdelegates undeclared. Nearly 50 are not yet named. Most will be this month.

* Obama needs 163 to reach 2,025 needed for the nomination.

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Let it be.
Here is the reason Kevin Rodriguez actually gave from switching his support from Senator Clinton to Senator Obama:

"While I have great respect for Senator Clinton, today I am announcing my support for Barack Obama. Senator Obama has brought a new generation  and energy into the democratic process and the Democratic Party. He has shown he can connect with Democrats, Republicans and Independents across this country, whether we live on the mainland or an island. Senator Obama’s judgment to lead, courage to tell the truth and commitment to working men and women make him the best candidate to lead this country forward."

Mr. Rodriguez, I note, says nothing about facing pressure.  Indeed, I believe Mr. Rodriguez' words should speak (and do speak) for themselves.

Hooray, SD's, thank you.  Continue with the steady flow of support.  Apparently this is the only way Hillary will understand what she must do.  We were trying to allow her the opportunity to bow out in a honorable manner but, she just will not stop stating that she is the only one who can win the blue collar vote.  After West Virginia, she will screamm from the top of her lungs.  SD's please express your support for Obama before this Tuesday.   Otherwise, she will be unbearable when she translate what her win means.
What makes me crazy is that all the pundits and media are saying that the super delegates should not overturn the will of the voters.

I may be wrong, but based on the large blue states that she has won - if all the elected house members voted as their district did, and senators voted as their state did, and non-elected supers voted as their state did - she would be ahead in supers - enough to win the nomination. No one in the media is doing that math…too afraid to go there???
Fox just announced that Obama received 4 endorsements today, surpassing Hillary in the SD count.  Keep it pouring on SD's.  How viable is she?  
Will someone tell Hillary that the bar is closed.She's
got to be drunk not to realize that her campaign can-
not win this election.

With the way Hillary has been acting lately, I hope
Obama has alot of people watching his back.

Come on Bill, take your wife on a vacation, get her
back on her meds or make her seek counseling. This is
becoming embarrassing to watch.

Obama '08
Nothing like being on the winning team...
drip..drip..drip
Why is the media saying Obama has passed Clinton with the superdelegates?
barackobama.com: 274 superdelegates have now endorsed Barack Obama and 122th have endorsed since February 5. Obama is 157 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Your count is not good.
i wish they would stop dragging this thing out
The DNC needs to change its rules for 2012. Overseas superdelegates should have to endorse in pairs, so as to avoid these .5s in the totals.
Here they come! The word is out, even to the Virgin Islands, that Barack is the nominee. Come on board, the rest of you supers! This bandwagon has room for ALL and it feels great!
Ouch.  How many total switches for each side?
per Ap Obama got one from Ohio:

Supers according to AP.

Obama overtakes Clinton in Democratic superdelegates

Obama added superdelegates from Utah and Ohio, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions enabled Obama to surpass Clinton's total for the first time in the campaign.

The violet isn't shrinking, its flacid.  There is nothing like the cold soak of reality.
There are whole bunch of news outlets reporting that Obama has already surpassed Bill and Hillary Clinton in the Super Delegate Tally. Since there are so many different numbers being thrown out, First Read should do a Tally of Tallies much like the Poll of Polls average. I'm thinking that would give us a better consensus on where everyone is.
Make sure to hold back on the supers and allow the voters from Oregon to put you over the top Mr. Obama. We don't want your total to be tainted. If Oregon puts you over the top then there could no arguments about whether the people decided this thing or whether the party elites did.
Looks like the two camps are moving in different directions.  The Clintons better sharpen their criticisms of Mr. McFallenandcan'tgetup.  Otherwise what good is their dead campaign to the party.  If she can't ralley around the nominee then she must kick McPoopypants in the shins.  Her supporters may never like Obama, but they must loathe McElderly.
Gee All this talk of Hillary with big numbers in WV all the while she continues to loose super delegates to Obama, has no financial support (besides her own pocket). It's clearly over...

Obama 08'
Wow.. so so many Clinton super delegates are switching to Obama alrready!
Go Obama ... Also, have to give Senator Hillary some credits, she ran a good campaign, now let us democrats unite to take back the white house.
msnbc you are behind all the other media polls, everybody else knows and reports that Obsms is now leading clinton.  Is everybody taking the day off and can not keep your viewers updated.  
For the record, Obama will be campaigning in WV tomorrow.  I'm sure he will also campaign in KY.  
Here they come! The word is out, even to the Virgin Islands, that Barack is the nominee. Come on board, the rest of you supers! This bandwagon has room for ALL and it feels great!
Political suicide her she comes!! I hope she wraps her ankles.
There was an add on from Utah today.
HUGE NC Vote MisCount Favored Obama

by internetstar, Fri May 09, 2008 at 06:39:47 PM EST

In at least one county, ballots were counted twice for Obama.  
They gave him 15,000 extra votes.

"MECKLENBURG & WAKE COUNTIES -- Vote tallies are changing in the state's two largest counties, after certain ballots were counted twice in Mecklenburg and Wake counties.

The mistake didn't change the outcome of any elections, but it is a cause for concern to election directors.

For example, when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama declared victory Tuesday night in North Carolina's primary, he was given approximately 15,000 votes more than he should have been.

That's 1 percent of all ballots cast.

In Wake County, early and absentee ballots were counted as part of the individual voters precincts and again as a whole.

