Delegate fight: Puerto Rico results

Posted: Monday, June 02, 2008 9:14 AM by Domenico Montanaro

With 100% of precincts reporting, Clinton won 68% (263,120 votes) to Obama’s 32% (121,458)

The Boston Globe: “Clinton scored a lopsided victory in the Puerto Rico primary yesterday, boosting both her spirits and her popular vote count, but offering little hope that she can catch rival Senator Barack Obama by the end of the Democratic presidential primary season tomorrow.” More: “Even in defeat, Obama crept closer to the nomination … Obama still must unite a Democratic Party bitterly divided during the wrenching and lengthy campaign -- a challenge he acknowledged yesterday as he addressed supporters in South Dakota, which along with Montana holds its primary tomorrow.”

The New York Times: "The victory … underscored a constant source of frustration among Mrs. Clinton and her supporters: that her strong finish over the past months, with big victories among blue-collar voters, have shown no signs of pushing uncommitted superdelegates into her camp. Most Clinton supporters are filled with bewilderment that this is happening,” said Gov. Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania. ‘We are willing to go on, and we understand the inevitability of this, but we are filled with disappointment and amazement: Why haven’t these results caused the superdelegates to come around?’”

More Rendell: “‘What good does it do? What good does it do anybody?’ Mr. Rendell said that if the nominating contest were closer, it might make sense to take the fight to the convention. ‘I think it’s outrageous they took four delegates away from her,’ he said. ‘But I think with 170 delegates separating them, it’s not worth making the case.’”

Indeed, there are lots of hints from Clinton supporters that they don't want to take this fight to the convention. “‘It would be most beneficial if we resolved this nomination sooner rather than later,’ said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, a high-profile superdelegate who backs Clinton. ‘The more time we have to get through a general-election period and the more time we have to prepare in advance of the convention, the better.’”

“As Barack Obama turns to concentrate on his general election challenge, his rival Hillary Rodham Clinton is mounting a last ditch campaign to stay relevant in what is left of the Democratic presidential contest,” the AP writes. “The former first lady enters this week with an insurgent strategy not only to win over undecided superdelegates but to peel away Obama's support from those party leaders and elected officials who already have committed to back him for the nomination. ‘One thing about superdelegates is that they can change their minds,’ she told reporters aboard her campaign plane Sunday night.”

Clinton is running a new TV ad in Montana and South Dakota that makes her claim that she’s leading in the popular vote.

Al Gore spoke out for party unit. “ ‘There's no reason that the two political candidates -- the best we've seen in our party -- can't get together in the next few days or weeks to unite our party to defeat the Republicans in November,’ the former vice president said at the soiree in a private apartment on Central Park South that raised more than $1.3 million,” per the New York Post. “When asked if he was backing either candidate, Gore said, ‘I'll know when I'm ready to endorse.’ Corzine, a big Clinton supporter added, ‘We need to unite the party when the time is right.’”

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Comments

Note Lanny Davis' op-ed piece in the Weekend WSJ: He predicts "a record turnout of more than 2 million voters." Typical. Only missed on the low side by 80%. These people (Clintons) should never be allowed in government, at any level, in any position.

iowan (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:23 AM)

Did Obama really put up a fight?

He basically let her win. Obama already knows that he is the candidate for the party!!

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America for Obama (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:24 AM)

DEMOCRATIC CONTEST RULES WERE: --- HE/SHE WHO WINS THE MOST "DELEGATES" WINS THE NOMINATION.

OBAMA WILL WIN THE MOST DELEGATES.

OBAMA WILL BE THE CONTEST WINNER & NOMINEE.

BILLARY'S SILLY SCOREKEEPING WON'T COUNT.

HILLARY'S 'GROUPIES' WILL CRY & MOAN.
____________________________________________________

BILLARY'S SILLY SCOREKEEPING .... (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:25 AM)

Senator Clinton should take a look at Ted Kennedy. He also wanted to be president, but he accomplished more as a senator than he would have as president.

Gregory Peek, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:25 AM)

If the SD don't end this by the end of the week I will vote for McCain.

