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Should Clinton still be in the race?
Hillary Clinton long has trailed Barack Obama in pledged delegates, but now, for the first time, she lags behind in the superdelegate count as well. This has increased the calls by some that she quit the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

It is not only Americans speculating why Clinton is still competing for the nomination. International newspapers have been discussing the topic as well, with headlines such as "Hillary Clinton Wants it So Bad It Hurts" from Australia's The Daily Telegraph, and "Clinton Clings to Presidential Hopes" from the United Kingdom's The Guardian and "Is the Dream Over For Hillary Clinton?" from Ghana's Public Agenda.

Some Democrats are worried that Clinton's ongoing campaigning could cause damage to the party. Among them, former presidential candidate John Edwards, who said on a CBS interview May 11, "I think the one thing that [Clinton] has to be careful about ... is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall."

Despite the criticism, Clinton is favored to win tomorrow's West Virginia primary by a large amount. Recent polls predict she could win the state by 30 percentage points. But with only 28 delegates at stake, a big win would do little to lessen Clinton's delegate deficit.

Troubles for Hillary Clinton
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has had some tough days on the campaign trail since the North Carolina and Indiana primaries in which Barack Obama increased his delegate lead.

Since those contests, Clinton has struggled to raise funds needed to compete effectively in the six states and territories that will hold primaries in the coming weeks. Since April 11, she has loaned her campaign $6.4 million.

In recent days several superdelegates announced their support for Obama, including some who previously said they intended to vote for Clinton.

Neither candidate has secured enough delegates to win the nomination, so the campaigning continues. Next up is the West Virginia primary May 13, which Clinton is favored to win.

Candidates Comment on Burma Cyclone
The presidential candidates took a moment away from campaigning to discuss the situation in Burma and the cyclone that has cost at least 22,000 lives.

"My heart goes out to the people of Burma who have lost loved ones or otherwise been tragically affected by the cyclone that devastated Burma this past weekend," Barack Obama said May 6. "I support the [Bush] administration's plan to deploy a disaster assistance response team to Burma to assess the needs of Burma's people .... Although the regime in Burma is one whose repressive rule deserves our condemnation, I also strongly believe that humanitarian assistance should not be used as a political tool against those in need."

In her speech following the Indiana and North Carolina primaries May 6, Clinton expressed her sympathy for the victims, saying "our hearts and prayers go out to the people there .... And I call upon the junta that has ruled Burma for so many years to please let the rest of the world in to help. This is a time when everyone should be there to lift up those who were affected by this deadly storm."

Arizona Senator John McCain also commented on the cyclone, criticizing the government for not better warning its people about the impending storm.

Nonpresidential moments from Indiana and North Carolina primaries
With so much attention given to the Democratic presidential contest, it was easy to overlook the fact that voters in Indiana and North Carolina voted in other important races as well May 6.

In North Carolina, voters selected their party nominees for governor. Current Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue will be the Democratic nominee, and if she wins, the state's first female governor. She will face Republican Pat McCrory, mayor of Charlotte, the state's largest city. The current governor, Democrat Mike Easley is unable to run again because of term limits.

Although most national headlines focused on the close presidential nomination race in Indiana, there was an even closer one – in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Current governor Mitch Daniels, a Republican, will run for re-election in November, and it appears that his opponent likely will be Jill Long Thompson. As of 2 a.m. May 7, she led fellow Democrat Jim Schellinger by 6,000 votes. Schellinger conceded later that afternoon.

Indiana's primary was also the first since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a controversial state law requiring voters to present valid government-issued photo identification before casting ballots. Supporters of the law said it prevents voter fraud, while opponents said it could disenfranchise the poor and elderly, who might have a tough time getting to the state's Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain identification.

Few problems with enforcing the new rule were reported. Although there was a highly publicized incident in which a group of elderly nuns were turned away by a poll worker because they lacked proper identification. Who was the poll worker? One of their fellow nuns.

Obama wins most votes in Guam contest, barely
Democrats in the tiny Pacific island territory of Guam headed to its caucuses May 3 to cast votes in a nominating contest that, perhaps for the first time, allowed the island's residents to have a meaningful say in the close Democratic contest.

In a campaign like none other on this island, Guam voters got to hear from the candidates on their radio airwaves and participate in rallies. Barack Obama's staff even opened a campaign office.

