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Results In from Nevada, But Too Early to Count Chickens
The results are in: Romney and Clinton are the declared winners in the Nevada caucus.
Is it significant? More so for Clinton than Romney. If Romney had lost, in a state with a heavy Mormon vote, and in an election which most of the other GOP candidates ignored, it would have been cataclysmic for his campaign. As it is, he’s grabbed a few more delegates and put a modest amount more distance between himself and the other candidates in the race for the nomination. Not enough distance to really impact the race going into February 5th, but enough to at least provide padding should he flop in South Carolina when the votes are tallied later tonight and should Giuliani reenter the scene with a strong win in Florida.
For Clinton, she’s now recovered from the Iowa blues. So can she coast in the wake of this victory? Absolutely not. With Obama nipping at her heels in rural, white, Nevadan counties such as Elko, he’s shown he can compete effectively in the interior West, one of the country’s up-for-grabs electoral regions.
Moreover, Edwards’ support collapsed going into the caucuses. As someone who believes Edwards presence has enriched the campaign, I’m saddened by this. But, realistically, Nevada probably marks the beginning of the end of his candidacy.
Look at the numbers and you’ll see Obama apparently picked up more of these loose Edwards voters than did Clinton. He also won over more of the independents who attended Democratic caucuses. If Edwards’ support hemorrhages in other states too, my bet is the newly minted two-horse race will remain tight into Super Tuesday and, quite likely, beyond. Nevada’s result may well mean Edwards can’t be president. But he could yet become a king-maker.
-- Sasha Abramsky.

Comments
nightslider, says you've been to long in the wet dream of the Oblapa campaign, Edwards from this point on is nothing more than an Asterix, as Oblapa shall be.
The recent revelations that he benefitted from ILLEAGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, QUOTING REAYGUN RONNIES POLICIES AS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY WILL TURN OFF THE DEMOCRATIC BASE.
THEY ARE OVER 45 AND THEY VOTE,
bUT THEN AGAIN WHEN YOUR YOUNG AND STUPID YOU HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE DISMISSIVE OF YOUR ELDERS, THIS IS ONE TIME THEY'LL BE DISMISSIVE OF YOU, SELF INCLIUED.
P.S I'll be waiting to hear how Hilliary stole this election too. please don't dissapoint me, I need a knee slapper.
Posted by: michael dittamore on 01/19/08 at 3:01 PM Respond
It oughta be against the law - and it's certainly against any standard of decency - for a former President of the USA to openly campaign for anyone... even his spouse. But, then again, it's Bubba Clinton, you know. Beyond reproach... puke !!!
Posted by: mac on 01/19/08 at 4:10 PM Respond
Actually, you made one mistake. Obama won Nevada. There is no sure popular vote for Nevada's caucus.
All we know is that Clinton won the most county delegates, but that because of the way they're apportioned (Clinton won the populous Clark county and Obama won pretty much everywhere else) Obama ends up with 13 delegates to the national convention to Hillary's 12 delegates.
Obama wins.
Posted by: justAngry on 01/19/08 at 10:24 PM Respond
Hillary cannot beat McCain. McCain is already taking her by a 9% percent lead, and he hasn't shown his true strength. Hillary is only liked enough. And, you need more than women vote to get elected nationally. Plus, the Democratic Party has not shown muscle on pulling spending and troops back from Iraq. HILLARY WILL FACE THE 'GW' ELECTION MACHİNERY THAT WILL WANT A MAN IN NOT A WOMAN. GW HOLDS THE CARDS TO THE 2008 ELECTION AND NOT WOMEN NOR MINORITIES.
Posted by: Sanaweha Tahsuda on 01/20/08 at 3:01 AM Respond
Hillary cannot beat McCain. McCain is already taking her by a 9% percent lead, and he hasn't shown his true strength. Hillary is only liked enough. And, you need more than women vote to get elected nationally. Plus, the Democratic Party has not shown muscle on pulling spending and troops back from Iraq. HILLARY WILL FACE THE 'GW' ELECTION MACHİNERY THAT WILL WANT A MAN IN NOT A WOMAN. GW HOLDS THE CARDS TO THE 2008 ELECTION AND NOT WOMEN NOR MINORITIES.
