Delegate Watch

Here's a good Website for real election observers. This year looks like we may have to look beyond February before we know who the nominee is (and here's hoping!) so keep track of what the real numbers are for this primary year.

An Edwards Surge?

Latest Reuters/C-Span/Zogby Poll shows Edwards coming up with a late surge in South Carolina. But is a second place finish really what his campaign needs? I will say yes. Here's why: Edwards may be a long shot to get the bid and failed to nudge his way into a two-way debate with Barack after Iowa, but he can collect delegates along the primary season and later on affect the bid outcome to his liking (which may be his only option.) Even if he were to win or come in second in SC he faces tough odds in southern states where his most likely base would be. Here are the latest in Georgia and Alabama. Edwards motivation in this fight may be to win, but a reality will set in and he will have to consider what objectives he wants to fulfill with his campaign.

Update: I just wanted to note, that intense campaign focus has yet to hit these Super Tuesday states but still Clinton and Obama are hitting the airwaves in not just the south but everywhere NY TIMES has the story.

Obama is "Present"

On Monday's MLK debate in South Carolina (watchhere), Hillary Clinton and John Edwards bot dogpiled on Barack Obama's 130 votes of "present" while in Illinois. (I don't believe that Obama was expecting that one.) AP has an interesting article regarding the votes. Most interesting was this part:

Several involve abortion — a ban on certain late-pregnancy abortions, a requirement that a minor's parents be notified and restrictions on a type of abortion where the fetus sometimes survives for short periods.

"A woman's right to choose ... demands a leader who will stand up and protect it," said one Clinton campaign mailer.

But the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council says Obama's "present" votes were actually part of a careful strategy to prevent those restrictions from passing.

President Pam Sutherland said the group feared several senators were going to vote "yes" on the legislation because of attacks from Republicans over their past opposition. Sutherland says she approached Obama and convinced him to vote "present" so that the wavering senators would do the same. For their purposes, a "present" was as good as an outright "no" because it kept the bills from reaching the majority needed to pass.

Hey a lesson learned in Illinois state politics!