Clinton May Be Hopeful, but Obama Rolls On - Finally, some sane analysis from the MSM (NYT)

[jefferson_dem]

Clinton May Be Hopeful, but Obama Rolls On
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and CARL HULSE

INDIANAPOLIS — Have Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chances of winning the Democratic presidential nomination improved as Senator Barack Obama has struggled through his toughest month of this campaign?

After weeks in which her candidacy was seen by many party leaders as a long shot at best, Mrs. Clinton’s advisers argued strenuously on Thursday that the answer was most assuredly yes, that the outlook was turning in her favor in a way that gave her a real chance.

Still, despite a series of trials that have put Mr. Obama on the defensive and illustrated the burdens he might carry in a fall campaign, the Obama campaign is rolling along, leaving Mrs. Clinton with dwindling options.

Mr. Obama continues to pick up the support of superdelegates — elected Democrats and party leaders — at a quicker pace than Mrs. Clinton.

On Thursday, he got a boost from a high-profile defection: Joe Andrew, a former Democratic national chairman appointed by former President Bill Clinton, said he had changed his mind and would back Mr. Obama. Even after Mrs. Clinton’s victory in Pennsylvania, Mr. Obama has held on to a solid lead in pledged delegates, those selected by the voting in primaries and caucuses.

Although Mrs. Clinton has cut into Mr. Obama’s popular vote lead, it would be difficult for her to overtake him without counting the disputed results in Florida and perhaps Michigan.

By and large, the group that matters most at this point — the uncommitted superdelegates, who are likely to hold the balance of power — still seem to view their decision the way the Obama campaign would like them to see it. They suggest that they are more sympathetic to the argument that they should follow the will of the voters as expressed by the delegates amassed by the candidates when the primary season is done rather than following Mrs. Clinton’s admonitions to select the candidate they think would best be able to defeat Senator John McCain and the Republicans in November.

“It’s about the numbers, and the numbers are the numbers,” said Chris Redfern, the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party and an uncommitted superdelegate. “It’s not about hand-wringing. And Senator Obama has the lead.”

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/us/politics/02delegates.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=politics&pagewanted=print

[book_worm]

1. Obama has won twice as many contests

He will win some of these late contests and she will win some. He will not be humiliated with 12 straight losses like she was a couple of months ago. It's too late. She thought she was on her way to a cornonation and then comes Obama.

[jefferson_dem]

3. Hillary's like the basketball team that sinks a lay-up or two as the clock winds down...

even though the opponents lead is insurmountable.

Till now, the media have celebrated those lay-ups with great fanfare like they were meaningful three-pointers at the buzzer.

[writes3000]

2. More confirmation. Thank you, Superdelegates. Thank you. n/t

[scheming daemons]

4. Obama is the Penguins... Clinton is the Rangers....

The Penguins were up 3-0 in their best-of-seven series before tonight.

The Rangers won tonight to make the series 3-1.

It gave them hope.....


...but ultimately..... they will lose the series.

[Bigleaf]

9. Obama is Crosby and Clinton is Avery. Enough said.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. A very rational analysis. Thanks for posting......nt

:kick:

[Cha]

6. Hear this ya'll? "IT'S NOT ABOUT HANDWRINGING"

There..you heard it from Chris Redfern, the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party and an uncommitted superdelegate.

And, yes, it is about the numbers as our esteemed number crunchers on DU have been so assiduously telling us.

“It’s about the numbers, and the numbers are the numbers."

[KittyWampus]

11. It's actually about November and the General Election.

[blogslut]

7. The Numbers

[caligirl]

8. thanks I needed this today. Went to the gym and did all my weights

then left, leaving without my run. All the robo call and other stuff takes a toll.

[TragedyandHope]

10. Keep on Truckin' Team Obama!

[Triana]

12. "Senator Obama has the lead"

Tell ya what. Sen Punjab isn't getting my vote even if she was in the lead. But she isn't.

So, maybe there will be an actual Democrat on the ballot in the GE to vote for after all.

[jefferson_dem]

13. Mornin' Kick!

:kick:

[dailykoff]

14. The tortoise and the harridan.

And for all you Rocky cheerleaders, she's "fighting" the wrong damn guy.