As the candidates head into Tuesday's de facto national primary, four new polls out in the last 24 hours show Barack Obama challenging Hillary Clinton for the lead nationally. USA Today reports, "The Democratic presidential race has become a cliffhanger as a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll on Sunday showed...Obama wiping out...Clinton's double-digit national lead just before coast-to-coast contests on Tuesday." The two "stood at Clinton 45%, Obama 44% in the latest snapshot of the volatile race."
ABC World News reported, "Tonight, with one full day of campaigning left, we have a new national poll showing a very tight Democratic race. ... Hillary Clinton now holds just a four-point edge over Barack Obama, 47-43%."
The AP notes a CBS News poll finds Clinton and Obama tied at 41 percent each.
A Pew Research Center poll shows Clinton with a wider lead, up 46%-38% over Obama. However, in a similar poll taken in mid-January, Clinton led 46%-31%.
With Clinton's Lead Eroding, Race Seen As Long-Term Affair Coverage of Super Tuesday portrayed Clinton's lead as shrinking nationwide in the face of intense and effective campaigning by Obama and his surrogates. All three networks led with Super Tuesday coverage. ABC World News reported, "We may actually not get an answer for weeks if not months," to the question of who will win the Democratic nomination. ABC's George Stephanopoulos said, "It could go on for a very long time if Obama upsets Hillary Clinton in two states especially, Missouri and California." The New York Times reports Clinton and Obama are "enmeshed in a tough national fight, illustrated by polls showing the race had tightened both nationally and in key states voting on Tuesday where Mrs. Clinton had once enjoyed a comfortable lead. ... Aides to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama said Sunday that they now believed that their contest, unlike the Republicans', could extend well beyond the multistate contests on Tuesday."
The Washington Times reports that the Clinton and Obama "campaigns are preparing for a protracted battle, looking ahead to contests in Louisiana and Maine and the Mid-Atlantic region on Feb. 12. 'This is a hunt for delegates,' said Clinton strategist Mark Penn. 'We're going right through to the convention.' Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs agreed: 'What everyone once thought was going to end on Feb. 5 is really just going to be the next hurdle.'"
The New York Sun reports that "For Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, there are relatively few opportunities to run up the delegate score. Their best bets are likely in their home states: New York and Illinois. Mrs. Clinton's lead in the Empire State is nearly 20 points, according to the Real Clear Politics average, while a Chicago Tribune/WGN poll yesterday showed Mr. Obama ahead by 31 points in Illinois."
State polls out in the last 24 hours show Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in a tightening race in the big prize, California, while Missouri is shaping up to be a close contest..
Five Polls Show Tight Race In California A Field Poll of 511 likely California Democratic primary voters taken January 26-February 2 shows Clinton Leading Obama 36%-34%.
An American Research Group poll of 600 likely California Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Clinton leading Obama 47%-41%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely California Democratic primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows Clinton leading Obama 45%-36%.
The Washington Times reports a Suffolk University poll of 700 likely Democratic primary voters shows Clinton leading Obama 40%-39%.
A Zogby International poll of 967 likely California Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Obama leading Clinton 46%-40%.
Clinton Up Big In New York A Marist College poll of 409 likely New York Democratic primary voters taken January 30-31 shows Clinton leading Obama 52%-37%.
Clinton Leads Obama In Two NJ Polls, Tied In Third A Zogby International poll of 847 likely New Jersey Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama tied at 43% apiece.
A Strategic Vision poll of 600 likely New Jersey Democratic Primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Clinton leading Obama 47%-41%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely New Jersey Democratic primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows Clinton leading Obama 46%-39%.
Obama Tops Clinton In Three Georgia Polls A Zogby International poll of 864 likely Georgia Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 48%-31%.
A Strategic Vision poll of 600 likely Georgia Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Obama leading Clinton 49%-27%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely Georgia Democratic primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows Obama leading Clinton 47%-41%.
Polls Show Tight Race In Missouri A Zogby International poll of 851 likely Missouri Democratic primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Obama leading Clinton 47%-42%.
