John Glenn's back and Clinton's got him

John Glenn, who in 1962 was the first American to orbit the earth--and in 1998 the oldest person to ever go into space--is doing some down to earth campaigning in Ohio for Hillary Clinton.

Glenn, now 86, is accompanying Hillary and Bill Clinton around the state, and his ads touting her candidacy air frequently on TV.

He gets big cheers from crowds. In Wooster tonight, he had a lot on his mind, like the media coverage of the campaign. "I regret much of the coverage is not leaving people informed about all these issues," said Glenn, who also served in the U. S. Senate, "but instead tells about the horse race, who's coming around third and who's up and who's down."

And he wasn't happy about Tuesday's debate in Cleveland, either. "A lot of things were not covered," he said, and then listed them: The environment, energy, foreign policy, China, India, globalilzation, education and innovation.

"It's 3 a.m." again

Barack Obama whipped up an ad in response to Hillary Clinton's ad. An Obama spokesman said it begins airing in Texas tomorrow. Here's the link

"It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep..."

That's the opening line in a provocative television ad Hillary Clinton launched in Texas today leading up to Tuesday's potentially pivotal Democratic primary against Barack Obama. A win by Obama could fatally damage Clinton's bid, but if Clinton can win in Texas and Ohio it could allow a comeback by her.

The ad targets voter fears about a national security crisis and implies Obama, a first-term senator, would be less able to deal with a crisis than Clinton, a senator and former first lady.

Here's the text:

It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep

But there’s a phone in the White House and it’s ringing

Something’s happening in the world

Your vote will decide who answers that call.

Whether it’s someone who already knows the world’s leaders, knows the military - someone tested and ready to lead in a dangerous world

It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep

Who do you want answering the phone?

Here's the link

Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe predicted "this ad will not be effective whatsoever." "Sen. Clinton's already had her red-phone moment," Plouffe said. "She had it in 2002. She supported the Iraq war."

Bloomberg takes name out of hat

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared Thursday that he will not run for president, ending the chance that the billionaire maverick might scramble the politics of Election 2008 by mounting a self-financed independent campaign.

Bloomberg declared his decision in a by-lined article on the OpEd page of The New York Times. "… I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president," he wrote.

Bloomberg had made preparations for a potential independent candidacy, and has billions of dollars at his disposal to finance one if he'd chosen to run. Analysts thought he might have a chance if the major parties nominated polarizing figures such as Rudolph Giuliani or Hillary Clinton, but with John McCain and Barack Obama showing strong appeal to independent moderate voters, Bloomberg may have reasoned that there was little room left for him to forge a winning coalition.

However, he added, America faces huge challenges, from global warming to crumbling cities, that can be tackled effectively only by a leader willing to take an independent, practical, non-partisan approach. Bloomberg said that if a candidate shows such leadership and willingness to "challenge party orthodoxy," then he will work to elect that candidate.

Pew survey: Obama up but potholes ahead

A survey released today by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows Democrat Barack Obama the best poised presidential contender right now both in his own primary and looking ahead to the general election.

Democratic primary voters said they prefer Obama to Hillary Clinton 49 percent to 40 percent. Strikingly, when asked who is most likely to win, those voters predicted Obama over Clinton, 70-17. And one-third of voters survey said at age 71 the presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is too old for the job.

But if Obama were to emerge as the Democratic nominee, some trends could undercut his edge even though polls show him more popular than McCain right now.

One in five white Democratic voters said they would cross party lines to vote for McCain over Obama; that's twice as many as if Clinton were the nominee.

Meanwhile, 56 percent of voters think Obama's promises are too vague. Another 43 percent worry he isn't tough enough on foreign affairs.

The Pew survey also found Americans are increasingly optimistic about progress in Iraq and 47 percent now favor keeping U.S. troops there until the situation is stable. Pew found that was the highest percentage support in more than a year. Obama and Clinton are proposing withdrawing troops while McCain is not.

The survey of 1,508 adults was conducted Feb. 20-24. To read the full report, go to:  people-press.org/reports/pdf/398.pdf

Florida has a new poll

The Miami Herald reports a new poll shows Florida Democrats are torn over how to resolve the dispute over the state's early primary date, though most don't buy Hillary Clinton's argument that her victory should count toward delegates that would allow her to catch up to Barack Obama.'

Rep. John Lewis switches from Clinton to Obama

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a Democratic Party superdelegate and civil rights icon, announced Wednesday that he is switching his support from Sen. Hillary Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"After taking some time for serious reflection on this issue, I have decided that when I cast my vote as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention, it is my duty as a representative of the 5th Congressional District to express the will of the people," Lewis said in a written statement. "As a U.S. representative, it is my role not to try to subdue or supress the will of the people, but to help it prosper and grow."

Lewis went on to say that "Something is happening in America."

"There is a movement, there is a spirit, there is an enthusiasm in the hearts and minds of the American people that I have not seen in a long time, since the candidacy of Robert Kennedy," he said. "The people are pressing for a new day in American politics, and I think they see Sen. Barack Obama as a symbol of change."

Obama campaign officials said they didn't know about Lewis' switch until they read about it in Wednesday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Wednesday afternoon, Obama said: "John Lewis is an American hero and a giant of the Civil Rights Movement, and I am deeply honored to have his support."

Lewis' decision is a blow to the Clinton campaign. On Monday, Harold Ickes, a senior Clinton campaign adviser, told reporters that superdelegates - who are usually members of Congress or distinguished Democratic party members - are leaders who must exercise independent thought and not be followers.

"They are not sheep," Ickes said.

Lewis said he came to his decision "independently, not based on politics or pressure, but because I believe it is right."

"I have deep and abiding lve for both Sen. Clinton and President Clinton. Sen. Clinton is a brilliant and capable candidate," Lewis said. "However, the people of my district have spoken, and I think that as their vessel, I should represent their wishes at the convention."

Edwards joins anti-war group

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards joined a coalition of liberal advocacy groups to link the Iraq war and the recession.

