PR June 1st Dem Primary Could Favor Hillary Clinton

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Boricua Master
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"BoricuaMaster"

Subject: PR June 1st Dem Primary Could Favor Hillary Clinton
posted Saturday, March 8th 2008 @ 6:12 PM

'RICAN' HAVOC ON BARACK
NY Post, By MAGGIE HABERMAN
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03082008/news/nationalnews/rican_havoc_on_barack_100947.htm

March 8, 2008 -- The head of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico, a supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton, suddenly replaced the island's upcoming caucus vote with a primary - a move observers say could boost the former first lady.

Democratic officials in the commonwealth said the primary on June 1 will let more people take part in what has become a hard-fought nomination contest in which every delegate matters.

Puerto Rico's Democratic chairman, Roberto Prats, said the switch was approved in a vote on Thursday night and will change the landscape in the battle for the 55 delegates at stake there in one of the final primaries.

"If Puerto Rico is going to play such a significant role, we should give the world a showcase of democracy," Prats said.

"We know how to vote, we vote in masses, and I think it's Puerto Rico's showtime."

The switcheroo is a blow to Barack Obama, who has won every one of the 14 caucus votes except for Nevada. Clinton has taken 15 of the 28 primaries, if her controversial wins in Florida and Michigan are included.

Experts say Obama has prevailed in the caucuses - which Clinton and her campaign aides have openly disparaged - because of better organization and the tendency of those contests to be dominated by more left-leaning voters.

Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf agreed the switch from a caucus to a primary would help Clinton.

"It's a straight-ahead vote by the public, [and] she's done well with Spanish-speaking cultures. No. 2, there's no caucus issue where people can be influenced by union workers or others," Sheinkopf said.

Clinton may benefit from the island's close links to New York, home to many people from Puerto Rico.

The Service Employees International Union, which is backing Obama, has a presence there, Democratic strategists said. But union support would have counted more strongly in a caucus.

Puerto Rico will be the next-to-the-last vote of the Democratic primary season, with the final matchups of the Clinton-Obama battle coming two days later, on June 3, when Montana and South Dakota vote.

Puerto Ricans are US citizens but are not able to vote in the general presidential race and have no voting congressional representation.

The island has 7superdelegates: 3 back Clinton, 2 are for Obama, and the other 2 up for grabs.

Meanwhile, Wyoming - the least populous state in the union - was under the hot lights yesterday as voters there prepared to hold caucuses.

The candidates are neck and neck nationally, according to a new Newsweek poll.

The survey conducted over Wednesday and Thursday shows Clinton has erased Obama's nationwide lead and is now nearly even, trailing him 44 to 45 % amongst Democrat voters.

Boricua Master

"InterplanetaryFunkmanship"

Subject: RE: PR June 1st Dem Primary Could Favor Hillary Clinton
posted Wednesday, March 12th 2008 @ 10:37 PM

Wow, that means three more months of this hard-fought contest! Presidential politics hasn't been this exciting in decades.

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