Larry IN (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:28 AM)

Senator Clinton's win in PR, did little more than move Senator Obama closer to the Dem nomination. Once that is finalized, hopefully this week, I want to see Mrs. Clinton "work her heart out for the nominee" as she promised to do for Senator Obama some weeks ago. There's a lot of mending that needs to be done and she can show herself to be a true "fighter" by leading her supporters to back Sen. Obama in a joint effort to defeat the Repubs in the fall. She needs to the first to rally the cry that McBush is the enemy and not Sen. Obama.

DIVIDED WE FAIL---GO OBAMA 08/12

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:28 AM)

OBAMA = THE OBAMINEE

mary lee atlanta georgia (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:29 AM)

Let's keep running Hillary say's to the bewilderment of Common Sense American's. Maybe that's because she's having so much fun showing everybody in the World what an Alcholic she is.Drinking like a lush, such as the ones her Husband had so much fun with in previous year's gone by. Maybe this is how she can bring Bill back into the failed Political marriage arangement between the two.

All Hail the Queen is about to end with a Thud instead of the Bang she had hoped for, Thank god!

Thank You America for bringing an END to Bush-Clinton-Bush-almost Clinton Nightmare on our political system. Thank You Thank You Thank You from Rural Kentucky!

Barack Obama the next President of The United States of America !

Rick,Ky (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:30 AM)

Personally I think Clinton shoudl go all the way to the convention. She is clearly the stronger candidate at this point. By time of the convention I think the polls will clearly indicate that McCain will beat Obama but that Clinton could beat him in the general. At that point the superdelgates have a choice. Nominate the first African American for president and LOSE the general election, OR, nominate the first woman and WIN the general. If Democrats want to win they need nominate the person that can win, Clinton. And by by the way will someone at the convention please make a motion to fire DEAN! If the Democratic party flies in the face of conventional wisdom and nominates somone who will lose the general, I guess for the first time in my life I vote Republican. After all with a Democratic controlled House and Senate, we can keep McCain in check. Obama does not represent main stream Democrats and for me his "change" message has little meaning when all his staff are 'Old Guard democrates'...can you say "puppet" of the liberal wing of the democratic party?

Paul, Indianapolis (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:31 AM)

I'm sick of the Clintons lying about popular votes and "taking away" delegates. Prior to the RBC meeting Hillary didn't have ANY DELEGATES FROM MICHIGAN therefore no one took any away. The farce of the Michigan primary awarded NO delegates. The RBC used the Michigan challenge to award the delegates, but any application of the invalid primary is tangental at best. Clinton never had those four delegates, never won them in a valid contest, and therefore could not have lost them. Stop lying, you're embarrassing yourselves.

JWHICK, American Fork, UT (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:32 AM)

I am glad that Obama is focused on what's right for his campaign and not bothering to spend time and money chasing Hillary's windmill. At a 400k turnout even Puerto Rico knew that it was all fluff.

garyd, amherst, nh (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:37 AM)

An insignificant victory that's way too little way too late. The Wicked Witch of the East had better reserve some of her fight for the repugnant ones in November to help the Democratic Party and Barack Obama win.

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:40 AM)

I thought around 2 million Puerto Ricans were supposed to vote yesterday? That's the number that Clinton supporters were touting.

Oh, well.

Interesting number from the exit polls...37% of those surveyed really didn't know what to think of Senator Obama and therefore could not say if they had either a favorable or unfavorable impression of him.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:41 AM)

Gov. Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania needs to open his eyes. He is quoted saying "Why haven’t these [ recent primary ] results caused the superdelegates to come around ?"

Think about it ...

Today Hillary Clinton has a voice in the Senate. If she becomes President, she will have a voice in the Oval Office ... for 4 and possibly 8 years. If I were a superdelegate, I would be thinking about that single point.

... for 4 and possibly 8 years. The most powerful person in the Free World. Think about it. Think very, very hard about it.

Jim, San Diego (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:41 AM)

4 delegates, please! The Obama camp wanted to give them to her, but the Michigan party is saying no. That is the Michigan party rules that was agreed upon by them, she needs to pick up her ball and get ready to rumble to defeat the republicans on the 4th down...hhheeelloooooo!

Michelle Zee (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:43 AM)

Alert the secret service -NOW! Ickes has said that "She will declare victory--She will be the nominee" There is only one way for that to happen! I see this as a major threat to Senator Obama! Help!

Alert the secret service--I'm not kidding (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:44 AM)

I think much of it is that it is just "too little too late" and also that she is a very flawed candidate who ran a flawed campaign. She made lots of mistakes people. I say this not to be mean but to really say, she wasn't showing herself to be good Presidential material. Color me surprised as anyone on this. I wouldn't want that staff in the White House. They couldn't even run this campaign well with all they started with.

Be angry but be angry at the right people.

One of the many white middle/older women for OBAMA (yes, we are here, not making a ruckus but we are here)

Lisa, New Britain, CT...really really really for Obama :) (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:49 AM)

The Clintons and the their surrogates only know anger and deceit. These are the paths to the dark side of the force.

AJ, IL (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:50 AM)

Hillary is still trying to win.

Anybody with a sense of which way the wind is blowing, (I thought the Clintons were the masters of wet finger in the air polling), would know that the supers don't want her.

There's a new star on the horizon, and he makes the Clintons look like a puddle of candle wax, afer the candle has burned away.

donna (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 9:55 AM)

I don't pose this question for any partisan purpose, and, quite frankly, I do not think the popular vote means jack due to the guesstimated FL and MI numbers, but... Is there some reason that we should consider PR's popular vote (0 electoral votes in the Fall) over the votes cast in the caucus states? I'm curious, and I have not seen the question posed.

Middleman, Charlotte, NC (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:01 AM)

Let's give all the headlines for HRC a rest, this popular vote count she and her supporters rant on about, is nothing but crock of bs.

More voters want Barack Obama as their nominee, let's move on to the GE. If those of her supporters who threaten to vote for MCCain do so, you are only shooting yourselves in the foot. Only a fool with no idea of the stakes will do that. Hillary was not the best candidate to be the nominee, people saw through the facade of, I'm for the little guy, or I'm for this or that, whatever flavor suited the primary she was campaigning in. Her campaign all around was badly run and she was ill served by her staff, would anyone want that crew running things in the White House?

gmhussein, Jupiter, Fl (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:06 AM)

And as a Floridian I was DISGUSTED by the raucous display of the women at the RBC/DNC meeting this weekend.
And even more so by Harold Ickes inability to use civil language when discussing why Hillary should get all the votes of both FL and MI.
Harold Ickes is the Benedict Arnold of the Democratic Party. He WROTE the rules of Disenfranchisement for FL and MI oh but now they don’t count. The Democrats are no better than the Repubs. They DO NOT SAY WHAT THEY MEAN OR MEAN WHAT THEY SAY
Many people in FL who were not affected by the Property Tax Amendment that was on the primary ballot did not vote. And they had good reason. Given the price of GAS here in FL with all the added on taxes (over 4) it was a moot point to travel to a polling place, wait in line to vote. A vote we were ALL told would not COUNT. That was an exercise in Futility.
So now I ask who are the REAL Disenfranchised Voters? There were many reasons why another primary could not be held. It had to do with FL and not Obama as people would have you believe
But the bottom line is this: Harold Ickes was the author of the Disenfranchisement Rules but does not want them adhered to.
Just more of the Clinton lies etc. I am not saying that Obama is pure as the driven snow (no pun intended) but the Clintons far exceed him in downright lies and hateful messages.
I for one will NEVER EVER vote for a Clinton again. If a Clinton name appears on the ballot in ANY position I will not vote for that position.
I can vote Independent or Libertarian without voting Repub and that is probably what I will do if a Clinton name appears on the ballot
Bill Clinton’s claim that Hillary was being disrespected. Hello Bill Who was the first person to disrespect her with their dalliances with Bimbo’s especially in the Oval Office. Not only did he disrespect her he disrespected the Office of the Presidency and the White House the house of the people of the US not the house of the Clintons
I could have voted for her if she had divorced him, been truthful in all or most of her claims. But she chose to Disrespect herself. And a woman who does not respect herself cannot be expected to respect others.
If Obama is stupid enough if he is the nominee to select Hillary as VP I visualize that Bill will insure her Presidency the same way that Lyndon Johnson became President. No ONE will EVER convince me that Lyndon Johnson was not behind Kennedy’ s assassination.
Will History repeat itself>
LBJ WANTED to be President at ALL COSTS. He Hated Kennedy and he even stated so after Kennedy’s death. The fact that he called Jackie and said he wanted to be a Daddy to her children spoke volumes
Since Hillary brought up the Assassination in the context of the primary and then refused to apologize to Obama speaks volumes again. She apologized to the Kennedy’s . So who is she running against in the primaries ? The Kennedy’s