In a conference call with reporters, Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, said they are joining the Iraq/Recession Campaign, which will focus on war costs and the faltering U.S. economy.

Edwards said he met a lot of Americans on the campaign trail who were anxious about war spending.

By Ryan Teague Beckwith and Bill Krueger, Raleigh News & Observer

Ex-rival Dodd endorses Obama

Barack Obama, not Hillary Clinton, picks up former presidential hopeful Sen. Chris Dodd's support for the Democratic presidential nomination. Dodd made his endorsement official this morning appearing with Obama in Ohio, which along with Texas holds crucial primaries in one week.

Dodd, of Connecticut, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, had been a contender through the Iowa caucuses but his campaign never took off. He was a chairman of the Democratic National Committee in the mid-1990s, during Clinton's husband's presidency. Dodd declined to endorse in advance of his own state's primary on Super Tuesday, but with Obama leading the pledged delegate count and with the March 4 primaries having the potential to be decisive, Dodd stepped in.

Clinton campaign: Media hard on Hillary, soft on Barack

Phil Singer, a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign spokesman, isn't a TV critic, but he gave two thumbs up Monday to an NBC "Saturday Night Live" skit that lampooned the press for fawning over Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama and treating him with kid gloves.

Responding to a question at a media breakfast session with Clinton campaign adviser Harold Ickes, Singer said the media vetting of Obama has been "woefully inadequate" and pointed to the SNL skit as Exhibit A.

"That's a point that has certainly been backed up (by) the 'Saturday Night Live' skit that opened the show this past Saturday evening, which I would refer you all to," Singer told reporters at the session.

Accusing the media of being soft on Barack and hard on Hillary seemed to be the mantra of the Clinton campaign Monday as campaign communications director Howard Wolfson teed off on the press in an afternoon telephone conference call with reporters.

"I think it is ture that every time the Obama campaign in this campaign has attacked Senator Clinton in the worst kind of personal ways, attacked her veracity, attacked her credibility, said that she would do anything to get elected, the press has largely applauded him," Wolfson said. "When we have attempted to make contrasts with Senator Obama, we have been criticized for it. That is a fact of life that we labor under."

Speaking at the Monitor breakfast, Ickes said "the media has just barely begun to examine" Obama in depth.

"We think now that he has become the front-runner, which he is in this process, that there will be more in-depth examination," Ickes said. "We think the vetting process is a critically important element of the process, we think more time needs to go by, and we think that now he's become a front-runner that that process will kick in."

Rhode Island? Why Not?

Hillary Clinton took a sharp detour from the battlegrounds of Texas and Ohio Sunday and campaigned in Rhode Island.

It sort of makes sense. Though the state is likely to be only a blip on the national radar when it votes March 4 (along with Texas, Ohio and Vermont), it's usually friendly Clinton country.

One of the nation's most reliably Democratic states, Rhode Island gave Bill Clinton an 18 percentage point victory in 1992 and then gave him about 60 percent of its 1996 vote. In 2000, Al Gore, with the help of next-door state neighbor Joe Lieberman of Connecticut on the ticket, the Democrats won 61 percent. And only 14 percent last week rated President Bush's performance good or excellent.

So far, Clinton is ahead in the poll conduted by Brown University last week. She leads Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, 36 to 28 percent.

But. Twenty-seven percent prefer "uncommitted," and 9 percent are undecided. Still, when you're trying to break Obama's 11-contest winning streak, a friendly state is always welcome.

To see the Rhode Island poll: http://www.insidepolitics.org/REL208.pdf

White House Weighs in on McCain Story

The White House is appalled at the New York Times report about likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain's relationship with a Washington lobbyist.

Of course, eight years ago, it was President Bush's supporters using negative campaign tactics aimed at staggering McCain, then his rival for the GOP nomination. But today, the White House is outraged at such tactics.

Scott Stanzel, White House spokesman, addressed the controversy in his morning meeting with reporters today.

"I think a lot of people here in this building with experience in a couple campaigns have grown accustomed to the fact that during the course of a campaign, about -- seemingly on maybe a monthly basis leading up to the convention, maybe a weekly basis after that, The New York Times does try to drop a bombshell on the Republican nominee," Stanzel said.

"And that is something that the Republican nominee has faced in the past, and probably will face in this campaign. And sometimes they make incredible leaps to try to drop those bombshells on the Republican nominees.

"So," he concluded, "So that is something that we're aware of, and that, unfortunately is a fact of life."

Mark Sanford says veep job not on his radar

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says he's flattered by talk of him as a potential running mate for Arizona Sen. John McCain but that the possibility isn't even on his radar screen yet.

"It's somewhat surreal, it's flattering, it's kind," he says in an interview with South Carolina's ETV public television station.

"It's not something I'm losing a lot of sleep over. I think we have an incredibly busy job at hand. We have four boys that are keeping us awfully busy at the dinner table at night.

"If something like that comes, it's a lightning strike and you worry about it when it gets there. But there aren't a lot of lightning strikes this time of year. They generally come around summer. So, it's just not something that's on my radar screen."

Asked about reports that he has the demeanor for the job, Sanford said, "You know, demeanor is always in the eye of the beholder.  You have some folks upstairs (in the South Carolina legislature), they might have a different take."

The interview will air in full on Thursday.   

Clinton in Ohio, talking about Obama

From Bill Douglas, travelling with Hillary Clinton's campaign in Ohio...

Clinton began her day with a roundtable event in Parma, Ohio. As Clinton delivered her speech inside Grace’s Grill, her campaign aides continued to hammer at Obama for using speech lines from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick without giving him credit for it.

During a series of satellite television interviews given before Wisconsin’s polls closed, Clinton herself said the speech controversy shows that the media is finally beginning to scrutinize Obama’s record.

She shrugged off a question by a reporter from KGMB, a CBS affiliate in Honolulu about the Obama campaign’s complaint that Clinton’s camp stole Obama’s “Fired Up…’Ready to Go” line for its own purposes.

