U.S. Edition
(CNN) – Even as she faces pressure from some to call her White House bid quits, Hillary Clinton holds a commanding lead in West Virginia, according to a new poll released Friday.
Clinton has a 43-point advantage over Obama, 66 percent to 23 percent, according to a new survey from the American Research Group.
The poll was conducted entirely after Tuesday's primary results, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The poll suggests Clinton’s white, working class base seems to be holding firm for her - at least in West Virginia, where that demographic makes up a substantial portion of the Democratic electorate.
West Virginia, one of the six contests left in the Democratic presidential race, votes next Tuesday.
(CNN) - CNN's Candy Crowley reports Barack Obama is close to overtaking Hillary Clinton in the superdelegate gap, in Friday's edition of the CNN=Politics Daily Podcast.
CNN's Mary Snow reports John McCain and Barack Obama are trading jabs in what could be a preview of the upcoming general election match-up.
And, a wedding in Crawford. CNN's Elaine Quijano has the details of Jenna Bush's private wedding Saturday at the Bush ranch in Texas.
Finally, CNN's Jennifer Mikell sums up the week's most memorable moments from the campaign trail.
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(CNN) - Barack Obama picked up another three more superdelegates Friday afternoon.
Hawaii Rep. Mazie Hirono, South Carolina Democratic Party Vice Chair Wilber Lee Jeffcoat, and New Mexico add on delegate Laurie Weahkee all announced they are backing the Illinois senator.
CNN has also confirmed five new superdelegates for Clinton, though they all endorsed the New York senator before the primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. The latest announcements for Obama narrow Clinton's lead in superdelegates to four. At the year's start, she led by more than 100 superdelegates.
(Updates with New Mexico superdelegate)
(CNN)— Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman echoed presumptive nominee John McCain's increasing criticism of Barack Obama’s willingness to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday, the Democrat turned independent said he didn’t question Obama’s commitment when it comes to the Middle East, but said the Illinois senator's failure to set pre-conditions on the meeting shows inexperience, and “not only gives prestige [to Ahmedinajad], but threatens our allies in the region.”
“One of John’s strengths is that our allies and friends will trust him and our enemies will fear him," said Lieberman, who has backed the Arizona senator's presidential bid. "McCain knows when to be tough and when to be soft.”
Lieberman said the Democratic race wasn't over yet - but he said it was pretty clear to him that Obama will be the nominee, adding “it will be a tough [general election] campaign.”
For all those like Mitt Romney who said, when talking about Barack Obama, "The presidency of the United States is not an internship," consider this.
The young guy with not nearly as much political experience is on the verge of toppling one of the most powerful political names of the last 50 years, Hillary Clinton. For all her claims of having more experience, the relative newcomer proved to have a lot more moxie.
She said "experience." He said "change."
To read more and contribute to the Cafferty File discussion click here
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Whenever I interview a major newsmaker, I always marvel at the pickup of the interview by other news organizations and the reaction from interested parties. The latest case in point is my interview this week with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
During the interview, I asked Obama to react to a suggestion from Republican presidential candidate John McCain that the Democrat was the preferred candidate of the militant Palestinian group Hamas. Obama replied that that assertion was “offensive” and “a smear.” He then added: “And so for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination.”
It didn’t take very long for the McCain campaign to respond. “First,” McCain’s senior adviser Mark Salter wrote in a memo, “let us be clear about the nature of Senator Obama’s attack today. He used the words ‘losing his bearings’ intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain’s age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning.”
FULL POST
(CNN) – John Edwards still isn’t backing a candidate in this year’s Democratic primary race – but it looks like he might be ready to pick a winner.
The former presidential candidate told interviewers on NBC and MSNBC that Barack Obama will probably top the Democratic ticket this fall.
Hillary Clinton has said that she can still win the nomination – but "it's very difficult to make the math work," said Edwards.
Which one of the remaining contenders is best-equipped to beat presumptive Republican nominee John McCain? Edwards tried to avoid picking between the two – then chose Obama, because he said the Illinois senator was the probable Democratic nominee.
He added that he worried the continuing campaign could take a toll on the party’s presidential chances. “I think it’s fine for Hillary to keep making the case for her,” said the former North Carolina senator. “But when that shifts to everything that is wrong with him, then we’re doing damage instead of being helpful.”
Edwards has been heavily wooed by both the Clinton and Obama campaigns since he ended his presidential run in January, but has not publicly endorsed either candidate.
BEAVERTON, Oregon (CNN) – What just a week ago was a joint attack on Hillary Clinton and John McCain over the proposed gas tax holiday is now just an attack on McCain - in fact, nowhere in his opening words did Barack Obama utter the word "Clinton."
"McCain," on the other hand, was tossed out nine times in the prepared comments.
The Illinois senator called the presumptive Republican nominee "dead wrong" when it comes to comments he made about the economy under the Bush administration, and he even took a swipe at McCain's healthcare plan - an issue that has not traditionally been used as a means to contrast himself from the Arizona senator.
"John McCain wants to continue a George Bush approach that only takes care of the healthy and the wealthy," Obama said.
During a question-and-answer session, however, Obama was asked what he thought about the idea of picking Clinton as his running mate. The White House hopeful repeated his standard response: that he has "not won this nomination yet" and that the two Democrats are still "actively running."
"She is very smart, and so I think she would be on anyone's…short list of vice presidential candidates," Obama said. "But beyond that I don't want to offer an opinion."
(CNN) – Add Obama supporter Sen. Ted Kennedy to the list of joint-ticket naysayers.
In an interview airing this weekend, the Massachusetts senator told Bloomberg’s Al Hunt that despite widespread talk of a ticket featuring both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, "I don't think it's possible."
He added that “…I would hope that he would also give consideration to somebody that has - is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people. And I think if we had real leadership - as we do with Barack Obama - in the number-two spot as well, it'd be enormously helpful.”
Kennedy also said that he had not spoken with former President Bill Clinton since endorsing Barack Obama.
(CNN) - Barack Obama picked up another superdelegate Friday, narrowing Hillary Clinton's advantage to three.
Democratic National Committee Member Ed Espinoza formally endorsed Obama, saying he has "the character to lead our great nation."
“I am endorsing Barack Obama today because throughout this process I have seen him show a judgment and character that we need in our next president," he said in a statement released by the campaign. "From day one he opposed the Iraq war and has a plan to end the war in a responsible way and bring our sons and daughters home."
Espinoza is a former supporter of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's presidential bid.