Wisconsin Primary Results

[FSTargetDrone]

MSNBC is saying exit polls reveal Obama is leading over Hillary, but for something slightly more substantial, McCain is obviously being called the Republican winner.

[FSTargetDrone]

Terribly sorry, I forgot the story:

As Dem race gets negative, voters have say
Contests in Wisconsin, Hawaii; in Republican race, McCain eyes more gains

NBC News and news services
updated 8:53 p.m. ET, Tues., Feb. 19, 2008

CHICAGO - Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton squared off in a scrappy Wisconsin primary and in laid-back Hawaii caucuses Tuesday, their struggle for the Democratic presidential nomination veering toward the negative.

Wisconsin offered 74 national convention delegates and an early test of support in industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.

There were 20 delegates at stake in Hawaii, where neither Clinton nor Obama campaigned in person.

Obama began the night with 1,116 delegates in tabulations by NBC News, and Clinton with 986. It takes 2,025 to win the nomination at the party’s national convention in Denver.

GOP voting in Wisconsin, Wash. state
The Republican front-runner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, hoped to inch closer to wrapping up the party’s nomination in primaries in Wisconsin and Washington, with 56 delegates at stake. McCain had 835 delegates, according to NBC News, and his closest remaining rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, had 243. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas had 14.

Obama, a freshman senator from Illinois, began the evening with eight straight primary and caucus victories, a run that has propelled him past Clinton in the overall delegate race and enabled him to chip away at her advantage among elected officials within the party.

Aides to Clinton, who is in her second term from New York, initially signaled that she would virtually concede Wisconsin, and the former first lady spent less time in the state than Obama.

Even so, she ran a television ad that accused Obama of ducking a debate in the state and added that she had the only health care plan that would cover all Americans and the only economic plan to stop home foreclosures. “Maybe he’d prefer to give speeches than have to answer questions,” the commercial said.

Obama countered with an ad of his own, saying his health care plan would cover more people.

In San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, Obama said Clinton’s idea to freeze the monthly rate on adjustable-rate mortgages for at least five years would raise rates on new mortgages. “Even more families could face foreclosure,” he said. “That’s why one economic analyst called her plan disastrous.”

War of — and over — words
The campaign grew increasingly testy over the weekend, when Clinton’s aides accused Obama of plagiarism for delivering a speech that included words that had first been uttered by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a friend of Obama’s.

“I really don’t think this is too big of a deal,” Obama said, eager to lay the issue to rest quickly. He said Clinton had used his slogans, too.

Even before the votes were tallied in one state, the campaigns were looking ahead.

Texas and Ohio hold primaries on March 4, and some of Clinton’s backers have said she cannot afford to lose either. Already, she and Obama have begun advertising in Texas, with 193 delegates, and Ohio, with 141, and both visited the two states in the days before Wisconsin primary.

Clinton had already moved on to Ohio on Tuesday night, telling supporters at a rally in Youngstown that “only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy and ready to defeat the Republicans.”

Continuing a theme that her advisers has resonated in recent days, Clinton again sought to turn Obama’s electrifying speaking style against him, suggesting that the he was more style than substance.

“It’s about picking a president who relies not just on words but on work, hard work, to get America back to work,” Clinton said. “Someone who’s not just in the speeches business but will get America back in the solutions business.”

A spokesman for Obama dismissed the comments as “more of the same divisive, say-or-do-anything-to-win politics of the past.”

In deference to Wisconsin, McCain began his day in Brookfield, a Milwaukee suburb, but planned to watch the returns in Columbus, Ohio.

Unlike the Democrats, McCain was assured of his nomination and concentrated on turning his primary campaign into a general election candidacy.

At the Wisconsin rally, McCain’s wife, Cindy, said: “I’m proud of my country. I don’t know about you, if you heard those words earlier. I’m very proud of my country.” She appeared to be making a reference to comments by Obama’s wife, Michelle, on Monday in Milwaukee: “Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.”

Asked by reporters whether Cindy McCain was referring to Michell Obama’s, John McCain said: “I don’'t think we have any comment on that.” Cindy McCain added, “I just wanted to make the statement that I have, and always will be, proud of my country.”

Huckabee, meanwhile, parried occasional suggestions — none of them by McCain — that he quit the race. In a move that was unorthodox if not unprecedented for a presidential contender, he left the country in recent days to make a paid speech in the Grand Cayman Islands.

McCain picked up endorsements from former President George H.W. Bush and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a campaign dropout who urged his 280 delegates to swing behind the party’s nominee-to-be.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23232655/

[KlavoHunter]

Living in Wisconsin, and my vote being among those for Obama, I can say that I have not seen a single campaign ad on TV, or heard one on the radio for Hillary - I have only seen Obama ads.

That, combined with her growing image as a stuck-up, cheating bitch with a sense of entitlement the size of Texas, is leading to her defeat in Wisconsin.

I didn't figure I needed to vote for McCain, as he is the obvious winner of the Republican race.

[Havok]

Living in Wisconsin, and my vote being among those for Obama, I can say that I have not seen a single campaign ad on TV, or heard one on the radio for Hillary - I have only seen Obama ads.

That, combined with her growing image as a stuck-up, cheating bitch with a sense of entitlement the size of Texas, is leading to her defeat in Wisconsin.

I didn't figure I needed to vote for McCain, as he is the obvious winner of the Republican race.

Huh? You get to vote in the Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin?

[FSTargetDrone]

Third time's the charm..

WOW. MSNBC is calling Obama the winner in Wisconsin:

Obama, McCain win Wisconsin primary

Illinois senator does well among Clinton’s base, exit polls indicate

BREAKING NEWS
NBC News and news services
updated 9:26 p.m. ET, Tues., Feb. 19, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama was projected to have defeated Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in Wisconsin’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, according to NBC News, showing strong support across a range of constituencies, some of which had previously leaned toward Clinton.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona was projected to have won the Republican primary by a substantial margin, NBC News said, a result that moved him closer to wrapping up the party’s nomination for president.

Obama began the night with 1,116 delegates in tabulations by NBC News, and Clinton with 986. It takes 2,025 to win the nomination at the party’s national convention in Denver; Wisconsin offered 74 national convention delegates and an early test of support in industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Voters also went to the polls in Hawaii, which had 20 delegates at stake and where neither Clinton nor Obama campaigned in person.

McCain also hoped to do well in Washington state, which had 56 delegates at stake in a Republican-only primary. McCain had 835 delegates, according to NBC News, and his closest remaining rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, had 243. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas had 14.

Clinton is speaking right now, presumably to put the best light possible on this.

Let's see...

[Haruko]

Huh? You get to vote in the Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin?

I've been hearing it much of the day on MSNBC and CNN: Wisconsin is special. You can go ahead, register and vote, on the same day, today. And you can vote for a candidate of either party, yes.

[FSTargetDrone]

Huh? You get to vote in the Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin?

I've been hearing it much of the day on MSNBC and CNN: Wisconsin is special. You can go ahead, register and vote, on the same day, today. And you can vote for a candidate of either party, yes.

It's such nonsense. Every state should have the same system, one way or the other.

[KlavoHunter]

Huh? You get to vote in the Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin?

No, you only get to mark off a vote in one party's Primary or the other, not both. And I found out that I don't even have to be a registered Democrat or Republican to do it.

It would be silly if you could vote for both parties' primaries at once - then you'd get right-wingers voting McCain and Mike Gravel, or lefties voting Hillary/Obama and Ron Paul...

[Oni Koneko Damien]

Huh? You get to vote in the Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin?

No, you can only vote for one or the other. Vote for both and your vote is thrown out.

And speaking as someone who voted in WI today, I'm pretty damn happy my own vote went towards helping Obama seize victory.

[Patrick Degan]

Latest report with 25% of precincts reporting shows Obama's lead over Clinton now at 56%-43%.

[Strider]

That McCain/Hillary poll ad at the bottom of the page is becoming more and more obsolete.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

It's 54% reporting, and Obama is taking 56.4% vs Hillary's 42.5%

[Darth Wong]

What does this mean for the overall race? It's obvious that the momentum shift to Obama is not a transient phenomenon, but it's still an open question what effect Clinton's inside influence will have, isn't it?

[Flagg]

What does this mean for the overall race? It's obvious that the momentum shift to Obama is not a transient phenomenon, but it's still an open question what effect Clinton's inside influence will have, isn't it?

Not much. It basically just remains the status quo and makes Clinton that much more desperate to win Ohio and Texas. So expect to see alot more shit fly in the lead up to March 4.

[Xisiqomelir]

What does this mean for the overall race? It's obvious that the momentum shift to Obama is not a transient phenomenon, but it's still an open question what effect Clinton's inside influence will have, isn't it?

It means if she doesn't win OH and TX by 20% margins or more she's done for.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

What does this mean for the overall race? It's obvious that the momentum shift to Obama is not a transient phenomenon, but it's still an open question what effect Clinton's inside influence will have, isn't it?

Not much. It basically just remains the status quo and makes Clinton that much more desperate to win Ohio and Texas. So expect to see alot more shit fly in the lead up to March 4.

