Dateline: February 5, 2008

In NOLA, that’s New Orleans, Louisiana for the culturally illiterate, yesterday was Fat Tuesday, commonly known as Mardi Gras. That means, of course, today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and 40 days before Easter. In 2008, it’s also National Signing Day for College Football, and the epicenter of Rivalry Week in College basketball…which quite simply means dook plays Carolina in hoops! But I digress.

While yesterday was Fat Tuesday in Nawlins, in 24 other States and Territories from Alaska to Massachusetts, it was Super Tuesday, the largest Primary Election Day in the history of America. Election ’08 continues to intensify and gain momentum, moving toward an historical culmination that is all but certain to yield either a woman or a black as a major Party’s nominee for President for the first time.

On the other side, it seems an intriguing duel is developing between two candidates who have chosen to emphasize as their principal point of emphasis the war in Iraq in one instance, and the economy in the other. The fly in that ointment is a third candidate, who is maintaining sufficient traction to remain in the race.

Late in the evening, Senator Obama was the projected by CBS News to be the winner in at least 13 of the 22 Democratic Primaries and Caucuses, including Primaries in Illinois, his home State, and Missouri in the Midwest, along with Georgia and Alabama in the South, Connecticut and Delaware in the Northeast, plus all of the night’s Caucuses, including Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Kansas.

Meanwhile, according to CBS News, Senator Clinton was targeted for victory in 8 Primaries, including her current home State of New York, California the largest, and most delegate-rich state, and Massachusetts, despite Obama receiving Kennedy family endorsements. She is also expected to win in Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Arkansas

When the details are synthesized, it is clear; there is still a race, as was anticipated before the day began. A quick look shows Obama won more States, while Clinton maintains the edge in delegates, but not by much.

Flip over to the Republican Primaries, and a different phenomenon is unfolding. Senator McCain has nearly doubled the delegate totals for former Governor Romney, and former Governor Huckabee, combined! He is projected by CBS News to have won nine States, including New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Illinois, Delaware, Arizona, Missouri, and California. By emerging victorious in the most populous States, the Senator has achieved the double bonus of creating breathing room, and simultaneously putting substantial pressure on both Romney and Huckabee.

Next in the pecking order, for the moment anyway, is Romney, whom CBS News projects to have won six States, including Massachusetts, where he served as Governor, Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Colorado.

It is surprising to some, but Huckabee continues to persevere. CBS News projects him to have won five States, including West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. That Huckabee is managing to remain spiritedly involved in a back and forth competitive delegate race with Romney is said to symbolize several lingering concerns.

One, it is argued that McCain would have an even more dominant lead, were it not for concerns about his conservative credentials. Two, this difficulty Romney has had gaining traction and parlaying it into votes may erode his ability to sell himself as a viable candidate. Three, the combination of one and two above, despite his influx of resources, may wear on Romney’s resolve to continue in the race.

So what have we learned? We already knew that by today, over half the delegates for each Party’s nomination would be decided. They have been. We know that the Democrats are down to the semi-finalists, Clinton and Obama. Theirs is a race that could go the distance, and not be decided until the Convention Floor, August 25-28, in Denver, Colorado.

We know the Republicans have a clear front-runner in John McCain. He has a significant lead, but currently does not have the leverage to persuade either of his two remaining challengers to submit. As long as neither can create separation from the other, it is likely both will remain in the race. All three may not make it to The Republican National Convention, September 1-4, in St. Paul, Minnesota…but they may!

The delegate count is shaping up. The Democratic candidate needs 2,025 delegates to clinch the nomination. After yesterday’s Primaries and Caucuses, Senator Clinton’s approximate delegate total is 835; Senator Obama’s total is 724, and Senator Edwards, who is no longer in the race, 26 delegates. The Democratic composite total looks like this:

Total Delegate Count

Democrats 2,025 Needed to Clinch
CLINTON
835
OBAMA
724
EDWARDS
26

CBS News etimates. Includes superdelegates.


The Republican Candidate needs 1,191 delegates to clinch the nomination. Senator McCain has accumulated approximately 512 delegates, former Governor Romney has roughly 151 delegates, and former Governor Huckabee has a projected 134 delegates. The Republican composite total looks like this:

Total Delegate Count

Republicans 1,191 Needed to Clinch
MCCAIN
512
ROMNEY
151
HUCKABEE
134

CBS News estimates. Includes superdelegates.


Enough already, I am done for this week; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com, or by Googling thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.


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http://mashable.com/2008/02/05/40-super-tuesday-2008-resources/

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