The voters return
People wait to vote Tuesday at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
PHILADELPHIA -- Welcome back, voters.
After six weeks of political ephemera, we finally get some cold, hard data today to advance the Democratic primary race to its next phase.
As the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns continue to try to pre-spin tonight's results -- Is it over if Obama wins? Is a seven-point victory a big win for Clinton? What about a 10-point win? -- Pennsylvania voters, mercifully, are busy trying to put an end to it by casting ballots.
Howard Cross, a 49-year-old general contractor, cast a ballot for Obama at the Willie G. Williams community center on Philadelphia's storied South Street, saying he liked "his whole campaign, his whole desire -- reaching the people, relating to the people."
"His intentions are very admirable," Cross said.
Bob Williams, 48, who helps run a food bank out of the community center, echoed those sentiments. "I felt that he had his finger on the pulse of the people," Williams said. "He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth."
But Hillary Lebowitz, a 30-year-old school social worker who was getting lunch nearby, said Clinton had more substance, especially on education issues. And she said Clinton's long Washington tenure was a reason she voted for her.
"You need the connections and experience to actually get anything done," Lebowitz said. "[Obama] has a lot of great ideas, but I just don't see how he's going to put them into practice."
Hillary stopped saying "SHE IS BETTER and OBAMA is not electable" for last 3 weeks is a very CLEAR INDICATION where your MONEY and VOTE is going if you BET on HER.
She LOST IT on Mar 22nd. She is just making sure Obama looses 2008 so she has 2012 CHANCE on GrandPA McCain.
So, If you want to VOTE HILLARY, WAIT TILL 2012.
Hillary Lebowitz is funny. Both have more or less the same "great ideas". How is HIllary Clinton going to put them into practice? The same way Obama is!!
I agree with Hillary Lebowitz, if you are a Pennsylvania voter and have not voted yet, let me re-iterate what she said after her victory in Ohio, with the US being in the position it is now "THERE IS NO TIME FOR FANCY SPEECHES OR ON THE JOB TRAINING". Obama means well but will get little accomplished. Hill already knows the ropes
We'll *have* to wait until 2012. It looks like McCain will take this one after all.
She stopped saying it because she will still work hard for Obama if he is the nominee. She does believe that she would have a better chance against McCain but she can't say it. Unfortunately Obama does not have the important states. Even the evil Karl Rove gives it to McCain if Obama is the nominee.
For the Very First Time, a DESPERATE DEMOCRAT followed BUSH just like VOTING for his IRAQ WAR and suggesting support for next IRAN WAR (09/11/2008) by using BUSH's FRIEND "BIN LADEN".
ITS A SHAME TO SHOW THE KILLER of 3000 AMERICANS and TWIN TOWER by DEMOCRAT.
I am thinking that kk 's right. The spoiler strategy is to be young enough to come back in 2012.
But she cannot beat John McCain. She's turned out too many lights nationally. She's reckless, lacks candor, and is overspent and undersupported.
Obama's pastor had racist, anti white, anti American sermons - and Obama
did not respond?! And this man will respond to Bin Laden?! Give me a break.
May be he can be a president of a student body; not a country!
Why in gods name Hasn't Obama brought up the TRUCKLOAD of dirt on HIllary? Its because he's genuinely trying to NOT be negative, even though he has more than ample ammunition. No matter what he does hes getting slimed with the negativity of the Clinton campaign. Hillary has so much CRIMINAL dirt that its insane that people would consider her for the presidency. How come nobody is addressing her campaign being entirely financed by very very wealthy people and lobbyists(she says middle class=250,000 a year), as opposed to Obama who has record number of donations of small dollar amounts. Yet he is called elitist. The Clinton spin machine is impressive indeed, only surpassed by the gullibility of those who consider her presidential material. Please USE GOOGLE & Wiki
I agree with Hillary Lebowitz. Obama says he will do all these things, but Hillary Clinton has the track record to prove she CAN.
As an Oregonian, Hillary has my vote on May 20. I know she will get the job done.
Whoever wins will inherit a horrendous mess with the war, economy, global tensions, let alone living up to all the expectations made during the campaign. It doesn't matter who is elected president, with the growing incendiary posturing of the media no one will be immune to constant criticism. What bothers me about Hillary is that she may try to prove how "tough" she is as the first woman president by taking hard line positions when diplomacy is more effective. McCain has a military "mind set," which may see military action as the primary solution. Only Obama seems to have a rational position on international affairs. Some see him as an elitist, where I believe he simply displays confidence.
Clinton keeps pointing out that Obama is outspending her 4 to 1, yet she says that he can't win the general election. By her own admission, Obama has more support amongst Democrats.
Clinton is only strong amongst the core of the Democratic party. Obama is strong among Democrats, life-long Independents (like myself) and Republicans.
There is no doubt that Obama is the strongest candidate to beat McCain in November.
If Hillary already "knows the ropes", why hasn't she managed to win the primary yet?
Hillary Clinton's track record: Failed to enact health care coverage. Was a supporter of the CDA bill, terribly misguided legislation that, if it hadn't been overturned, would result in the Boston Globe getting fined for me saying "fuck fuck fuck" in this comment. Major supporter of copyright extension and draconian enforcement via the DMCA. In the pocket of media conglomerates who treat audience like moderately retaded livestock (ABC debate - need I say more).
Yeah, with such an outstanding track record, I'm a-leaning Obama.
Hillary has been using the extortion tactic of offering the Democratic party a choice: Either choose her at the convention or she will make Obama unelectable against McCain. Everything she has been doing in her smear campaign is designed to injure Obama in his November run. If she can't be POTUS this time, she would rather run against McCain in four years and watch the country go to hell in the meantime. She doesn't give a damn about you and me.
Obama is the best chance we have left to try to keep this country together.
The reason that obama "can't quite" lock up the nomination is clinton's many supporters and enablers in mainstream media. If obama had lost 12 straight contests, he'd be finished. But under the same circumstances, hillary is still around to complain about supposed bias against HER.
It's probably too much to hope for, but I would love to see clinton's pointless and divisive run ended in today's voting.
----Rachel-----
"Hillary Clinton has the track record to prove she CAN."
Back that up, I haven't seen anything that makes me think she can accomplish what she promises. I have heard that statement a million times and haven't ever heard an objective and convincing response.
I feel she will be so divisive, that she won't be able to do anything at all. She will be completely dependent on the congress also being democrat controlled. It is now, but to depend on it is courting stagnation.
I THINK OBAMA WOULD MAKE A GREAT PRESIDENT BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE CAN UNITE THE COUNTRIES, AND WE NEED CHANGE FOR ALL PEOPLE. I BELIEVE PEOPLE WILL LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD WHEN HE SPEAKS AND HE HAS A BETTER CHANCE CONNECTING WITH OUR YOUTH.
The most important attribute a president must posses is the ability to inspire and lead a nation. So far, it seems to me, the Senator from Illinois is the candidate who is most effective. As a member of the struggling working class I want a president who will fight to keep my piece of the pie from getting any smaller and prove that ALL 300,000,000 of us matter!
I wish Obama would pull the clip where hillary spoke to a group and
said,"You can help MEmake history". That's what's it's all about...
her ego. ...her history. She uses the word ME too often. Obama
uses the word we...
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