An American Research Group poll of 600 likely Missouri Democratic primary voters taken January 31-February 2 shows Obama leading Clinton 44%-42%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely Missouri Democratic primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows Clinton leading Obama 47%-41%.
Clinton Holds Narrow Edge In Arizona A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely Arizona Democratic primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows Clinton leading Obama 43%-41%.
Clinton Tops In Oklahoma A Tulsa World poll of 426 likely Oklahoma Democratic primary voters taken January 27-30 shows Hillary Clinton leading with 41%, followed by John Edwards with 24% and Barack Obama with 17%.
Clinton Up 2 In Delaware An American Research Group poll of 600 likely Delaware Democratic primary voters taken January 31-February 2 shows Clinton leading Obama 44%-42%.
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A rally at UCLA yesterday for Barack Obama is being portrayed in the media as a triumph for his campaign. ABC World News reported, "Oprah Winfrey, Caroline Kennedy, Michelle Obama whipped up a crowd with just the kind of voters Barack Obama needs, young, multi-racial and looking for something different." The CBS Evening News reported, "The Obama campaign showed off some undeniable strength and star power today with a little help from his friends. It's a measure of just how important California is to the Obama campaign that they would send out Michelle Obama, Caroline Kennedy, and even Oprah Winfrey to drum up support."
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Shriver gave Obama a "surprise endorsement...whipping the crowd...into a near frenzy." Shriver's endorsement "came as a surprise even to the Obama campaign, said spokeswoman Debbie Mesloh."
Obama Rally In Los Angeles Called "Pitch-Perfect" Reporter Andrew Rosenthal writes in an "Editorial Observer" piece for the New York Times, "Four extraordinary women put on the best campaign rally I've seen in 20 years of covering presidential politics." At "the pitch-perfect event in U.C.L.A.'s basketball arena...Michelle Obama, Caroline Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver had crystallized the challenge Senator Hillary Clinton will face if she wins the Democratic Party's nomination. She will have to figure out how to preserve the energy and excitement that Mr. Obama has stirred in his supporters."
While Barack Obama has closed the gap with Hillary Clinton in the new round of national polls, John McCain has opened a wide lead ahead of Tuesday's primaries. USA Today reports McCain has "surged" in a USA Today/Gallup poll, "posting a decisive 42%-24% lead over Mitt Romney. Mike Huckabee trailed at 18%."
The AP notes a CBS News poll shows McCain lead Romney 46 to 23 percent, with Huckabee getting 12 percent. The CBS Evening News reported, "On the Republican side, that new CBS News poll has even more good news for...McCain. According to the survey 62 percent of those polled think McCain would be the best commander in chief, far above Mitt Romney with 15 percent and Mike Huckabee with six percent."
A Pew Research Center poll shows McCain leading the GOP field nationally with 42%, followed by Romney with 22% and Huckabee with 20%.
NBC Nightly News reported, "The latest polls show nationally John McCain with a wide lead over his nearest challenger, Mitt Romney." ABC World News reported, "John McCain is breaking away, with double the support of Mitt Romney."
Coverage of McCain's campaign portrayed him as cautious but increasingly confident of winning the GOP presidential nomination. NBC Nightly News reported in an analysis that if McCain locks up the nomination early, he "could get the kind of lucky break the Republicans haven't gotten much of lately: the chance to rest, raise money and unite the party while Democrats fight a civil war into the springtime." The New York Times reports that McCain was "buoyed by new polls and endorsements" and "appeared in an increasingly commanding position on Sunday. ... A sweep of big states by Mr. McCain on Tuesday would reward him with a trove of delegates and could bring the Republican contest to a quick end. That would amount to a remarkable comeback for a campaign that had appeared expired just six months ago."
USA Today reports, "McCain tailored his remarks this weekend about the presidential race, at times reluctant to think ahead but then sounding like he has clinched the Republican nomination." McCain said, ""Let's wait until Tuesday. ... I've seen that movie before." The New York Daily News reports that in the GOP race, McCain "is all but certain to sew up the Republican nomination" on Super Tuesday.
