Your $7.00 monthly contribution will go a long way to helping us expand the coverage and services you enjoy.
GET THE LATEST PUBDEF NEWS 24/7:
ABOUT PUB DEF
PUB
DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
City of St. Louis, Missouri. Our goal is to cast a critical eye
on lawmakers, their policies, and those that have influence upon
them, and to educate our readers about legislation and the political
processes that affect our daily lives.
CONTACT US
Do you have
a press release, news tip or rumor to share?
According to David Plouffe, Barack Obama's campaign manager, by sweeping today's caucuses and primaries, Senator Obama more than doubled his pledged delegate lead over Senator Hillary Clinton.
Before today, Obama led Clinton by 27 pledged delegates (pledged delegates are those won through caucus and primary election wins, as opposed to superdelegates which are basically endorsements by officials. These superdelegates are not necessarily fixed and can change their alliances).
"In the four contests today, we estimate we won 103 delegates to Clinton’s 58 delegates for a net gain of 45 delegates," wrote Plouffe on the Obama website.
"The pledged delegate total through February 9 now stands at 1,012 for Obama and 940 for Clinton."
The Missouri Democratic Party today preliminarily awarded 36 delegates each to Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton following their thrilling performances in Tuesday’s Missouri Presidential Primary.
By virtue of his 10,479-vote victory statewide, Obama won Missouri’s statewide delegates by a 13-12 margin, while Clinton won Missouri’s congressional district delegates by a 24-23 margin.
According to the Missouri Democratic Party delegate selection plan, Missouri Democrats award 72 of their 88 delegates proportionally based on how the presidential candidates perform in the primary. Of those 72 delegates, 25 are awarded proportionally based on statewide performance, while 47 of the delegates are awarded proportionally based on performance in Missouri’s nine congressional districts. Congressional districts with higher past Democratic performance receive a greater share of the 47 delegates. Candidates must meet a 15 percent threshold to qualify for delegates. Therefore, the percentages in the following chart do not include votes cast for candidates that did not meet the threshold. The delegate breakdown is as follows:
Click to enlarge
(* The statewide vote totals are slightly more than the sum of the congressional district totals because some local election authorities have not assigned absentee votes to their appropriate precincts yet. This should not affect the delegate totals for either candidate.)
The remaining 16 of Missouri’s 88 Democratic delegates are unpledged superdelegates, who are members of Missouri’s Democratic Congressional delegation, Missouri members of the Democratic National Committee, and distinguished party leaders. These superdelegates will cast their vote at the August Democratic National Convention in Denver for their favorite candidate, regardless of Tuesday’s primary results.
Congressmen Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan, both St. Louis Democrats and both early endorsers of Barack Obama, celebrated Super Tuesday election results with other Obama supporters and volunteers at The Moolah Theater in Midtown last night.
With over 95% of the Missouri vote in and Obama close to victory, Clay and Carnahan addressed the crowd...
As more precincts came in it became clear this was going down to the wire. By 11:00, Barack Obama was within 5,000 votes. After midnight, results showed Obama winning by about 9,000 votes.
With 3,357 of 3,371 precincts reporting, Obama leads Clinton 403,343 votes to 394,566. That's 49.1% to 48.1% .
Barack Obama will very likely win Lacy Clay's 1st Congressional District, but a good predictor of how well Obama will do in the all-important delegate count in Missouri will be how well he does in Russ Carnahan's 3rd Congressional District.
The 1st District, located in north St. Louis City, midtown, and north and central St. Louis County) has a very large African-American population.
The 3rd District is mostly white and contains parts of the City of St. Louis basically south of Interstate 44 and parts of south St. Louis County.
Only 1% of the vote is reporting right now, but according to CNN's Missouri Exit Poll, Barack Obama won among men (45% of total Democrats voting today), while Hillary Clinton won among women (55% of Democrats voting today).
Obama was favored by voters 18-39. Clinton was favored by voters 40 and over (Clinton lead by just 2 points in the 40-49 category).
54% of whites between 18-29 chose Obama, while more over-30 whites went with Clinton. 63% of white Missouri Democrats over 60 years-old chose Clinton.
Based on exit polls, CNN is projecting that Barack Obama will win his home state of Illinois. No surprise there. The real question will be by how much. Will he be able to rack up on needed delegates? IL has 153 up for grabs.
CNN is also projecting Hillary Clinton will win Oklahoma. OK has 47 delegates up for grabs today.
Supporters of Barack Obama will be watching tomorrow's Super Tuesday results at the Moolah Theater, 3821 Lindell Blvd, starting at 7:00 tomorrow evening.
