2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Selection of the Democratic Party nominee June 2025 July 2018 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries United States primary no 2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries 2004 January 3 to June 3, 2008 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries 2012 4,233 delegates to the Democratic National Convention2,117 delegates needed to win Barack_Obama_Senate_portrait_crop.jpg 160x160px 800080 Barack Obama Illinois 2,272.5 33 17,535,458http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html 2008 Democratic Popular Vote RealClearPolitics February 15, 2020popularvote This figure does not include the states of Iowa, Nevada, Washington and Maine who did not release popular vote information. The political news and polling data aggregator website RealClearPolitics estimated that the results of the caucuses would have increased Obama's total vote to 17,869,542 and Clinton's to 17,717,698. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) did not recognize primary results in Michigan due to the state moving the date of their primary to January. Due to the lack of DNC recognition, Obama and several other candidates withdrew their names from the ballot whereas Clinton did not. The results of the Michigan primary were as thus: Uncommitted: 238,168; Clinton: 328,309. If the Michigan tally had been made official, the overall popular vote would be 17,535,458 for Obama and 17,822,145 for Clinton. With the caucuses estimates included, the overall tally would be 17,869,542 and 18,046,007, respectively.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7429706.stm BBC News Equal split masks Obama victory June 1, 2008 May 1, 2010 Jamie Coomarasamy 48.1% Hillary Rodham Clinton-cropped.jpg Hillary Clinton D4AA00 New York 17,493,836popularvote 48.0% 23 1,978 First place by first-instance vote 350px Popular vote margins 1 350px First place by first-instance vote #800080 Barack Obama (33) 1 #D4AA00 Hillary Clinton (23) 1 center Popular vote margins Clinton #fbdc8b 0–10% #ffd367 10–20% #f7ae44 20–30% #b47d2a 30–85% Obama #be96ca 0–10% #b662ca 10–20% #853197 20–30% #580065 30–85% (popular vote winners and delegate winners differ in five contests: NH, NV, MO, TX, GU) 350px Popular vote margins Clinton #fbdc8b 0–10% #ffd367 10–20% #f7ae44 20–30% #b47d2a 30–85% Obama #be96ca 0–10% #b662ca 10–20% #853197 20–30% #580065 30–85% (popular vote winners and delegate winners differ in five contests: NH, NV, MO, TX, and GU) Democratic nominee John Kerry Barack Obama From January 3 to June 3, 2008, voters of the Democratic Party chose their nominee for president in the 2008 United States presidential election. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was selected as the nominee, becoming the first African American to secure the presidential nomination of any major political party in the United States. Due to a close race between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, the contest remained competitive for longer than expected; neither candidate received enough pledged delegates from state primaries and caucuses to achieve a majority, without endorsements from unpledged delegates (superdelegates). The presidential primaries actually consisted of both primary elections and caucuses, depending upon what the individual state chose. The goal of the process was to elect the majority of the 4,233 delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, which was held from Monday, August 25, through Thursday, August 28, 2008, in Denver, Colorado. To secure the nomination, a candidate needed to receive at least 2,117 votes at the convention—or a simple majority of the 4,233 delegate votes. This total included half-votes from American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands, in addition to Democrats Abroad, as well as superdelegates—party leaders and elected officials who were not chosen through a primary or caucus. Obama received enough superdelegate endorsements on June 3 to claim that he had secured the simple majority of delegates necessary to win the nomination, before Clinton conceded the nomination four days later.Weisman Jonathan Strategy Was Based On Winning Delegates, Not Battlegrounds https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060304268.html The Washington Post June 4, 2008 June 4, 2008 etalNedra Pickler http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/24/ap-obamas-political-team_n_103396.html AP: Obama's Political Team Out-Organized Clinton The Huffington Post Huffingtonpost.com March 7, 2012 May 24, 2008 Obama was nominated on the first ballot at the August convention. He went on to win the general election, and became the 44th president of the United States on January 20, 2009. Clinton went on to serve as Obama's Secretary of State for his first term as president, and the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, losing to Donald Trump. These primaries included the nominees for the next three elections: Obama again in 2012, Clinton in 2016, and Biden in 2020.__TOC__ Candidates and results 2008 Democratic Party presidential candidates Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries Notes for the following table: Delegate counts: The pledged delegate estimates come from the sum of the Current estimate columns for the states listed in the Chronicle section later in this article The source for superdelegate estimates is the 2008 Democratic Convention Watch blog. Superdelegate endorsements were frozen on June 7, the date of Clinton's concession speech. Ordering: The candidates are ordered by pledged delegate count and then alphabetically by last name To re-sort this table, click on the double-arrow symbol (File:Sort both.gif) at the top of a column Nominee CandidateMost recent office heldat the end of the primariesHome State Pledged delegatevote estimateThe pledged delegate estimates come from the sum of the states listed in the Chronicle section in this article. Superdelegatevote estimate2008 Democratic Convention Watch http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/06/superdelegate-endorsements-for-friday.html June 6, 2008 June 7, 2008 Total delegatevote estimate Campaign status Running mate150x150pxBarack ObamaU.S. Senator fromIllinois(2005–2008)Illinois1,794½51%47866%2,272½53% 140x140px(Campaign)Secured nomination: June 3, 2008 125x125pxJoe Biden Withdrew during the primaries CandidateMost recent office heldat the end of the primariesHome State Pledged delegatevote estimate Superdelegatevote estimate Total delegatevote estimate Campaign status150x150px|Hillary ClintonClinton, HillaryHillary ClintonU.S. Senator from New York(2001–2009)New York1,731½49%246½34%1,97846%138x138px(Campaign)(Endorsed Obama, later became Secretary of State)Clinton to suspend campaign Saturday NBC News June 4, 2008 https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24974674 June 4, 2008150x150px|John EdwardsEdwards, JohnJohn Edwards U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1999–2005)North Carolina14½<1%0 14½1%140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: January 30, 2008(Endorsed Obama)Clinton to suspend her campaign on Saturday CNN May 14, 2008 http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/14/edwards.obama/ May 14, 2008150x150px|Joe BidenBiden, JoeJoe BidenU.S. Senator from Delaware(1973–2009)Delaware000140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: January 3, 2008(Endorsed Obama, who later chose Biden as his vice presidential running mate)150x150px|Bill RichardsonRichardson, BillBill RichardsonGovernor of New Mexico(2003–2011)New Mexico000140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: January 10, 2008(Endorsed Obama)150x150px|Chris DoddDodd, ChristopherChris DoddU.S. Senator from Connecticut(1981–2011)Connecticut000140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: January 3, 2008(Endorsed Obama)150x150px|Mike GravelGravel, MikeMike GravelU.S. Senator from Alaska(1969–1981)Alaska000140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: March 26, 2008(Endorsed Jesse Johnson for Green nomination)150x150px|Dennis KucinichKucinich, DennisDennis KucinichU.S. Representative for Ohio's 10th(1997–2013)Ohio000140x140px(Campaign)Withdrew: January 23, 2008(Endorsed Obama) Withdrew before the primaries CandidateMost recent office heldat the end of the primariesHome State Pledged delegatevote estimate Superdelegatevote estimate Total delegatevote estimate Campaign status150x150px|Tom VilsackVilsack, TomTom Vilsack Governor of Iowa(1999–2007)Iowa000135x135px(Campaign)Withdrew: February 23, 2007(Endorsed Clinton) Formed exploratory committee but did not run Declined to run Delegate system Delegates are the people who decided the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Delegates from fifty US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had a single vote each, while delegates from American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam and Democrats Abroad, as well as the states of Florida and Michigan, which contravened the schedule, had half a vote each. Thus, the total number of delegates was slightly higher than the total number of available delegate votes (4,049).http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/D-Alloc.phtml#Terr Democratic Delegate Allocation – 2008 March 14, 2008 This is now updated to 4,233 with FL-MI delegations. Pledged delegates In the modern presidential primary system, candidates for the nomination campaign in a series of primary elections and caucus events. For the Democratic Party, the results from these primaries and caucuses determine the number of pledged delegates committed to vote for each candidate at the Democratic National Convention, intended to reflect the will of the voters. These delegates are not legally bound to vote for the candidate they represent, but candidates may remove delegates whom they feel may be disloyal, and delegates generally vote as pledged.