Posted by: Sanaweha Tahsuda on 01/20/08 at 3:02 AM Respond
Clintons Order Voter Supression in Clark Count NV
Check this link for an appauling first hand account from a polling volunteer apparently there are hundreds more like it:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/19/162953/644/790/439573
No matter who you vote for, if you are like me, you are enraged that the Clinton's think they can distort the democratic process for their own gain. I'd sonner sit out the general then to vote for a control freak whose willing to supress voters from other camps to get tot he top again.
http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contact
E-mail Howard Dean at the DNC and let him know you are demanding an investigation. Tell him you won't throw the switch for Hillary in November if she wins the nomination through cheap dirty tricks and devisive manipulation of our democratic process.
Posted by: Tracey on 01/20/08 at 8:20 AM Respond
In her victory speech, Hillary said, "I guess this is how the west was won." Yes, Hillary, and just how was the west won? By slaughtering and dispossessing the Native Americans. So I guess it’s fitting. Hillary is not only the most divisive politician in the race, which guarantees partisan bickering, triangulation, gridlock, realpolitik and hardball, but she is an unabashed Iraq hawk. Not that she always favored military intervention, however; she dissuaded Bill from early humanitarian military action to save Muslims in the former Yugoslavia, costing tens of thousands of lives, and in Rwanda, costing 800,000 lives. She’s also a vassal of Israel’s Likud party, and her enthusiastic support for its confrontational, violent style assures the chronicity of conflict there. A lot of women support Hillary because she is a woman without thinking about her record, her positions on the issues and her interpersonal style. She touts her experience, but is experience unrepentantly doing the wrong things really so marvelous? Did her screwing up the opportunity to reform healthcare, causing 50 million Americans to endure another decade without coverage, impress these voters? At least she has started plagiarizing Obama’s frequent use of the second person plural instead of her customary first person singular. I guess that’s progress.
Posted by: AlexLawyer on 01/20/08 at 5:42 PM Respond
There is only one person who can unite Republicans in this election: Hillary Clinton. Obama has shown he can get the swing voters, which will be important in this election.
Plus, for the sake of students who will be studying history 200 years form now, we need a fresh face. Imagine how confusing it will be for a 14 year of the future to read his history book and see "Bush Clinton Bush Clinton."
Hey, maybe we can keep this two family dynasty going a little longer. In 8 years, Jeb Bush can run, follwed by 8 years of Chelsea Clinton. That would then make 44 years of two family rule. Just wondering.... are we a democracy or a monarchy?
Posted by: Ohio Dem on 01/21/08 at 7:44 AM Respond
Hillary Clinton was seeking a law degree in the late 60's when most women were still aspiring to be a nurse or a teacher (nothing wrong with those, just traditional). Hillary Clinton has dedicated almost 35 years of her life working toward making America a better place and especially being a champion for minorities. At age 14, she was attending with her parents, a speech by Dr. King. She is known in the Senate as a workhorse, but one who values cooperation and reaches out to Republicans. She is highly organized and runs her office and campaign efficiently. This list could go on and on, but the point is, Hillary is one of the most qualified people to run for this office in my lifetime and I go back to the JFK era. No more hate in 2008. Let's get on with the issues which matter.
Posted by: Sharon Ash on 01/21/08 at 9:14 AM Respond
I agree with you, Sharon Ash. For decades (well beyond the 35-year period I repeatedly see mentioned) Hillary Clinton has been an outspoken, hard-working advocate for minorities, children, women and other public-service campaigns. Hillary is naturally inclined towards servicing the public. After all, she wasn't campaigning for president when she first began advocating for minorities during her junior high years! Her decades of work on behalf of the Children's Defense Fund is nothing but astonishing. Her depth - and breadth - of knowledge on ALL ISSUES is remarkable. Certainly, Hillary Clinton is someone on whom I - and we all - can depend. This is HER time and we desperately DO need her.
The problem with Obama is that he lacks substance.