I can only hope the shit rebounds back on her. Seriously, she's really going overboard with desperation.

There's the issue of backroom wheeling and dealing and the Democrats determined not to win the next election though.

[Stravo]

What does this mean for the overall race? It's obvious that the momentum shift to Obama is not a transient phenomenon, but it's still an open question what effect Clinton's inside influence will have, isn't it?

Exit polling in Wisconsin showed a dramatic erosion in support for Hillary's key constituents - the old, women and working class. She lost the working class and old vote and only hung onto the woman vote by less than 5% and Obama took a dramatic increase in white men - about 66% to Hillary's 34%. These key demographic shifts show Hillary in deep trouble. If you can't hold onto your core then you just can't win. Young voted for Obama by three to one.

Carl Rove, who I am NOT a fan of, but you cannot deny the man knows politics and how to run a campaign with a particular eye for numbers declared that if Hillary loses Wisconsin by double digits then her campaign is in serious trouble.

Wisconsin also blew away any sense that this is a race thing since the total number of black voters was so negligible that there was no statistics. That 66% of men is essentially white men and since Wisconsin is ridiculously white this is an answer to the Clinton hatcher job that South Carolina was a Jessie Jackson win. Fuck you Bill.

[Civil War Man]

Obama's probably pissed Clinton off something fierce now. As soon as it became apparent that Hillary had no intention of including so much as a "he won Wisconsin, good for him", he went and spoke anyway. All the news networks cut to Obama while Clinton was still speaking, and was maybe only halfway through her speech.

[Darth Wong]

Wisconsin also blew away any sense that this is a race thing since the total number of black voters was so negligible that there was no statistics. That 66% of men is essentially white men and since Wisconsin is ridiculously white this is an answer to the Clinton hatcher job that South Carolina was a Jessie Jackson win. Fuck you Bill.

Indeed. Billy-Bob's performance has ironically confirmed a comment he once made on The Daily Show to the effect that when you're in politics, then politics is all you can do. There's no room to accomplish anything constructive.

Congratulations, Billy-Bob. You proved yourself right, by acting like a douchebag the minute you got involved in politics again.

[Darth Wong]

Obama's probably pissed Clinton off something fierce now. As soon as it became apparent that Hillary had no intention of including so much as a "he won Wisconsin, good for him", he went and spoke anyway. All the news networks cut to Obama while Clinton was still speaking, and was maybe only halfway through her speech.

Good for him. If she's not going to show the normal courtesy, why should he?

[FSTargetDrone]

Good for him. If she's not going to show the normal courtesy, why should he?

All of them seemed to cover the speech in its entirely, as well. I believe he spoke for at least an hour.

Hawaii is up next!

[Civil War Man]

Obama's probably pissed Clinton off something fierce now. As soon as it became apparent that Hillary had no intention of including so much as a "he won Wisconsin, good for him", he went and spoke anyway. All the news networks cut to Obama while Clinton was still speaking, and was maybe only halfway through her speech.

Good for him. If she's not going to show the normal courtesy, why should he?

Oh, I'm not complaining in the slightest. I found it delicious. So delicious, it must have been fattening.

[Xisiqomelir]

Hahaha he's even winning the (meaningless) Washington primary! Not even symbolic victories for the Hildebeest tonight.

[Patrick Degan]

Hillary has nobody to blame for this latest disaster and the overall trainwreck her campaign has been since the beginning of this month than herself. No backup plan. No consideration that she was even going to face a challenge of any sort on the way to nomination. Very poor adaptation —in fact, none at all— to the challenge she did face. No organisation on the ground in the battleground states she has left to try to turn the situation around. Increasing panic on her side with each defeat and a desperate grasping at the straws of dirty tricks and negative propaganda, which only makes her look even more desperate and power-hungry.

It's as I said in the "Why do you support Obama" thread: if Hillary Clinton is exhibiting this level of strategic incompetence in her campaign, how can anybody reasonably expect of her the ability to outwit terrorists or the GOP?

[Fire Fly]

I honestly had some doubt about Obama winning Wisconsin because the state has a lot of old people and blue collar workers; the polls have also been somewhat erratic, making the big picture even more blurry. A few summers ago, I worked with my dad at his factory, doing some temp work, and a lot of the people there yearned for Bill Clinton to come back. I think if Bill had campaigned in the industrialized parts of the state harder, the Clintons could have made their loss less severe.

I think its time for Hillary to start drawing up plans for an exit, for the good of the party. The almost sad thing about her campaign is that hubris is the primary reason why she's losing.