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/02/delegate.explainer/index.html Why delegates matter in the presidential race CNN January 3, 2008 May 1, 2010 Under the party's Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, delegates were allocated to each of the fifty U.S. states according to two main criteria: the proportion of votes each state had given to the Democratic candidate in the previous three presidential elections, and the percentage of votes each state had in the United States Electoral College. In addition, fixed numbers of delegates were allocated to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Democrats Abroad.Democratic National Committee Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention August 19, 2006 http://www.democrats.org/page/-/dem_convention/rules.pdf January 21, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101006191218/http://www.democrats.org/page/-/dem_convention/rules.pdf October 6, 2010 In 2008, a total of 3,253 pledged delegate votes would be awarded through the primaries and caucuses. Superdelegates List of superdelegates at the 2008 Democratic National Convention Superdelegate votes are given equal weight to the votes of pledged delegates. Superdelegates are members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate, state and territorial governors, members of the Democratic National Committee, distinguished party leaders, and add-on delegates selected by the state parties. They represented almost 20 percent of the total 4,233 delegates. The number and composition of superdelegates had the potential to change right up to the start of the Democratic National Convention. The total number of superdelegate votes at the start of the primary season in October 2007 stood at 850. Various events such as deaths, elections, and disqualifications may alter the final number of superdelegates voting in the primary. While officially uncommitted until the convention, the superdelegates may publicly endorse or commit to a candidate at any time. The presidential candidates compete heavily for these commitments. News organizations survey the superdelegates periodically throughout the election season and try to calculate how many have committed to each of the candidates. The media often include these superdelegate estimates in their reporting on the race, leading to differing delegate counts from various news sources. Delegate selection rules thumb|right|Washington Democrats meet in the legislative district caucuses. Under the Democratic Party's Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, delegates are awarded by proportional representation, with a minimum 15 percent threshold required to receive delegates. Each state party is required to publish its own state level delegate selection plan, indicating how the state will select delegates at the congressional and statewide level, how the delegation will implement the party's affirmative action policy, and how the delegation will ensure an equal balance between women and men. Those plans were adopted at state conventions and forwarded to the national party in mid-2007. In most state caucuses, the viability threshold must be met at each level in the process, from the precinct level upwards. This puts enormous pressure on the remaining candidates to gain the support of voters whose chosen candidates fall below the 15 percent mark.FAQ's Nevada State Democratic Party http://www.nvdemscaucus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=30 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20080123201111/http://www.nvdemscaucus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=30 January 23, 2008 See also: https://web.archive.org/web/20070703085604/http://www.iowafirstcaucus.org/faqs.php July 3, 2007 http://www.iowafirstcaucus.org/faqs.php Iowa Democratic Party Precinct Caucus Fact Sheet Iowa Democratic Party The focus on viability is designed to weed out small, divisive factions from gaining delegates to disrupt the national convention. However, this can result in candidates gaining viability in some precincts but not in others, and a complicated "caucus math" is required to allocate delegates to the county and state conventions for each precinct.So why DO we caucus, anyway? Ed Tibbetts Quad-City Times December 15, 2007 http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/12/15/news/local/doc4764bb64e0b44787047257.txt In the primaries, the viability threshold is set based on statewide and congressional district votes. At-large and PLEO (Party Leaders and Elected Officials) delegates are allocated based on statewide votes, while district-level delegates are allocated by district votes. Opinion polling Nationwide opinion polling for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries thumb|900x900px|alt=|center|Opinion polling for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary (moving average is calculated from the last ten polls)18em #800080 solid 5px Obama #D4AA00 solid 5px Clinton #ff7f2a solid 5px Edwards #00FF00 solid 5px Richardson #224192 solid 5px Biden #FF97FF solid 5px Kucinich #C00000 solid 5px Dodd #EDD81E solid 5px Gravel Campaign Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign 2008 Democratic Party presidential debates and forums Notes for the tables in this section: Delegate votes to the convention column: The source for delegation sizes is the Democratic National Committee's official Call for the 2008 Democratic National Convention.Democratic National Committee Call for the 2008 Democratic National Convention http://www.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/FINAL2008CalltotheConvention.pdf March 17, 2008 March 17, 2008 33 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110608011743/http://www.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/FINAL2008CalltotheConvention.pdf June 8, 2011 Specific sources are present for Florida and Michigan. Very recent changes not already in the official source are indicated by the footnotes. Pledged delegate votes column: The source is each state's primary or caucus article. Click on the specific election link to see the sources used in those articles. The candidate with the highest pledged delegate vote is highlighted. In some cases, this may be different from the winner of the popular vote. Early campaigning thumb|right|Mike Gravel at the launch of his presidential campaign in April 2006 The earliest significant candidate to launch their candidacy was Mike Gravel in April 2006. However, for the most part, the race for the 2008 presidential nomination did not truly begin in earnest until after the 2006 midterm elections. Between November 2006 and February 2007, nine major candidates opened their campaigns: Evan Bayh as an exploratory committee, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, and Tom Vilsack. Potential candidates John Kerry, Al Gore, Russ Feingold, Tom Daschle, Wesley Clark, Sam Nunn, Mark Warner, and Al Sharpton reportedly considered running but ultimately declined to seek the nomination. Bayh said he would not seek the nomination on December 16, 2006, and withdrew from the race. Soon Vilsack dropped out in February 2007. During the first three months of 2007, Clinton and Obama raised over $20 million each, while Edwards raised more than $12 million."https://archive.today/20120715121806/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/finance/2007/q1/ Campaign Finance: First Quarter 2007 FEC Filings", The Washington Post, 2007. The three candidates quickly became the frontrunners for the nomination,Dan Balz Candidates Unite in Criticizing Bush April 27, 2007 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/26/AR2007042602593.html The Washington Post May 30, 2007 a status they held all the way through the end of 2007. On November 21, Obama announced that Oprah Winfrey would be campaigning for him in the early primary states,Katharine Seelye Oprah May Campaign for Obama November 21, 2007 http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/oprah-may-campaign-for-obama/ The New York Times March 21, 2008 setting off speculation that, although celebrity endorsements typically have little effect on voter opinions, Winfrey's participation would supply Obama with a large, receptive audience.http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/NEWS09/711270383/-1/caucus Oprah to aid Obama in D.M., Cedar Rapids Des Moines Register December 2016 InternetArchiveBot yes As word spread that Oprah's first appearance would be in Iowa, polls released in early December revealed that Obama had taken the lead in that decisive state.http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=104265&d=4&m=12&y=2007 Hillary Loses Iowa Lead Arabnews.com December 4, 2007 March 7, 2012 Then, on December 8, Oprah kicked off a three-state tour supporting Obama's campaign,http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/oprah-in-des-moines/?hp Oprah in Des Moines The New York Times Jeff Zeleny December 8, 2007 March 23, 2008 where she drew record-setting crowds in Iowa, New Hampshire,http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/primarysource/2007/12/oprahobama_doub.