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Obama, Clinton Split Bragging Rights

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January 19, 2008 9:45 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: A Democrat won the popular vote, but not the electoral college votes. Sound familiar?

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., won the Nevada Democratic Caucuses, winning 51 percent of the vote to Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., 45 percent.

Each candidate is fighting to reach the critical number of 2,025 total delegates needed to win the party nomination. In Nevada tonight, 25 delegates were at stake. But the delegates are awarded proportionally by how the voting went in each district -- not across the entire state.

And so ABC News has calculated that even though Clinton won the vote by a large margin, in the race for delegates, Obama gained 13, and Clinton gained only 12. In the overall delegate count so far, however, ABC News calculates that Clinton holds the current lead with 203 delegates, to Obama's 148.

So, how is it that Obama could have lost the vote and gained more delegates?

The Obama campaign is claiming this delegate victory because of the proportional manner in which Nevada awards district delegates, especially in the state's rural 2nd Congressional District.

On a conference call with reporters, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and Obama director of delegate selection Jeff Berman explained that Obama had the majority in districts where there were odd numbers of delegates and therefore he won the majority of delegate seats. 

Clinton won in areas where there were even numbers of delegates by a narrow margin and so those delegate seats were split evenly.

Nevada's largely rural second congressional district is represented by Republican Rep. Dean Heller. It includes 16 of Nevada’s seventeen counties in their entirety, and portions of Clark County in southern Nevada. 

Following the Obama campaign conference call, the Clinton campaign press office told reporters that Obama's calculus that he won more delegates in Saturday's caucuses is faulty.

"Hillary Clinton won the Nevada Caucuses today by winning a majority of the delegates at stake," said Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson in a statement released to reporters. "The Obama campaign is wrong. Delegates for the national convention will not be determined until April 19."

On April 19, the Democratic party of Nevada will hold its statewide convention. At that point, the county delegates have the right to switch their commitments and throw their support to Clinton or another candidate, if they so choose.

Bottom line: Clinton won more county delegates that were actually at stake on Saturday. But Obama won more national delegates using the kind of extrapolation of future behavior used by ABC News, the Associated Press, and other news organizations.

January 19, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (88)

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A few things:
1. this was a hillary win
2. the more interesting story is that hillary's delegate lead is due to her superdelegates which is a product of inquisitional support and not voting of the people
3. hillary had more votes, not only for the reasons you mentioned but because she campaigned in the population rich area ; that should also be mentioned. that is the equivalent of one person campaigning in new york and California and the other person winning 5 other smaller states

i wish someone did a story on that...

Posted by: inspired but discouraged | Jan 19, 2008 9:57:11 PM

Congratulation to Clinton on this vitory ,because media and all political Pundits are interesting to damage the Democratic agenda.Obama is great guy but only Clinton is in position to beat Republican and fix the mess and demage to this Nation please.

Posted by: Nausher Ahmad Sial | Jan 19, 2008 10:11:55 PM

This was a win for Barack. Delegates are what matters most right now.

Posted by: facemn | Jan 19, 2008 10:15:21 PM

Unless Gore is President, Obama Won Nevada!

Obama won Nevada! Did you report "Gore Wins!" in 2000 after all the votes were counted because he was ahead in the popular vote?
"Obama Wins Nevada" should be the headline the same way it was, "Bush Wins" in 2000 for the presidency. Yes with a big foot note that he lost the popular vote, but in both instances the popular vote should not be the lead. Why the double standard?
This is a race for delegates. Your reporting will create your self fulfilling story line (Since N.H. a Clinton come back)

What objective criteria regarding the Democratic delegate count would cause you to report losing the delegate race as a "Clinton Win"? If Clinton continues to 'win' by -1 delegate in every state she will lose the nomination regardless of what the headline is.

Posted by: Graham Poor | Jan 19, 2008 10:19:39 PM

Congrats to Barack on getting the most delegates. On to SC!

Posted by: J | Jan 19, 2008 10:46:14 PM

Geez the fact is that the latino vote that Obama expected he did not get, the jewish vote he did not get, women and seniors are voting against him. I really don't know how longer he will take to notice the signs that he is losing ground, all this talk about he won more delegates so its a win geez people are voting against this man can anyone not notice that?? The popularity contest is over folks, the votes are coming down and facing reality I only hope the Obama camp "wakes up and get it" as his wife said .

Posted by: Mac | Jan 19, 2008 11:05:10 PM

Electoral college? I wasn't aware delegates to the Democratic Convention were members.

Posted by: Robert, Tulsa OK | Jan 19, 2008 11:09:55 PM

I really hope the Nevada delegates go with the popular vote--otherwise we start getting into situations (again....and again) where individual votes within a state just don't truly count. I really don't care if Hillary wins or Obama wins...I just want the INDIVIDUAL votes to mean something!

Posted by: DMac | Jan 19, 2008 11:11:07 PM

I understand the importance of celebrating the popular vote, but this is the primary process. The American public deserves to know which candidate won the most delegates. I'm sure the Clinton campaign would be making a big deal about it if the situation were reversed.

Posted by: Bethany Donovan | Jan 19, 2008 11:24:56 PM

I am disgusted and disheartened. I WILL NOT vote for Hillary. It's about time that we're hearing how the Clintons managed to win New Hampshire. There are all sorts of Websites that indicate voter fraud. I want Mr. Obama to know that not ALL white, senior females support Hillary. I'm one who will never vote for another Clinton. Oh, Obama, please, please WIN! We need a real change so bad!

