Sen. Clinton, down but not out, bucking for VP bid?

Story provided bt CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton says she's not out, but with rival Sen. Barack Obama securing his long-held lead, many are asking what she plans to do next.

Sen. Hillary Clinton says Tuesday she will let her supporters and party leaders decide her course.
Both candidates were in Washington on Wednesday, first to each address the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and later when they are both expected in the Senate for a budget vote.
Obama became his party's presumptive nominee Tuesday and will be looking to unite Democrats divided by the long and contentious primary season.
"She's an extraordinary leader of the Democratic Party, and has made history alongside me over the last 16 months. I'm very proud to have competed against her," Obama told the Israel lobbying group Wednesday.
Some say putting Clinton on the ticket might fit the bill for uniting Democrats, but the former first lady promised Tuesday that she wouldn't make an immediate decision on her future.
"Now, the question is: Where do we go from here?" she asked supporters Tuesday at New York's Baruch College. "And given how far we've come and where we need to go as a party, it's a question I don't take lightly. This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight."
Clinton lavished her opponent with praise, saying he ran an "extraordinary race" and made politics more palatable for many. Watch how the primary played out »

Obama Crosses Historic Milestone

(CNN) -- Barack Obama has done what many just a year ago thought was impossible. He took on the most powerful family in Democratic politics and won.

Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party.

On Tuesday, Obama became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, marking the first time an African-American will head the ticket of a major political party.
The first-term senator captured the Democratic nomination by beating out Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was hoping to become the first female nominee.
He also had to campaign against the senator's husband, former President Bill Clinton, one of the great political talents of the 20th century who, at least going into the primary season, enjoyed widespread popularity among Democrats.
During one debate, Obama wondered out loud if he was running against the wife or the husband, given the former president's high profile on the campaign trail.
The two Democratic candidates fought a protracted and, at times, bitter battle that carried them through every state and brought nearly 35 million of their supporters to the polls.
When Obama declared his candidacy in February 2007, he faced an uphill battle. Clinton, a former first lady and New York senator, was the favored candidate.
Eleven months later, Obama proved the cynics wrong. He won Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses and, in what he called a "defining moment in history," he told his supporters "change is coming." Watch a recap of the primary season »

Clinton popular across board in Puerto Rico win

BREAKING NEWS
Clinton popular across board in Puerto Rico win
Sen. Hillary Clinton has won Puerto Rico's Democratic primary by a wide margin, CNN projects, giving her the larger share of the territory's 55 delegates. She swept Sen. Barack Obama in every major demographic group, including groups he generally does well in, such as younger voters and higher income voters, exit polls suggest. full story
Is Puerto Rico a game-changer?
Puerto Rico primary results

Obama quits church, citing controversies

CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that he has resigned from the church where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers created political headaches for his campaign.

Sen. Barack Obama said he was resigning from the church "with some sadness."

"We don't want to have to answer for everything that's stated in the church," the Democratic front-runner said. "We also don't want the church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes."
Obama said he was resigning "with some sadness."
"This is not a decision I come to lightly," he said. Watch Obama discuss departure »
The resignation comes days after the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a visiting Catholic priest, mocked Obama's Democratic rival during a sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois.
In the sermon, Pfleger wipes his eyes with a handkerchief and suggests that Sen. Hillary Clinton wept because she thought that as a white person and the wife of a former president, she was entitled to the presidency.
Obama said the Pfleger controversy made it clear that, as long as he remained a member of the Trinity congregation, remarks from the pulpit would be "imputed" to him, even if they conflicted with his personal views.
Don't Miss
Priest apologizes for mocking Clinton
Obama said he and his wife, Michelle, began discussing a departure from the church after Wright spoke at the National Press Club on April 28.
During the appearance, Wright said that Obama had "distanced" himself the fiery pastor for political reasons.
Wright, Obama's minister for about 20 years, drew unwanted attention for the campaign when videos of his fiery sermons surfaced.
In the speeches, Wright suggested that the U.S. government may be responsible for the spread of AIDS in the black community and equated some American wartime activities to terrorism.
Obama has said he was not present for the controversial sermons by Wright or Pfleger.
His campaign condemned Pfleger's comments.
"That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause," he said in a statement Thursday.
Obama said he and his wife had discussed and prayed on the issue with Trinity's senior pastor, the Rev. Otis Moss, and hoped that the decision would withdraw Trinity from the spotlight.
"Though we are saddened by the news, we understand that it is a personal decision," Moss said in a statement Saturday. "We will continue to lift them in prayer and wish them the best as former members of our Trinity community,"
Some Obama supporters, including U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Florida, said that disconnecting from the church signaled a chance for the campaign to move on.
"I think it bodes well for us in the general election that we can put whatever issues there were behind us in respect to the church," Wexler said

