My little politics blog

Superdelegates in the Democratic Party are typically members of the Democratic National Committee, elected officials like senators or governors, or party leaders. They do not have to indicate a candidate preference and do not have to compete for their position. If a superdelegate dies or is unable to participate at the convention, alternates do not replace that delegate, which would reduce the total delegates number and the "magic number" needed to clinch the nomination.

Poll: N. Carolina voters trust Obama more than Clinton
By Jim Morrill | Charlotte Observer
Posted on Saturday, April 5, 2008 email | print tool nameclose
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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama leads rival Hillary Clinton among North Carolina voters in part because voters say they value trustworthiness over experience.

But North Carolina voters gave Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, higher marks than either Democrat on both counts, as well as on his credentials to keep the country safe, according to a new poll sponsored by the Charlotte Observer and WCNC television..

"(It's) his whole background," said Democrat Robert Brown, 46, an online trader from Chapel Hill. "He was a prisoner of war. He's an upfront, straight-talking man."

The poll found that trust is the top consideration for most voters. Nearly nine in 10 said it would play a big role in determining their vote.

Clinton Press Release: Statement From Campaign Manager On Resignation Of Mark Penn
April 6, 2008
[Clinton Campaign Press Release from April 6, 2008]


Statement from Maggie Williams

After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as Chief Strategist of the Clinton Campaign; Mark, and Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates, Inc. will continue to provide polling and advice to the campaign.

Geoff Garin and Howard Wolfson will coordinate the campaign's strategic message team going forward.

By John Riley

Following the excellent links in this Huffington Post story on Bill Clinton's ties to Colombia and lucrative trade-related speaking fees, we find:

In May, 2007, Colombia -- looking to overcome Democrats' resistance to a free trade deal -- hires Mark Penn's firm, Burson Marsteller, for $300,000. Penn is Hillary's chief strategist at the time, and the hiring is publicized.

In May, 2007, Colombia -- pursuing the same goals -- puts the Glover Park Group, partly owned by Hillary spokesman Howard Wolfson, on a $30,000 a month retainer. Wolfson is already working for Hillary, and that deal is also publicized.

In May 2007, Colombia announces plans for a gala in June to honor former President Bill Clinton, with President Alvaro Uribe (left) to honor Clinton with a "Colombia is Passion" award in return for his support. While Al Gore backed out of an April, 2007, event with Uribe because of his opposition to Colombia's human and labor rights practices, Clinton attends the June gala, and says in his speech, "We need to remember that we are friends."

Hillary did not attend the gala, and came out in opposition to the Colombia free-trade agreement in November. So, she can reasonably argue that Colombia's efforts to work Clinton connections didn't influence her -- "Senator Clinton is the candidate for president and she is a clear and firm opponent of the Colombian free trade agreement," her campaign said today -- but she can hardly argue that she was unaware of them.

So why did she act shocked last week when the Wall Street Journal said Penn met with Colombia on the trade deal? What was going on that she didn't already know was going on?

We're still skeptical about the significance of this story to ordinary voters. But if Penn's demotion was supposed to suggest to her blue-collar labor base that she was shocked and surprised that a top aide was working for Colombia, it just won't wash. The ties of Colombia and Clinton Inc. seem to have been pretty open and obvious.

It was hardly a secret.

Hillary Rodham Clinton wants voters to decide the nomination based on who can coolly and competently run the country. She had better hope they don't study her recent campaign too closely for the answer.

Clinton has overseen two major staff shake-ups in two months. She has left a trail of unpaid bills and unhappy vendors and had to loan her own campaign $5 million to keep it afloat in January. Her campaign badly underestimated her main adversary, Barack Obama, miscalculated the importance of organizing caucus states and was caught flat-footed after failing to lock up the nomination on Super Tuesday.

There is no question he has stumbled in ways that will haunt him in the general election. His handling of the Tony Rezko affair was exceptionally clumsy. It's still puzzling why he was so cozy with a known influence-peddler and why it took so long to make all of the details clear and public.

CP Poll Finds Canadians Prefer Obama

By E&P Staff

Published: April 09, 2008 10:50 AM ET

CHICAGO A plurality of Canadian hope Barack Obama becomes the next U.S. president, while overwhelmingly rejecting John McCain, a poll by The Canadian Press and Harris/Decima finds.

The CP poll, released Wednesday, found 39% of surveyed Canadians prefer Obama, followed by 30% who hope Hillary Clinton becomes the next president. John McCain trails badly, preferred by 8%.