I just spoke with some knowledgable folks on the Puerto Rico Democratic Primary (see my earlier post here and here is what I gleaned. These are not their predictions but mine based on what I heard. Warning, this is fairly uninformed bloviating by me.

First, some facts. The breakdown by Senatorial district is as follows: San Juan 6, Bayamon and Carolina 5, Ponce, Humacao, Mayaguez, Guayama and Arecibo 4.

Now, some bloviating. Turnout will likely be in the 500,000 range.

Clinton is almost certain to win and by a healthy margin. How healthy? No one really knows. She should win San Juan and Bayamon handily but will it be enough to gain the extra delegates? Not clear. Carolina will split 3-2. Ponce will be Obama's best district. Clinton could sweep the remaining districts.

More . . .

The Washington Post analyzes Barack Obama's campaign from an issues standpoint and finds he breaks little new ground.

When Obama changed his mind and decided to run for president after only two years in the Senate, however, he effectively dismissed the importance of policy proposals, declaring in one speech in early 2007, "We've had plenty of plans, Democrats," and in another: "Every four years, somebody trots out a white paper, they post it on the Web." He cast his "new kind of politics" in terms of his ability to transcend divisions and his unique biography and offered few differences on issues from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the other Democratic presidential candidates.

His "new politics" mostly refers to tone and leadership style. I found this statement by a campaign aide quite telling:

Obama aides, however, say their approach will work because most voters are looking not for a new vision for expanding health care but rather for a reformed political system such as the one Obama calls for, one that would solve problems rather than resort to bickering.

I think a new vision for expanding health care is exactly what Democrats are looking for.

Whatever the jury decides in the Chicago trial of Tony Rezko, his problems aren't over. A Nevada judge has issued a felony arrest warrant for him as a result of his alleged failure to pay gambling debts.

Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who is standing trial on federal corruption charges in Chicago, is wanted in Las Vegas for failing to pay $472,275 in gambling debts to Caesars Palace and Bally’s and related processing fees to the Clark County district attorney’s office.

The total unpaid Strip bill comes to more than $800,000, however, because the Bellagio obtained a judgment of default against Rezko a year ago for not repaying $331,000 in gambling markers.

More...

Via Christopher Bateman at Vanity Fair: In his tell-all book about the Bush Administration, former Press Secretary Scott McClellan has harsh words for President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence in the Valerie Plame leaks case:

It’s … clear to me that Scooter Libby was guilty of the perjury and obstruction crimes for which he was convicted. When the president commuted Libby’s prison sentence and thereby protected him from serving even one day behind bars, I was disappointed. This kind of special treatment undermines our system of justice…. President Bush certainly has the right and the power to commute Libby’s sentence. But in choosing to do so, he sent an unfortunate message to America and the world—that in the United States criminal behavior on behalf of a political cause may go unpunished if those who support that cause have the power to make it happen.

At the time, John McCain agreed with Bush: [More...]

According to CQ:

According to its delegate selection plan, Puerto Rico has 63 delegates, of which 55 are “pledged” to back a candidate and eight are unpledged “superdelegates.” . . . Of the 55 pledged delegates, 36 are district-level delegates that are distributed among eight senatorial districts based on population. . . . [M]ost of the pledged delegates [in Puerto Rico] are allocated to districts on the basis of population.

MORE . . .

Via Todd Beeton:

WXYZ-Action News/EPIC-MRA poll out of Michigan (600 LVs, May 19-22, MOE +/- 4%) finds Obama/Clinton beating McCain/Romney by 7 points.

Obama/Clinton 51
McCain/Romney 44

. . . Obama's numbers in a head to head match-up against McCain[:]

McCain 44
Obama 40

Hey Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy, you want to win in November? Or do you want to purge the Clinton Wing of the Democratic Party? I am prepared to step in if Pelosi and Kennedy do not agree with me on this . . .

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

What is Nancy Pelosi contemplating?

In an interview with her hometown newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, the California Democrat said she is prepared to "step in" if the presidential race does not resolve itself by the end of next month. "I will step in," Pelosi told the paper. "Because we cannot take this fight to the convention…It must be over before then.

Step in and do what? At least this article gives us a good laugh:

Pelosi . . . has largely stayed on the sidelines during her party's prolonged primary race.

Heh. Thanks for the laugh CNN.

by Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Your turn. This is an Open Thread.

Oh just one thing, if you are fine with the what is said by the Rev. Pfleger in the video I post below, then just say so. I am surprised at the outrage at those of us commenting on it while no outrage from those commenters is aimed at the words of Rev. Pfleger.

BTD

Comments now closed.

Update (TL): The commenters here do not speak for TalkLeft or represent the views of TalkLeft, as is stated on our home page and is particularly relevant to the comments to this post by Big Tent Democrat.

****

First of all, this has nothing to do with Barack Obama but I have to ask, what in the world is going on at Chicago's Trinity Church? This is simply outrageous:

I repeat, this has NOTHING to do with Barack Obama, but there is clearly something wrong at Trinity Church in Chicago.

Speaking for me only

Comments closed

The Idaho primary was last night. In the Feb. 5, caucuses, Barack Obama won 79% of the vote to Hillary's 17%. A total of 21,224 Idahoans participated.

In last night's primary, Obama won 56% to 38%, with 42,000 voting.

Twice as many people voted in the primary as the caucus and Obama got 23% fewer votes.

The same thing happened in Nebraska, Washington and Texas, the other three states that have held both primaries and caucuses.

DaveOinSF at MyDD has a new graphic up showing the trends. [More...]

We're coming to the edge,
Running on the water,
Coming through the fog,
Your sons and daughters.

Let the river run,
Let all the dreamers
Wake the nation.
Come, the New Jerusalem.

An open thread. Go ahead and vent.

For the first time SUSA included Hillary Clinton among the potential VP picks for Obama. This was in Michigan and with the exception of Edwards, every other one of the names being floated in the SUSA polling got Obama destroyed against a McCain/Romney ticket.

Michigan is actually the kind of state where you might think John Edwards might help Obama more than Clinton but it simply was not the case. More and more it becomes clear that Hillary Clinton is the must pick VP should Obama become the nominee.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only