Obama Picks Up More Delegates in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa — Democrat Barack Obama expanded his fragile lead in delegates over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday, picking up at least seven delegates as Iowa activists took the next step in picking delegates to the national convention.
Half the 14 delegates allocated to John Edwards on the basis of caucus night projections switched Saturday and Obama got most, if not all, of them.
Iowa Democratic Party officials said that with more than 86 percent of the delegates picked, Obama claimed 52 percent of the delegates elected at county conventions on Saturday, compared to 32 percent for Clinton. About 16 percent of the delegates picked at Saturday’s conventions were sticking with Edwards, even though he’s dropped from the race since Iowa held its caucuses in January.
Democratic Party projections said the results mean Obama increased by seven the number of delegates he collects from the state, getting a total of 23 compared to 14 for Clinton and seven for Edwards, with one to be decided.
Twelve automatic delegates bring the state’s total to 57. Obama has been endorsed by four of those and Clinton three, with the remainder uncommitted.
Counting Iowa’s results Saturday, an Associated Press delegate tally showed Obama with 1,610 delegates and Clinton with 1,496.
Obama won the state’s precinct caucuses in January with 39 percent of the vote, with Edwards narrowly edging Clinton to finish second. Projections on caucus night showed Obama getting 16 delegates, compared to 15 for Clinton and 14 for Edwards.
“It means the Obama people are very organized,” said Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan. “They have been working very hard for these conventions.”
Brennan said turnout was heavy, with more than 13,000 activists showing up at conventions in the state’s 99 counties.
“Today, Iowa Democrats again turned out in large numbers to reject the failed Bush-McCain campaign and its policies,” said Brennan.
Edwards finished second in the state’s leadoff precinct caucuses on Jan. 3, but those caucuses are only the first step in a complicated process of picking the state’s 45 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.
The next step in that process was Saturday with selection of delegates to congressional district and state conventions. Party officials said the results Saturday marked the election of 2,173 of the 2,500 delegates who will go to those convention.
The epic presidential race between Clinton and Obama has been reshaped since Iowa’s caucuses, but is no less intense with every delegate carrying weight.
“Every single one counts and that’s why we’ve been here organizing,” said Teresa Vilmain, a field organizer for Clinton.
“We’ve filled all of our slots,” said Gordon Fischer, a former Iowa Democratic chairman who is organizing for Obama.
Rob Tully, a Des Moines lawyer and prominent Edwards backer, sent an e-mail to supporters urging them to remain neutral, but there was clear movement to Obama when the results were tallied.
“Barack Obama stands for a lot of the same things that John Edwards stood for,” said Ro Foege, a state legislator from Mount Vernon who switched to the Obama camp.
The county conventions are traditionally sleepy gatherings where party leaders have trouble gathering a quorum to conduct business, largely because the party usually has a nominee by this point. With the race still up for grabs, activists jammed school gymnasiums, auditoriums and meeting halls across the state.
Former Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Clinton backer, spoke to more than 1,200 delegates jammed into a suburban high school gym.
“The reality is we are united on one thing today, we are Democrats, we are proud Democrats and we are going to elect a Democratic president,” said Vilsack, who dropped his own bid for the nomination even before the voting began. “Let us pledge that we will unite behind our nominee — be it he or she.”
People in the UNITED STATES WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wake up America! A vote for Obama is a vote for Osama! Do your research before you vote. Check out http://www.obamaosama08.com
Exactly my sentiments. How stupid does Obama take us all for?
Which also explains why Michelle Obama has never been proud of her country either.
These are all nothing but hate mongering, divisive people. The Emperor has no clothes!!
Who’s kidding who?
It will be a big mistake, to choose Hillary. She’s shown again and again her true
character: sarcastic, gender strggle oriented, just to name a few.
I don’t think the america people will fall into her trap. Never!
Well I guess we have everything else affirmative action, why not a president. Qualifacations shouldn’t make any difference as in all goverment work. So lets just hope we still have some what of a country left and can start all over again, and forget about all the hate brought on by Mr. Husien Obama
Of course, there are people in America who try to disrupt an election by
using Wright’s comments, just to hit Obama. Hillary, unfortunately, has done
more harm to the American people than any other candidate so far.
Seee her tactics, sarcasm and feminist ideas.
It was Dr Wright who said those words, not Barack. How come, some people use it to justify
Hillary’s camp attacks? Never, never, never.
Thik twice, friends, before you choose someone like Clinton. Biggest mistake ever.
I cannot oblige you to choose any candate, however if Hill is picked up to become the nominee, then get ready for trouble. Her anger, ambition and gender struggle has proved this argument.
if only the America people could see and go behond race and vote the right person.what a great counrty America will be again.
About Pastor Wright ,He is not the fisrt person to say 9/11 was done by US Some movie stars also said that and a few others - He is from the early sixty`s lots of blacks know where he is coming from .A lot of whites do too.Yes he may be bitter but that does not mean he is the devil you are all trying to make him out to be He must of spoke about Jesus and God at some point or his church would not be christan .He did serve his county even if he is bitter Walk in his shoes first then say what you want.Mostly likey Clintons are behind all this you need to find that out.Listen to the new pastor and see what he says before you judge his church.
The unfortunate reality of our society is that on Sunday mornings churches are the most segregated time and place in our country. The other reality is that the African American experience is unique and completely different compared to the White American experience.
Historically, the African American church has not only identified with the Old Testament experience of Israel’s oprression, deliverance and redemption by God from the evil taskmasters o f Egypt, but also used the biblical teachings as a model for African American religious experience in the United States.
From the time of slavery to the current economic and social disparities experienced by African Americans today, African American preachers speak to the specific challenges faced by their congregants, and they speak as the prophets of the Old Testament and as Jesus Christ spoke Himself regarding the oppressive policies of political, business and religious leadership that benefited the privledged at the expense of the poor.
Oftentimes, Preachers speak in extremes and exxagerations (as did the prophets of scriptures) to get the attention of congregants and those in power for the purpose of change. Congregants usually understand this sensationalilsm and are able to dicipher the appropriate context for which the sermons are meant to address.
Rev. Eric P. Lee
President
SCLC of Greater Los Angeles
WHAT! Please stick to the facts. Barack Obama has never had issue with saluting our flag. If you are going to take the time to post on here, please make it at least slightly factual. There is way to much sensitivity going on. Every candidate has a skeletons in there closet. At lease Obama doesn’t have all the favors to pay to big business and old cronies like the other candidates. Listen to your those who lead your faith. Can you honestly tell me that you agree with all of them? How many have preached being faithful to only commit adultery? We as a country still have a long way to go so let’s come together and not beat each other down.