Angry Clinton Supporters Tell Party Leaders: "Lets Go McCain!"

From CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Democratic leaders hopeful that a deal to seat delegates from Florida and Michigan would mark an end to the deep division the controversy has brought to the party got some instant – and less than encouraging – feedback as they finalized the measure Saturday evening.
As members of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws panel voted in favor of the measures, some supporters of Hillary Clinton's White House bid rose from their seats and began to shout “Don’t steal my vote!” and “Let’s go, McCain!”
Several paced the back of the ballroom, yelling at the committee members and chanting “Denver! Denver!” – the site of this summer's Democratic presidential nominating convention.
When Barack Obama’s name was mentioned, boos filled the room.
"This motion will hijack, hijack, remove four delegates won by Hillary Clinton and most importantly reflect the preferences of 600,000 Michigan voters,” said Clinton senior adviser and RBC member Harold Ickes, who added that the White House hopeful reserved her right to bring an appeal before the DNC's Credentials Committee later this summer.
The delegate allocations were a blow to Clinton, who comes away with an advantage of just 24 delegates.
Read the rest of this entry »

Smith County Senate District 1 - FAQ

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions, after I made phone calls to all of Senate District 1 delegates and alternates.

Question: Are there going to be any more meetings before the State Convention?
Answer: At the moment there hasn't been any meetings scheduled, but if you'll want to meet on the Tuesday night at a local restaurant, that would be great. I will send you the time, and meeting where we are going to meet.

Question: What happen to the 3 delegates that where omitted on the list sent into the state's party office?
Answer: The three delegates that where omitted, where actual delegates and that problem has been addressed and taken care of.

Question: I am an alternate do I have to attend the state convention?
Answer: As an alternate, you are not obligated to attend the convention, but it would be a great opportunity for you to attend, if you want to see how the process works.

Question: I am an alternate and I want to be a delegate, is there anyway possible I can be put on the list?
Answer: There hasn't been a State Delegate from Senate District One, that has dropped out or have said they would be unable to attend. If this does happen, then I will work accordingly to get someone to fill the position.

Question: I made reservation at a Hotel in Austin, but I didn't get convention rate, can I still get the rate?
Answer: A lot of individuals have ran into this situation, if you booked online, the system doesn't tell you that all the convention rate rooms where full. If you have questions about the convention rate please contact Isabella at the Texas Democrat State office in Austin.


The convention is close, I am excited and I hope you are. If you have any questions or concerns you are welcome to comment on the blog, or e-mail me. Always remember to check the blog for up to date information about the Democratic Election process.

Senate District One Meeting

Titus County Democrat

Senate Dist.One

On May 31,2008 we will have a pre-convention

caucus. It will be at the IBEW Union Hall at 1405 N.

Washington St. in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, the meeting

will begin at 2:PM. Nancy Brannon,chief of Staff for

Mark Homer, will conduct the meeting and tell us what

to do and what to expect at the convention.

All county chairs or leaders of you delegation are ask

to be present.

Norma Narramore

Johnny Weaver

Sources: Dems could meet Florida, Michigan halfway

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Democratic Party is likely to meet rule-breaking Florida and Michigan halfway when it comes to seating their delegates at the national convention, two members of the rules committee said Wednesday.

Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign is pushing for a plan to seat as many Florida and Michigan delegates as possible.