Just last week, State Representative Connie Johnson was pushing John Edwards as the only Democrat who could win Missouri in November. Well, it seems the term-limited House Minority Whip has had a change of heart.
Johnson was spotted over the weekend at a rally for Hillary Clinton. And today the Clinton campaign prepared to send out a press release touting her endorsement.
But just a few months ago, Johnson said Hillary Clinton would kill Missouri Democrats chances of winning back the governor's mansion and the house and senate.
"Here's the deal — If we don't have a good person at the top of the ticket - someone who can help stop the hemorrhaging in Missouri, then we'll go red," Missouri state Minority Whip Connie Johnson said. "It's as simple as that. And it will affect state reps, state senators, treasurers, governors, everybody.
"If Hillary comes to a state like Missouri, we can write it off," Johnson added, referring to Democratic field’s frontrunner, Hillary Clinton.
UPDATE: Johnson tells PubDef that it is Clinton's health care plan that has attracted her support.
"Hillary's is closer to John's," said Johnson in a phone interview.
Johnson said she feels that both Clinton and Obama "have their liabilities and they both have assets. At the end of the day, they both have to work together" to get a Democrat in the White House.
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, a supporter of Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, today issued the following statement on what he calls push-polling by supporters of Mike Huckabee:
"Governor Mitt Romney has a proven record of bringing real change to address problems that others would consider impossible. He has turned around businesses, turned around the Olympics, and turned around Massachusetts. Today, it is clear that Washington is broken and it will not get fixed if we keep sending the same people back - just to have them sit in different chairs.
"Especially now, with concerns about the national economy, we need someone who knows how jobs are created and why it is important to cut taxes and government spending.
"But instead of talking about issues, a secret 527 Group supporting Governor Mike Huckabee - called Common Sense Issues - is distorting Governor Romney's record with push polls in Missouri and across the country.
"I know that Missouri voters will not respond to these deplorable and desperate tactics.
"We want an issues based campaign, a campaign about the future of our country, and we will not take kindly to out-of-state special interest groups calling us up and saying things that are not true about a candidate's record.
"Governor Romney is the real conservative candidate who will cut taxes, fight illegal immigration, and strengthen our military.
"It is time for Governor Huckabee to put an end to these push polls and begin running a campaign on the issues."
Ofttimes, torches are not passed on, but rather pried out of the hands of past generations.
In 1960, Missouri's own former President Harry S. Truman held a news conference to explain why he resigned as a delegate to the 1960 Democratic Convention. He accused John F. Kennedy's campaign of turning the convention into a "prearranged affair." He also suggested Kennedy was not ready to be president.
"Are you certain that you are quite ready for the country, or the country is ready for you, in the role of President in January 1961?," the then 76 year-old former commander-in-chief asked the 43 year-old Kennedy. "May I urge you to be patient."
On July 4, 1960, in response to Truman's words, Kennedy held his own press conference.
"The world is changing. The old ways will not do," said Kennedy. "It is time for a new generation of leadership."
Sunday's "Meet the Press" referenced this piece of history. We found this longer version on YouTube.
Lines wrapped around three sides of the Edward Jones Dome before the doors opened and crowds of supporters poured onto the stadium floor.
"I haven't seen so many people in this dome since the Rams were having better days," Congressman Lacy Clay told the crowd, which by stadium officials numbered at 20,000 22,500.
The man they all came to see, Presidential candidate Barack Obama, was accompanied on the stage by Clay, Congressman Russ Carnahan, former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan, State Auditor Susan Montee, County Executive Charlie Dooley, and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a woman PubDef first reported as a possible Vice-Presidential selection and who is currently featured in an Obama campaign commercial running nationwide.
According to a new poll from SurveyUSA, the contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is now too close to call in Missouri.
The poll shows Hillary Clinton at 48% with a slight lead over Obama at 44%, but that's within the margin of error (3.9%).
There is a clear age difference among supporters of the two Democrats. 61% of 18-34 year-olds support Obama while 61% of voters over the age of 61 support Clinton.
Obama has the support of 76% of blacks, 38% of whites, and 57% of Hispanics in Missouri. Clinton is supported by 54% of whites, 17% of blacks, and 41% of Hispanics.
As for party affiliation, Obama continues to attract moderate Republicans and Independents. Among the Republicans planning to vote Democratic, 60% support Obama (compared to Clinton's 30%). Meanwhile, 55% of Independents support Obama.
Among Democrats, 52% support Clinton and 41% support Obama.
As you may have heard, the biggest thing in politics since the ballot box is coming to St. Louis today and they could barely find a place big enough to hold the expected crowd.