“Oh, that’s a kind of silly comparison,” she said. “That’s a line that’s been around for a long time. But the real issue is if your entire candidacy is about words, they should be your own words.”

She then took a dig at Obama and Patrick, a former Clinton administration official: “And you may know that both Deval Patrick and Sen. Obama have the same consultant and adviser, who is apparently putting words in both of their mouths,” she said. “And I think that’s a serious question to be raised because, obviously, we’re asking the people of Hawaii to hire us for the toughest job in the world.”

In an interview with another Honolulu station, KITV, Clinton insisted it wasn’t her that was making an issue of the speech mess.

“It’s the media,” she said. “You know, the media is finally examining my opponent which I think is important because we’re trying to pick a president, someone for the toughest job in the world. So I think the media is going to be putting forth whatever facts and information it has for voters to assess on their own.”

--Bill Douglas

Obama stumps in Texas

As Wisconsin votes and Hawaii caucuses today, Democrat Barack Obama is in Texas trying to pick up new supporters and erode rival Hillary Clinton's advantage in this big state that votes on March 4.

He was to be in Houston later in the evening but first he had two events in San Antonio, one of Clinton's strongest areas in the state because of its large Latino population.

Obama told thousands in San Antonio that this was the first day Texans can early-vote. "It is possible for every single person here to go vote right now," he said "Don't wait until March 4. Vote today."

He told the crowd "Hillary is a very capable, smart person and I respect her and she's done a great service to this country" but that the nation needed a fresh start and that he could win more support against John McCain in November than Clinton.

Housing foreclosures are a big problem in San Antonio. In a roundtable discussion with some Latino homeowners and the advocacy group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), Obama said 14,000 people in San Antonio alone are facing foreclosures as a result of the nation's mortgage crisis.

Clinton has proposed freezing the monthly rate on existing adjustable rate mortgages for five years. Obama said he thinks Clinton's plan is "well intentioned" but that he believes it will drive rates "through the roof" for new borrowers and depress home prices. He proposes a $10 billion bond program for middle-class homeowners fighting foreclosure or first-time buyers and a tax credit covering 10 percent of mortgage interest on some foreclosures.

Clinton spokesman Jay Carson blasted out an e-mail saying that Obama is "out of touch" and "has positioned himself to the right of George Bush on this issue." Carson said Obama's $10 billion fund was just a third of Clinton's proposal and "another failure on his part to acknowledge the size and scope of this crisis."

Following the roundtable, Obama held an outdoor town hall event that drew thousands.
In addition to his standard rhetoric on the economy and ending the war, he tailored his remarks to the minority, union-heavy crowd.

"We need to make sure that unions have the chance to unionize — I see SEIU in the house," he said. "We're going to raise the minimum wage every year to keep pace with inflation. If you work in this country, you should not be poor."

He also said more after-school programs were needed to keep black and Hispanic boys out of trouble. "We've got to have a system that is smart on crime not just tough on crime."

But he lost a few supporters when a bilingual university student asked him his thoughts on bilingual education and Obama said it should be a "transitioning" tool. "I want everyone to learn English and to learn excellent English," Obama said to a dearth of applause. He said he didn't want kids from Spanish-speaking homes to fall behind, however, and that may mean hiring more bilingual teachers.

"I want everybody to be bilingual," Obama said — but he wasn't necessarily promoting Spanish. "We need some people here learning Chinese. We need some people here learning Urdu," he said. "Seriously."

By Margaret Talev, McClatchy Washington Bureau

Aiding the superdelegates

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have given some money to North Carolina's superdelegates.

According to campaign-finance information on Open Secrets, the two Democratic presidential candidates' leadership committees have given a total of $15,000 in recent years to two elected Tar Heels who could play a role in deciding the presidential nomination.

By Ryan Teague Beckwith, Raleigh News & Observer

Cindy McCain vs. Michelle Obama?

"I'm proud of my county. I don't know about you, if you heard those words earlier. I'm proud of my country."

Seemed like a standard line when Cindy McCain used it to introduce her husband this morning at a rally in Brookfield, Wisconsin, just outside Milwaukee.

But to reporters, it sounded like a response to Michelle Obama's comments in Milwaukee Monday.

"Let me tell you," the wife of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama said, "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country."

After the McCain rally, his wife would not discuss whether she was answering Obama. "I don't think we have any comment on that," Cindy McCain said. "I just wanted to make the statement that I have, and always will be, proud of my country."

Sen. McCain speaks on Fidel Castro's resignation

SENATOR MCCAIN STATEMENT ON RESIGNATION OF FIDEL CASTRO

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on the resignation of Fidel Castro:

"Today’s resignation of Fidel Castro is nearly half a century overdue. For decades, Castro oversaw an apparatus of repression that denied liberty to the people who suffered under his dictatorship.

"Yet freedom for the Cuban people is not yet at hand, and the Castro brothers clearly intend to maintain their grip on power. That is why we must press the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners unconditionally, to legalize all political parties, labor unions and free media, and to schedule internationally monitored elections.

"Cuba's transition to democracy is inevitable; it is a matter of when not if. With the resignation of Fidel Castro, the Cuban people have an opportunity to move forward and continue pushing for the moment that they will truly be free. America can and should help hasten the sparking of freedom in Cuba. The Cuban people have waited long enough."

Obama makes statement on Fidel Castro

The Barack Obama campaign has issued a statement on Fidel Castro's resignation:

“Today should mark the end of a dark era in Cuba's history. Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba.

“Cuba's future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime. The prompt release of all prisoners of conscience wrongly jailed for standing up for the basic freedoms too long denied to the Cuban people would mark an important break with the past. It's time for these heroes to be released.

“If the Cuban leadership begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change, the United States must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades. The freedom of the Cuban people is a cause that should bring the Americans together.”

by Margaret Talev

Under the wire, Obama makes one more pitch to Wisconsin

With Wisconsin voting Tuesday and the race close between him and Hillary Clinton, Democrat Barack Obama gambled by spending most of Monday in Ohio, looking ahead to that state’s crucial March 4 presidential primary.