Ultimately both Obama and Hillary Clinton were able to energize their supporters – turnout was three times greater than in past caucuses. After some 4,500 votes were counted, Obama was the winner – by just seven votes.

However, because delegates in Democratic contests are awarded proportionally, Obama and Clinton will split the islands' delegates evenly – two a piece.

With the Guam contest over, all eyes are on North Carolina and Indiana, which both hold primaries tomorrow. For more, see Clinton, Obama Target Indiana, North Carolina.

Candidates acknowledge anniversary of "mission accomplished"
Five years ago today, President Bush stood on the deck of an air craft carrier in front of a banner reading "Mission Accomplished." Today, that moment is viewed by many as a too-early declaration of success in Iraq. Each presidential candidate mentioned this incident today.

Hillary Clinton issued a statement on the anniversary to say that she views the Iraq war planning as "flawed," but that "all Americans honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States in Iraq."

John McCain said that he said at the time that hanging up such a banner was a bad idea, but President Bush should not be blamed for the incident.

Barack Obama brought the issue up in a more unusual way. Discussing McCain and Clinton's support of suspending federal gas taxes during the summer, Obama said his opponents supported the plan because they are more concerned with "looking good for the cameras and for politics" than with "solving problems."

"You remember when George Bush five years ago put up a big sign in front of an aircraft carrier saying ‘Mission Accomplished in Iraq.’ I’m sure they thought that was good politics," Obama said.

Obama denounces minister's comments
For months, Democrat Barack Obama has faced criticism for his relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the former leader of Obama's Chicago church and the man who officiated at the Obamas' wedding. Wright has been making national headlines for his controversial comments about the U.S. government and American race relations.

In a March speech, Obama said that even though he disagreed with Wright's comments, he could not disown the minister. Following the speech, much of the publicity about Wright diminished – until this past week.

Over the past few days, Wright made a number of public appearances in which he reiterated many of his controversial comments. Responding to this in a press conference today, Obama called Wright's statements offensive, insensitive and inexcusable.

"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw," Obama said. "The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago."

"Reverend Wright does not speak for me," Obama said. "When I say I find these comments appalling, I mean it. It contradicts everything that I'm about and who I am."

Congressional leaders back presidential candidates
Voters across the country have been voicing their support for their preferred presidential candidates and so have many congressional representatives.

Many Republican leaders have announced their support for presumed-Republican nominee John McCain.

Thelma Drake of the Virginia 2nd Congressional District, Jeff Fortenberry of the Nebraska 1st and Heather Wilson of the New Mexico 1st all have endorsed McCain.

But more attention is being given to Democratic leaders' endorsements, because these officials are also superdelegates and will be casting votes that ultimately will determine which candidate will become the party’s nominee.

David Wu of the Oregon 1st recently announced he will vote for Barack Obama because of the Illinois senator’s anti-war record. Tim Walz of the Minnesota 1st also supports Obama.

Some congressional representatives are staying quiet – including Democrats Ciro Rodriguez of the Texas 23rd and Jason Altmire of the Pennsylvania 4th. Despite pressure from candidates and constituents, neither has endorsed a presidential candidate yet.

What do these officials have in common? America.gov is following political developments in each of their districts throughout the year. For more, see America.gov's State and Local Web page.

Is McCain a natural-born U.S. citizen?
Campaign Trail Talk reader Gregor "Tex" Mulqueen asks:

Why is John McCain "running" for president, when he was born in the Panama Canal zone, and therefore not qualified to be president. There is the matter of national origin!

As outlined in the U.S. Constitution, there are three requirements for being president of the United States. He or she must:

1. Be at least 35 years old
2. Have resided in the United States for at least 14 years
3. Be a natural-born citizen of the United States

The third requirement has given many people pause, because the framers of the Constitution never provided a definition of "natural-born." Most political experts interpret this to mean a "natural-born citizen" is someone born in the United States or a U.S. territory, or the child of U.S. citizens. This would preclude someone like California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria, from running for president. However, by this standard McCain, who was born in the Panama Canal Zone when it was still controlled by the United States, is eligible for the presidency.