A Disenfranchised FL Voter (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:14 AM)

Obama can show himself to be a true statesman by offering the VP spot to Hillary. He is compared to Kennedy and Lincoln and they kept their opponents close. This would unite the party and make them an unbeatable team against McCain. Hillary might not take it, but the offer would unite the party and settle many of the hard feelings. Obama could appoint Biden as Secretary of State and Edwards as attorney general. This would be a true dream administration!

Mary, Illinois (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:16 AM)

People are saying Hillary ended the primary season strong. However, if Obama didn't feel he had this in his pocket he could have diminshed her significantly. There were many issues that he let go rather than hammer her. I am a woman (47) and I am ashamed of the silly women that cry sexism. Hillary's campaign strategy was flawed, she had more baggage than Paris Hilton, and Obama is a good candidate. It is what it is......but it isn't sexism.

Indiana Repub for Obama (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:16 AM)

Obama supporters have pretty much nailed it for me-I can't vote for him. You all remind me of the Repubs-very hateful in your speak.

Sally, Ventura (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:17 AM)

Setting aside the question of the results: PR has no say in the election of the President. It would be akin to granting the Province of Ontario, in Canada, the right to have a Primary and includung those results. Why PR has more delegates than Montana or South Dakota - two states - is beyond me.

If we want to give PR the right to vote for President - let's talk about that - but is has no such right now.

Paul@Winston-Salem (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:18 AM)

*********************************************
Sen. Obama has some SERIOUS problems in connecting to the working class --diverse group of voters. This is NOT about where the candidates stand on the issues --as we have known for 15 months now where everyone stands on the issues.

This is NOW a race about comparison of values and moral character between the candidates. Furthermore --in Sen. Obamas OWN words... 'small town, typical white, bible clinging, gun totting, antipathy toward others that are not like them voters' leave MUCH to be explained to the diverse voters out there and many feel that he simply does not share their moral values (as again, indicated in his own words).

McCain is about as centered as centered can be and at the very least, tells the American voters the TRUTH about situations and not say (As Rev. Wright indicated) "what he {Obama} has to get elected."

Come November --the American voters will vote on the candidate that shares and connects MOST with the values and morals they hold dear.

American Values (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:24 AM)

Many in FL are not happy with Debbie Wasserman and will not support her when she's up for reelection. It's one thing to support the candidate of your choice it's another to support things that the candidate does or says is totally wrong.

We expect our Congressional Reps to be upstanding, have integrity, stand up for right when something is clearly wrong and she did not do that.

Gov. Rendall seems to get it. He has for sometime now. Many were amazed that the news never showed the videos on U-Tube of Gov Rendall speaking at Louis Farrakan's church and praising the Minister for the great work he and the church in the community. Selective Media bias.

vl, fl (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:26 AM)

Gov. Rendell said "We are willing to go on, and we understand the inevitability of this, but we are filled with disappointment and amazement: Why haven’t these results caused the superdelegates to come around?”

Well, I think that most superdelegates can see the handwriting on the wall. They have a good idea that delegate lead is important and that it is not what the possible electoral college votes are; nor the popular vote total which is not clear what she is using. I hope that either First Read or the Clinton campaign can clearly define where the numbers are coming from for the popular vote that they keep flaunting.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:31 AM)

Hillary Clinton has only proven that she can beat Obama in places he doesn't CAMPAIGN!

The longer she stays in this fight, and the more vocal her radical left feminist support gets, the more she will LOSE working class women with children. I am one. Her in-it-to-win-it rings hollow right now.

I will not vote for this woman in November.

http://midwestmoms.blogspot.com

Midwest Mom, Illiana (Sent Monday, June 02, 2008 10:32 AM)

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