The Super Bowl of Presidential Politics
Just when my nerves began to settle after watching one of the most thrilling Super Bowls in quite some time; that gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach returned again last night, watching the results pour in from coast- to- coast.
Senators Clinton and Obama went tit-for-tat most of the night. In addition to taking her home state of New York, preliminary figures were showing the junior senator winning New Jersey, Massachusetts (despite Ted Kennedy’s endorsement), Tennessee, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Arkansas; while Obama countered, locking up Illinois, Georgia, Missouri(just by his chinny chin chin); Alabama, Connecticut; Minnesota, Delaware; North Dakota, Kansas, Idaho, and Alaska. And the state everyone was focused on, delegate rich California, appeared to be headed under Clinton’s column. With 19 percent of the vote counted, the New York senator had swallowed up 54 percent of the vote to Obama’s 33 percent.
All told, the delegate count, compiled by Real Clear Politics, showed Clinton holding a shaky 1012 to 933 advantage over Obama. In other words, nothing was settled last night, not by a long shot; the two heavyweights are locked in an epic battle (See primary schedule) that might take all 12 rounds and a brokered convention before a nominee is chosen
And those pundits please make themselves known who said, just a few months ago, that the race for the nomination would be over after Super Duper Tuesday.
Don’t look now, but not even John McCain is safe, though his road to his party’s nomination is a little more certain than his Democratic foes. The maverick Arizona senator wrapped up victories in the winner take all delegates states of New York, Illinois, Arizona and New Jersey to take a commanding 522 to 223 delegate lead over Mitt Romney. The underfinanced former Arkansas governor, Mike Hukabee won impressive Southern primaries in Georgia and Tennessee, to give him 142 delegates.
A few questions that will undoubtedly be asked over the next couple of days.
1.)With Hillary Clinton stunning Obama last night in Ted Kennedy’s home turf of Massachusetts, has the torch of the Kennedy name finally gone dim?
2.)Wasn’t the whole reason Florida bumped their primary date to an earlier date was so they wouldn’t be overshadowed by other Super Tuesday states. Wouldn’t the Sunshine State have played more of a decisive role in selecting the next Democratic nominee if they had left well enough alone? Instead, the Democratic National party stripped Florida of its 185 delegates in retaliation for moving to an earlier primary. And now Hillary has nothing to show for her lopsided win on January 29th.
3.) Now that Clinton and Obama are in a dead heat, who will win the battle of campaign finance? The latest estimates show both parties spending at unprecedented levels, with Democrats outspending the Republicans by a 3-to-1 margin; while Obama, has tapped into some deep pockets, having spent $31 million in campaign advertising since January 21.
It was an exciting night watching which state would fall under Obama and Clinton's column. It's just that I don't think my ticker can take many more of these white-knucklers.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
Senators Clinton and Obama went tit-for-tat most of the night. In addition to taking her home state of New York, preliminary figures were showing the junior senator winning New Jersey, Massachusetts (despite Ted Kennedy’s endorsement), Tennessee, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Arkansas; while Obama countered, locking up Illinois, Georgia, Missouri(just by his chinny chin chin); Alabama, Connecticut; Minnesota, Delaware; North Dakota, Kansas, Idaho, and Alaska. And the state everyone was focused on, delegate rich California, appeared to be headed under Clinton’s column. With 19 percent of the vote counted, the New York senator had swallowed up 54 percent of the vote to Obama’s 33 percent.
All told, the delegate count, compiled by Real Clear Politics, showed Clinton holding a shaky 1012 to 933 advantage over Obama. In other words, nothing was settled last night, not by a long shot; the two heavyweights are locked in an epic battle (See primary schedule) that might take all 12 rounds and a brokered convention before a nominee is chosen
And those pundits please make themselves known who said, just a few months ago, that the race for the nomination would be over after Super Duper Tuesday.
Don’t look now, but not even John McCain is safe, though his road to his party’s nomination is a little more certain than his Democratic foes. The maverick Arizona senator wrapped up victories in the winner take all delegates states of New York, Illinois, Arizona and New Jersey to take a commanding 522 to 223 delegate lead over Mitt Romney. The underfinanced former Arkansas governor, Mike Hukabee won impressive Southern primaries in Georgia and Tennessee, to give him 142 delegates.
A few questions that will undoubtedly be asked over the next couple of days.
1.)With Hillary Clinton stunning Obama last night in Ted Kennedy’s home turf of Massachusetts, has the torch of the Kennedy name finally gone dim?
2.)Wasn’t the whole reason Florida bumped their primary date to an earlier date was so they wouldn’t be overshadowed by other Super Tuesday states. Wouldn’t the Sunshine State have played more of a decisive role in selecting the next Democratic nominee if they had left well enough alone? Instead, the Democratic National party stripped Florida of its 185 delegates in retaliation for moving to an earlier primary. And now Hillary has nothing to show for her lopsided win on January 29th.
3.) Now that Clinton and Obama are in a dead heat, who will win the battle of campaign finance? The latest estimates show both parties spending at unprecedented levels, with Democrats outspending the Republicans by a 3-to-1 margin; while Obama, has tapped into some deep pockets, having spent $31 million in campaign advertising since January 21.
It was an exciting night watching which state would fall under Obama and Clinton's column. It's just that I don't think my ticker can take many more of these white-knucklers.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
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