So even though most agree McCain is eligible to serve in the country's highest office, some members of the Senate want to make it as clear as possible. They have drafted a nonbinding resolution that states that McCain is a natural-born citizen. Among the resolutions' co-sponsors: Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Clinton's Pennsylvania victory helps bring in cash
New York’s Senator Hillary Clinton started April with some financial troubles. According to financial reports filed at the beginning of the month, Barack Obama's campaign had $42 million cash on hand, compared to Clinton's $9.3 million. Additionally, at that time Clinton's campaign owed $10.3 million to various vendors and consultants.

But it seems her victory in the Pennsylvania primary April 22 might be encouraging voters to contribute to Clinton's campaign. In the hours after her win was announced, Clinton's campaign brought in more than $3.5 million.

However, that still leaves her campaign coffers much smaller than those of Obama, who has shattered fundraising records. Raising money is important because the better-funded candidate will be able to run more television advertisements and open more campaign offices in competitive states, such as Indiana, where voters head to the polls May 6.

For more on Clinton's Pennsylvania win, see Clinton’s Pennsylvania Win Extends Democrats’ Nomination Race.

Obama continues to lead fundraising efforts
The presidential candidates have raised stunning amounts of money in the first three months of 2008. John McCain raised $38 million, but that pales in comparison to Hillary Clinton's $68.5 million. Neither comes close to Barack Obama, who raised $132 million – more than he raised in all of 2007.

Money has been a big topic on the campaign trail in recent days, as media organizations speculate whether McCain will continue to privately raise money or instead seek public funds to pay for his general election campaign. For financial and legal purposes, the general election runs from the end of the national conventions this summer until Election Day.

Public financing was established by Congress to address concerns about the increasing influence special interest groups wielded in elections and to place nominees of the two major political parties on a more equal financial footing. It enables Americans to choose to donate to a campaign fund that is distributed equally among the presidential candidates. However, taking this money comes with a catch: if a candidate chooses to use public funds, he or she can no longer accept most private donations, and can only spend up to a specified amount – in 2008 that limit is about $84 million.

Although $84 million seems like a lot of money, many of Obama's supporters believe he could raise more privately. So even though every major party candidate has used public financing in a general election since the system was created in 1976, 2008 could be the first year a candidate decides to turn down these funds.

For more, see Public Financing Helps Fuel U.S. Presidential Campaigns.

Democratic debate poorly received by viewers
Since the Democratic debate in February, a number of controversies have erupted on the campaign trail. For example, Hillary Clinton was caught claiming she was once under sniper fire in Bosnia when she wasn't, while Barack Obama was caught saying that people in small towns were "bitter" and "cling to guns and religion."

More than 10.7 million people tuned in to watch the candidates discuss issues pertinent to Pennsylvania voters in a debate moderated by ABC April 16. But many viewers were disappointed to find that the debate questions focused more heavily on these recent controversies than on issues.

Viewers let their frustration be heard – by posting comments on ABC News' Web site. Less than 24 hours after the debate, the network's Web site had received more than 15,600 comments about the debate.

The debate was the last meeting of the Democratic candidates before the important Pennsylvania primary with 188 delegates at stake. For more on Pennsylvania, see Democrats Try to Win over Pennsylvania 4th's Superdelegate.

Candidates mark anniversary of Virginia Tech killings
Each of the presidential candidates issued statements marking the one year anniversary of the shootings at the U.S. university Virginia Tech, the deadliest shooting incident in U.S. history.

"Even after a year, the tragic events at Virginia Tech remain inconceivable. Words cannot describe the sadness that affected all Americans on that day and ever since. As parents ourselves, Cindy and I would like to extend our prayers to all those remembering the loss of a loved one today," presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain said.

"On this deeply tragic anniversary, my thoughts are with the families and friends mourning the absence of loved ones who lost their lives in the devastating shooting," Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton said. "As we mark this milestone, let us keep in our prayers the victims and their families, and let us work to build a nation in which all of our children are safe and loved."

Democratic candidate Barack Obama also issued a statement, though it took on a different theme: "One year later, it’s also time to reflect on how violence – whether on campuses like Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University or on the streets of Chicago and cities across this nation – can be prevented. Clearly, our state and federal governments have to strengthen some laws and do a better job enforcing others. But we all have a responsibility to do what we can in our own lives and communities to end this kind of senseless violence."

McCain proposes a break from gas taxes
April 15 was Tax Day in the United States, and as Americans were finishing up their tax paperwork, presumed Republican nominee John McCain gave a speech on the subject of taxes in Pennsylvania, the state that holds the next primary on April 22.

