Clinton, Obama Spar on Eve of Crucial Primaries




If their moods offer any indication, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are vying as much for the role of underdog and front-runner as they are for votes Tuesday in Indiana and North Carolina Democratic primaries.

“We’re working as hard as we can and I desperately want every single vote here in Indiana and North Carolina,” Obama said.

Obama continues to lead in North Carolina, although most polls show Clinton has closed the gap significantly; the candidates are in a statistical dead heat in Indiana.

The latest Gallup daily tracking poll also shows them in a virtual tie nationally — with Obama leading by 5 percent, which is within the margin of error.

Drawing distinctions between herself and Obama at nearly every stop Monday, Clinton pushed forth a populist message and unleashed a new TV ad that criticizes Obama for his opposition to a gas tax holiday. The ad calls her the “candidate who is going to fight for working people.”

At a campaign rally in Highpoint, N.C., Clinton questioned Obama’s commitment to fighting oil companies.

“Senator Obama wants you to pay the gas tax this summer, instead of trying to get the oil companies to pay it out of their record profits,” she said. “So I believe that we should start standing up for the vast majority of Americans who are paying those outrageous gas prices.”

Clinton also seized the opportunity to attack the presumed Republican nominee, John McCain, who also supports suspending the gas tax.

“Senator McCain wants you to have a gas tax holiday, but he doesn’t want you to pay for it,” Clinton said. “Well, we’ve been down that road. We cannot increase the deficit. We cannot take money from the highway trust fund. That would be a mistake.”

Clinton, Obama Spar on Eve of Crucial Primaries - America’s Election HQ

And so..the beat goes on and on and on..

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins ..

Pass the butter...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

The pundits say it will be a split and nothing will change.If Obama takes Indianna.it's pretty much over for Hillary.

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins ..

Voters turn out for what could be Democrats' final round

Update

(CNN) -- Poll workers in Indiana and North Carolina reported heavy turnout Tuesday for two primaries that could be pivotal in the Democratic presidential nomination battle between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Turnout in the North Carolina Democratic primary was expected to reach 50 percent, according to Gary Bartlett, executive director for the North Carolina Board of Elections.

That figure would far exceed the 15 percent to 30 percent that usually turn out for a primary, he said.

The Indiana secretary of state's office will not release turnout figures until the end of the day, but Bethany Derringer, a spokeswoman for the office, said turnout was high.

Polling officials in Indianapolis said they had set a record for voter turnout after being open for only six hours.

North Carolina election officials reported a minor problem in the town of Oriental after an election official failed to show up. No voting problems were reported in Indiana.

A polling station in Raleigh, North Carolina, also saw a steady stream of voters after it opened at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

In all, 187 delegates are at stake in Indiana and North Carolina. Clinton, the junior senator from New York, knows that the results in these two states could shake up the race.

"This primary election on Tuesday is a game-changer," Clinton said. "This is going to make a huge difference in what happens going forward. The entire country, probably even a lot of the world, is looking."

Judging by the numbers, Obama is the front-runner. The Illinois senator leads in pledged delegates and in states won, and he is ahead in the popular vote, if Florida and Michigan are not factored into the equation. Those states are being penalized for moving their primaries up in violation of party rules.

With Obama ahead in all these categories, Clinton has a lot on the line in Indiana and North Carolina.

"It would be a game-changer if Clinton wins both North Carolina and Indiana by double-digit margins," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political correspondent. "That would signal to the superdelegates that Democratic voters are having serious doubts about Obama. She needs big victories because it's so late in the game."

In all, only 404 pledged delegates remain to be chosen, and Tuesday's total of 187 makes it the biggest single primary day left. Clinton would need to win 70 percent of the remaining pledged delegates to catch up with Obama.

"That's very unlikely," Schneider said. "She stands a better chance of catching up in the total popular vote."

Voters turn out for what could be Democrats' final round - CNN.com

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins ..