As Kos noted yesterday, despite last week’s wave of media enthusiasm for Clinton, Obama’s delegate lead didn’t shrink at all. The delegate math doesn’t look good for Clinton: she’ll need a big win in Pennsylvania, an upset in North Carolina, and solid victories in Florida and Michigan revotes, all still up in the air.

So, barring the unlikely, Barack Obama will preserve his delegate lead and become the Democratic nominee. At the risk of starting the Monday morning quarterbacking a bit too early, how did Obama put the Clinton machine on the brink of defeat? (more…)

Posted in Caucus, Election 2008, Election Reform, Existing laws, National Holiday, Opinions, Why do we vote on Tuesday? | 3 Comments »

WASHINGTON, D.C — The Democratic Party has publicly and now privately split as to how (and when) Superdelegates should choose to wield their power, and promises to spawn even more divisiveness should the weight of nomination come down on their shoulders. Voters want to know: Will the average citizen ever be able to influence the system of private brokering of Superdelegate votes? (more…)

Posted in Convention, D.C., Election 2008, Election Reform, Election administration, Internet Registration, Internet Voting, Legislation, Opinions, Super Delegate, Superdelegate, What are super delegates?, What are superdelegates? | 1 Comment »

Ring… ring… it’s the next president. Why Tuesday? Honorary Co-Chair Bill Bradley would tell the president-elect to enact “campaign finance reform, reform of the drawing of Congressional district lines and moving election day to Saturday and Sunday” if he was asked how to fix democracy. This is all part of a report issued by the Brennan Center at NYU. (more…)

Posted in Election Reform, Opinions | Comments Off

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — The 2008 nominating contests are highly contested and are attracting record turnout levels in State after State. Candidates are doing their best to maintain this upward trend in turnout; however, Republican turnout is sure to falter after Super Tuesday’s results.

For the Democrats, in this spectacle horse race, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to inspire new voters (more…)

Posted in Election 2008, Election Reform, Election administration, History, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Opinions, Washington, Weekend voting | 1 Comment »

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA — With the onset of Super Tuesday, the Press has started reporting on Barack Obama’s ability to mobilize new, youth and Independent voters, the other candidates’ advantages among established, older voters, and Hillary Clinton’s advantage among Hispanic and female voters. This week’s issue of TIME Magazine reports that Obama’s campaign tactics are more effective in states with forward-thinking election law. Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada have Same-Day Registration. Florida has early voting, but the DNC has stripped the Sunshine State’s democrats of their delegates, Republicans were able to keep half of theirs. (more…)

Posted in Absentee ballots, California, Colorado, Early voting, Election 2008, Election Day registration, Election Reform, Election administration, Florida, General, Iowa, Legislation, National Holiday, Nevada, New Hampshire, Opinions, Primary schedule, What is Super Tuesday? | Comments Off

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA –- After tonight’s debate at the Kodak Theater, people (and CNN) kept talking about an Obama-Hillary or Hillary-Obama combo ticket. I don’t know if that is the case… either way the notion will be swamping the airwaves until the 5th thanks to Wolf.

More important, is that we are watching history, and because of that, people of all creeds and colors what to be a part of the action. They want to campaign, they want to caucus, they want to vote, they want a voice, and they want the Country to change its course. (more…)

Posted in California, Election 2008, Election Reform, General, Internet Voting, Iowa, Media reform, Nevada, New Hampshire, Opinions, Primary schedule, South Carolina, What is Super Tuesday? | 1 Comment »

New Media and Web 2.0 are remaking presidential politics, and I have the evidence to prove it: Senator Hillary Clinton, Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama all took first place in early and important presidential contests… after responding to the Why Tuesday? Candidate Challenge.

I am not alone on the Trail. Citizen journalists reporting to America’s young and old across the country are asking questions and filling the disconnect between the news people want and the news traditional media dishes. And most presidential candidates, but not all of them, understand the role us “backseat bloggers” play. (more…)

Posted in Election 2008, Election Reform, Opinions | Comments Off

Newsweek Contributing Editor Anna Quindlen presents a question in this week’s Newsweek that we live and breathe around here: what’s the deal with our voting system? The article’s tag line: “Every four years Americans select a president. Given our crazy system, it’s a miracle that we manage to seal the deal.”

The article focuses on, as we have around here, how uncoordinated and unreliable our voting system is: early voting in only some states, the old-school Electoral College system, the increasingly long primary schedule, troubles with the Iowa caucus… and of course, voting for president on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. (more…)

Posted in Election Reform, Opinions | 2 Comments »

JOHNSTON, IOWA — The difference between today and yesterday - Democrat and Republican respectively - can be likened to the difference between Led Zeppelin and Chamber music.

It is almost as if the increased media attention, influx of campaigners and heightened security are creating a heat bubble that is melting the ice off Iowa’s trees. The maelstrom and fervor were so intense that even Ray, the driver of our horse-drawn carriage, steered clear of the main entrance… for insurance reasons. It left me wondering about the candidates’ stances on liability insurance - now that I know their positions on health insurance. (more…)

Posted in Election 2008, Election Reform, Iowa, Opinions | 2 Comments »