Posted by: Janet | Jan 20, 2008 12:16:39 AM

Yesterday everyone had OBAMA winning NEVADA....just like NH.....the voters rejected what the media and unions told them to do.A win is a win,so THANK YOU MICHIGAN...NEVADA AND LAST BUT CERTIANLY LEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE.The voters have spoken..LET THIER VOICES BE HEARD...Off to SC..WHERE OBAMA IS IN A MUST WIN SITUATION TO GET ANY WIND BACK BEFORE FEB 3.Trust he was sent three back to back blows and you can spin it any way you want....CLINTON WON.

Posted by: NBB | Jan 20, 2008 12:18:51 AM

Sorry NOT LEAST NEWHAMPSIRE....NBB

Posted by: NBB | Jan 20, 2008 12:20:42 AM

Just remember this all Anti-Hillary people: if you hate her now, if you do not approve of her style of campaigning, if you feel she is the wrong choice for the party and the country, then you should still feel that way come November.

Voting is based on principle. Do not sanction her actions by forgiving her and voting for her. I don't know how stupid the Clinton's think people are. But, show them you are not sheep and you will not be EASILY MANIPULATED by their games.

So, come November, reject her then as you do now. Don't buy into that coming together, time to unite, etc. stuff. She is obnoxious and extremely offensive, and you should show her what you think of people like her. Vote for her opponent - whomever that may be.

It will also be a slap in the face to her supporters too. That is actually a good thing for being so stupid....who in their right mind would vote for someone as divisive as Hillary and Bill? Someone with very little chance of winning the national election?

Regardless, stand by your principles and vote against her. Pass the word.

Posted by: Donald | Jan 20, 2008 12:23:23 AM

One last thing,,,,SOUTH CAROLINA prove the pollster and media wrong again...what do think a tax refund will do.....thats right put the 9 trillion dollor deficet to 11 or 12 trillion...We are trying to sell our heart and sole to foriegn countrys..DONT BANKRUPT AMERICA...VOTE FOR THE MOST POWERFUL COUPLE THAT LEFT US A 6 TRIILION DOLLAR SURPLUS....If that looking to the past and not the future...Ill take the past.Can we gamble on the rehtoric or trust the future to a record we already know worked.VOTE FOR HILLARY,,,A CHANGE WE CAN LIVE WITH.THINK,PLEASE.THINK.

Posted by: NBB | Jan 20, 2008 12:33:48 AM

donald....standing by your principles is standing up for what you believe is best for your children; in the face of hatred, in the face of distortions, in the face of those who say you can't, in the face of those who say you shouldn't, in the face of arrogance, in the face of hypocrisy, in the face of bad polls, in the face of a media onslaught prematurely reporting your demise; standing by your principles involves voting with your conscience; standing by your child involves standing up for your country and all that makes it great and all that can make it great again; that is why we support Senator Clinton, that is why we believe, that is why we KNOW she is what is best for America right now.....because our principles, our country and especially our children deserve what we know is in their best interest; in this election year when we choose the next President of the United States, we know the best interests of our children would best be served by electing Hillary Clinton to the White House

Posted by: chris | Jan 20, 2008 1:46:02 AM

I thinnk peopple are voting against this gentleman who want is working hard to restore the American image that had been declining to the outside world.We need a real CHANGE NOW IN AMERICA.We are tired with the same old things and story. WAKE UP PEOPLE OF AMERICA FOR CHANGE. NEVER BE DISCOURAGED MR.OBAMA CONTINUE UNTIL THE FINAL VICTORY. WAKE UP MY PEOPLE FOR OBAMA. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

Posted by: I.A.T Smith | Jan 20, 2008 2:08:35 AM

It looks like democrats are not working together with a common goal of beating Republicans. If it goes on like this, am afraid Democrats will never touch the White House again. A strong house always needs a good foundation!

Posted by: Peace | Jan 20, 2008 3:42:09 AM

obama got the technical win whereas hillary got the symbolic win, hence it's a tie in my eyes.

the truth of the matter is that delegates DOES count with the exception of the superdelegates that only count once the convention comes through and only those are the ones that aren't rock solid.

to say hillary won is just like saying the democrat michigan primary COUNTED which it didn't because those delegates were stripped away.

or better yet, the truthful perspective is that hillary won the momentum shift that's all since those delegates regardless of who had more or less won't be official until april.

Posted by: gluv | Jan 20, 2008 3:57:50 AM

also, in defense of the delegate vote vs. the popular vote...you have to understand this:

just because the majority of the nevada population is around the vegas area, does not mean the people of vegas represents ALL of NEVADA!

the reason why obama won more delegates is due to his votes were more spreaded out across the state, especially in the rural areas whereas hillary mostly won at the larger population spots

Posted by: gluv | Jan 20, 2008 4:04:04 AM

Always look forward and not backwards. We are now looking for SC next week. Am so depressed and down this week, but a little comfort for more delegates Obama has won so far.

Now its the turn for SC. I trust you very much, I know your votes really have a great value. You are the ones who put Bill into the house. Your votes really matter a lot. Show it next week that you are good defenders and will not allow the ball to roll and pass you so easily. From there the usual respect will be restored again. Good luck SC and make us all proud again!

Posted by: Peace | Jan 20, 2008 6:39:24 AM

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