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080724125420/http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/primarysource/2007/12/oprahobama_doub.html dead July 24, 2008 Oprah-Obama double bill largest political NH rally in recent memory The Boston Globe James Pindell December 9, 2007 March 23, 2008 and South Carolina, and was described as "more cogent, more effective, more convincing" than anyone on the campaign trail.Howard Fineman http://www.newsweek.com/id/74581/page/2 Fineman: Obama's Oprah Challenge – The Daily Beast Newsweek.com December 8, 2007 March 7, 2012 The Oprah-Obama tour dominated political news headlineshttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/10/507731.aspx First Thoughts: All tied up MSNBC Mark Murray December 10, 2007 March 23, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080328142649/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/10/507731.aspx March 28, 2008 and cast doubts over Clinton's ability to recover her recently lost lead in Iowa caucus polls.http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3239382.ece The Oprah Winfrey Show (and Obama was there too) The Independent December 10, 2007 March 23, 2008 London January 2, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080102061157/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3239382.ece dead A poll released less than two weeks after Winfrey campaigned found that Obama had achieved more popularity in Iowa than ever recorded before.http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/12/sweet_new_poll_puts_obama_in_s.html#more Chicago Sun-Times Sweet: New poll puts Obama in solid Iowa lead for first time. Crucial momenteum before Thursday caucus February 21, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20080327185528/http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/12/sweet_new_poll_puts_obama_in_s.html#more March 27, 2008 dead mdy-all At year's end, on December 31, Clinton held a substantial lead in superdelegates, and she was leading in the national polls with 42% of likely voters, over Obama with 23%, and Edwards with 16%.http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/weekly_presidential_tracking_polling_history Rasmussen Reports: Daily Presidential Tracking Polling History dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080305072103/http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/weekly_presidential_tracking_polling_history March 5, 2008 However, Edwards and Obama remained close in state polls for the early contests, including the Iowa caucuses, where the final polling average had Obama leading narrowly with 31%, over Clinton with 30%, Edwards with 26%, Biden with 5%, and Richardson also with 5%.http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ia/iowa_democratic_caucus-208.html RealClear Politics, Final Polls, Iowa Democratic Caucus January 2008 Following tradition, the 2008 primary calendar began with the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. The Nevada caucuses and the South Carolina primary were the third and fourth contests sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. Under the national committee's rules, no state was allowed to hold primaries or caucuses before February 5 with the exceptions of these four states.http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/08/highlights_of_t.php The Democratic Party Highlights of the 2008 Rules dead https://archive.today/20060822232125/http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/08/highlights_of_t.php August 22, 2006 Michigan and Florida also held early primaries. However, as the contests were unsanctioned, the results were not recognized by the national committee until a compromise was reached four months later.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7429706.stm BBC News Equal split masks Obama victory June 1, 2008 May 1, 2010 Jamie Coomarasamy The following table shows the pledged delegate votes awarded in the first four contests recognized by the DNC. DetailsDelegate votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countSources are indicated at each state's primary or caucus article, reached by following the appropriate "Election link."Election resultChangenotesFinal estimateDateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonEdwardsObamaClintonEdwardsJanuary 3Iowa caucuses451257161514Several candidates have withdrawn their nomination bids since the Iowa caucuses on January 3. At the Iowa county conventions on March 15 and the district conventions on April 26, some delegates supporting the withdrawn candidates moved their support to Obama.http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-happens-to-edwards-delegates.html 2008 Democratic Convention Watch: What happens to Edwards' delegates? Democratic Convention Watch June 4, 2008 June 4, 2008 Edwards still has 3 state-wide delegates from Iowa, which will be allocated at the Iowa State Convention on June 14. They will remain in Edwards column until then. 28143January 8New Hampshire primary22830994After John Edwards withdrew from the race and subsequently endorsed Barack Obama on May 14, a delegate supporting Edwards announced an intention to support Obama at the national convention.1390January 19Nevada caucuses2593413120Higher turnout from Obama supporters at the Nevada state convention on May 17 resulted in a 14–11 delegate split, in contrast to the 13-12 split predicted by the precinct caucuses on January 19. See: Obama flips Clinton's Nevada win; captures more national delegates October 2017 medicmedic, Inside Nevada Politics, May 17, 2008.14110January 26South Carolina primary4595425128After John Edwards withdrew from the race and subsequently endorsed Barack Obama on May 14, some delegates supporting Edwards announced their intention to support Obama at the national convention.33120 –Total1373817563482688463 January election results 160 150 center File:IowaPresidentialPrimaryResults2008.svg Results of Iowa's caucus File:2008NewHamshirePrimaries.svg Results of New Hampshire's primary File:NevadaPresidentialPrimaryResults2008.svg Results of Nevada's caucus File:SouthCarolinaPresidentialPrimaryResults2008.svg Results of South Carolina's primary Obama won the Iowa caucuses with 38% of the vote, over Edwards with 30% and Clinton with 29%. His victory brought him to national prominence as many voters tuned into the race for the first time. In a speech given that evening, he defined the word "change" as the primary theme of his campaign and said, "On this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do."http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/obama_says_time.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120126032028/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/obama_says_time.html dead January 26, 2012 Obama says time for change has come Foon Rhee The Boston Globe January 3, 2008 January 4, 2008 The delegate count was virtually tied, but Clinton's surprising third-place finish in the popular vote damaged her image as being the "inevitable" nominee.https://www.politico.com/story/2008/01/obama-and-huckabee-win-big-in-iowa-007695 Obama and Huckabee win big in Iowa politico.com Bill Nichols January 3, 2008 January 3, 2008 However, she remained upbeat, saying "This race begins tonight and ends when Democrats throughout America have their say. Our campaign was built for a marathon." The following day, reports described "panic" among some Clinton donors,Karen Tumulty http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1700705,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080106233924/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1700705,00.html dead January 6, 2008 Clinton Machine Shaken By Setback Time January 5, 2008 January 5, 2008 See also: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/04/AR2008010404002.html Clinton's Supporters Question Her Strategy Anne E. Kornblut Jonathan Weisman Paul Kane The Washington Post January 5, 2008 January 5, 2008 and rumors of a staff shake-up began to circulate.http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/08/a_clinton_campaign_shakeup.html A Clinton Campaign Shakeup? Anne E. Kornblut The Washington Post January 8, 2008 January 9, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110523160441/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/08/a_clinton_campaign_shakeup.html May 23, 2011 Biden and Dodd both withdrew from the race. thumb|John Edwards greets a crowd in New Hampshire.|left After Obama's upset win in the Iowa caucuses, it appeared to many political observers that he would ride a wave of momentum through the New Hampshire primary and then go on to win the Democratic nomination. Eulogies were published on the Clinton campaign,https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/07/AR2008010702263.html A Candidacy's Prose and Cons Dionne, E. J. E. J. Dionne Jr. The Washington Post January 8, 2008 January 9, 2008 as Obama surged to a roughly 10-point lead in the New Hampshire polls.http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/nh/new_hampshire_democratic_primary-194.html RealClearPolitics New Hampshire Polling Average However, the race turned quickly in the days before the primary, and the polls were slow to register a reversal toward Clinton. At the Saint Anselm College New Hampshire debate on January 5, 2008, Edwards sided with Obama against Clinton.https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/us/politics/06dems.html At Debate, Two Rivals Go After Defiant Clinton Patrick Healy Jeff Zelaney The New York Times January 6, 2008 January 7, 2008 In one noted exchange, Edwards said that Clinton could not bring about change, while he and Obama could, saying "Any time you speak out powerfully for change, the forces for status quo attack." Clinton passionately retorted, saying, "Making change is not about what you believe; it's not about a speech you make. It's about working hard. I'm not just running on a promise for change. I'm running on 35 years of change. What we need is somebody who can deliver change. We don't need to be raising false hopes."http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/01/edwards-he-obam.html Edwards: He & Obama share a 'conviction alliance' USA Today January 6, 2008 Mark Memmott Jill Lawrence January 6, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080117032103/http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/01/edwards-he-obam.html January 17, 2008 It came to be seen as the defining statement for her candidacy. The morning before the primary, Clinton became "visibly emotional" in response to a friendly question from a voter.