But well after dark, he showed up in Wisconsin in time for the television cameras to pick him up for the late news or tape footage for the morning shows. He emphasized his proposals for universal health care coverage and discouraging corporations from moving jobs overseas.

“It’s 9:45, you shouldn’t be this excited!” he told a packed auditorium at Beloit College.

Wisconsin Vote Could Hinge on Turnout--and Weather

It's plunging toward zero in most parts of Wisconsin tonight, and the winds are howling. If that cuts turnout in tomorrow's primary, that could mean some problems for Republican John McCain and perhaps Democrat Barack Obama.

A new poll by Public Policy Polling, taken Saturday and Sunday, found Obama with a 13 percentage point lead over Hillary Clinton. But the bulge, bigger than previous polls reported, depends on a big turnout among young and black voters.

McCain has a different problem. He leads former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by 11, but as the poll reports, "that represents nearly half of McCain's lead evaporating in the last week."

McCain has scheduled a last-minute rally in a Milwaukee suburb tomorrow morning. But so much can depend on who wants to endure the bitter cold.

The poll results: http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Wisconsin_Release_021808.pdf

Huckabee mathematically eliminated

Without fanfare, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has been mathematically eliminated from any chance at winning the Republican presidential nomination on the first ballot at next summer's national convention.

Huckabee now has 245 delegates committed to voting for him on the first ballot. That leaves him needing 946 more to reach the 1,191 needed to assure the nomination.

But the Associated Press running tally of delegates now shows just 934 left to be awarded in primaries and caucuses.

So, even if Huckabee won every single one of them, he'd still be short.

His only hope would be that Arizona Sen. John McCain also would fall short of the delegates needed on the first ballot.

Little hope of that, though.

McCain has 908 delegates already. He needs just 30 percent of the remaining delegates.

Bush's congressman endorses Obama

One day before his presidential primary campaign officially arrives in Texas, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama collected the endorsement of a key congressional Democrat in his razor-tight race with Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, a Waco moderate whose district includes President Bush’s ranch and runs north to Johnson County, said Monday that Obama is best positioned to unite the nation.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The next Veep is...

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr got two veep points and lost one.

First, the North Carolina Republican gave a speech for likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain at the Louisiana state convention.

"John is consistent and John McCain is fair," Burr said. "John McCain is stubborn, John McCain is real. You know just where you stand with him."

Meantime, the Kansas City Star included him on a list of potential vice presidents, noting he "has some buzz going for him in the party, but is unknown outside."

By Ryan Teague Beckwith, Raleigh News & Observer

Where are all the N.C. voters?

Will the "missing voters" show up on May 6?

A Democracy North Carolina analysis estimates that 2.5 million North Carolinians — or two out of every five adult citizens — have not voted in the last eight years.

Two of the largest groups of missing voters were young adults ages 18 to 24 and African-American, but turnout of voters in these groups have increased in presidential primaries around the country.

Barack Obama has won the majority of young voters in every primary or caucus except those of three states, according to a recent report by the Pew Research Center. Obama also fared well in states with large black populations.

By Karin Dryhurst, Raleigh News & Observer

Clinton, Obama tied in Texas

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a statistical dead heat in Texas, according to a new poll released Monday by CNN/Opinion Research Corp.

Clinton drew support from 50 percent of likely Democratic voters, while Obama polled 48 percent. With the poll's 4.5 percent margin of error, that put them in a statistical tie two weeks before the March 4 Texas primary.

John McCain was the choice of 55 percent of likely Republican voters.

Hillary the hunter

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton a better shot than Vice President Dick Cheney? In explaining her position on the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms, Clinton told voters in Wausau, Wis., that she has hunted ducks.

"I've hunted - my father taught me how to shoot," Clinton said a talk at a local labor hall. "I went duck hunting in Arkansas. I was with a bunch of friends - all men."

Clinton said members of her hunting party told her they weren't going to shoot, leaving the flying ducks to her.

"'We're not going to shoot, you shoot,'" she recalled them saying. "So the pressure was on. So I shot, I shot at a band of ducks, and it was quite exciting. So I have great respect for gun owners."

A member of the audience requested that since Clinton knows how to use a gun that she teach Cheney, an avid hunter, how to use his. Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a friend during hunting trip in Texas in 2006.

The Gang's All Here...and not sure what's next

Two  days before Wisconsin's presidential primary, and candidates have been slowed by bad weather and confused by conflicting polls.

Latest data from American Research Group put New York Sen. Hillary Clinton ahead of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by 6 percentage points. The survey, taken Friday and Saturday, found Clinton leading with white voters, 52 to 40 percent--whites are an estimated 89 percent of the voters--while Obama leads among blacks, 85 to 9. But blacks only account for 7 percent of voters.

Here's the poll: http://americanresearchgroup.com/

But a poll from Research 2000 taken Wednesday and Thursday found Obama up by 5, and a Rasmussen Reports survey had a similar finding. Check it out: http://blogs.jsonline.com/allpoliticswatch/archive/2008/02/15/obama-mccain-ahead-in-new-poll.aspx

Clinton and Obama hope to campaign today in the state, but weather makes scheduling tricky.

Obama meets with John Edwards

It wasn't on the schedule his campaign released publicly, but Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama flew to North Carolina today for a private meeting with ex-contender John Edwards.

Obama and rival Hillary Clinton both want Edwards' endorsement; Clinton already has met with Edwards. Edwards has yet to say which, if either, he will endorse.

The meeting with Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, took place in the morning at the couple's home in Chapel Hill, Obama aides confirmed.

Obama's planned event for the day - in Wisconsin, which holds its primary on Tuesday - was cancelled because of severe winter weather there.

Service Workers Union Backs Obama

The 1.9 million member Service Employees International Union today threw its money and muscle behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's for president, the Democrat's second big union endorsement in two days.

