For All the Marbles
Most Democratic primary states split their delegates, including California. Even so, the “winner” of Super Duper Tuesday is bound to be the one who walks home with California, at least in the eyes of a media looking to name a victor.
Which makes this especially exciting news:
A new poll out Sunday suggests Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a dead heat for the biggest prize on Super Tuesday: delegate-rich California.
According to a just released poll from the Field Research Corporation, Clinton only holds a statistically insignificant 2 point lead over Obama in California, 36 percent to 34 percent. Meanwhile the poll shows 18 percent of California Democrats have yet to make up their minds.
The poll suggests the race has significantly narrowed in the state in only a matter weeks– most polls two weeks ago showed Clinton with a double-digit lead there. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll taken a week ago showed Clinton with a 17 point lead there.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pm EST
Will the so-called experts look back at this election and actually see that Bill Clinton LOST the nomination for his wife in the days leading up to South Carolina? You can certainly point to those days as the turning point in the primary season so far. For once in my lifetime, the politics of fear and division were soundly rejected and voters came out in droves to vote against the past and for a new beginning in American politics. Together with that huge margin of victory, the “passing of the torch” with the Ted/Caroline Kennedy endorsements, followed by a near perfect debate performance (where once again Hillary completely hung herself on her Iraq vote and Barack seemed more presidential than ever before), Obama has surged at just the right time leading into Super Tuesday tomorrow.
Always eloquent on the stump, for the past week he has this unmistakable confidence that I had yet to see from him. If ever there was a time for drastic change–a change of how the game is played, not just a switch of people playing the game–that time is now as we end one of the darkest periods in American history under the arrogant/incompotent/misguided George W. Bush administration. We learned to think the worst of ourselves as Roveian politics ruled the day and fear-mongering won out. Now we find ourselves on the cusp of not only making history by electing this man, but by having our moment–a clarion call for Americans to rise together (Democrats, Independents, and Republicans) to answer the many stark challenges we all face as a nation. I know I have often referred back to the 1960s when talking about my guy here, but I just have to believe that this nation, especially young people, are feeling the same kind of buzz and energy and hope for something more that I have often heard my elders describe when talking about Jack, Bobby, and Dr. King. It’s been so easy to be a cynic for most of my political life, but I think maybe my country is ready to step up, follow their hearts as much as their minds, and expect great things from themselves and the country we all love so much once again.
Jeff Woodmansee
Little Rock, AR