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/07/clinton.emotional/index.html#cnnSTCText Clinton chokes up, is applauded, at campaign stop CNN January 7, 2008 January 7, 2008 Video of the moment was replayed on cable news television throughout the day, accompanied by pundit commentary that ranged from sympathetic to callous in tone. Voters rallied to Clinton's defense, and she won a surprising 3% victory over Obama in the popular vote. They tied in the delegate count. Richardson withdrew from the race on January 10. Momentum shifted in Clinton's favor, and she won the popular vote in the Nevada caucuses eleven days later, despite Obama's endorsement from the influential Culinary Workers Union. However, Obama ran strongly in rural areas throughout the state, and he beat Clinton in the delegate count. Edwards' support collapsed in Nevada, as voters coalesced around the two apparent frontrunners. Dennis Kucinich withdrew from the race. In the following week, issues regarding race came to the fore as campaigning began for the South Carolina primary, the first to feature a large proportion of African Americans in the Democratic electorate. Behind in the state polls, Clinton left to campaign in some Super Tuesday states,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/hillary-clinton-bill-clinton-south-carolina Hillary Clinton Bill Clinton South Carolina Huffington Post while her husband, former president Bill Clinton, stayed in South Carolina and engaged in a series of exchanges with Obama.[citation needed] CBS News reported, "By injecting himself into the Democratic primary campaign with a series of inflammatory and negative statements, Bill Clinton may have helped his wife's presidential hopes in the long term but at the cost of his reputation with a group of voters [African Americans] that have long been one of his strongest bases of political support." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/analysis-bill-clintons-lost-legacy/ Analysis: Bill Clinton's Lost Legacy CBS News Ververs Vaughn January 26, 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. San Francisco, CA April 19, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20140605092907/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/analysis-bill-clintons-lost-legacy/ June 5, 2014 live Obama won by a more than two-to-one margin over Clinton, gaining 55% of the vote to her 27% and Edwards's 18%.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/26/sc.primary/index.html Obama claims big win in South Carolina CNN January 26, 2008 January 26, 2008 On the day of the primary, Bill Clinton compared Obama's expected win to Jesse Jackson's victory in the 1988 South Carolina Democratic primary. His comments were widely criticized as an apparent attempt to dismiss the primary results and marginalize Obama by implying that he was "the black candidate."http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/01/bubba-obama-is.html Bubba: Obama is like Jesse Jackson ABCNews.com January 26, 2008 March 10, 2008 The momentum generated by Obama's larger-than-expected win in South Carolina was deflated somewhat by the win Clinton claimed in the nullified Florida primary the following week. Edwards suspended his candidacy on January 30. He did not immediately endorse either Clinton or Obama, but he said they both had pledged to carry forward his central campaign theme of ending poverty in America. Neither Clinton nor Obama had a clear advantage heading into the February 5 Super Tuesday primaries, with 23 states and territories and 1,681 delegates at stake and more media attention than any primary election day in American history. Disputed primaries 2008 Florida Democratic presidential primary 2008 Michigan Democratic presidential primary In August 2006, the Democratic National Committee adopted a proposal by its Rules and Bylaws Committee stating that only the four states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina would be permitted to hold primaries or caucuses before February 5, 2008.A Possibly Super Problem http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21130 Michael Tomasky New York Review of Books March 15, 2008 March 20, 2008 In May 2007, the Florida Legislature passed a bill that moved the date of the state's primary to January 29, 2008, setting up a confrontation with the DNC.http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/08/Columns/This_bill_does_a_lot_.shtml This bill does a lot more than advertised May 8, 2007 March 11, 2008 In response, the DNC ruled that Florida's 185 pledged delegates and 26 superdelegates would not be seated at the Democratic National Convention, or, if seated, would not be able to vote.http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2007/06/democrats-still.html Orlando Sentinel Blogs July 24, 2007 July 21, 2007 Orlando Sentinel dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071029035430/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2007/06/democrats-still.html October 29, 2007 In October 2007, Democrats from Florida's congressional delegation filed a federal lawsuit against the DNC to force a recognition of its delegates, but the suit was unsuccessful.https://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1016/p01s01-uspo.html Can the Democratic Party Ignore Florida's Primary The Christian Science Monitor March 20, 2008 October 16, 2007 The presidential candidates promised not to campaign in Florida. Meanwhile, Michigan moved its primary to January 15, 2008, also in violation of party rules. In October 2007, Obama, Richardson, Biden, and Edwards withdrew their names from the Michigan primary ballot, under pressure from the DNC and voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.Four Candidates Withdraw from Michigan Primary Ballot Michigan Department of State October 9, 2007 http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127--177580--,00.html January 10, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080116220117/http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0%2C1607%2C7-127--177580--%2C00.html January 16, 2008 Kucinich unsuccessfully sought to remove his name from the ballot,Zachary Gorchow Kucinich says he'll come to Michigan after all http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/NEWS06/801030383/1008 Detroit Free Press January 3, 2008 January 14, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20131109015217/http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20080103%2FNEWS06%2F801030383%2F1008 November 9, 2013 dead whereas Clinton and Dodd opted to remain on the ballot.Kathy Barks Hoffman Clinton In, 5 Dems Out of Mich. Primary https://www.theguardian.com/worldlatest/story/0,,-6984389,00.html Guardian Unlimited Associated Press October 10, 2007 January 14, 2008 London October 2010 H3llBot In December 2007, the DNC ruled that Michigan's 128 pledged delegates and 29 superdelegates would not count in the nominating contest unless it were held on a later date.Stephen Ohlemacher Democrats Strip Michigan of Delegates http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/ap-democrats-strip-michigan-of-delegates/130992.htm WKRN Associated Press December 2, 2007 January 14, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20071203101821/http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/ap-democrats-strip-michigan-of-delegates/130992.htm December 3, 2007 The Michigan Democratic party responded with a press release noting that the primary would proceed with Clinton, Dodd, Gravel, and Kucinich on the ballot. Supporters of Biden, Edwards, Richardson, and Obama were urged to vote "uncommitted" instead of writing in their candidates' names because write-in votes for those candidates would not be counted.MDP Releases Voter Guide To Help Voters Understand Presidential Primary Michigan Democratic Party December 10, 2007 http://www.michigandems.com/121007prs.html January 10, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080115115003/http://www.michigandems.com/121007prs.html January 15, 2008 None of the top candidates campaigned in Florida or Michigan. The events were described in the media as "beauty contests,"Balz Dan Dan Balz Sanctioned States Put Democrats in Quandary https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/08/AR2008020803801.html The Washington Post February 9, 2008 March 20, 2008 See also: Sheinin Aaron Gould Thurmond backs re-voting in Florida, Michigan http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/03/06/floridavote_0307_web.html The Atlanta Journal-Constitution March 6, 2008 March 20, 2008 and voter turnout in both states was relatively low when compared with record-high turnout in other states.Krunholz June Disenfranchising Non-Voters in Florida and Michigan? https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/03/19/disenfranchising-non-voters-in-florida-and-michigan/?mod=googlenews_wsj The Wall Street Journal March 19, 2008 March 