Thursday, Obama was backed by the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers. Both unions have members throughout the next round of major primary states, Wisconsin, which votes Tuesday; Texas and Ohio, which vote March 4, and Pennsylvania, which holds its primary April 22.

"Barack Obama is creating the broadest and deepest coalition of voters we've ever seen," said Andy Stern, SEIU president.

The union had deliberated for months, torn between candidates who have long supported its causes. There was a strong pocket of support for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, but he dropped out of the race, and Clinton also had a core of backers.

Just how much the union's backing helps, though, is unclear. While the SEIU has broad tentacles throughout many communities--it represents health care workers and building services employees--it endorsed Howard Dean in November, 2003 for the Democratic nomination. Dean's candidacy fizzled quickly.

On the other hand, the SEIU and UFCW endorsements help Obama create a bandwagon effect, building on the momentum he's gained from winning the eight primaries and caucuses since Super Tuesday Feb. 5.

Obama urges little people to court superdelegates - and gets a big union boost

The email that went out Friday afternoon to supporters of Democrat Barack Obama from his campaign manager David Plouffe looked at first glance like a request for money. Instead, Plouffe was soliciting testimonials. The Obama campaign is looking to win over uncommitted or Hillary Clinton-committed national convention superdelegates to stave off a nominating fight this summer, should Obama have more pledged delegates than Clinton but not enough to take the nomination outright.

Some notables among the 796 superdelegates at stake have moved to the Obama camp in recent days after his sweep of the Potomac primaries and a handful of other contests. Now Plouffe wants supporters to e-mail their own testimonials that the campaign can lob at other superdelegates they're working over. "The story of where you're from, what brought you into the political process, the issues that matter to you, and why you became part of this movement has the potential to inspire someone who could cast a deciding vote in this contest," his letter says. "Our staff will compile stories from supporters like you and make them a key part of the conversation with superdelegates as Barack asks for their support."

Many strategists have remarked on Obama's innovative grassroots campaigning - and this is as good an example as any.

Of course, there's something to be said for old-school endorsements, too. On Friday, Obama got the backing of the Service Employees International Union, the nation's largest with about 1.9 million members.

Hillary Clinton wins New Mexico, leads Obama in Ohio, Pa.

Sen. Hillary Clinton won New Mexico's Democratic caucus Thursday, nine days after the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday contest ended. State Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colon announced that after 17,000 provisional ballots were hand-counted Clinton defeated Sen. Barack Obama 48.8 percent to 47.6 percent. Clinton's margin of victory was 1,709 votes - 73,105 for her vs. 71,396 for him.

"I am so proud to have earned the support of New Mexicans from across the state," Clinton said in a written statement released by her campaign. "As president, I will continue to stand up for New Mexico and will hit the ground running on day one to bring about real change."

The Clinton campaign received some more good news Thursday in the form of a Quinnipiac University poll that shows her holding double-digit leads over Obama among likely Democratic voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She leads Obama 55 to 34 percent in Ohio, which has its primary March 4 with Texas. She's leads Obama 52 percent to 36 percent in Pennsylvania, which holds its primary in April.

"Ohio is as good a demographic fit for Sen. Clinton as she will find. It is blue-collar America, with a smaller percentage of both Democrats with college educations and African-Americans than in many other states where Sen. Obama has carried the day," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "If she can't win the primary there, it is very difficult to see how she stops Obama."

Clinton wins New Mexico. leads in

McCain and Romney: Together at last

             Remember all those fights between Mitt Romney and John McCain over tax cuts, immigration and other key issues?

            They still disagree, but they really do like each other.

            Romney formally endorsed McCain for president in Boston today, and explained that “I think you’re very well aware about the issues where we disagree. I still have my views. The senator has his views.”

            But, Romney said, “as a party we come together.”

            Anyway, said McCain, “we share a common philosophy, a common goal, a common set of principles that have guided over Republican party.”

            Furthermore, said Romney, they’ve always been friends. “We always had good laughs together,” Romney said, recalling how, at the debates, “We shook hands, we said hi to each other wives…we had a good personal respect for each other.”

            So now, said McCain, “We join together now and travel this country…I’m grateful that he ran a hard tough campaign that helped me become a better candidate.”

Obama declines State of Black Union appearance

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and radio-television talk show host Tavis Smiley are engaged in a spat over Obama's decision to skip Smiley's annual "State of te Black Union" symposium on Feb. 23 in New Orleans.

Obama sent a letter to Smiley Wednesday saying he would not attend the event, which attracts thousands of African-Americans, because he will be campaigning extensively in Ohio and Texas ahead of their March presidential primaries.

Smiley invited the remaining major presidential candidates - Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee - to attend the symposium. Thus far, only Clinton - who trails Obama in African-American support - has agreed to attend, according to Smiley.

"I will be on the campaign trail everyday in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly with voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable health care, housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy," Obama wrote to Smiley. "I am committed to touching every voter, and working to earn their vote."

Smiley called Obama's decision "a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity." He accused Obama over the airwaves of not addressing issues affecting African-Americans detailed in Smiley's best-selling book, "The Covenant With Black America."

"This is the next opportunity for him to discuss these issues," Smiley said in an interview with McClatchy Newspapers. "I think as close as this race is, the concerns of African-American people are important. The Clinton campaign has made moves, the appointment of Maggie Williams as campaign manager, to aggressively go after the African-American vote."

Obama disputed Smiley's claims Tuesday on "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" radio program.

"I'm going to have to call Tavis and straighten him out on this - I don't know why he hasn't called me directly, but the truth of the matter is every issue he talks about in his covenant are central planks in my campaign," he told Joyner. "If the notion is that I should only be talking to black people, then I'm not going to win the presidency because there are a whole lot of people out there who are white, Latino or Asian who've got a whole bunch as well."

