Hillary Clinton is the winner of the West Virginia Democratic primaries, where she took 65% of the vote in a landslide victory over rival Barack Obama. News media and television networks were quick to project her as the winner, even with no official results tallied. Barack Obama has taken about 28% of the vote, still being tallied. Obama is leading Clinton, however, in the amount of primaries won, amount of delegates received, and amount of superdelegates pledged.

Hillary Clinton is using the results of this primary to show why she should remain in the race, after mounting pressure that she should withdraw.

This was sent on a campaign email:

After tonight’s tremendous victory here in West Virginia, it’s clear that the pundits declaring this race over have it all wrong. The voters in West Virginia spoke loud and clear — they want this contest to go on.

She is showing high hopes for future primaries. She states in the same email that she is “going to carry the energy of tonight’s victory into the next contests in Kentucky and Oregon…We’ve proved conventional wisdom wrong time and again in this race. We did it again tonight in West Virginia. Let’s keep going.”

Here’s an email the McCain campaign sent out showing how John McCain is prepared to tackle health care issues as president:

Straight Talk On Health Care
Today, there are 47 million uninsured individuals in the U.S., and nearly a quarter of them are children. High costs and limited access are the underlying, fundamental problems in our healthcare system.

As you know, both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are touting outrageously expensive and unrealistic universal health care plans - a government monopoly over health care.

Unlike my opponents, I do not believe that all of our nation’s problems can be solved by turning control over to our government, with all the tax increases, new mandates and government regulation that come with that idea.

Today, our campaign began running a television ad focused on health care - that you can view by following this link - to ensure all Americans hear the truth about how I plan to tackle the challenges facing our nation’s health care system. To ensure this important ad is aired in as many markets as possible, I’m asking for your immediate financial assistance.

I believe the key to real reform is to restore control over our health care system to the patients themselves. Americans need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage.

That’s why, as president, I will seek to encourage and expand the benefits of Health Savings Accounts, tax-preferred accounts that are used to pay insurance premiums and other health costs. These accounts put the family in charge of what they pay for.

In addition, I will reform the tax code to provide every family the option of receiving a direct, refundable tax deposit - effectively $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 cash for families to offset the cost of insurance.

The reality is that both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, in their haste to garner support for their so-called “solutions,” are promising more than they can deliver. And, once again, they are simply out-of-touch with the real problems facing our health care system and how to solve them.

Here are the facts: Under the Democrats’ plan, we will have all the problems, and more, of the current health care system - rigid rules, long waits and lack of choices - and we risk degrading the system’s great strengths and advantages, including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.

My friends, this is not my definition of real reform.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. While my Democratic opponents continue to believe that our government can solve all of our problems, I am prepared to offer practical, common sense solutions to the problem of rapidly rising health care costs and access in America. I urge you to join with me today and help me take our message to the American people.

Hillary Clinton is the winner of the Pennsylvania Democratic primaries, winning over Barack Obama an estimated 8 to 10 points.
This was a much needed win for the Clinton campaign. Although Hillary will get the majority of Pennsylvania’s delegates, Obama is still ahead in the overall count.
Now that the Pennsylvania primaries are over, the aggressive campaigning there by candidates will come to an end.
Not too long from now, prominent members of the Democratic party called superdelegates will vote for the Democratic Presidential nominee in the Democratic National Convention.

On Thursday nights episode of the Colbert Report, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards all made surprise appearances.

The Colbert Report spent the week broadcasting from Philadelphia to cover the Pennsylvania primary (which actually matters this election season). They did a really great job, and fans of the show most definitely would like to see it happen again.

It all started like this: Stephen’s screen started to fail (rainbow bar style), and Jimmy couldn’t fix it because all of the Report’s tech guys were back in New York… Out of nowhere, Hillary Clinton pops in and offers her help. She telly Jimmy to toggle the switch of the ox[something], and what do you know — Hillary Clinton fixes the screen! She also calls some of the staff to fix Stephen’s makeup, and than walks away. Colbert praises Clinton on the fact that she’s always prepared for any situation. Before she goes, she tells Stephen to call her anytime — “even at 3:00 am.” They didn’t really have any campaign related discussion, so Hillary might have just been in it for a quick Colbert bump.

Fast forward a little bit further into the episode: Stephen Colbert begins discussing how important the white male demographic of voters is to the election. He starts off about how there used to be a candidate that embraced the values of and represented that demographic, but he is long gone from the election. He’s talking about John Edwards. All the sudden, Edwards pops up from back stage, and begins about how he is the most sought after white-male voter by each of the active Democratic Presidential campaigns. He starts off with a segment called Ed-Words, like Colbert’s popular “The Word” segment, but with John Edwards as a host. He goes on about how the Clinton and Obama campaigns are courting him in for an endorsement, and how he’s not ready to commit. He is also apparently very fond of Jet-skis.

At the end of the show, just as Colbert is about to wrap up, Barack Obama’s head pops up on screen (he comes on via a video feed from outside the studio). After all, he’s not one to miss out on all the action. Together, they change The Colbert Report’s ‘Watch List’ to include distractions by the media towards irrelevant and silly situations such as Obama’s lapel pin ordeal.

Well, The Colbert Report did a fantastic job with their Doritos Presidential campaign coverage, and they ended the week in style with a politician-studded episode.

Also, be sure to vote for Stephen Colbert as the most influential person of 2008 at Time.com. This is proof of his growing influence in politics and entertainment.