The "Stand for Change" Rally with Senator Barack Obama is today (Saturday) at the Edward Jones Dome. Doors open at 7:00 PM and it is free to the public. So come on down!
VIDEO: Barack Obama in Kansas City: 'Don't Fall for the Ol' Okie-Doke'
By Antonio D. French
KANSAS CITY -- When Barack Obama stopped in Kansas City Tuesday, he was welcomed by a crowd so big that the fire marshal wouldn't allow anymore people inside the Municipal Auditorium. The Kansas City Star put the numbers above 6,000. Others put the number closer to 8,000.
Senator Claire McCaskill and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius stood behind the presidential hopeful as he delivered a speech filled with humor and hope.
Obama asked his supporters not to be fooled by his opponents distortions. "People want to hoodwink you," said Obama. "They want to bamboozle you. They want to run the 'okie-doke' on you."
Sorry about the bouncy camera. You wouldn't believe what I had to do to get this video.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Presidential candidate John Edwards stopped in Jefferson City for quick campaign stop Tuesday. He was introduced by former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell and greeted by a roomful of supporters, including several Missouri farmers.
JEFFERSON CITY -- When Presidential candidate John Edwards stopped in Jefferson City for quick campaign stop Tuesday, State Rep. Connie Johnson was one of two St. Louis elected officials welcoming the former South Carolina senator. The other was Alderman Stephen Gregali.
JEFFERSON CITY -- We heard an interesting rumor today in Jefferson City -- at a John Edwards rally of all places (check back later for video). If Senator Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination for President, would he select Sen. Claire McCaskill as his runningmate?
Selecting McCaskill would do two important things: repair relations with some female Democrats now supporting Hillary Clinton, and almost certainly ensure the Democrats win the State of Missouri, which has a nearly perfect record for selecting the President.
Comptroller Darlene Green, former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan and her son, Congressman Russ Carnahan, were among a dozen Missouri officials who gathered Sunday to show their support for Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of President Bill Clinton and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, will be at Kayak's coffee shop, on the corner of Skinker and Forest Park Parkway, across the street from Washington University, today (Monday) at 3:00 PM.
Chelsea will be discussing the issues of the 2008 Presidential campaign and speaking on behalf of her mother.
More than a dozen Missouri elected officials, including U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan, and Congressman Russ Carnahan, gathered today to announce Senator Barack Obama is returning to St. Louis next weekend.
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill broke the news at a press conference a few minutes ago: Barack Obama will be in St. Louis on Saturday for a 9:00 PM public event (no word yet where). That's just three days before Missouri and 20 other states get a chance to vote on the Democratic and Republican candidates.
President Bill Clinton was in Missouri last night in the town of Independence. The beginning of his speech sounds a lot like a re-election speech, rather than an endorsement or surrogate speech.
The funniest line is when Clinton asserts he was in Missouri "in my current capacity, post-politics..."
Really? Bill Clinton is out of politics? And he declared this on a Saturday night... at a campaign rally... in Independence, Missouri.
In today's edition, The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonansays it as well as it can be stated...
We begin, as one always must now, again, with Bill Clinton. The past week he has traveled South Carolina, leaving discord in his wake. Barack Obama, that "fairytale," is low, sneaky. "He put out a hit job on me." The press is cruelly carrying Mr. Obama's counter-jabs. "You live for it."
In Dillon, S.C., according to the Associated Press, on Thursday Mr. Clinton "predicted that many voters will be guided mainly by gender and race loyalties" and suggested his wife may lose Saturday's primary because black voters will side with Mr. Obama. Who is raising race as an issue? Bill Clinton knows. It's the press, and Mr. Obama. "Shame on you," Mr. Clinton said to a CNN reporter. The same day the Web site believed to be the backdoor of the Clinton war room unveiled a new name for the senator from Illinois: "Sticky Fingers Obama."
Bill Clinton, with his trembly, red-faced rage, makes John McCain look young. His divisive and destructive daily comportment—this is a former president of the United States—is a civic embarrassment. It is also an education, and there is something heartening in this.
There are many serious and thoughtful liberals and Democrats who support Mr. Obama and John Edwards, and who are seeing Mr. Clinton in a new way and saying so. Here is William Greider in The Nation, the venerable left-liberal magazine. The Clintons are "high minded" on the surface but "smarmily duplicitous underneath, meanwhile jabbing hard at the groin area. They are a slippery pair and come as a package. The nation is at fair risk of getting them back in the White House for four years."
