by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

California Democratic Party Political Director and Young Democrat DNC member cites Obama’s ability to build the party with younger voters

By Frank D. Russo

In a move that puts Barack Obama ahead in most, if not virtually all super delegate counts and reduces his magic number to clinch the nomination, Crystal Strait, the Political Action Director for the California Democratic Party, endorsed Obama for President.

Strait, 28 years of age, the immediate past President of the California Young Democrats, and a member of the Democratic National Committee representing Young Democrats of America, is a powerful boost for Obama. She had been cited as an undecided delegate in an article as late as one appearing in this morning’s Oakland Tribune in which she praised the efforts of Chelsea Clinton to secure delegate commitments to her mother, Hillary Clinton. She becomes the 276th superdelegate to endorse Obama in a rare Sunday announcement from the campaign. Sshe has been active both within California and nationally.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Mary Lyon

Ever since this campaign downshifted into high gear, I've been wishing it was like some sort of Time Traveler's Checkerboard. If we could plug some dynamics of this year into 2000, or 2004, imagine how much less glum we'd all be now, as Americans, and how much less grim our circumstances would be.

I've watched as Hillary Clinton has fought like a tiger throughout the primary season. She and her staffers have at times been ruthless and heavy-handed. Prominent reporters and commentators have been smacked upside the head for perceived transgressions. MSNBC's David Shuster was yanked off the air for a couple of weeks for daring to say something unseemly in reference to Chelsea Clinton. His on-air colleague, Chris Matthews, was deluged with "how DARE you's" from viewers who perceived him as sexist in general and anti-Hillary in particular. Randi Rhodes was pulled from Air America for daring to say unflattering things about Hillary and supporter Geraldine Ferraro during an off-the-air stand-up comedy routine.

I thought that kind of thing only happened to media people who didn't fall in line and stay in line about George W. Bush.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Mary Lyon

After years of drought, this is an historic election year. If ever there was a time to want to get into the game, 2008 is it. And David Shuster has to be kicking himself in his own head. Loose lips sure do sink ships, and sometimes at the most inconvenient moments.

This particular week's voting, the so-called "Potomac Primaries," is extremely significant. Obama's sweep of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, may have been the unofficial clincher on the Democratic side. There are still many states remaining on the primary schedule, most notably Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but Obama's momentum at this point may be unbeatable. He hasn't just won, he's won with significant margins of votes. He may have reached the state of unstoppability.