20, 2008 Nevertheless, Clinton claimed wins in Florida and Michigan, and she flew to Fort Lauderdale on the night of the Florida election to thank supporters for what she called a "tremendous victory."Broder John M. Clinton Wins in Florida, but Without Any Delegates to Sweeten the Victory https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/us/politics/30dems.html The New York Times January 30, 2008 March 20, 2008 As the primaries continued, various groups tried to negotiate a resolution to the standoff between the DNC and the state parties. The Clinton campaign advocated first for the results to stand and then for a new round of voting to take place in Michigan and Florida, while the Obama campaign deferred the matter to the DNC, while expressing a wish that the delegations be seated in some form.Luo Michael John M. Broder Delegate Battles Snarl Democrats in Two States https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/15/us/politics/15donate.html The New York Times February 15, 2008 March 20, 2008 See also: Mooney Alexander Obama: Wright flap has 'shaken me up' http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/19/obama.interview/index.html#cnnSTCText CNN March 20, 2008 March 20, 2008 On all sides, Democrats worried that a failure to resolve the problem could lead to a rules or credential fight at the convention and low Democratic turnout in the general election in November. On May 31, 2008, the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committeehttp://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/rules-and-bylaws-committee-membership.html Rules and Bylaws Committee membership 2008 Democratic Convention Watch April 28, 2008 May 31, 2008http://s3.amazonaws.com/apache.3cdn.net/6db9de2c969d3fd055_2bm6ib44l.pdf Regulations of the Rules & Bylaws Committee For the 2008 Democratic National Convention (amended) DNC February 1, 2007 May 31, 2008 May 28, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080528234625/http://s3.amazonaws.com/apache.3cdn.net/6db9de2c969d3fd055_2bm6ib44l.pdf dead voted unanimously (27–0) to restore half-votes to all the Florida delegates, including superdelegates. The Michigan delegates were also given half-votes, with 69 delegates pledged to Hillary Clinton and 59 to Barack Obama; this proposed change passing by 19–8.https://www.politico.com/story/2008/05/dnc-panel-agrees-to-seat-mich-fla-010732 DNC panel agrees to seat Mich., Fla. June 4, 2008 Amie Parnes Avi Zenilman May 31, 2008 Politico http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/welcome-back.html Florida and Michigan Votes Seated 2008 Democratic Convention Watch May 31, 2008 May 31, 2008 DetailsRestored votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countAwarded by the DNCChangenotesFinal estimateDateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonEdwardsObamaClintonEdwardsJanuary 15Michigan primary12829+1 due to Brenda Lawrence becoming a DNC Member for National Conference of Democratic Mayors, filling a previous vacancy1575969059690January 29Florida primary18526Ken Curtis moved from Maine to Florida. (Florida +1; Maine -1)21167105136710513 –Total313553681261741312617413 –To date448935431892223921422016 Super Tuesday Super Tuesday, 2008 thumb|right|Staffers make phone calls to voters from Clinton's national campaign headquarters. Traditionally, the Tuesday on which the greatest number of states hold primary elections is known as Super Tuesday. In 2007, many states moved their primaries or caucuses to early in the year so they could have greater influence over the race. As February 5 was the earliest date to be allowed by the Democratic National Committee, 23 states and territories moved their elections to that date. 2008's Super Tuesday became the date of the nation's first quasi-national primary. It was dubbed "Super Duper Tuesday"Schneider Bill Bill Schneider (journalist) It could all be over after 'Super Tuesday' CNN February 7, 2007 http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/05/schneider.superduper.tuesday/index.html June 3, 2007 or "Tsunami Tuesday,"Todd, Chuck Chuck Todd Will Tsunami Tuesday be an Afterthought? May 10, 2007 https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna18593870 NBC News among other names. After Obama's win in the South Carolina primaries on January 26, he received high-profile endorsements from Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy,Caroline Kennedy A President Like My Father https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html The New York Times January 27, 2008 January 27, 2008 as well as Senator Ted Kennedy, the former President's brother.Mike Allen Brown, Carrie Budoff Ted Kennedy embraces Obama https://www.politico.com/story/2008/01/kennedy-kin-back-obama-008134 Politico January 27, 2008 January 27, 2008 Ted Kennedy's endorsement was considered "the biggest Democratic endorsement [that] Obama could possibly get short of Bill Clinton or Al Gore."https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/us/politics/27cnd-campaign.html Kennedy Plans to Back Obama Over Clinton Jeff Zeleny Brian Knowlton The New York Times January 27, 2008 January 27, 2008 On January 31, Obama and Clinton met for the first time in a one-on-one debate, and they struck a friendly tone.Balz Dan Anne E. Kornblut Head to Head, Clinton, Obama Shelve Rancor The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/31/AR2008013104068.html?hpid=topnews February 1, 2008 March 20, 2008October 2017 Obama surged nationally in the polls and held campaign rallies that drew audiences of over 15,000 people in several states.Rosenthal Andrew Michelle, Maria, Caroline and Oprah on the Hustings in California The New York Times February 4, 2008 March 20, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/opinion/04mon4.html See also: Collins Gail Four's a Crowd The New York Times January 31, 2008 March 20, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/opinion/31collins.html See also: Zeleny Jeff Elisabeth Bumiller Candidates Scrambling As Wave of Votes Nears The New York Times February 3, 2008 March 20, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03campaign.html A total of 1,681 pledged delegate votes were at stake in the states that voted on February 5. The following table shows the pledged delegate votes awarded in the Super Tuesday states. DetailsDelegate votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countElection resultChangenotesFinal estimateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonObamaClintonAlabama primary5286027252725Alaska caucuses1341794The final result of the state convention on May 24 was a 10–3 split in pledged delegates. A 9–4 split had been predicted after the precinct caucuses on February 5. See 2008 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses for details.103American Samoa caucuses3691212Arizona primary56116725312531Arkansas primary351247827827California primary37071441166204166204Colorado caucuses5515703520The final result of the state convention on May 17 and the district conventions was a 36–19 split. A 35–20 split had been predicted after the precinct caucuses on February 5. See 2008 Colorado Democratic presidential caucuses for details.3619Connecticut primary48126026222622Delaware primary158239696Georgia primary871510260276027Idaho caucuses18523153153Illinois primary153311841044910449Kansas caucuses32941239239Massachusetts primary932812138553855Minnesota caucuses72168848244824Missouri primary72168836363636New Jersey primary1072012748594859New Mexico primary26123812141214New York primary232492819313993139North Dakota caucuses138218585Oklahoma primary38104814241424Tennessee primary68178528402840Utah primary23629149149Total1,6813902,071847834849832To date2,1294832,6141,0361,0561,0631,052 On election night, both Obama and Clinton claimed victories. In the popular vote, Obama won 13 states and territories to Clinton's 10. This included the states of Idaho and Georgia, where Obama won by very wide margins. His wins in Connecticut and Missouri were considered upsets. However, Clinton won the large electoral prizes of California and Massachusetts, where some analysts had expected the Kennedy endorsements might carry Obama to the victory. Although Obama gained significant ground from where he was polling in mid-January, it was not enough to close the gap in those states. In exit polls, Obama gained some overwhelming support of African-American voters, and he strengthened his base among college-educated voters and voters younger than the age of 45. Clinton found significant support among white women, Latinos, and voters over age 65. Obama ran strongest in caucus states, Rocky Mountain states, Southern states and Midwestern states. Clinton ran strongest in the Northeastern states, Southwestern states, and states bordering Arkansas, where she served as first lady while her husband served as that state's governor. When the delegate counting was finished, Obama won an estimated 847 pledged delegates to Clinton's 834. Early in the primary season, many observers had predicted that the nomination would be over after Super Tuesday, but the general verdict on election night was that the candidates had drawn to a virtual tie and that the race for the Democratic presidential nomination would not likely be settled for at least a month.Hook Janet Mark Z. Barabak Obama, Clinton campaigns assess Super Tuesday results Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-demcampaign7feb07,0,5501826.story February 6, 2008 March 20, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080209104809/http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-demcampaign7feb07%2C0%2C5501826.story February 9, 2008 