Obama campaign officials said that the Illinois senator called Smiley twice but never got a return call. The campaign offered the senator's wife, Michelle Obama, to speak on his behalf but Smiley declined the offer.

While Smiley has criticized Obama, some African-American media personalities and pundits have blasted Smiley, saying his complaints about Obama appear ego-driven. Radio personality Michael Baisden questioned why Smiley is so upset about Obama's decision. Roland Martin, a Chicago talk radio host and a CNN contributor, said Obama is wise to focus on Texas and Ohio instead of going to Louisiana, a state that he won handily last Saturday.

"I've been getting barbecued a lot lately," Smiley said. "But it's never been about me. It's only about me now because some people are trying to change the subject. It's about who's coming and who's not."

Romney delegates would put McCain close

The key question about a Mitt Romney endorsement of John McCain is whether he frees his pledged delegates to support McCain.

McCain now has 843 delegates, according to the Associated Press tally, short of the 1,191 to win a first ballot nomination at the convention next summer.

If he can add Romney's 280 delegates, he'd have 1,123. That would leave him needing just 68 more.

Romney to endorse McCain?

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is set to endorse Arizona Sen. John McCain for president, according to reports from CNN and the Boston Globe.

More defections for Obama

Democrat Barack Obama's campaign touted two endorsements today they think demonstrate their candidate's widening appeal.

The first comes from Lincoln Chafee, the former Republican senator from Rhode Island, who lost re-election last year. Chafee, now an independent voter, was one of the most liberal Republicans on Capitol Hill, and like Obama opposed the Iraq war from the outset.

The other comes from  a superdelegate to the Democrats' national convention this summer, who had planned to support Hillary Clinton and now tells the Obama camp she'll switch to support him. As Obama picks up more pledged delegates than Clinton in state primaries, Clinton must increasingly rely on superdelegates, party insiders with a say who are not bound by popular votes, to keep her in play for the nomination. "People want to see change. Barack can help unite this country and help us embrace our diverse nation," Roz Samuels of New Jersey said in a prepared statement released by the Obama campaign.

NAACP blasts bogus pro-Obama email

Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP's national board of directors, denounced a bogus email that was sent under his name that listed 10 reasons why people should vote for Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The email, titled "Your 10 Reasons to Choose Barack Obama Over Hillary Clinton," began showing up in the emails of journalists and other people last week. The email cities Obama's electability, message of change and Clinton's vote to authorize the war in Iraq as some of the reasons to vote for Obama.

NAACP officials said they found out about the email only a few days ago.

"I did not write the '10 reasons' and have not and will not support or oppose any candidate or Party for President," Bond wrote in a message on the NAACP's Web page. "The NAACP is studiously non-partisan and does not engage in partisan politics. This is a political dirty trick and a fruad, calculated to confuse."

Clinton campaign officials said they became aware of the email about the same time the NAACP did. Both Clinton's campaign and the civil rights organization said they have no idea who authored the email. 

Huckabee forgets Paul is from Texas

Mike Huckabee hates being marginalized or ignored in his long shot quest for the Republican nomination. But he did just that to another rival Tuesday, completely forgetting the fact that Rep. Ron Paul comes from Texas.

Huckabee told reporters at a breakfast in Washington that he’s looking for an upset win in Texas’s March 4 primary over Arizona Sen. John McCain.

“Texas is very very important to us. We’ll spend a lot of time in Texas between now and March 4,” Huckabee said. “We have a real shot in Texas because Texas is a very conservative state. I lived there four years. Obviously, I lived within about eight blocks of it for 10 years when I was in Texarkana right there on the border."

“So I understand Texas a lot better than anyone else running.”

“Ron Paul?” asked a reporter.

“Oh, Ron Paul,” said Huckabee, smiling and looking a bit embarrassed at the oversight. “Touché. Got me on that one. ...Almost better than anyone.

For the record, Paul was born in Pennsylvania, got his medical degree from Duke, then moved to Texas to open his medical practice.

He’s represented a Texas Congressional district on and off for more than 30 years.

Clinton looks ahead--way ahead

Hillary Clinton's forces seem to expecting a big loss tomorrow in the Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia primaries, so Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson looked ahead today.

He said in a conference call with reporters that Obama has the upper hand in primaries and caucuses - for now.

"It's going to be a better month for Barack Obama than it will be for us," Wolfson said. "We believe next month will be a better month for us than it will be for him."

Obama won four states and the Virgin Islands over the weekend, is leading in polls in tomorrow's contests and expects to do well in Wisconsin Feb. 19. Clinton is looking forward to Texas and Ohio March 4.

Bill Douglas.

Obama holds court

From Margaret Talev in College Park, Md.....

Barack Obama did something that usually only the University of Maryland's men's basketball team does--he filled Comcast Center this morning.

And he made sure he gave a nod to basketball. "It looks like we're having March Madness a little early," he told the cheering crowd.

At one point, the women's basketball team passed through the arena. "What's up girls? How are you doing ladies?" Obama asked. He said if he still had his sneakers, he'd join them.

"I've still got game," he said. "I do."

Then he quickly showed what game he thinks he has, as he talked about how rival Hillary Clinton always says she's tough.

"I may be skinny," Obama said, "but I'm tough, too."

--Margaret Talev

Huckabee cries foul in Washington state vote

Mike Huckabee’s campaign says it’s exploring legal options in the wake of a decision by a party boss in Washington state to declare John McCain the winner of Saturday caucuses when votes were still uncounted – apparently enough votes to swing the outcome in Huckabee’s favor.

"The Huckabee campaign is deeply disturbed by the obvious irregularities in the Washington State Republican precinct caucuses,” Huckabee chairman Ed Rollins said Sunday evening.

“It is very unfortunate that the Washington State Party Chairman, Luke Esser, chose to call the race for John McCain after only 87 percent of the vote was counted.  According to CNN, the difference between Senator McCain and Governor Huckabee is a mere 242 votes, out of more than 12,000 votes counted-with another 1500 or so votes, apparently, not counted.   That is an outrage.