That, again, is from one of the premier liberal journals in the United States. It is exactly what conservatives have been saying for a decade. This may mark a certain coming together of the thoughtful on both sides. The Clintons, uniters at last.
Mr. Obama takes the pummeling and preaches the high road. It's all windup with him, like a great pitcher more comfortable preparing to throw than throwing. Something in him resists aggression. He tends to be indirect in his language, feinting, only suggestive. I used to think he was being careful not to tear the party apart, and endanger his own future.
But the Clintons are tearing the party apart. It will not be the same after this. It will not be the same after its most famous leader, and probable ultimate victor, treated a proud and accomplished black man who is a U.S. senator as if he were nothing, a mere impediment to their plans. And to do it in a way that signals, to his supporters, How dare you have the temerity, the ingratitude, after all we've done for you?
Watch for the GOP to attempt swoop in after the November elections and make profit of the wreckage.
After waiting for more than three hours, the gymnasium which held thousands of Hillary Clinton supporters erupted in cheers as Bill and Hillary Clinton finally arrived at McCluer North High School.
Over the weekend, former Senator Jean Carnahan joined current Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill and announced her endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President.
"While I know and admire all the Democrats running for president, I am convinced that Barack Obama is the candidate best able to unite our nation and restore our moral leadership in the world," said Carnahan. "As president, he will be a strong voice and a powerful force for change during this critical time in our nation's history. Barack Obama is an inspirational leader, who embodies the ideals of our democracy and the hopes of a new century. I heartily endorse him for president of the United States."
Jean Carnahan was the first woman to serve as a United States Senator from Missouri, serving from 2001-2002. Carnahan joins her son, Congressman Russ Carnahan, Congressman Lacy Clay, Senator McCaskill, State Auditor Susan Montee, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and several other current and former Missouri elected officials who have endorsed Obama.
After waiting for more than three hours, the gymnasium which held thousands of Hillary Clinton supporters erupted in cheers as Bill and Hillary Clinton finally arrived at McCluer North High School.
President Bill Clinton and his wife, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, will be in St. Louis Saturday for a town hall meeting dubbed "Solutions for America" at McCluer North High School in Florissant.
The event is open to the public and will be from 8:00 to 10:00 PM.
Looks like St. Louis is going to have a presidential trifecta this weekend.
As we reported earlier, presidential candidate John Edwards is coming to town for a rally at the Carpenters' District Council headquarters at 9:15 A.M. on Saturday.
Now the Postreports that Bill and Hillary Clinton will also be in town Saturday (no details yet on when and where).
Missouri supporters of presidential candidate Barack Obama are taking to the streets this weekend, going door-to-door to get out the vote for the Illinois senator.
The statewide canvass will be taking place this Saturday, according to Hollie Saunders, one of the organizers. "We will be having volunteers knock on doors in the community to help encourage people to get out and vote on primary day, and talk to voters about why they are supporting Barack for the presidency," said Saunders.
Missourians will have their first chance to vote for the presidential candidate of their choice ofn February 5.
Those interested in canvassing for Obama this weekend can meet at one of the following locations Saturday at 10:00 AM:
Frontyard Feature 2000 S. 39th Street St Louis City 314-436-5426
Congressman Russ Carnahan's Campaign Office 7370 Manchester, Suite 20 St Louis County 314-436-5426
The Obama campaign's Chesterfield office is holding an open house tonight at 6:00. The office is located at 16401 Swingley Ridge Rd., 63005.
And all you Obama Girls are welcome to come out to Flamingo Bowl, 1117 Washington Ave., Friday night for St. Louis Women for Obama's "Ladies Night Out" starting at 7:00.
And make your cell phone do the talking for you. Get your Barack Obama ringtones right here.
The Columbia Tribune reports that former Sen. John Edwards will be in St. Louis Saturday at the Carpenters' District Council headquarters at 9:15 A.M.
The Tribune also reports that Sen. Barack Obama "said yesterday in response to a Tribune query that he would arrive in Missouri - with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri - before Super Ultra Mega Tuesday on Feb. 5."
McCaskill to Endorse Obama, Might Have Something to Do with '06 Comment
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 8:53 AM
The AP is reporting that Senator Claire McCaskill is going to endorse Barack Obama for President today.
McCaskill has praised Obama often and was widely believed to favor the Illinois senator over Clinton. But the Senate freshman had resisted openly supporting a candidate until now, saying she wanted to preserve working relationships with Senate colleagues.
She said last week that she identifies with the desire for change that Obama supporters have reported to pollsters.
One factor in McCaskill's endorsement may have been that her relationship with Hillary Clinton has been a bit shaky dating back to when McCaskill was running for the senate in 2006.