With economic concerns high on voters minds, and gas prices high as well, McCain proposed a "gas-tax holiday." Such a holiday would suspend the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax from Memorial Day (May 26) to Labor Day (September 1). This tax break would come at what is typically Americans' busiest travel season, as families take trips during students' summer vacations. It is also often the time of year that gas prices are at their highest.

This was just one of several economic proposals McCain has discussed in recent days. For more on what McCain and the other presidential candidates think about the American economy, see Candidates on the Issues: The Economy.

Americans skeptical of polls, poll finds
With polls on the U.S. presidential race being conducted nearly every day, it is easy to forget that polls routinely are used to measure Americans' interests in other things – such as polls themselves.

A survey conducted by the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute found that 67 percent of Americans are interested in poll results. Three-quarters of those polled said they believe polls are generally accurate and believable.

But Americans also have some concerns about polls – about a third surveyed said that wording of poll questions is biased or misleading. About 68 percent said that survey results are distorted by the press or reported in a misleading or biased context.

Of course, polls are not always accurate predictors – as Americans saw in New Hampshire this primary season when nearly every poll forecast a Barack Obama victory but Hillary Clinton ended up winning the state. One reason why: According to the Sacred Heart survey, 11 percent of Americans who have participated in a poll said they have lied to pollsters.

Vice President Condoleezza Rice?
Some groups of Americans long have advocated that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice run for vice president. The idea of the secretary possibly becoming presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s running mate gained traction this week after rumors spread that Rice was actively seeking the position.

Rice denied these claims at a State Department news conference April 8. “Senator McCain is an extraordinary American, a really outstanding leader and obviously a great patriot. That said, I am going back to Stanford,” she said. Rice previously served as provost of Stanford University in California.

“I very much look forward to watching this campaign and voting as a voter,” she said. McCain also said this week that he was not aware of Rice’s interest in serving as vice president.

Presidential candidates come to Washington to do some work
All three presidential candidates took a break from the campaign trail to participate in Senate hearings on the war in Iraq.

As Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and Army General David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, came to Washington, so did Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

Petraeus and Crocker provided updates to the Armed Services Committee, on which McCain and Clinton serve, and the Foreign Relations Committee, on which Obama serves.

McCain, a supporter of the military surge in Iraq, complimented Petraeus for his work saying, "We're no longer staring into the abyss of defeat and we can now look ahead to the genuine prospect of success."

Clinton used the hearing to promote her proposed plan for withdrawal, saying, "It's time to begin an orderly process of withdrawing our troops, start rebuilding our military and focusing on the challenges posed by Afghanistan, the global terrorist groups and other problems that confront America."

Obama, also a critic of the war, noted his concerns about the high cost of keeping troops in Iraq. "The amount of money that we are spending is hemorrhaging our budget," Obama said.

Click here for more on the Candidates' Views on Iraq.

Former President Clinton campaigns in Puerto Rico
Former President Clinton never visited the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as president, but neither has any president in the past 45 years. But on April 7 the former president made some campaign stops on the island territory on behalf of his wife Hillary.

"You might actually determine this election," he told a crowd at a university campus in Barceloneta. "If you vote for [Hillary] and give her a big margin, she'll be the nominee and she will always honor your support."

Residents of the predominately Spanish-speaking island are U.S. citizens. Like those living in most U.S. jurisdictions that are not states, Puerto Ricans do not vote in the general election but they can participate in primaries and caucuses. The one exception is for residents of the District of Colombia (D.C.), home to the nation’s capital city. D.C. residents were granted the right to vote in the presidential election by the 23rd amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1961.

Rarely has anyone paid much attention to the Puerto Rican primary contests, but, as one of the last places to cast ballots in an extremely close Democratic race, the island is suddenly drawing attention from political pundits and candidates. This could be the first time in U.S. electoral history that presidential candidates campaign in Puerto Rico ahead of the territory's June 1 primary. Democrats have 63 delegates are at stake that day, and Puerto Ricans are expected to turn out in record numbers. In fact, officials decided to hold a primary instead of the original caucus because they anticipate so many people will want to participate.

For the latest on the state of the Democratic race, see Path to the Presidential Nomination.

More Campaign Trail Talk ?
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