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Obama, Clinton strike homestretch in bid for nomination
2008-04-19 Finally for the Democrats, the homestretch. Muzi.com News 10067127-0 (muzi.com)The last 10 contests of the marathon presidential race could make front-runner Barack Obama the party's nominee or breathe new life into Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy. It starts Tuesday. Muzi.com News 10067127-1 (muzi.com) Leading in the popular vote, the number of states won and pledged delegates, Obama had hoped to wrap up the nomination earlier in the spring to begin the general election campaign against Republican Sen. John McCain. But Clinton won the last major primaries in Ohio and Texas March 4 and has vowed to stay in until the party's convention this August in Denver. Muzi.com News 10067127-2 (muzi.com) Since neither candidate will finish with enough delegates to clinch the nomination, both candidates are wooing "superdelegates" -- elected officials and party activists who may back any candidate they wish. Muzi.com News 10067127-3 (muzi.com) Obama is counting on superdelegates to back the winner of the popular vote and pledged delegate count, a notion even some Clinton supporters agree with. He also figures prominent Democrats would be loath to deny the nomination to a black man who leads in delegates and votes. Clinton is hoping to close the gap with Obama in the final contests and persuade superdelegates that she would be the stronger general election candidate against McCain. Muzi.com News 10067127-4 (muzi.com) Here's a look at the final 10 contests: Muzi.com News 10067127-5 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-6 (muzi.com) _PENNSYLVANIA (Tuesday, 158 pledged delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-7 (muzi.com) The largest of the remaining states, Pennsylvania appears tailor-made for Clinton even as polls show her once commanding lead narrowing to single digits. Most analysts predict a win for the former first lady; a loss would effectively doom her candidacy. Even a narrow Clinton victory would be viewed as a tactical triumph for Obama. Muzi.com News 10067127-8 (muzi.com) While Pennsylvania's economy may not be as fragile as that of neighboring Ohio, which Clinton won by 9 percentage points, the state has seen a similar erosion of its manufacturing base and a loss of thousands of blue-collar jobs. Muzi.com News 10067127-9 (muzi.com) Pennsylvania also has a large white, working-class population and other groups that Clinton has attracted. It has the third oldest population of any state and is home to a significant number of ethnic Catholic voters. The state's politically savvy governor, Ed Rendell, backs Clinton. Muzi.com News 10067127-10 (muzi.com) Obama is competing in Pennsylvania and was on a five-day bus and train tour of the state. He has 30 field offices to Clinton's 24 and has outspent her more than 2-to-1 on television advertising. Muzi.com News 10067127-11 (muzi.com) The New York senator is hoping Obama's comments about bitter voters in small town will undercut his support. Muzi.com News 10067127-12 (muzi.com) Geographically, Clinton is strongest in western Pennsylvania including the Pittsburgh area, Johnstown and Erie, and in northeastern communities like Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Carbondale. Obama's base is in Philadelphia, with its large population of blacks, affluent voters and students. He also performs well in Harrisburg, the state capital. Muzi.com News 10067127-13 (muzi.com) Both campaigns view the northern and southern Philadelphia suburbs and the Lehigh Valley as key battleground areas. Muzi.com News 10067127-14 (muzi.com) Only registered Democrats can vote in the primary. Muzi.com News 10067127-15 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-16 (muzi.com) _GUAM (May 3, four delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-17 (muzi.com) Neither campaign has expended loads of effort on the tiny Pacific island, but the Obama campaign has deployed three staff members there and the Clinton camp has been organizing under the leadership of a popular Guam state senator, Tina Muna Barnes. Muzi.com News 10067127-18 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-19 (muzi.com) _NORTH CAROLINA (May 6, 115 delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-20 (muzi.com) With its large population of black voters and well-populated liberal enclaves, Obama is heavily favored to win North Carolina. Recent polling shows him with a double-digit lead over Clinton, and both candidates vying for the state's Democratic gubernatorial nomination have endorsed the Illinois senator. Muzi.com News 10067127-21 (muzi.com) Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who also sought the nomination, has declined both candidates' endorsement requests. He's kept a low profile since leaving the race, and it's unlikely he will appear with either candidate leading up to the primary. Muzi.com News 10067127-22 (muzi.com) Obama has been advertising on television in North Carolina since late March. Clinton went up recently with an unconventional one-minute ad in which she invited North Carolinians to submit questions that she would answer in subsequent ads leading up to the primary. More than 10,000 questions have been submitted so far. Muzi.com News 10067127-23 (muzi.com) Obama is targeting the state's five major urban areas -- Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Raleigh, the state capital. Clinton is eyeing the more rural regions of the state and military communities such as Fayetteville. Muzi.com News 10067127-24 (muzi.com) Unaffiliated voters can vote in either party's contest. The state has heavy early voting that began Thursday. Muzi.com News 10067127-25 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-26 (muzi.com) _INDIANA (May 6, 72 delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-27 (muzi.com) This is a true Democratic battleground state, with a demographic mix that plays to each candidate's strengths. Recent polling shows a close race. Muzi.com News 10067127-28 (muzi.com) Indiana shares a border with Obama's home state of Illinois, and he has won every other border state so far. About 20 percent of the state is in the Chicago media market, another plus for Obama. He is strongest in northern Indiana, with its urban pockets and large black population. He also does well in Indianapolis and in Bloomington, home of Indiana University. Clinton is popular farther south, especially among rural voters and in white working-class communities like those along the Ohio River. Muzi.com News 10067127-29 (muzi.com) Both candidates are airing TV ads and have made repeated trips to the state. Clinton has the support of Evan Bayh, the state's popular senator and former governor. Muzi.com News 10067127-30 (muzi.com) Indiana has an open primary. Muzi.com News 10067127-31 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-32 (muzi.com) _WEST VIRGINIA (May 13, 28 delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-33 (muzi.com) Both campaigns view the state as extremely favorable to Clinton -- it has no urban core, relatively few black voters, and a large white working-class population. Public polling shows Clinton with a double-digit lead over Obama. Muzi.com News 10067127-34 (muzi.com) Obama has the endorsement of Sen. Jay Rockefeller and the campaign plans to deploy staff soon. Both candidates are competing for the endorsement of the United Mine Workers, who are influential in the state. Muzi.com News 10067127-35 (muzi.com) Unaffiliated and independent voters can vote in the primary. Muzi.com News 10067127-36 (muzi.com) ___ Muzi.com News 10067127-37 (muzi.com) _OREGON (May 20, 52 delegates) Muzi.com News 10067127-38 (muzi.com) Obama is favored to win in a state with much of the population concentrated in Portland, liberal coastal areas and the university community of Eugene. Still, the Clinton campaign is holding out hope for a strong showing among rural and working-class voters in cities such as Medford and communities in central and eastern Oregon. Polling shows Obama up by double digits; Clinton hopes to trim that lead. Muzi.com News 10067127-39 (muzi.com)
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