During an appearance that year on NBC's "Meet the Press", McCaskill said she didn't want former President Bill Clinton, who had previously appeared at a rally for McCaskill in St. Louis, anywhere near her daughter. PubDef.net learned that the next day a fundraiser the Clintons had scheduled for McCaskill in New York was canceled.
MR. RUSSERT: You’re having Bill Clinton come in to raise money for you. Do you think Bill Clinton was a great president?
MS. McCASKILL: I do. I think—I have a lot of problems with some of his, his, his personal issues. I said at...
MR. RUSSERT: But do you...
MS. McCASKILL: I said at the time, “I think he’s been a great leader, but I don’t want my daughter near him.”
MR. RUSSERT: You said that, according to New Yorker magazine, that you don’t think Hillary Clinton would be a good Democratic nominee because she couldn’t win Democrats in Missouri. True?
MS. McCASKILL: Well, you know, honestly, the presidential politics is going to get very intense and very, frankly, there’s going to be a lot of back and forth after November. I don’t want to get into presidential politics today.
MR. RUSSERT: Would you like to see her president?
MS. McCASKILL: You know, I, I, I think any Democratic nominee is going to be better than this president.
U.S. Senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry is about to announce his endorsement of Illinois senator Barack Obama for President, according to reports.
The message here seems to be: John Edwards (Kerry's former running mate) can't win the primary election, Hillary Clinton can't win the general election.
VIDEO: Watching the New Hampshire Results at Obama HQ in St. Louis
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Wednesday, January 09, 2008 at 6:51 AM
More than 200 supporters and volunteers watched the results from the New Hampshire primaries at the Obama headquarters in downtown St. Louis.
The group's disappointment at Barack Obama's close second-place finish to Hillary Clinton quickly turned into enthusiastic resolve following Obama's speech. "Yes We Can!" shouted the roomful of St. Louisans, which included St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley; License Collector Mike McMillan; St. Louis Alderman and Obama spokeswoman Kacie Starr Triplett; state reps Rodney Hubbard and Jake Zimmerman; committeeman Brian Wahby; entrepreneur Mike Roberts; and state rep candidate Don Calloway, among others.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley was (as the Obama campaign says) "fired up and ready to go!" after Senator Barack Obama's inspiring speech following his close second-place finish in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night.
Sifting through CNN's exit poll, 95% of the people voting in today's Democratic primary were white. Of those, 40% preferred Hillary Clinton, 36% preferred Barack Obama, and 17% preferred John Edwards.
This might turn out to be a good predictor of tonight's final result.
As you may have heard, Hillary Clinton "had a moment" at a campaign event today.
It was Tom Hanks (in "A League of Their Own") who said, "There's no crying in baseball." Is the same true for presidential primaries?
In response to Clinton's display of emotion, rival John Edwards had this to say:
"I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve, and presidential campaigns are tough business, but being president of the United States is also tough business," Edwards told reporters Laconia, New Hampshire.
What do you think about Clinton's tears? Is this even worth the attention it's gotten?
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican who many attempted to draft to run for President back in 1999, recently expressed joy in the success of presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell praised Barack Obama on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, crediting the Illinois Senator for breaking barriers while running as "an American man" who can represent the entire nation.
In an interview with PBS host Tavis Smiley, Powell said he was "taking joy" in Obama's rise and he said citizens across the country can "enjoy this moment where a person like Barack Obama can knock down all of these old barriers that people thought existed with respect to the opportunities that are available to African Americans."
The same night that voters in Iowa were caucusing for their presidential candidates, Democrats in St. Louis held a mock caucus at The Royale, a local southside bar, to gauge support for the Democrats running for President.
Among those speaking on behalf of their candidates: Congressman Lacy Clay for Barack Obama; former governor Bob Holden for Hillary Clinton; Alderman Stephen Gregali and Alvin Reid, city editor of the St. Louis American, for John Edwards; and Dave Drebes from ArchCityChronicle.com for Joe Biden.
Just as in Iowa, Obama received the most support, followed by Edwards, with Clinton coming in third.
The event was sponsored by the Young Democrats of St. Louis.
Special thanks to Bill Streeter from Lo-Fi St. Louis for shooting this video while we were in Iowa.
BTW, if you're interested in making a few extra bucks being a cameraman for PubDef, shoot us an email to editor@pubdef.net.
Before today, Obama led Clinton by 27 pledged delegates (pledged delegates are those won through caucus and primary election wins, as opposed to superdelegates which are basically endorsements by officials. These superdelegates are not necessarily fixed and can change their alliances).
