08' Primaries Reaffirm Power of the People
Laura Carpenter
Issue date: 3/1/08 Section: Editorial & Opinion
On Feb. 3, registered voters in Chicago began the very important process of electing the next United States president. We voted predictably: Senator Barack Obama trounced Senator Hillary Clinton in Ill., winning 65% of the delegates. Clinton won 33% and the remaining two percent went to former US Senator John Edwards, who has since dropped out of the race. As certain as the outcome of the race was in Obama's home state, does it promise to be unpredictable and exciting in the remaining 15 states? The contest is too close to call, with Obama's 1,319 delegates running slightly ahead of Clinton's 1,250. Each candidate needs fewer than 800 delegates and a lot of stamina to make it to the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver.
Still, the 2,025 delegates essential to secure the nomination may not be easily attained in a race this narrow. Many think that for the first time since 1952 the race will be decided by the superdelegates or the more correct democratic term, unpledged party leader and elected official delegates.
On the other hand, the republican race seems to be all wrapped up. John McCain, the phoenix who rose from the ashes, is almost a shoo-in with 918 of the 1,191 delegates needed already in his possession. Only an act of God or an absolutely horrendous mistake could take him down. In fact, he is running as if he's already secured the Republican nomination as though Obama is his opponent.
In a recent speech McCain said of Obama, "I respect him and the campaign he has run, but there is going to be time when we have to get into specifics, and I have heard, not every speech he has given obviously, but they are singularly lacking in specifics, and that's when as the campaign moves forward, we will be portraying very stark differences."
It is likely Obama feels he's the presumptive Democratic candidate as well. Of McCain he said, "It's clear he knows who his opponent's going to be, and I'm looking forward to a great debate on the issues with John McCain."
Still, the 2,025 delegates essential to secure the nomination may not be easily attained in a race this narrow. Many think that for the first time since 1952 the race will be decided by the superdelegates or the more correct democratic term, unpledged party leader and elected official delegates.
On the other hand, the republican race seems to be all wrapped up. John McCain, the phoenix who rose from the ashes, is almost a shoo-in with 918 of the 1,191 delegates needed already in his possession. Only an act of God or an absolutely horrendous mistake could take him down. In fact, he is running as if he's already secured the Republican nomination as though Obama is his opponent.
In a recent speech McCain said of Obama, "I respect him and the campaign he has run, but there is going to be time when we have to get into specifics, and I have heard, not every speech he has given obviously, but they are singularly lacking in specifics, and that's when as the campaign moves forward, we will be portraying very stark differences."
It is likely Obama feels he's the presumptive Democratic candidate as well. Of McCain he said, "It's clear he knows who his opponent's going to be, and I'm looking forward to a great debate on the issues with John McCain."
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