1 of 2

Such a move may help Sen. Hillary Clinton close the delegate gap with front-runner Sen. Barack Obama but not overtake him, said sources familiar with party deliberations.

The sources did not want to be identified because the full committee has not discussed the problem or ruled on it.

The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee meets Saturday in Washington to consider what to do with Florida and Michigan, which broke ranks to hold primaries earlier than party rules allowed.

Hotel Information For State Convention

The following Hotels still have availability for The State Convention held June 5-7, 2008.
Most Hotels are already booked up but I have found a couple hotels listed below that still have a few rooms left but they are filling up fast so please call to reserve a room ASAP!
We look forward to seeing you there!

La Quinta Ben White 4.5 miles away from the convention center.
4200 I35 South
Austin, Tx 78745
512-443-1774
$105.00 per night for 2 double beds.

Super 8 5 miles from the Convention Center
3120 Montopolis
Austin, Tx 78744
512-334-4130
$109.99 per night for 2 double beds.

Obama ready to fight for Western states

This story brought to you from CNN.com

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (AP) -- It's the first event on the first day of a campaign swing through three Western states, and Barack Obama is covering all his bases.

Sen. Barack Obama speaks at a Memorial Day event in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Monday.

He's got patriotism, a Memorial Day event for veterans. He's got cowboys, the location is the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. He's got Hispanic voters, Gov. Bill Richardson introduced him. He's even got a nod to the environment: The Organ Mountains loom behind him as birds sing and the warm New Mexico wind blows.
Obama is signaling, even before the Democratic primary formally wraps up, that he intends to fight this fall for Western states that narrowly went Republican four years ago.
New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado aren't definitely Democratic blue or Republican red. Instead, they're known as "purple states" by political junkies.
Together, they account for only 19 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. But those votes could be vital in a close race, particularly if Obama's weakness among white, blue-collar voters carries over from the primary race and cuts his chance of winning some other states where Democrats usually do well.
"We're going to fight as hard as we can in these states. We want to send the message now that we're going to go after them and I expect to win them," the Illinois senator said Monday.

Sources: Clinton, Obama supporters discuss exit strategies

(CNN) -- Several close friends and supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton said they are seeking a "graceful exit strategy" for Clinton from the race for the Democratic nomination, possibly as part of a joint ticket for the White House.

Sources say Clinton insiders are discussing an exit strategy for the New York senator.

The discussions are not taking place between the campaigns but rather among informal campaign advisers on both sides who are trying to actively influence and shape the debate as the competition nears a close June 3.
Bill Burton, national spokesman for Obama's campaign, said that "there are no talks under way between the campaigns" and that any suggestion from Clinton insiders is "unequivocally untrue."
"We are two campaigns, in real competition, not having any such talks about exit strategies," Burton said.
Obama campaign chief strategist David Axelrod said "there have been zero discussions, back-channel or otherwise, between the campaigns."
Clinton campaign aides also deny that any talks are taking place between the campaigns, emphasizing that the contest is not over. Clinton herself said the report was "flatly untrue" during a meeting with the editorial board of a South Dakota paper Friday.

Clinton explains RFK assassination reference

From Peter HambyCNN Political Producer



BRANDON, South Dakota (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton said Friday that she regretted comments that evoked the June 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy as part of her explanation for why she was staying in the presidential race late into the primary season.

Sen. Hillary Clinton apologized for comments made to a newspaper on Friday.

Earlier Friday afternoon, she told the editorial board of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Argus Leader that "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it," she said.
Clinton complained that "people have been trying to push me out of this ever since Iowa" and said that position "historically ... makes no sense."
Later at an event in Brandon, South Dakota, she said, "Earlier today, I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Sen. Kennedy waged in California in June in 1992 and 1968, and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nominating primary contests that go into June. That's an historic fact." Watch more of Clinton's comments to the editorial board »
"The Kennedys have been much on my mind in the last days because of Sen. [Edward] Kennedy, and I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever," Clinton added. Watch Clinton explain her remarks »

Obama: Cuba policy to be based on 'libertad'

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama told Florida's Cuban-American community Friday that his Cuba policy would be based on "libertad" and freedom for the island nation's people.