[NOTE: Videos are now available.]
(more…)

Representative John Yarmuth, a Democrat from Kentucky, said that the Iraq war is a is a “leading cause” of the United State’s recent economic troubles. The Iraq war cost “more than half-a-trillion dollars,” money that he said could and should be used on problems within the United States and not wasted on the improgress associated with the Iraq war effort. “Across America, our roads and bridges are crumbling and are in desperate need of repair, yet taxpayer dollars are being squandered on an Iraqi government that is riddled with waste, fraud and corruption…The cost of one month in Iraq could extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which the president vetoed, to 10 million children of working families for a full year,” he said.

Former United States President Jimmy Carter said that he will likely meet with the militant group Hamas during a trip to Syria. “It’s likely that I will be meeting with the Hamas leaders,” Carter told ABC News.

He says he hopes for cooperation from Hamas in pushing forward the Israeli peace initiative.

The decision was not taken in warmly by Israeli leaders, who said that they have no plans to meet with him during his trip to the mideast.

A recent email from the McCain campaign points to an article in Politico, which claims that wealthy Democrats, including billionaire George Soros, plan to begin a $40 million television smear ad campaign against John McCain. The smear is being led by David Brock, the founder of Media Matters.

Here’s an excerpt from the McCain campaign email:

George Soros the “liberal megadonor” is at it again. He and his group of billionaire left-wing Democrats have pledged $40 million dollars of soft money to smear John McCain in a national television ad campaign.

In an article published in Politico, it was reported that Paul Begala and David Brock met with a gang of Manhattan liberals at the home of George Soros to outline their plans for a $40 million dollar ad campaign against Senator McCain. Brock is quoted as saying the group could do the work of the press corps that has “fallen down on the job” when it comes to McCain!

You all probably remember Hillary Clinton’s 3:00 am phone call ad. Well, a recent survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports shows that only 25% of voters think Clinton is the one suited to deal with a major foreign policy crisis. The survey questioned about 800 likely voters.

News networks played reruns of the commercial repeatedly after the Texas Primaries, and claimed it played a major role in her victory there. (Note however, this poll looks like it was taken around the country, not just in Texas, so the view there might differ).

42% want John McCain answering that call, 25% want Hillary Clinton answering that call, and 25% want Barack Obama answering that call. I wonder who the other 8% wanted…

WATCH 3:00 am commercial on YouTube >
VISIT Rasmussen Reports poll page >

The John McCain Presidential Campaign sent out this update about his trip to the Middle East and Europe:
John McCain’s Trip Abroad
John McCain traveled on official Senate business this week to the Middle East and Europe. He was joined by fellow Armed Services Committee members, Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham.

In Iraq, John McCain met with General David Petraeus and other military leaders, toured Baghdad and talked with both Iraqi and American service members. This was John McCain’s eighth official trip to Iraq since 2003.

While in Israel, he met with the country’s leaders and promoted peace talks between Israel and Palestine. He also traveled throughout the country, visiting Sderot, the Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem’s Western Wall, the Gaza Strip, and other historic sites.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and John McCain met to discuss Iraq, climate change and the global economy. John McCain will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris before he returns to the United States.

Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico and former Democratic presidential candidate (this election season), announced that he is endorsing Barack Obama for President. This may come across as a surprise to some due to his close ties with the Clintons. He was a member of former president Bill Clinton’s administration.

Here’s the full email Richardson sent out:

During the last year, I have shared with you my vision and hopes for this nation as we look to repair the damage of the last seven years. And you have shared your support, your ideas and your encouragement to my campaign. We have been through a lot together and that is why I wanted to tell you that, after careful and thoughtful deliberation, I have made a decision to endorse Barack Obama for President.We are blessed to have two great American leaders and great Democrats running for President. My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver. It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall. The 1990’s were a decade of peace and prosperity because of the competent and enlightened leadership of the Clinton administration, but it is now time for a new generation of leadership to lead America forward. Barack Obama will be a historic and a great President, who can bring us the change we so desperately need by bringing us together as a nation here at home and with our allies abroad.

Earlier this week, Senator Barack Obama gave an historic speech. that addressed the issue of race with the eloquence, sincerity, and optimism we have come to expect of him. He inspired us by reminding us of the awesome potential residing in our own responsibility. He asked us to rise above our racially divided past, and to seize the opportunity to carry forward the work of many patriots of all races, who struggled and died to bring us together.

As a Hispanic, I was particularly touched by his words. I have been troubled by the demonization of immigrants–specifically Hispanics– by too many in this country. Hate crimes against Hispanics are rising as a direct result and now, in tough economic times, people look for scapegoats and I fear that people will continue to exploit our racial differences–and place blame on others not like them . We all know the real culprit — the disastrous economic policies of the Bush Administration!

Senator Obama has started a discussion in this country long overdue and rejects the politics of pitting race against race. He understands clearly that only by bringing people together, only by bridging our differences can we all succeed together as Americans.

His words are those of a courageous, thoughtful and inspiring leader, who understands that a house divided against itself cannot stand. And, after nearly eight years of George W. Bush, we desperately need such a leader.

To reverse the disastrous policies of the last seven years, rebuild our economy, address the housing and mortgage crisis, bring our troops home from Iraq and restore America’s international standing, we need a President who can bring us together as a nation so we can confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad.

During the past year, I got to know Senator Obama as we campaigned against each other for the Presidency, and I felt a kinship with him because we both grew up between words, in a sense, living both abroad and here in America. In part because of these experiences, Barack and I share a deep sense of our nation’s special responsibilities in the world.

So, once again, thank you for all you have done for me and my campaign. I wanted to make sure you understood my reasons for my endorsement of Senator Obama. I know that you, no matter what your choice, will do so with the best interests of this nation, in your heart.

Sincerely,

Bill Richardson