PREVIEW: Obama-Clinton divide grows as North Carolina, Indiana loom

US News

May 2, 2008, 1:06 GMT

Raleigh, North Carolina - Judy Fruend, a Hillary Clinton campaign volunteer, has been called a 'dead-dog Democrat' by her husband, meaning she would vote for the centre-left party's candidate even if a dead dog were nominated against the Republicans. This year's presidential election is a different story. 'I've uttered these words: 'If the other Democrat got the nomination, I would vote for (Republican nominee) John McCain,'' Fruend says, drawing a howl of 'no' from a fellow volunteer in Clinton's local headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. 'That was a few weeks ago,' the 62-year-old from the nearby town of Cary quickly recants, admitting she could probably never go through with the threat. But her passion is a sign of just how divided the Democratic Party has become, as the four-month-old nomination battle between Clinton and Barack Obama hits North Carolina and Indiana, where voters go to the polls on Tuesday to express their presidential preferences. Opinion polls show the candidates locked in a dead heat in Indiana, while Obama's once double-digit lead in North Carolina has narrowed in the last week. With only one month of primaries left to go and time running out, Obama continues to hold a small lead in the race for the 2,024 delegates needed to capture the nomination. Obama edges Clinton 1,733 to 1,597 by the count of realclearpolitics.com. Mathematically, Clinton has virtually no chance of catching Obama's lead in pledged delegates - those awarded directly in state primaries. But she could still convince so-called superdelegates - party elected leaders and activists who make up one-fifth of total delegates - to put her over the top in the party's August nominating convention in Denver, Colorado. Almost 300 superdelegates have yet to choose sides, and Democratic Party leaders have urged the undecided to make up their minds no later than the last scheduled primary on June 3. Clinton's victory last week in Pennsylvania gave the former first lady a massive shot of momentum and motivated a huge infusion of campaign donations. The win also quieted calls for Clinton to leave the race and planted further doubts about Obama's ability to win the most populous swing states, which will be crucial to a Democratic victory in the November general election. Clinton on Thursday also jumped on new opinion polls suggesting she had a better chance of beating McCain, who has been free to raise money and plan his general election strategy since wrapping up the centre-right Republican Party nomination in March. With only seven nominating contests left, each remaining primary gains significance, and both candidates have campaigned furiously in the last week across North Carolina in the South and Indiana in the Midwest. Obama's expected victory in North Carolina - an Atlantic Coast state with a large African-American population - has made Indiana the key battleground on Tuesday. Indiana's Democratic Party has a large contingent of working-class voters who have traditionally backed Clinton, but it also borders Obama's home state of Illinois. 'If we can win Indiana, especially after some bad press that we received over the last couple of weeks, I think we can go ahead and wrap up this nomination right here, right now,' Obama said Wednesday in a conference call with state volunteers, cited in the Tribune-Star newspaper of Terre Haute, Indiana. Obama has suffered from the reemergence of his former Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright Jr, who on Monday in Washington repeated some of his most racially incendiary remarks that first drew attention in March. The new comments prompted Obama's strongest rebuke yet of the man he has credited with introducing him to the Christian faith some 20 years ago. The continuing Democratic contest has aroused excitement among voters in states that have never before played such a crucial role in the intra-party nomination process. 'People in this state never expected it to go this far,' said Clinton spokeswoman Carly Lindauer in Raleigh, North Carolina's capital. 'Everyone is expecting that we will see a very large turnout.' But the worry for Democrats is that such highly charged emotions could translate into fewer votes for the primary winner come November. The negative tone of the campaign in recent weeks has heightened concerns among party leaders. In a poll last month of Pennsylvanians, nearly one quarter of Clinton supporters said they would vote for McCain in November if Obama wins the Democratic nomination, and nearly one fifth of Obama's voters said they would do the same if Clinton won. Other Democratic voters insist that ousting President George W Bush's Republican Party from the White House should remain the overarching goal. 'I just think we need a change,' said Burt Hayward, 55, of Raleigh. 'The Democrats deserve a chance to screw it up also.'

