[Iowa-dx] FW: Obama, McKinney, McCain Score in Potomac Primaries

[Hart, Holly J]

Hey, see who's  listed as the *second* party in DC!
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Obama, McKinney, McCain Score in Potomac Primaries
By Jonathan Springston and Matthew Cardinale, The Atlanta Progressive News =
(February 17, 2008)


(APN) ATLANTA =96 Green candidate, former US Rep. Cynthia McKinney, and US =
Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) scored wins Tuesday, Febru=
ary 12, 2008, in the =91Potomac=92 Primary Elections for President of the U=
nited States, in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

McKinney won in Washington, DC, with 41% of the vote, compared to Howie Has=
kins, an unofficial stand-in for Ralph Nader, who got 7% of the vote; and G=
reen candidates Jared Ball, Kat Swift, Jesse Johnson, and Kent Mesplay rece=
ived 4% of the vote or less each, according to the DC Board of Elections an=
d Ethics. Mr. Ball had previously dropped out and endorsed McKinney.

There were also 27% write-in votes that have not yet been counted; however,=
 the Green Party=92s national spokesman, Scott McLarty, confirmed even if t=
hey were all for Ralph Nader, it would not be enough for Mr. Nader to win t=
he District, even if combined with the Haskins votes.

"That's not a surprise. We had an idea she would do well here. She had talk=
ed about using the Green Party to build a Black-Brown coalition, and of cou=
rse DC is a majority African American city and that meant something quite i=
mportant to people here. She was already somewhat popular here long before =
she decided to go Green," McLarty said.

McKinney previously won in Arkansas and Illinois, while she lost in Califor=
nia to Nader, who has not announced his candidacy. Massachusetts, the only =
other state with a Green Primary, has not yet released its results, though =
the race there is close between McKinney and Nader. Other states will hold =
informal conventions to make their selections in the coming weeks.

Obama=92s Democratic victories come on the heels of wins in Louisiana=92s P=
rimary plus Caucuses in Washington state and Nebraska on the Saturday just =
days before. He added Maine to the list on Sunday, leaving Democratic chall=
enger, US Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), looking for her first win since Supe=
r Tuesday.

Obama spoke to supporters in Madison, Wisconsin, where voters will cast bal=
lots next week.

"We won the state of Maryland. We won the Commonwealth of Virginia. And tho=
ugh we won in Washington D.C., this movement won=92t stop until there is ch=
ange in Washington D.C. and tonight we=92re on our way," he said.

Obama took the delegate lead for the first time against Clinton and took ti=
me to target McCain. =93We honor his service but his priorities don=92t add=
ress the real problems of the American people because they are bound to the=
 failed policies of the past," he said.

"Senator McCain said the other day that we might be mired in Iraq for 100 y=
ears... which is reason not to give him four years in the White House," Oba=
ma added.

McCain, who won Republican Caucuses in Washington State on Saturday, widene=
d his lead Tuesday after he shut out former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AK). McCa=
in took shots at Obama and Clinton when he spoke to supporters in Alexandri=
a, Virginia.

"They=92ll promise to break with the failed politics of the past, but will =
campaign in ways that seek to minimize their exposure to questions from the=
 press and challenges from voters who ask more from their leaders than an e=
mpty promise of =91trust me I know better,'" he said.

"We will offer different ideas based on a better understanding of the chall=
enges we face and the resolve to confront them with the resolve and confide=
nce and strength and ideals of free people," McCain added.

Clinton downplayed Tuesday=92s results and began looking ahead when she spo=
ke to supporters in El Paso, Texas, a key March 4 Primary State.

"I can=92t think of any better place to start our campaign for Texas than r=
ight here in El Paso," she said.

Clinton is focusing her campaign heavily on winning in Texas, Ohio, and Pen=
nsylvania, three delegate-rich states she needs to win in order to keep Oba=
ma from the nomination.

"We=92re going to sweep across Texas in the next three weeks, bringing our =
message about what we need in America, the kind of President that will be r=
equired on day one to be Commander-in-Chief, to turn the economy around," C=
linton said. "I=92m tested. I=92m ready. Let=92s make it happen."

The Clinton Campaign went through a shake up after a string of disappointme=
nts over the weekend. Campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle and deputy campaig=
n manager Mike Henry resigned.

Meanwhile, Huckabee continues to stay in the race for the Republican nomina=
tion after Texas Gov. Rick Perry asked Huckabee to drop out.

Yet, Huckabee scored surprising wins over McCain in Louisiana and Kansas on=
 Saturday. He said Tuesday that McCain still does not have the delegates ne=
eded to secure the nomination and added that he would stay in the race unti=
l there is a nominee.

McCain has 812 delegates to Huckabee=92s 217. The eventual Republican nomin=
ee needs 1,191 delegates to win. All McCain has to do to get there is keep =
winning.

Obama leads Clinton in delegates for the first time since Iowa. He has 1,20=
8 delegates to her 1,185. The eventual Democratic nominee needs 2,025 deleg=
ates to win.

While Obama leads in pledged delegates, Clinton leads in superdelegates. If=
 neither candidate is able to secure enough delegates before the Democratic=
 National Convention, superdelegates could play a huge role in deciding the=
 nominee.

Meanwhile, the Clinton Campaign is arguing that Florida and Michigan should=
 have their delegates restored by the Democratic National Committee, who vo=
ted to take away their delegates because the states held their election con=
tests too early.

Candidates now head to February 19, 2008, when Wisconsin and Washington Sta=
te will hold Primaries and Hawaii will hold Democratic Caucuses.

Clinton is hoping to turn around her fortunes by winning Texas and Ohio on =
March 4, 2008. Rhode Island and Vermont will hold Primaries the same day.

About the author:

Jonathan Springston is a Senior Staff Writer for Atlanta Progressive News a=
nd may be reached at jonathan@atlantaprogressivenews.com.

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