The passage of time is the only method by which one becomes SEASONED and therefore gains SUBSTANCE. It does not come easily; it comes by virtue of blood, sweat and tears. Now, as we review the horrific aftermath left behind by Bush's "occupation," there should be no doubt amongst all of us that an elusive "hope" and fleeting "change" cannot begin to service the decades of problems currently before us. To me, a candidate cites obscurities such as "hope" and "change" when he has little else to offer. Obama's "round-table" "feel-good" discussions are ludicrous when viewed in the current situational context. Moreover, Obama's record - given his miniscule length of time working public service - is anything BUT transformational. The little bit of history Obama can draw upon shows that Obama favors "settling" for "just enough";i.e., Obama's record of accepting small, incremental change is a far cry from the "transformational" systemic change of which he speaks and seems to preach.
But, oh yes, Obama is clearly a gifted speaker. His speeches are rousing, motivating, and inspirational. However, the thrust and underlying tone of what Obama SAYS does not at all synchronize with what Obama has thus far accomplished while working in public service. It would be similar to comparing "virtual" with "reality." No, Thanks. Not enough experience for this time and place.
At this time, we do not need someone who works on and preaches a proprietary "vision" when his record - the small amount that is available - shows a history of "fence-riding", along with short-changed advocacy based on incremental gains,"giving in" and accepting "just enough." Obama's actions thus far simply don't even come close to being "transformational" as he repeatedly touts throughout his rousing, inspirational speeches.
If anything, "timidity" would more closely describe Obama's public service record as it now stands. The passage of time may, indeed, work in Obama's favor. And I hope it does. But, for now, it simply won't work. We, as a country, have MUCH work to do. "Feeling Good" is presently not an option.
Think about it: How do you muster optimism in the midst of all that is wrong? We are still in the midst of a falsely-created "war" in which hundreds of thousands of people have died. The (unimagineable) torture of human beings has become a mainstay of the nightly news hour. Untold numbers of federal laws have simply been ignored by an administration with a sigular, narrow-minded as-yet-unidentified "vision" with absolutely no regard for the future. Our civil rights have been - and are - dismantled. We have been denied knowledge of "news" events deemed damaging to this administration - this by a compliant mainstream media in response to the administration's request for such. We have even watched countless news events that were "constructed" for our viewing by an adminstration seeking public acceptance. We are back into servicing a HUGE national debt - thanks to Bush and his lapdogs spending anything and everything at their collective disposal (including REVOLVING "credit") on this falsely-represented war. The sub-prime mortgage problem is just beginning to rear its ugly head - again, thanks to Bush and other Republicans who, without fail, falsely think that LESS regulation is better than MORE. AND, amongst other things, the rich definitely have gotten much, much richer...much to the chagrin of the middle class who have suddenly been dumped into the POOR category, booting out the previously-POOR folks into the newly-created "Sub-Poor" category.
And this is only a SMALL list of the problems we currently face. Maybe an apathetic public that has become accustomed to daily news batterings about how the "surge" is or is not working; the number of Americans killed that day (rarely is there any mention of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dead); obstruction of justice in numerous arenas; unmentionable acts of torture; detaining individuals in the worst of conditions without cause for doing so while, at the same time, stripping them of any and all human and civil rights; and engaging in and committing the worst possible actions all in the name of religion and God - maybe it is these people who can so easily forget and so strongly desire that good 'ole "Feel Good" feeling.
Well, you can't "feel good" without money. And, the money for "feeling good" won't be available until the problems mentioned above - along with many others - are summarily fixed. In preaching the impossible-to-attain "feel-good" fixer-uppers of "hope" and "change" - Obama is misrepresenting himself and his untested capabilities to a nation of apathy. Not only is he incapable of producing such - but, in fact, attaining such is, for now, an impossibility.
At this time we need a seasoned candidate that turns to and relies on her decades of experience for answers. That would be Hillary Clinton - the ONLY clear choice for President of the United States.
Posted by: VelvetPoet on 01/21/08 at 6:51 PM Respond
Are you sure not not on the osama obama pay role
Posted by: chester on 01/24/08 at 4:14 PM Respond
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