"In other words, more than one in eight Evergreen State Republicans have been disenfranchised by the actions of their own party.   This was an error in judgment by Mr. Esser. It was Mr. Esser's duty to oversee a fair vote-count process.  Washington Republicans know, from bitter experience in the 2004 gubernatorial election, the terrible results that can come from bad ballot-counting.

"Frankly, I am disappointed in the way that Mr. Esser has handled this urgent matter. …Attempts by our campaign to contact Mr. Esser have been unsuccessful.   Our lawyers will be on the ground in Washington State soon, and we look forward to sitting down with Mr. Esser to evaluate this process, to see why the count took so long, and why the vote-counting was stopped prematurely.”

“We are prepared to go to court, and we are also prepared to take our case all the way to the Republican National Convention in September.”

Clinton campaign shakeup

Patti Solis Doyle is out as manager of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, replaced by Maggie Williams, who was Clinton's chief of staff in the First Lady's office.

The shakeup comes as Clinton hits a rough patch - first having to lend her campaign $5 million, then getting swept by Barack Obama in three states Saturday, and looking at a possible sweep Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.

All this at a time after Super Tuesday when she had hoped to have the nomination wrapped up. Now, aides are preparing for the possibility she won't win another contest until March, when Ohio and Texas vote.

For their part, the Clinton camp portrayed the departure as the routine turnover after a long campaign.

“This has already been the longest Presidential campaign in the history of our nation, and one that has required enormous sacrifices from all of us and our families,” Solis Doyle said in a statement. “Patti Solis Doyle has done an extraordinary job in getting us to this point - within reach of the nomination - and I am enormously grateful for her friendship and her outstanding work,” Clinton said in a statement.

“And, as Patti has said, this already has been the longest presidential campaign in history and one that has required enormous sacrifices of everyone and our families.  I look forward to her continued advice in the months ahead.  Patti and I have worked with Maggie Williams for more than a decade.  I am lucky to have Maggie on board and I know she will lead our campaign with great skill towards the nomination.”

Clinton was widely expected to shake up her campaign staff after losing Iowa on Jan. 3. But after pulling off an upset win in New Hampshire on Jan. 8, the shakeup was shelved _ until now.

Patti Solis Doyle sent the note below to campaign staff this afternoon

:

Over a year ago Hillary launched her campaign for President. 

Her announcement began a historic effort that has inspired millions and brought hundreds of thousands to their feet all across this nation.

I have been proud to manage this campaign, and prouder still to call Hillary my friend for more than sixteen years.  I know that she will make a great President.

This has already been the longest Presidential campaign in the history of our nation, and one that has required enormous sacrifices from all of us and our families.

During the last month I have been working closely with my longtime friend, Maggie Williams.

This week Maggie will begin to assume the duties of campaign manager.  I will serve as a senior adviser to Hillary and the campaign and travel with Hillary from time to time on the road.  Maggie is a remarkable person and I am confident that she will do a fabulous job.

Although I will continue to see you all at headquarters, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank each of you for your dedication, excellence, and passion over the last year.

You are the best campaign staff in the history of Presidential politics and I am grateful to each of you for your hard work and friendship.

McCain's far ahead in Maryland, but....

John McCain looks strong in Maryland and Virginia, according to the most recent polls--at least when the polls were taken

The Arizona Republican needs the kind of smashing win the polls predict to offset sobering news this weekend, when former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee beat him soundly in Kansas and ran nearly even in Louisiana and Washington state.

The SurveyUSA survey in Maryland suggests that state, which votes Tuesday, won't be so close. The poll conducted for WJLA-TV Thursday and Friday gave McCain a 56 to 17 percent lead over Huckabee. Texas Rep. Ron Paul had 10 percent.

Even Huckabee's usual sources of strength weren't with him. The poll found that conservatives, who make up about 56 percent of the Maryland vote, preferred McCain nearly 2 to 1. And people who attend religious services regularly, about 53 percent of the vote, gave McCain a 55 to 20 percent advantage.

McCain also topped last week's SurveyUSA poll in Virginia, beating Huckabee by 32 points. McCain was up 23 over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney before Romney dropped out Wednesday, and then picked up much of his support.

One warning sign for McCain, though: In Virginia, 43 percent of his supporters said they could still change their mind. In Maryland, the figure was 45 percent.

To read the polls:

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=c6b76c6f-516f-45f6-a7e9-4be3a1b26759

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=f37ee2e5-11bf-4587-abfd-727426356f37

Obama Up in Maryland; Clinton way down

Here's why Hillary Clinton's campaign seems largely invisible as Maryland's Tuesday primary approaches: Barack Obama is way ahead.

According to a SurveyUSA poll for WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., conducted Thursday and Friday, Obama is the choice of 52 percent of Democrats, compared with Clinton's 33 percent. Obama has blanketed local media with ads and is scheduled to address a rally Monday in College Park, Md.

Obama rolls up strong majorities among black voters--71 to 18 percent--and they comprise an estimated 39 percent of the electorate. And he does well in Baltimore city, winning there by 31 percentage points.

Obama also plays well among his usual constituencies--18 to 34 year olds prefer him, 59 to 31 percent, while Clinton does well with her usual audience, as those 65 and older give her a 50 to 35 percent edge, and she tops Obama among whites by 2 percentage points.

To see the poll:. http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/polls/pdfs/surveyusa-maryland-democrats-feb7to8.pdf

Clinton's Big Maryland Names: Big Deal?

As if Hillary Clinton didn't have enough trouble in Maryland....

Barack Obama is already expected to do well in a state that has many of the demographics of states where he's prospered. At least a third of the Democratic primary vote Tuesday is expected to be cast by African-Americans. Montgomery County, Maryland, tends to like its politics liberal. And the EAstern Shore and western Maryland are heavily rural.

