Hillary Clinton's campaign concedes losing the first two steps of the "Texas Two Step" caucuses to Barack Obama. What's still in dispute is the former first lady's margin of defeat.
Clinton, of course, won the popular vote on March 4, netting her four Texas delegates via the March 4 primary. But Obama's lopsided victory in the caucuses erased her lead. Obama folks say he netted nine delegates in the caucuses. Do the math and the Illinois senator would have five more pledged Texas delegates than Clinton, a 99-94 split. That's how CNN projected it weeks ago.
But while Clinton's top Texas honcho, Garry Mauro, acknowledged losing the county-level conventions to Obama Saturday and Sunday, he said it was too soon to make precise delegate predictions. He agreed Obama was ahead Sunday night, but said it was between one and three pledged delegates statewide.
"It looks like he’s got a small lead, but it’s a lot smaller than it was on Election Night,’’ Mauro said
That the two presidential candidates are still fighting so intensely over what appears to be at most three Texas delegates -- weeks after voters went to the polls -- indicates just how bitterly contested the 2008 Democratic race has become. Obama leads Clinton nationally by about 125 delegates, depending on who’s doing the counting.
Obama thanked his Texas supporters in a statement released by his campaign Sunday night.
“I want to thank the record-setting number of Texans who participated in the caucuses and helped our campaign secure an important victory in Texas,” said Obama. “Texans from across the state sent a crystal clear message that families across America are ready for change in Washington.”
-- Jay Root
Tarrant County Senate District 10 Cacus
People who complained about the long delays and were frustrated with the length of the cacus; all I have to say to you is why did you not volunteer before March 29th. Why did you not go to the Democratic Party Office and volunteer. Why did you not go to your Candidates office and volunteer. Why did you not go online or have someone go on line and get the answers prior to March 29th. If you could not get the answer the first time you called, why not call again and agian untill you got the answer. Some of the questions and complaints that were asked of madam chair assisted in the delay of were rediculas. The answers were given at training and online. Some of the questions like when can I go home and feed my pit bulls were rediculas. Our precinct cacus was challenged at local level prior to the March 29th and our County Sencate district cacus was challenged again. Our pricint captains were educated in the pprocess and it was handled. Yes it was along day and Senate was not handled in the fastest manor. But as the Madam Chair explained how many volunteered? People are only able to type so fast and a computer can only calculate as fast as data is put in. Did you volunteer for the nominating Committee, credentails, challenge committee, the sign in committee, the decorating, committee or Did you just at your candidates committee. Thats were the ball was dropped. I was there at 5:30 am - 3:30 am 22 hours how many of you were there even 12 hours. I applauded all of us the very few that were there to volunteer at the loacal and county level and applaude those of us willing to go on to volunteer at the state and national level. Thanks You.
Kathy Jackson
Posted by: Kathy Jackson | March 31, 2008 at 11:32 AM