dead Mid-February contests In the following week, it became clear that a tie on Super Tuesday would leave Obama better positioned for the upcoming contests in February, where the demographics of several large states seemed to favor him.Cillizza Chris Chris Cillizza What's Next http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/02/whats_next.html The Fix The Washington Post February 7, 2008 March 20, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080830071103/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/02/whats_next.html August 30, 2008 The day after Super Tuesday, February 6, Clinton announced that she had personally lent her campaign $5 million in January. The news came as a surprise and set off another round of news stories about Clinton donors and supporters concerned about the campaign's strategy. It was particularly striking in light of Obama's announcement that he had raised a record-high $32 million in January, tapping 170,000 new contributors.Zeleny Jeff Leslie Wayne February 1, 2008 The New York Times Enlisting New Donors, Obama Reaped $32 Million in January March 20, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/us/politics/01donate.html It became clear that Obama's financial advantage had allowed him to organize and compete in some broader states on Super Tuesday, an advantage that was likely to continue in the upcoming months and weeks. In response, Clinton's supporters raised $6 million online in 36 hours, but Obama's campaign upped the ante, announcing their own total of $7.4 million in 36 hours and starting a new goal of reaching 500,000 new contributors in 2008 by late February.Healy Patrick Jeff Zeleny Obama Outshines Clinton at Raising Funds https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/us/politics/08clinton.html The New York Times February 8, 2008 March 20, 2008 DetailsDelegate votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countElection resultChangenotesFinal estimateDateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonObamaClintonFebruary 9Louisiana primary56116733233323Nebraska caucuses24731168168U.S. Virgin Islands convention3693030Washington caucusesWashington Democrats use the February 9 caucuses to award delegates and ignore the February 19 primary. See 2008 Washington Democratic presidential caucuses for details.In Washington State Vote, Relevance Is an Issue William Yardley The New York Times February 18, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/us/politics/18washington.html 78199752265226February 10Maine caucuses24832159159February 5–12Democrats Abroad primary74114½2½4½2½February 12D.C. primary152439123Clinton pledged delegate Jack Evans has announced an intention to vote for Obama at the national convention. See Washington City Paper and Washington Post https://web.archive.org/web/20081007213503/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dc/2008/05/superdelegate_jack_evans_switc.html October 7, 2008 articles. See 2008 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary for details.132Maryland primary7028Albert Wynn announced his resignation as U.S. Representative on March 28, 2008. (Maryland -1) See Helderman Rosalind S. Jeffrey H. Birnbaum Wynn Decides to Leave Congress Months Before His Term Expires The Washington Post March 28, 2008 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/27/AR2008032702136.html March 30, 2008984228In May, pledged Clinton delegate Jack B. Johnson said he would vote for Obama, and urge the entire Maryland delegation to do so also. See "Pr. George's Executive Switches To Obama", The Washington Post, May 13, 2008. See 2008 Maryland Democratic presidential primary for details.4327Virginia primary831810154295429February 19Hawaii caucuses20929146146Wisconsin primary74189242324232 –Total454152606287½166½289½164½ –To date2,5836353,2201,323½1,222½1,352½1,216½ thumb|right|An Obama rally in Seattle, Washington, draws 18,000 people. As expected, Obama swept the three nominating events on February 9, which were thought to favor him based on the results in similar states that had voted previously. He then scored a convincing win in Maine, where Clinton had hoped to hold her ground.Seelye Katharine Q. Maine to Obama; Clinton Replaces Campaign Leader https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/us/politics/11dems.html The New York Times February 11, 2008 March 20, 2008 The same day, Clinton's campaign announced that campaign advisor Patti Solis Doyle would resign. Obama's momentum carried throughout the following week, as he scored large delegate gains in the Potomac primaries, taking the lead in the nationwide popular vote, even under the projection most favorable to Clinton, with Florida and Michigan included. NBC News declared him "Mr. Frontrunner" on February 13.Todd Chuck First Thoughts: Mr. Front-Runner First Read NBC News February 13, 2008 March 20, 2008 http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/13/661146.aspx etal dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080401022002/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/13/661146.aspx April 1, 2008 Clinton attempted a comeback win in the demographically more favorable state of Wisconsin, but Obama won again by a larger margin than expected. In 11 days, he swept 11 contests and extended his pledged delegate lead by 120. By the end of the month, Obama had 1,192 pledged delegates to Clinton's 1,035. He also began closing the gap in superdelegates, although Clinton still led among superdelegates by 240–191. Clinton's campaign tried to downplay the results of the February contests, and the candidate refused to acknowledge the losses in her speeches on election nights.February 2016 Her advisers acknowledged that she would need big wins in the upcoming states to turn the race around. March Jeremiah Wright controversy A More Perfect Union (speech) With four states and 370 delegates at stake, March 4 was dubbed "Mini-Super Tuesday" or "Super Tuesday II". Just as Obama had been favored in the mid-February states, Clinton was favored in Ohio, with its high proportion of working-class white voters and older voters, and Texas, with its high proportion of Latino voters. Exit polls in previous states showed that all three groups were a part of Clinton's base. In mid-February, Clinton held a 10-point lead in Texas and a 20-point lead in Ohio in RealClearPolitics polling averages.RealClearPolitics, Texas Polling Average, RealClearPolitics, Ohio Polling Average Her campaign set its sights on the Ohio-Texas "firewall," counting on a clear March 4 win to change the narrative and turn her campaign around for the nomination. Meanwhile, Obama hoped to win one or both states that might be enough to knock Clinton out of the race. By February 25, according to a CNN poll, they were in a statistical dead heat in Texas.Steinhauser Paul Poll: It's all tied up for Dems in Texas CNN February 25, 2008 March 20, 2008 http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/25/texas.poll thumb|left|Clinton campaigns in Lorain, Ohio. In the last week of February, Clinton's campaign seemed to be back on its feet. A Saturday Night Live sketch mocked the media for its supposedly biased coverage in favor of Obama, and Clinton used the sketch to argue that Obama had not received proper scrutiny. The media responded by taking a more critical look at Obama's campaign.Seelye Katharine Q. News Coverage Changes, and So Does Tone of the Campaign https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/us/politics/05press.html The New York Times March 5, 2008 March 20, 2008 Meanwhile, Obama supporter and former fundraiser Tony Rezko went on trial in a political corruption case in Chicago. While Obama was not implicated, questions remained about how forthcoming he had been about his relationship with Rezko. Controversy also erupted when it was reported in the Canadian press that Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee had privately offered assurances that Obama's anti-North American Free Trade Agreement rhetoric on the campaign trail was exaggerated. Obama's campaign denied the substance of the report, but their response was muddled by a series of missteps and may have hurt the candidate's standing with Ohio voters.Brown Carrie Budoff Conflicting Obama answers on NAFTA meeting Politico https://www.politico.com/story/2008/03/conflicting-obama-answers-on-nafta-meeting-008819 March 4, 2008 March 20, 2008 Clinton launched a five-point attack on Obama's qualifications, "unleashing what one Clinton aide called a 'kitchen sink' fusillade," according to The New York Times.Healy Patrick and Julie Bosman Clinton Campaign Starts 5-Point Attack on Obama The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/politics/26clinton.html February 26, 2008 March 20, 2008 Perhaps the most damaging component was a campaign ad that aired in Texas, using the imagery of the White House "red phone" to suggest that Obama would not be prepared to handle a crisis as commander-in-chief when a phone call comes into the White House at 3 a.m. The ad drew significant media attention in the four days before the election.Seelye Katharine Q. Jeff Zeleny Clinton Questions Role of Obama in a Crisis https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/us/politics/01campaign.html The New York Times March 22, 2008 March 24, 2008 In the general-election campaign, McCain used parts of the ad against Obama. Glover Mike McCain ad returns to Clinton's 3 a.m. phone call USA Today August 26, 2008 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-08-26-3886087604_x.htm December 28, 2016 DetailsDelegate votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countElection