Clinton's trump card was her endorsements--but even that doesn't look so good anymore. Gov. Martin O'Malley's approval rating in last month's Baltimore Sun poll was only 35 percent, barely above that of President Bush. A Washington Times/Rasmussen poll put Bush slightly ahead of O'Malley

Ah, but Clinton has the support of the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. But Townsend became the first Democrat to lose a gubernatorial bid in this highly Democratic state since 1966.

Edwards won't be on NC ballot

North Carolinians will not get a chance to vote for John Edwards.

State Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek excluded Edwards from a list of candidates he submitted Tuesday to the State Board of Elections for the May 6 primary. The Democrats on the North Carolina ballot will be U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois -- and former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska.

Meek, who has discretion under state law on whom to include on the ballot, said Tuesday that he had hoped to confer with the Edwards campaign before making his decision.

But Meek said no one with the campaign returned his calls.

By Rob Christensen, Raleigh News & Observer

Obama votes for himself and keeps expectations modest

With Illinois one of the states voting today, Democrat Barack Obama is back in his hometown of Chicago today. The senator and his wife voted this afternoon at an elementary school near their home. The event coverage was by press pool. Obama told the pool reporters that nationally, “I still think that Senator Clinton is the favorite” but that Obama had closed a lot of ground in the last week and expected "a good night." Ultimately, he said Super Tuesday’s outcome was too big to predict before the polls close. "I think everybody is flying blind on this one . . . we’ve got 22 states and nobody can keep track of it.”

Dobson opposes McCain

Dr.James Dobson, the head of the Denver-based group Focus on the Family, said Tuesday he'll oppose John McCain even if the Arizona senator wins the Republican nomination.

"I'm deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a Constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, who voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings, who opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, and who has little regard for freedom of speech, who organized the Gang of 14 to preserve filibusters, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language," the influential social conservative said.

"I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are.  He has at times sounded more like a member of the other party.  McCain actually considered leaving the GOP in 2001, and approached John Kerry about being Kerry's running mate in 2004.  McCain also said publicly that Hillary Clinton would make a good president.  Given these and many other concerns, a spoonful of sugar does not make the medicine go down.  I cannot, and I will not vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience.

"But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives.  Should John McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime.  I certainly can't vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions.  If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.  These decisions are my personal views and do not represent the organization with which I'm affiliated.  They do reflect, however, my deeply held convictions about the institution of the family, about moral and spiritual beliefs, and about the welfare of our country."

McCain IS (maybe) a conservative

Frontrunner John McCain kicked off his Super Tuesday with a dawn rally at Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan. He'll fly to San Diego for an afternoon rally, then to Phoernix to vote and await what he hopes will be a big night.

At the Manhattan rally, which featured former rival and new supporter Rudy Giuliani, the crowd was greeted with a vaguely weird bevy of '80s tunes: "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes, and, perhaps weirdest of all,  "Superfreak" by Rick James.

Which is sort of Rush Limbaugh's point...

A big part of the rally's message seemed aimed at assuaging conservative angst over McCain's occasional apostasies.

"John McCain is a good Republican and he believes in good Republican values," shouted Ed Cox, McCain's New York chairman (and Richard Nixon's son-in-law).

Giuliani added, quoting Ronald Reagan: "My 80 percent friend is not my 20 percent enemy...You may not agree with everything, but this man has the character and tenacity to protect America in a time of war."

by Matt Stearns

Clinton aides: this will go into March, April or later

Top aides to Hillary Clinton predict she will emerge from Super Tuesday primary voting with a lead in delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination — but nowhere near enough to claim the nod.

"This is a delegate hunt," chief strategist Mark Penn told reporters. "We don't expect things to be decided tomorrow. The delegate hunt will continue." Penn acknowledged polls showing Barack Obama gaining and closing the gap with Clinton. He cautioned, however, that supporters of John Edwards remain "in flux" since he withdrew from the race, making it harder to forecast the results.

Clinton aide Howard Wolfson noted that Democratic Party rules mean both candidates will win delegates Tuesday — and continue to divide them after that.

"We are looking at a fight that will go on well beyond tomorrow," Wolfson said. "Possibly decided in March, possibly in April, possibly later....The nominating rules of our party are designed to prolong a contest between two strong candidates."

Both Penn and Wolfson said they're looking ahead now to big state contests in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas as important tests. "Some of us will be making reservations for Ohio and Texas," he said.

Obama memo: 'Clinton should still win California'

In a pre-Super Tuesday memo aimed at tamping down expectations for Sen. Barack Obama, his own campaign manager said the Illinois senator is expected to lose California, lose the majority of states holding nominating contests and remain behind in the national delegate count after the election.

"Our path to the nomination never factored in a big day for us on February 5," wrote David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, in the strategy memo distributed to reporters. "Rather, we always planned to stay close enough in the delegate count so that we could proceed to individually focus on the states in the next set of contests."

Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert (requires free registration)

Florida boycott hits Dem prez contenders in the pocketbook

The backlash over the national Democratic Party's shutout of Florida appears to have deflated donors' willingness to pony up campaign cash, resulting in a decline in contributions for the Democratic presidential contenders in the most recent quarter.

Democrats had been out-raising their Republican rivals in Florida for most of the year, but finished 2007 more than $1.3 million behind the GOP contenders, who raised $13.7 million for the year.

Fundraising reports for the final quarter suggest the Democratic National Committee's decision to strip Florida of its convention delegates because it moved up its primary, took its toll on Democratic fundraising efforts.

The reports show Republicans with their best quarter yet, raising $4.76 million in the state; Democrats pulled in $2.36 million for the quarter, which began in October, just as a Democratic boycott of Florida got underway.

Read more here

News flash: Liberal group endorses liberal candidate

Liberal activist group MoveOn.org announced Friday its members voted overwhelmingly to endorse Sen. Barack Obama, 70 percent to 30 percent.

That's the same Barack Obama who was just named the most liberal senator of 2007 by the nonpartisan National Journal.

Hillary Clinton probably never had much of a shot at the group's endorsement, ranking only as the 16th-most liberal senator.