There seems to be a growing consensus that if the contests play out as expected, both Clinton and Obama will essentially be tied in pledged delegates at the end of the primary season – leaving it to super delegates to decide the race.
-- CNN, Feb. 9 (emphasis added)
By now, it is clear that there is a very real possibility superdelegates will block the rightful winner of the primary process from becoming the next Democratic nominee for President.
The best way to prevent that from happening is to document who is actually winning, because the more knowledge people have about who really won, the harder it will be for superdelegates to exercise their power to usurp democracy. And the real numbers speak for themselves: Barack Obama is winning.
Today, I put up a new web site at www.ObamaIsWinning.com to help make sure the truth is heard.
I know that folks here place a premium on not being overconfident, and that's smart. There's a lot of work to be done.
I point that out to make it clear that ObamaIsWinning.com is not about declaring victory. It's not about celebration.
It's about making sure that if -- and when -- Obama achieves victory, it isn't stolen from his grasps.
The site is dedicated to the idea that voters -- not political insiders -- should choose the Democratic presidential nominee.
We deserve to know who's actually ahead, by counting pledged delegates, elected through primaries and caucuses.
This isn't about Clinton versus Obama. The nomination could be stolen no matter who ends up the rightful winner of the democratic process, but with an informed public, it will be much harder to steal. Thieves don't like daylight.
Here's some of the key information that I will keep up-to-date on the website and also through diaries.
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Obama leads by 3% in pledged delegates
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Last updated: 2/11, 5:03PM. Source: CNN.com
Pledged delegates are the delegates selected by our votes in primaries and caucuses. They represent the true will of voters -- unlike the superdelegates, a group of 796 political insiders free to choose whomever they want at the convention.
Through Feb. 10, 2,010 of the 3,253 pledged delegates have been chosen. Although CNN has yet to determine the status of 84 of these delegates, the Obama campaign estimates he will win 54% of them.
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Obama has won 20 states, Clinton 11
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Last updated: 2/10, 11:03 PM. Source: CNN.com
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Obama is leading the popular vote
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Last updated: 2/11, 5:03 PM. Source: MSNBC.com, jedreport.com
Data from all 31 contests with delegates at stake. Voter preference in AK, IA, ME, NV, and WA estimated from the total caucus turnout and distribution of state delegates.
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State-by-state breakdown
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Last updated: 2/11, 6:53 PM. Source: MSNBC.com, jedreport.com
* Voter preference estimated from the total caucus turnout and distribution of state delegates.
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As many of you know, I'm was a diehard Edwards partisan, and I've had my doubts about Senator Obama.
However, in the last few days -- particularly with his outstanding J-J speech in Virginia -- I've grown comfortable thinking of myself as an Obama supporter.
I guess you can call that an endorsement. I lean no longer.
I am for Obama. I support him.
More importantly, I want to make sure that the nomination isn't stolen from him.
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After voting ends tomorrow, Democrats will have chosen two-thirds of all delegates going to Denver. The process is winding down, and Barack Obama is building his lead.
Nobody should ease up -- continue forward with intensity. But I do think it's important that people understand who is winning the democratic phase of the Democratic nomination process -- and what that means for Denver.
http://www.ObamaIsWinning.com