resultChangenotesFinal estimateDateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonObamaClintonMarch 4Ohio primary1412116267746774Rhode Island primary211233813813Texas primaryUnder the rules of Texas's unique "two-step" system, 126 pledged delegates are chosen during the primary on March 4. The remaining 67 pledged delegates are chosen during a caucus process beginning March 4 and culminating in a state convention June 6–7.1263522861656165Texas caucuses673829The results from the Texas county conventions on March 29 predict a 37–30 split, in contrast to the precinct conventions on March 4, which predicted a 38–29 split. The June 6 convention changed the split to a 38–29 count for Obama. See 2008 Texas Democratic presidential primary and caucuses for details.3829Vermont primary158239696March 8Wyoming caucuses126187575March 11Mississippi primary3384120132013 –Total41590505210 205210 205 –To date2,9987253,7251,533½1,427½1,562½1,421½ On election night, Clinton scored convincing wins in Ohio and Rhode Island. She narrowly won the Texas primary, while losing the Texas caucus. She pitched her wins that night as a comeback: "For everyone here in Ohio and across America who's ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out, and for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone who works hard and never gives up, this one is for you."http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/hillary_clintons_ohio_primary.html Hillary Clinton's Ohio Primary Victory Speech Obama focused on the "delegate math." He won the total delegate count in Texas, and he stayed close to Clinton on the delegate count in Ohio. "No matter what happens tonight," he said, "we have nearly the same delegate lead that we did this morning, and we are on our way to winning this nomination."Nagourney Adam Big Wins for Clinton in Texas and Ohio; McCain Clinches Race as Foe Concedes https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/us/politics/05primary.html The New York Times March 5, 2008 March 20, 2008 In fact, March 4 was the first election day in which Clinton won more delegates than Obama (though the Florida and Michigan primaries would later be honored by seating half of the states' delegations). After winning contests in Wyoming and Mississippi the following week, Obama erased Clinton's March 4 gains. On March 15, he increased his lead by 10 delegates at the Iowa county conventions, when former supporters of withdrawn candidates switched their support to him. After the March contests, the Democratic race entered a six-week period with no upcoming contests until April 22. As the campaigns settled in for the long haul, advisors for both candidates escalated their rhetoric and stepped up attacks in their daily conference calls. News reports described the tenor as increasingly "rancorous" and "vitriolic."Seeyle Katherine Q. Julie Bosman The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/us/politics/01fight.html April 1, 2008 April 1, 2008 Carrying Primary Scars Into the General Election See also: Cillizza Chris The Washington Post The Fix FixCam: Obamacains and McClintons March 27, 2008 April 1, 2008 http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/03/fixcam_obamaniacs_and_mcclinto.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120321030407/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/03/fixcam_obamaniacs_and_mcclinto.html March 21, 2012 On March 14, clips of controversial sermons from Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, resurfaced on YouTube and received heavy airtime on cable news television. Among other things, Wright said, "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme." Four days later, Obama responded to the controversy in a 37-minute speech, speaking openly about race and religion in the United States. He denounced Wright's remarks while refusing to condemn the pastor himself, and he attempted to pivot from the immediate circumstances to address the larger theme of "A More Perfect Union." The speech was regarded as "breathtakingly unconventional" in its political strategy and tone,Carney James Obama's Bold Gamble on Race Time http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1723302,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080320042736/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1723302,00.html dead March 20, 2008 March 18, 2008 April 1, 2008 and it received generally positive reviews in the press. The New York Times weighed in with an editorial: "Senator Barack Obama, who has not faced such tests of character this year, faced one on Tuesday. It is hard to imagine how he could have handled it better."Mr. Obama's Profile in Courage Opinion https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/opinion/19wed1.html The New York Times March 19, 2008 March 19, 2008 Ten days later, the speech had been watched at least 3.4 million times on YouTube.Stelter Brian The New York Times Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/us/politics/27voters.html March 27, 2008 March 27, 2008 On March 21, former primary candidate Bill Richardson, who has previously held important posts in the Clinton Administration, endorsed Barack Obama, a move that drew intense criticism from Clinton allies, including James Carville's Eastertime comparison of Richardson with Judas Iscariot.https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/22/us/politics/22richardson.html Adam Nagourney Jeff Zeleny The New York Times March 22, 2008 March 24, 2008 First a Tense Talk With Clinton, Then Richardson Backs Obama On March 25, Mike Gravel announced that he would leave the Democrats and join the Libertarian Party, entering the race for the 2008 Libertarian presidential nomination the following day.http://www.newsweek.com/id/129467/ Maverick Mike Sarah Elkins Newsweek March 31, 2008 April 1, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080506232848/http://www.newsweek.com/id/129467/ May 6, 2008 April and beyond right|thumb|200px|On May 18, Obama speaks to a crowd of 75,000 in Portland, Oregon.MARIA Gavrilovic, Maria (May 18, 2008), "Obama Takes His Message To Record Crowd", CBS News. As the race continued to Pennsylvania, Indiana, and North Carolina, many observers concluded that Clinton had little chance to overcome Obama's lead in pledged delegates.Alter Jonathan Jonathan Alter Hillary's New Math Problem Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com/id/119010 Even if she were to succeed in changing the dynamics of the race, there would not be enough pledged delegates remaining for her to catch up under most realistic scenarios.Nagourney Adam Clinton Facing Narrower Path to Nomination https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/us/politics/20memo.html The New York Times March 20, 2008 March 20, 2008 Some analysts believed Clinton could still win the nomination by raising doubts about Obama's electability, fighting for Michigan and Florida delegates to be seated at the convention, and convincing superdelegates to support her despite her expected loss in the pledged delegate vote.Cillizza Chris The Fix The Washington Post http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/03/the_blueprint_hillary_rodham_c.html Clinton's Blueprint for Victory March 6, 2008 March 20, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080725040829/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/03/the_blueprint_hillary_rodham_c.html July 25, 2008 However, the window of opportunity for re-votes in Michigan and Florida appeared to close in late March, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention, said that it would be harmful to the party if superdelegates were to overturn the result of the pledged delegate vote.Pelosi's Delegate Stance Boosts Obama March 14, 2008 ABC News http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/03/pelosis-delegat.html April 1, 2008 Complicating the equation for Democrats, presidential candidate John McCain clinched the Republican nomination on March 4. With Obama and Clinton engaged in the Democratic primary, McCain was free to define his candidacy for the general election largely unchallenged. Some Democrats expressed concern that Clinton stayed in the campaign through March and April, when they felt she had little chance to win the nomination, but a much greater chance to damage Obama's candidacy in the general election. However, others defended Clinton's right to continue on, arguing that a sustained campaign was good for the Democratic Party and that Clinton still had a realistic shot at the nomination.Nagourney Adam Carl Hulse Clinton Success Changes Dynamic In Delegate Hunt https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/us/politics/06elect.html The New York Times March 6, 2008 March 20, 2008 On April 22, Clinton scored a convincing win in Pennsylvania. However, on May 6, Obama surprised many observers by winning North Carolina by almost 15 percentage points, effectively erasing Clinton's gains in Pennsylvania. Clinton won by only 1 point in Indiana. With Obama now leading by 164 pledged delegates and with only 217 pledged delegates left to be decided in the remaining contests, many pundits declared that the primary was effectively over. Obama gave an election night speech that looked forward to the general election campaign against McCain.Rutenberg Jim The New York Times May 8, 2008 May 8, 2008 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/us/politics/07cnd-pundits.html Pundits Declare the Race Over The pace of superdelegate endorsements increased. On May 10, Obama's superdelegate total surpassed Clinton's for the first time in the race, making the math increasingly difficult for a Clinton win.http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/10/obama-picks-up-utah-superdelegate Fox News May 10, 2008 May 11, 2008 Obama Takes Superdelegate Lead for the First Time Clinton vowed to continue campaigning, and won convincingly in primaries in West Virginia on May 13, and Kentucky on May 20 where Appalachian voters strongly preferred her over Obama. However, Obama was able to clear a victory in Oregon on May 20, which allowed him to clinch the majority of pledged delegates. Obama gave a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, the state that propelled his candidacy, in which he stated, "You have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for president of the United States of America.""Obama's Remarks in Des Moines," transcript, NY Times, May 20, 2008. Accessed October 16, 2012. Clinton advisers said they would appeal to the DNC's Rules & Bylaws Committeehttp://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/rules-and-bylaws-committee-membership.html 2008 Democratic Convention Watch: Rules and Bylaws Committee membership 2008 Democratic Convention Watch April 28, 2008 May 9, 2008http://www.