Sen. Barack Obama speaks at a Cuban Independence Day event in Miami, Florida, on Friday.

"My policy toward Cuba will be guided by one word: 'libertad,' " he said, using the Spanish word for liberty at an event celebrating Cuban Independence Day in Miami, Florida.
"The road to freedom for all Cubans must begin with justice for Cuba's political prisoners, the right of free speech, a free press, freedom of assembly, and it must lead to elections that are free and fair," Obama said. "That is my commitment.
"I won't stand for this injustice; you will not stand for this injustice, and together we will stand up for freedom in Cuba. That will be my commitment as president of the United States of America," he said. Watch Obama call for freedom in Cuba »

Obama Starts VP Search

Barack Obama is beginning his search for a running mate, but Sen. John McCain's campaign denies speculation that he's interviewing vice presidential candidates at his home this weekend.

Sen. Barack Obama has quietly begun searching for a vice presidential candidate, a source says.

A veteran Democratic activist told CNN that former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson has accepted Obama's request to begin a screening and selection process for the No. 2 spot.
Johnson performed a similar role for Democratic presidential nominees Walter Mondale in 1984 and John Kerry in 2004.
Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is hosting top party figures at his home in Arizona this weekend, fueling speculation he is starting his own search for a running mate.
But campaign advisers downplayed the visits, saying the gathering is not a vetting of potential running mates, but only the McCains showing their gratitude to the 18 to 20 guests for their support.
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton declined to comment on the report of his candidate's running mate search.
The source, a party operative who has been involved in Democratic presidential campaigns and conventions for more than 20 years, said the process is "at a very early point" but that campaign workers "have been informally thinking about it for a while."
Obama told CNN Thursday he is not discussing his selection process and does not yet have criteria for a running mate.
"No criteria right now. I still have to win the nomination," he said.
Don't Miss
Election Center 2008
Although Obama is the Democratic front-runner, and has captured a majority of pledged delegates after Tuesday's Kentucky and Oregon primaries, he has not clinched the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination against Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Despite the math, Clinton has vowed to remain in the race.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, was surprised Thursday to hear Obama has started a search.
"I did not know that Sen. Obama had started his search for vice president ... but again, when it comes to vice presidents I am not giving any advice unless asked about it by the candidates," she said.
"I think, though, that Hillary Clinton and Sen. Obama, both having a good chance to win the nomination, probably started thinking about who his or her running mate might be, what transition teams they might have, whether they should be briefed by the White House ... on issues of concern to our country," Pelosi said.
Among the guests expected at McCain's ranch in Sedona, Arizona, are Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- one of McCain's former rivals for the GOP presidential nomination.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, another formal rival, was invited but cannot attend, a source close to Huckabee said.
Other guests, according to an adviser, include Kansas senator and former Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, FedEx founder Fred Smith and senior adviser Charlie Black.
But senior McCain adviser Charlie Black told CNN, "He is definitely not interviewing anyone, and this weekend is not about that [vice-presidential] process."
Obama and McCain face similar challenges in seeking a running mate, insiders say.
One of their top considerations must be age -- in Obama's case because of his relative youth, 46, and because McCain, at 71, is relatively old, according to a veteran Democrat, who asked not to be named.
And both "need to focus strongly on national security," the source said.
McCain must select someone qualified to handle national security questions, or else it would indicate he is choosing someone who is not qualified to be president.
Obama's lack of a long record at the national level -- he has been a senator since 2005 -- leaves him with comparatively little national security experience.
That may make it less likely that Obama would choose a governor as his running mate, since they tend to have few national security qualifications, according to the source.

Norma Narramore To Speak At The Obama Headquarters

Norma Narramore who is on the State Democratic Executive Committee for SD 1 will be speaking at our Obama Headquarters, Friday, May 23, 2008 at 7:00. The address is:Obama Headquarters (Eddie Towles Phone Center)304 Gilmer RoadLongview, Texas.
Everyone is invited to come to hear Norma, enjoy the fellowship. They will have tee shirts, buttons and hats.