"So in essence, those voters were recorded double," said Cherie Poucher of the Wake Co. Board of Elections. It was around 37,000 votes.
Even if he does reach the magic number she wont drop out saying that they can still change their minds before the convention.  For Hillary its no more about whats best for the Democratic Party or the Country.  Its about what best for Hillary and only her.  Take note WV and KY.
drip, Drip, DRIP, whooosh......
I support Barack Obama. But it does not matter if you like Bill or Hillary. It does not matter if you like Barack or Michelle. What matters is that you keep this election in perspective.
John McCain recently said: "I will look for accomplished men and women with a proven record of excellence in the law, and a proven commitment to judicial restraint…" Does anyone know what ‘judicial restraint’ is code for? Conservative Judges.
The next president will most likely be allowed to appoint judges to the Supreme Court. He wants judges who look down on rights of women, the right to choice which is something no man and I mean NO MAN has a right to dispute with women. We can never, ever know the situation and must work together to make sure that the right to choice is protected, safe, and used as infrequently as possible.
Recently John McCain’s own pastor problems have been touched on by the media. John Hagee recently apologized for his remarks about Katrina being caused by a homosexual pride parade. When pressed about why he changed his mind, he said that he hadn’t changed it and that God wiped out New Orleans to stop the parade.
Do we want a President who stands firmly beside a man who refuses to acknowledge that what he has said is despicable? Do we want a President who will overturn the right of women to choose? Do we want a President who has said that he will continue the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans? Do we want a President who admits he doesn’t know much about the economy in tough economic times like these? A President who wants to back-track our failing healthcare system?
I hope not. I hope that we can realize that either of these two democrats would be far superior to anything McCain has to offer. So let’s end the fighting amongst ourselves and not choose the nominee based on who is better than McCain, in that fight they both win. Instead let’s hear them out on the issues. Let’s compromise and use a little bit of the respect we all so desperately want to receive.  Let this race play out, cleanly, and I bet we will find we are the stronger party for it.
I hope this helps someone out there.
"Ouch.  How many total switches for each side?"
--------------------

I don't know how many of Clinton's have switched to Obama - maybe 5-9? But NONE of Obama's have switched to Clinton.
Angela and other Hillary supporters refusing to face up to reality, you need to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Lstkiexhc
This is going to get messy next week.

Hillary will win WV by some margin, although perhaps not as much as expected.

If the 15,000 vote margin in Indiana is any indicator, she will be manically crowing about her new found "momentum."

I understand the dance.  But she had better learn how to follow or her toes are gong to get crunched.

And yes, the elephant in the room is Obama's personal safety now that he has humiliated the Clintons.

Hillary should realize by now that her support is drying up. When you can't raise enough money to keep you in the race, and you are spending your own money, it is sad to think people will feel sorry for you. The math is'nt in her favor. When HRC entered this race she was riding on Bill's coat tail. Then things went south for them. Lesson learned should be,"Whats goes around, comes back around." They did this too themselves, with all the lies, that have been told over the years. Go figure  
Hillary ran an excellent campaign.  We have to give her credit for inspiring a number of people to get out and vote for the first time in their lives. She is an inspiration to all women that we can accomplish anything in this man's world.   She made a few mistakes but all in all she ran a good hard fought campaign.  

Democrats got your back.    
Unite this party and this nation; or else you'll be a shrinking violet or just standing around like an empty suit.
re: Angela
Keep in mind it was Clinton herself who at various points has suggested that supers should vote NOT based on who won the pledged delegates, but on other criteria. I wouldn't assume Clinton would get more from a strict breakdown anyway, because it's unclear if SDs should follow a) the state popular vote totals (note that Obama only has 1 of NY's 49 supers in spite of winning 40% of the vote) or b) if elected officials should follow who won their district.

Tommy (and anyone else interested): there is a website that follows the various delegate totals and runs their own. http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/
I am so glad the super delagates are waking up and going over to Obama, lets hope he is on the road to the White House.  Hillary would of not been to bad in the white house, if she didnt have to bring Bill in there again.
Hillary should realize by now that her support is drying up. When you can't raise enough money to keep you in the race, and you are spending your own money, it is sad to think people will feel sorry for you. The math is'nt in her favor. When HRC entered this race she was riding on Bill's coat tail. Then things went south for them. Lesson learned should be,"Whats goes around, comes back around." They did this too themselves, with all the lies, that have been told over the years. Go figure  

Obama 08/12
2025 = Number of delegates Obama needs to win.

2025 = Year Clinton quits campaigning.
I do agree with you Mama for Obama. Dear God Heaven and Earth you are Great let it be known.  It is time for the sun to rise. Thanks guys for the endorsement and support of Obama. Come on guys let us do it this is the only way we can re-capture the White House and tell our children and grand children that we joined the Movement of Change and We Did Change things for the better.  Let us all jump on the train before it takes off, jump on there is room for us all. I do remember the story of David and Goliath, people under estimated David because he was young, but guess what? He was the one who defeated Goliath, therefore let us all come behind Obama and win the election in November. What do we really want? Is it not that we want to get back into white house? Let us team up be behind Obama through out his time in White House. I do not care whether his color was green or yellow as long he is going to give us the right direction that it is all I want.  I do take advise from my children or grand kids, this is life let us all face it that the guy has a plan for this country let us grab it together with him.
From other sources, it looks like a total of 11 super D's have switched from Clinton to Obama.  I haven't found or seen any go from Obama to Clinton -- does seem accurate to other folks?  First Read?


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