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Posted Wednesday, March 05, 2008 12:51 AM

Yes, We Can. Can’t We?

Howard Fineman

"I feel good about where we are, David Axelrod said early Wednesday morning with a straight face. Obama's chief strategist can't really mean that. Yes, his man has won 28 primaries and caucuses, compared with 13 for Hillary Rodham Clinton. Yes, Obama has won a very narrow majority of votes cast-leading by perhaps 300,000 or so out of 25 million cast. Yes, he has what may well be an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates.

Yes, but. Now Obama faces a fight all the way to Denver. He called Hillary to offer congratulations, and the two of them must have talked about how they want to keep the next couple of months civil. But I can't imagine that their campaigns will be able to honor whatever agreement they made.

If you are a movement candidate, and Obama is, you have to keep the movement going. And though he is ahead in delegates, his momentum has slowed to a crawl. He has a chance to revive it in Wyoming this weekend and Mississippi next week-both likely Obama victories.

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But Pennsylvania becomes the next station of the cross. Obama starts way behind there, but he may yet have a chance to win it. I'll give you one reason why: my hometown of Pittsburgh. It's long since ceased to be a steel town. There isn’t a single mill left in the city. It is a big college town, and a hospital-and-health care city. The Philadelphia area has changed too, more upscale, educated and approachable by Obama.

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Member Comments

Posted By: honestysiempre (March 6, 2008 at 11:32 PM)

How dare some of the comments say that voters for Hillary are uneducated Americans who are racists?

What do you call 90% of Black Americans voting for BO? what is that? favoritism?

How about professional women, Latino, black, Asian, blue collar, white collar workers, agricultural workers, nurses, young educated college students (female>>>males).

What is BO coalition???? He is now even loosing the white men vote (finally some of you guys are waking up?).

Pitty on you Howard, you can not resist your biased observations......"my hometown of Pittsburgh has changed....it is a big college town, and a hospital and health care" It sounds like NYC, Boston, ha? guess what check out how HRC did there.

Again, I am sick and tired of your sexism, blacks reverse racism, and the perception that those who follow Hillary are a bunch of ignorant broads who follow blindly. This woman, no matter how you slice it, has more experience, more guts, more intelligence, determination and wants the JOB MORE!!!!!!! and I want to hire her!!!!


Posted By: FREE AND THE BRAVE (March 6, 2008 at 2:28 PM)

I want to start out by saying I'm republican for the most part, but do not, and did not like George Bush. I have been watching, reading and listening to everything about this election like most of you. I for the life of me can't understand how "Billary" is even allowed to run for the highest office in the country! The words Clinton and Scandal, are pretty much the same! Now if Hillary had divorced Bill ten years ago, maybe I could believe half of what she says! The whole Obama "movement" escapes me also. I am a lifelong resident of  Il. And am old enough to know that you don't get anywhere in politics in Chicago without owing someone, something! The Daily machine still holds the power. The freshman senator is if nothing else a great speaker, mostly if scripted. The biased media is now finally taking a closer look at Obama, and more will be revealed about him in the coming months. The thing that really gets me is his church. Out of all the churches in Chicago, why did he choose an all black church that endorses Farrakhan, denounces whites and Jews alike? If the white candidates had an affiliation with the Aryan brotherhood for example, don't you think they would be vilified in the press to say the least? Obama calls himself a "unifier", but to me, actions speak louder than words! The fact he doesn't acknowledge the flag of our country gives me pause for concern, as it should you all also. It makes me wonder what his agenda really is! The fact he is still in his first term and already making a bid for the White House without accomplishing much in the Senate is also a concern. A "present" vote is basically a safe move politically if nothing else. Our great country is in dire straights, and two Tax and Spend LIBERAL Democrats will only serve to bring our country down even more! People, make no mistake, John McCain is NOT George Bush! He is actually more moderate than conservative, and that is not necessarily a bad thing! He has the proven leadership, and has shown he can "cross the aisle” to get the job done. I truly believe that if he had been elected in 2000, the country wouldn't be in the mess we're in now! Vote for a PROVEN LEADER, vote McCain!


Posted By: jpbless (March 6, 2008 at 7:38 AM)

"the two of them must have talked about how they want to keep the next couple of months civil. But I can't imagine that their campaigns will be able to honor whatever agreement they made"

Obama will be naive and stupid to make any "civil campaign" deal with Clinton. So far Clinton has proved she could go negative and at the same time put Obama on defense and slow him down to a crawl.

Clinton has been playing dirty politics so Obama should return the “gesture.” Obama needs to hit hard on Hillary. She claims to have 35 years experience... some of that apparently obtained as first lady to ex-president Clinton. Of course the same Bill mandate that pardoned mobsters and shady crooks at the last minute; gave us Lincoln bedroom-gate; Whitewater; Arkansas Law firm; impeachment; Intern-gate AKA Lewinski; Linda Tripp; Paula Jones; Kenneth Starr... and soft porn testimony… depends what is is…, presidential perjury; constant bickering in the congress. In fact Bill’s standing was so bad that Al Gore declined to use him in 2000 campaign..

Republicans do not hate Clintons for nothing. Clinton will crush Obama if Obama continues to be childishly civil. Yes be civil but be ready to punch back if punched! And why is Hillary refusing to release her tax papers. She obviously got some thing to hide.