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/2008RegulationsoftheRBCFINAL.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20110608001804/http://www.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/2008RegulationsoftheRBCFINAL.pdf dead June 8, 2011 Regulations of the Rules & Bylaws Committee For The 2008 Democratic National Convention Democratic Party of the United States December 2, 2006 May 9, 2008 to have the Michigan and Florida delegations seated. However, even under the most favorable seating arrangement, she would not have been able to take a lead in pledged delegates and would have had to rely on superdelegates to win the nomination. On May 31, the rules committee accepted the Michigan state party's 69-59 distribution of pledged delegates and restored half votes to Florida's and Michigan's delegations. This resulted in a net gain for Clinton of 24 pledged delegates. Obama remained significantly ahead, with a lead of 137 pledged delegates before the Puerto Rico primary on June 1. right horizontal Barack Obama on the night he clinched the Democratic nomination center June 3, 2008 at Xcel Energy Center (right with Michelle) left/right/center 20080603 Obama Speaks on Nomination Victory Night.jpg 120 20080603 Obama Speaks to crowd on Nomination Victory Night.jpg 120 20080603 Obamas enter stage on Nomination Victory Night.jpg 133 On June 3, the day of the final primaries in South Dakota and Montana, Obama rolled out about sixty superdelegate endorsements. Those endorsements, together with the pledged delegates awarded in the final primaries, put him well over the "magic number" of 2,117 delegate votes necessary for a majority at the Democratic National Convention. By early in the evening, all major news organizations had announced that Obama had clinched the Democratic nomination, and Obama claimed the status of presumptive nominee in a speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clinton did not concede the nomination in her election night speech, saying that she would be "making no decisions tonight".http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/03/election.democrats/index.html Obama: I will be the Democratic nominee June 3, 2008 CNN June 4, 2008 On the morning of June 5, Clinton posted on her website an open letter to her supporters, which she also sent by e-mail that day. It announced that on Saturday (June 7) Clinton would endorse Obama's candidacy. During a well received concession speech in Washington DC on Saturday June 7 Clinton endorsed Obama in the following terms: "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States. Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him." DetailsDelegate votes to the conventionPledged delegate vote countElection resultChangenotesFinal estimateDateElection linkPledgedSuperTotalObamaClintonObamaClintonApril 22Pennsylvania primary1582918773857385May 3Guam caucuses4592222May 6Indiana primary72138534383438North Carolina primary1151913467486748May 13West Virginia primary281139820820May 20Kentucky primary5196014371437Oregon primary52136531213121June 1Puerto Rico primary5586317381738June 3Montana primary169259797South Dakota primary158236969 –At-large vacancies* –22 –Total566126692261305261305 –To date3,5648514,4171,794½1,732½1,823½1,726½ * Two at-large DNC superdelegate seats are vacant, see: History of superdelegate composition changes. Results Below are the results for the state primaries and caucuses held by the Democratic Party in 2008 for the presidential primaries. Clinton won one territorial contest, Puerto Rico, whilst Obama won Guam, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa. He also won the District of Columbia. frameless|900px #800080 Obama #f9edf9 20–30% #f5e1f5 30–40% #e1bbe1 40–50% #cf94cf 50–60% #bd6fbd 60–70% #a949a9 70–80% #863886 80–90% #632761 90–100% #4a1d49 100% #d4aa00 Clinton #ffeed5 30–40% #fce0b4 40–50% #f1c98b 50–60% #e6b263 60–70% #d99a39 70–80% #af7b2c 80–90% #855d20 90–100% #644618 100% #ff7f2a Edwards #ffcbbb 20–30% #ffb59d 30–40% #fc9978 40–50% #3156e6 Uncommitted #a9baff 40–50% #999999 No results frameless|900x900px #800080 Barack Obama 1px #AAAAAA solid #d4aa00 Hillary Clinton 1px #AAAAAA solid #ff7f2a John Edwards 1px #AAAAAA solid #b2b2b2 Tie 1px #AAAAAA solid #000000 No results 1px #AAAAAA solid N.B: The grey counties in Michigan denote that the counties are uncommitted for either candidate. Voter turnout thumb|right|350px|Democratic primary turnout exceeded Republican turnout in most states through March 4 (when John McCain clinched the Republican nomination). The eight exceptions were Alabama, Alaska, McCain's home state of Arizona, Idaho, Nebraska, Utah, as well as the states of Florida and Michigan, where the Democratic primaries had been nullified. Voter turnout was at historically high levels in the 2008 primaries and caucuses, with many contests setting all-time records for turnout. Voter turnout on Super Tuesday was at 27% of eligible citizens, breaking the previous record of 25.9% set in 1972.Katharine Seelye The Caucus: Records for Turnout https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9405E6D71031F934A35751C0A96E9C8B63&scp=11&sq=voter+turnout+democratic&st=nyt# The New York Times February 7, 2008 March 9, 2008 Turnout was higher among Democrats than Republicans, with Democratic turnout surpassing Republican turnout even in traditionally red states where the number of registered Democrats is proportionally low. David Herszenhorn Senate Democrats Hope for a Majority Not Seen in 30 Years: 60 Seats https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/07/us/politics/07senate.html The New York Times March 7, 2008 March 9, 2008 Many states reported high levels of Democratic voter registration in the weeks before primaries.Thomas Kaplan Connecticut Sees Surge of Voters for Primary https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/nyregion/05conn.html The New York Times February 5, 2008 March 9, 2008 From January 3 through February 5, Democratic turnout exceeded Republican turnout, 19.1 million to 13.1 million.Kent Garber High Democratic Turnout Sends a Mixed Signal for November https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/02/28/high-democratic-turnout-sends-a-mixed-signal-for-november.html U.S. News & World Report March 7, 2008 March 9, 2008 In the first five weeks of 2008, "voter turnout" was a phrase that was used almost exclusively in connection with the Democratic Party. There were routine stories of precincts running short on ballots, poll hours being extended, and voters packing haunch to paunch inside community centers and local churches. Crowd sizes were described, often with growing awe, as "staggering," "record breaking," or "unprecedented." Kent Garber U.S. News & World Report The high Democratic turnout was attributed to several factors: Laris Michael Tight Race and Deep Interest Augur Big Turnout Today https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021101532.html The Washington Post February 12, 2008 March 9, 2008 See also: Peter Whoriskey GEORGIA: Low GOP Enthusiasm https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/05/AR2008020502976.html The Washington Post February 6, 2008 March 9, 2008 the compressed primary calendar, which gave voters in more states an opportunity to participate in the nomination media interest and voter excitement generated by the first viable African-American and female presidential contenders dissatisfaction with Republican presidential candidates the early emergence of John McCain as the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party open primaries in some states, which allowed Republicans and independent voters to participate in Democratic contests dissatisfaction with President George W. Bush and Iraq War policy cyclical party realignment See also Fundraising for the 2008 United States presidential election Nationwide opinion polling for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries Political positions of Barack Obama Political positions of Hillary Clinton 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries Statewide opinion polling for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries Notes note References 30em External links Category:Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign Category:Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign Category:John Edwards Category:Joe Biden 2008 presidential campaign Category:Chris Dodd Category:Dennis Kucinich Category:Mike Gravel Category:Bill Richardson Category:Evan Bayh