However, Romney is not yet ready to throw in the towel. ABC World News reported, "The Romney campaign is certainly forging on. Mitt Romney continually says that he will fight hard for delegates on this Tuesday. ... The Romney campaign is considering a dramatic last-minute swing to California tomorrow night to fight for that very big state. If they can win in California, they think may have the momentum to go forward."
A number of new polls out in the last 36 hours show John McCain strong in the Super Tuesday contests, except in California, where he is in a tight battle with Mitt Romney, and Missouri, where he, Romney and Mike Huckabee are all vying for the lead.
GOP Race Tight In California A Zogby International poll of 915 likely California GOP primary voters taken February 1-3 shows Romney leading with 40%, followed by McCain, 32%; Huckabee, 12%; and Paul, 4%.
An American Research Group poll of 600 likely California GOP primary voters taken February 1-2 shows Romney leading with 33%, followed by McCain, 32%; Huckabee, 16%; and Paul 8%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely California GOP primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows McCain leading with 40%, followed by Romney, 31%; Huckabee, 13%; and Paul, 3%.
McCain Up In Two Georgia Polls A Strategic Vision poll of 600 likely Georgia GOP primary voters taken February 1-3 shows McCain leading with 33%, followed by Romney with 27% and Huckabee with 26%. Paul is 4th with 5%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely Georgia GOP primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows McCain leading with 40%, followed by Romney, 31%; Huckabee, 18%; and Paul, 4%.
McCain Holds Wide Lead In New York A Zogby International poll of 883 likely New York GOP primary voters taken February 1-3 shows McCain leading the GOP field with 53%, followed by Romney, 19%; Huckabee, 8%; and Paul, 5%.
A Marist College poll of 181 likely New York GOP primary voters taken January 30-31 shows McCain leading with 60%, followed by Romney, 24%; Huckabee, 6%; and Paul, 4%.
McCain Up Big In Three New Jersey Polls A Zogby International poll of 835 likely GOP primary voters from February 1-3 shows McCain leading Romney in New Jersey 52%-26%, with Mike Huckabee at 7% and Ron Paul at 4%.
A Strategic Vision poll of 600 likely New Jersey GOP Primary voters taken February 1-3 shows McCain leading with 44%, followed by Romney, 25%; Huckabee, 10%; and Paul, 4%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely New Jersey GOP primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows McCain leading with 46%, followed by Romney, 31%; Huckabee, 5%; and Paul, 4%.
Three Candidates Vie For Lead In Missouri A Zogby International poll of 852 likely Missouri GOP primary voters taken February 1-3 shows McCain leading with 35%, followed by Huckabee with 27% and Romney with 24%.
An American Research Group poll of 600 likely Missouri GOP primary voters taken January 31-February 2 shows Huckabee leading with 31%, followed by McCain, 29%; Romney, 27%; and Paul, 4%.
A McClatchy /MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll of 400 likely Missouri GOP primary voters taken January 30-February 1 shows McCain leading with 37%, followed by Huckabee, 27%; Romney, 24%; and Paul, 1%.
McCain Up Big In Oklahoma A Tulsa World poll of 306 likely Oklahoma GOP primary voters taken January 27-30 shows John McCain leading with 40%, followed by Mike Huckabee, 19%; Mitt Romney, 17%; Rudy Giuliani, 5%; and Ron Paul, 3%.
McCain Up Six In Delaware An American Research Group poll of 600 likely Delaware GOP primary voters taken January 31-February 2 shows McCain leading with 41%, followed by Romney, 35%; Huckabee, 7%; and Paul, 5%.
The AP reports Mitt Romney "coasted to a win in presidential preference voting by Maine Republicans on Saturday, claiming his third victory in a caucus state and fourth overall." With just over two-thirds of the towns holding caucuses reporting, Romney had 52%; John McCain, 21%; Ron Paul, 19%; and Mike Huckabee, 6%. Paul campaigned hard in the state. The vote was nonbinding, the "first step toward electing 18 Maine delegates to the Republican National Convention."
