POLITICAL WIRE’S HEADLINES - 3/27

Poll Shows Obama Weathering Controversy

“The racially charged debate over Barack Obama’s relationship with his longtime pastor hasn’t much changed his close contest against Hillary Clinton, or hurt him against Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain,” according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

“Weathering the episode could strengthen his standing among the party leaders nationwide — the superdelegates — whose votes are likely to break the impasse” in the Democratic race.

But both Democrats — and especially Sen. Hillary Clinton — “are showing wounds from their prolonged and increasingly bitter nomination contest, which could weaken the ultimate nominee for the general-election showdown” against McCain. “Even among women, who are the base of Sen. Clinton’s support, she now is viewed negatively by more voters than positively for the first time in a Journal/NBC poll.”

 

Michigan Primary Found Unconstitutional
A federal judge “ruled Michigan’s presidential primary law unconstitutional and blocked the state from giving voter lists from the Jan. 15 election to the state’s major political parties,” the Detroit News reports.

“The ruling likely further damages the already small hope that the Democratic Party would honor the Jan. 15 results. It is unlikely that national Democratic officials would relent in their opposition to seating delegates based on a disputed vote that has now been declared flawed under the constitution.”

Nominee Will Be Determined Before Convention

The Las Vegas Review Journal runs a brief Q&A with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) about settling on a Democratic nominee for president.

Q: Do you still think the Democratic race can be resolved before the convention?

Reid: Easy.

Q: How is that?

Reid: It will be done.

Q: It just will?

Reid: Yep.

Q: Magically?

Reid: No, it will be done. I had a conversation with Governor Dean (Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean) today. Things are being done.

 

Clinton’s Tactics Questioned

“At a time when Sen. Hillary Clinton is increasingly relying on superdelegates to vault her to the Democratic Party’s nomination, a handful of undecided and pledged superdelegates are coming forward to say her campaign’s tactics in recent weeks are doing more harm than good,” according to NBC News.

“The Democratic Party insiders say they believe Clinton’s direct attacks against Sen. Barack Obama in recent days are hurting the party and its chances in November, and also say it is showing a calculated, desperate-to-win side of Clinton that they dislike.”

 

Portman Seen as Likely McCain Veep

From the latest Evans-Novak Political Report: “McCain won’t pick a running mate any time soon. But the front-runner in the VP derby may be Rob Portman — former Ohio congressman, former U.S. trade representative and former OMB director. He appears to have fewer negatives than any other possibility.”

 

Bonus Quote of the Day

“All these guys that say bad things about any other campaign, they say, ‘Should they resign?’ My answer is no; they’re repeating party line. They oughta stay right where they are. Let’s just saddle up and have an argument. What’s the matter with that? That’s what America’s about, right?”

– Bill Clinton, quoted by NBC News.

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