We have a candidate

[SportsFan68]

gsabc mentioned this in his Local News thread.

WASHINGTON -- Bowing to pressure and the unyielding political math, Hillary Rodham Clinton will end her history-making campaign Saturday and endorse Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, aides said Wednesday.

Clinton's decision followed a day of private consultation with donors, members of Congress and union supporters, who urged her to back Obama for the sake of party unity -- a sentiment that was voiced throughout the day by Democratic Party leaders. Some were angry that she failed to concede Tuesday night, when it was clear that Obama had clinched the nomination.

Now the work begins for people like me.

[NellyLunatic1980]

Latest polls from electoral-vote.com indicate that the race now stands at 287 electoral votes for Obama, 227 EVs for McCain, and 24 EVs up in the air.

Obama leads McCain in these red states from 2004: Colorado (48-42), Iowa (47-38), Missouri (45-43), New Mexico (47-43), and Ohio (44-43).

McCain still leads Obama in Michigan (41-37), but no other blue states.

Two red states are tied: Indiana and Virginia.

This is only the first post-primary electoral college map, but it gives everybody an idea of where the race stands right now. We won't know yet what impact the VP candidates will have until they're named. Furthermore, none of these polls have included Libertarian candidate Bob Barr yet, who might be a spoiler in several states. I've heard a rumor that Barr is pulling in 8% in his home state of Georgia, but I want to see if the pollsters agree with that.

It should be a very interesting election year either way.

[starfish1113]

It is obviously WAY too early to do any real in-depth analysis on this race. Suffice to say that both candidates have about 100-120 EVs locked up and will win that much regardless of how the campaign plays out (unless of course McCain is caught attending a NAMBLA meeting or there is a tape of Obama saying that the Nazis didn't go far enough).

That said, I pinpoint four states that I think, at this early stage, will decide this election: CO, MI, OH, and VA. The rest, in my view, tilt one way or the other. Should be fun!

[hf_jai]

I want to get my prediction in early and explicitly.

McCain will beat the crap out of Obama.

It honest to God makes me sad beyond belief to say this, but it's what I believe. Four more years of a Republican in the White House will be a total disaster for this country, but that's what's going to happen.

Aside from any other factor, Americans are not ready to elect a man whose middle name is Hussein and last name rhymes with Osama. Yes, voters are that shallow.

What the 527s will do to him will only make it worse.

We have one chance and one chance only. If the GOP is undisciplined enough (not one of their historic weaknesses, but there's always a chance) that they start their attacks now instead of waiting until after our convention, Obama's poll numbers will tank early and the SuperDs MAY show the courage to nominate Clinton instead. I'm not holding my breath. Democratic leaders are more interested in maintaining their own power than actually winning elections.

[sunflower]

I want to get my prediction in early and explicitly.

McCain will beat the crap out of Obama.

It honest to God makes me sad beyond belief to say this, but it's what I believe. Four more years of a Republican in the White House will be a total disaster for this country, but that's what's going to happen.

Aside from any other factor, Americans are not ready to elect a man whose middle name is Hussein and last name rhymes with Osama. Yes, voters are that shallow.

What the 527s will do to him will only make it worse.

We have one chance and one chance only. If the GOP is undisciplined enough (not one of their historic weaknesses, but there's always a chance) that they start their attacks now instead of waiting until after our convention, Obama's poll numbers will tank early and the SuperDs MAY show the courage to nominate Clinton instead. I'm not holding my breath. Democratic leaders are more interested in maintaining their own power than actually winning elections.

I agree with you 150%!!! Well on McCain beating Obama...

I don't think the D's will nominate Clinton, they wouldn't want to deal with the potential backlash. They'd rather lose.

I'm actually hoping for a viable independent candidate. I'm from CT...where when Joe Lieberman didn't get the democratic nod on his last senate run, he said I'll show you and ran as an independent. Against party wishes and protests. And won. Nuff said.

[Bob78164]

Now the work begins for people like me.

Sprots -- I've known for a while that you were seriously involved in politics, but I've never known in what capacity. My curiosity has finally outweighed my reticence. What do you do in the political arena? --Bob

[hf_jai]

I agree with you 150%!!! Well on McCain beating Obama...

I don't think the D's will nominate Clinton, they wouldn't want to deal with the potential backlash. They'd rather lose.

I'm actually hoping for a viable independent candidate. I'm from CT...where when Joe Lieberman didn't get the democratic nod on his last senate run, he said I'll show you and ran as an independent. Against party wishes and protests. And won. Nuff said.

I don't put any faith in the SuperDs either.

Lieberman had two things going for him: 1) he had a lot of people who had faith in him as an individual because of excellent constituent services over many years, and 2) MUCH more importantly, the GOP pulled the rug out from under the Republican candidate, allowing the Repub voters to cross over. They never thought they'd lose the Senate.

I suspect that as long as we have an Electoral College with winner take all voting, there will be no such thing as "a viable independent candidate" for president. We're pretty much stuck with the two parties.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I want to get my prediction in early and explicitly.

McCain will beat the crap out of Obama.

It honest to God makes me sad beyond belief to say this, but it's what I believe. Four more years of a Republican in the White House will be a total disaster for this country, but that's what's going to happen.

Aside from any other factor, Americans are not ready to elect a man whose middle name is Hussein and last name rhymes with Osama. Yes, voters are that shallow.

What the 527s will do to him will only make it worse.

We have one chance and one chance only. If the GOP is undisciplined enough (not one of their historic weaknesses, but there's always a chance) that they start their attacks now instead of waiting until after our convention, Obama's poll numbers will tank early and the SuperDs MAY show the courage to nominate Clinton instead. I'm not holding my breath. Democratic leaders are more interested in maintaining their own power than actually winning elections.

I totally agree!

[SportsFan68]

Now the work begins for people like me.

Sprots -- I've known for a while that you were seriously involved in politics, but I've never known in what capacity. My curiosity has finally outweighed my reticence. What do you do in the political arena? --Bob

I chair the local party, get involved in supporting or opposing ballot issues, go to Congressional and State party conventions, write letters to the editor, go to local meetings and provide my input on hot issues. For example on that last, a local restaurant was seeking a variance to Colorado's Clean Indoor Air Act so their customers could smoke near the door of their patio. I spoke out against the variance along with about a dozen other people, and it did not pass.

[SportsFan68]

Now the work begins for people like me.

Sprots -- I've known for a while that you were seriously involved in politics, but I've never known in what capacity. My curiosity has finally outweighed my reticence. What do you do in the political arena? --Bob

Oh yeah -- I've been a League of Women Voters member even longer than I've been on the local Dems Executive Committee. In that capacity, I've been President, run candidate forums, worked on several studies, written position papers, and conducted Colorado ballot issues presentations in probably half of the years I've belonged.