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The AP reports that in "the nation's first-ever $3 trillion budget, President Bush seeks to seal his legacy of promoting a strong defense to fight terrorism and tax cuts to spur the economy." Bush's final budget "will project huge budget deficits, around $400 billion for this year and next and more than double the 2007 deficit of $163 billion." The New York Times reports that if Bush's budget "is approved in full, annual military spending, when adjusted for inflation, will have reached its highest level since World War II." Since "coming to office, the administration has increased baseline military spending by 30 percent."
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, says "the cost of US military operations in Iraq is rising rapidly, and could reignite the national debate about the war, which has taken a back seat to the economy as an issue for most voters this election year."
Plan Would Boost SCHIP While "Squeezing" Other Popular Programs The New York Times reports that under President Bush's budget, "dozens of popular health, housing and education programs would be eliminated or sharply reduced," but "he would significantly increase spending on the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the focus of a huge fight with Congress last year." The new proposal "is midway between the $5 billion increase requested by the president last year and the $35 billion increase that Congress provided in bills vetoed by Mr. Bush in October and December."
The AP reports that "the spiraling growth of Medicare" and "the high cost of renewing President Bush's tax cuts" are "squeezing popular education, health, housing and anti-poverty programs in the budget blueprint that he hands lawmakers Monday." Even with "difficult-to-digest proposals to curb Medicare costs and kill programs to repair dilapidated public housing, fund community action agencies and provide food to the elderly poor, Bush's $3 trillion budget will project deficits around $400 billion this year and next."
According to the Washington Post, Bush "wants to dramatically slow the growth of big federal health programs, reduce anti-terrorism grants for states and cities, and cut spending on anti-poverty, housing and social service programs, according to budget documents and interviews with officials throughout the federal government."
The Washington Post reports Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen "said yesterday that Gen. David H. Petraeus's call for a pause in troop withdrawals from Iraq this summer represents only one view on the issue -- albeit an important one -- and that they would recommend that President Bush also consider the stress on U.S. ground forces and other global military risks when determining future troop levels." The statements are seen to "reflect divergent priorities among U.S. military leaders over the pace of troop withdrawals from Iraq, as well as a growing debate on whether to shift more U.S. forces to Afghanistan to prevent further deteriorations in security there."
Meanwhile, the AP reports the US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said "that the U.S. plans to keep combat troops there into 2009," which is "seen as the tipping point for establishing the nation's long-term security."
However, Roll Call reports House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "indicated on Friday that the Democratic majority would consider a new strategy to curtail the Iraq War." Pelosi "was short on specifics, and stopped short of endorsing a proposal" floated by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer "a day earlier to back off of funding fights on the war."
U.S. News and World Report says President Bush's "final State of the Union address wasn't a classic, but it may keep him in the game a while longer as a Washington player." There were "no big new initiatives but instead a call for Congress to stay the course in Iraq and Afghanistan and to complete some unfinished business, such as strengthening antiterrorist surveillance programs, making permanent his first-term tax cuts, and strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act." But a "senior Republican with close ties to Capitol Hill" said it was "a ho-hum speech."
Newsweek reviews New York Times reporter Philip Shenon's new book, "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation." Shenon's account "uncovers a far greater degree of behind-the-scenes political maneuvering and bitter personal clashes than most people associate with the 9/11 panel. Most notably, his book reveals that" investigator Philip Zelikow "exchanged at least four phone calls in the early stages of the inquiry with White House political adviser Karl Rove." But Zelikow "oversaw the production of a hard-hitting report that disclosed an unprecedented amount of previously secret information."
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Jay Leno: "Hey, did you all see Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton last night at the big debate? You see them sitting side by side, staring at the camera. Didn't they look like one of those bad local eyewitness news teams?"
Jay Leno: "I think Hillary is getting a little too sensitive, too. Like, when they asked her about the surge, she said she didn't want to talk about Barack's poll numbers."
David Letterman: "Happy Groundhog Day, ladies and gentlemen. It's funny. Earlier today in Washington DC, a confused President Bush pardoned a turkey."
Craig Ferguson: "Big debates in the race for the White House. At the Republican debate, John McCain insisted his age does not define him. Then he told everyone to 'get off my lawn!'"
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