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rock n roll fan .May 2nd, 2008 - 04:09:53

Hillary Clinton . For 12 years i have wanted to get into your pants ,( no offence Bill ), but i'm sure that that will never happen ; i really dig good-looking Blonds . Anyway , i'm not a Democrat , or A Liberal ! Altought he may have made some wrong decisions , i still believe that president Bush is doing the right-thing . I am certain he loves us all ; espesially all the brave and wonderful people in Uniform , who are Sacrificing on our Behalf , ( thanks a Ton Folks ! ) Anyway Hillary , I was drawn to you , when I read about your comments about what you would Do as president , if iran hurt Israel . i'm not from America (althought I Love you All), ; you Got Balls Baby ! ; I hope you WIN ! Obliterate . Watch-it you iranium Scum !!!

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patriotMay 2nd, 2008 - 23:01:30

I will vote for Judah Ben-Hur from the American Republic for President in 2012. Maybe Obama should run with him then, not now.

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TomMay 2nd, 2008 - 23:29:00

If you go to pollster.com you can see that Hillary is the one to beat McCain.

Obama is not doing so well in the polls these days.

That's why his campaign sent out the attack dogs again, blaming Hillary for what only has to do with Barrack himself and his hostile character and history.

I feel exactly the same way as the lady in the story - I'll vote for McCain before I'd vote for Obama.

He is too arrogant, too mean, too sleezy.

He is a black shrub. He is the same as Bush. I don't want another 8 years of having to turn the channel every time the president comes on because of how revulsive he is.

Hillary takes the high road. I love her.

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SP4: Why yes, Tom...May 3rd, 2008 - 00:29:01

Never mind the Clinton resume':

White Water

FBI records scandal

Russian and chinese campaign funds scandal

Travel office scandal

Greasy commodity trades

Mr. Hsu fund raising scam

Catholic church property scam

Foundation funds for influence

Mr. Penn and his traveling influence show

Yep, we're gonna lose that crooked ol GW and insert Saint Hillary into the Oval Office.

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You'reMay 3rd, 2008 - 15:36:18

the guy I love to hate.

You slay me the way you keep tabs handy so you can do all of your cut and paste jobs on Hillary. That's being obsessive, compulsive you know.

While you are passing judgement on Clintons, you fail to dig up the dirt on John. He's got a whole closet full.

You're a one man show SP4.

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Sp4 is...May 3rd, 2008 - 17:29:14

so fixated on Clinton that he is at the point of being a stalker. The Secret Service keeps tabs on people who are overly interested in public figures. You would think that an admitted drug producer and addict, who has come to the attention of the DEA, would learn to keep his mouth shut and lay low. But then again a drug addict with a drug addled brain doesn't think clearly.

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Sp4: ThenMay 3rd, 2008 - 17:30:17

You're a biased, provincial, bigoted libnazi pussy.

Did I commit those crimes???

F--k no. You're trophy boy and girl did. They are not in question. There are countless testimonies to these crimes. Heck, I didn't even recall the whole list, you don't have the time!

Am I to blame for recounting them?

Yes. Guilty as charged. Last time I heard, folks were supposed to be informed. You liberals have gotten a pass from a gagged press for the last 100 years and this is proof that is ALL over!

Did I keep them under wraps?

No, you cocks--king libnazi press did, and the part that makes me love to hate you...you LOVE it!

You have dirt on McCain, like the Keating Five...bring it up, don't bitch about what I'm writing about! Shei----t you kids have the Internet and you still don't use it!

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ParkerMay 3rd, 2008 - 18:53:42

Sounds like SP4 could be called a 'dead dog Republican', and people are getting under his skin when he resorts to name calling and bleeped-out words - keep it up, it adds to boring days!! I hope both candidates stay to the bitter end - it keeps people more interested and might generate more voters.

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Hillary hate!!!! Clinton hate!!!!!!!!May 4th, 2008 - 03:26:07

SP4. How imbecilic can one get? Natural born looser Bwahahahahahahahaha.

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PREVIEW: Obama-Clinton divide grows as North Carolina, Indiana loom

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