Morning News: Wall Street Journal

Barack Obama's quest to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination got a lift with a big win in North Carolina and a strong run in Indiana, where he did significantly better than expected against the favored Hillary Clinton.

... Tuesday's results will influence the ongoing and ultimately decisive "invisible primary" for the support of superdelegates -- the governors, members of Congress and party officers who can vote for any candidate at Democrats' late-August convention. Sen. Obama has cut Sen. Clinton's early big lead to about 15 superdelegates -- he has an estimated 255 to her 270

... He leads in pledged delegates won in the previous 45 primaries and caucuses, and likely will reach a majority of pledged delegates with the Oregon and Kentucky primaries.

Read more on barackobama.com

Morning News: Washington Post

Sen. Barack Obama scored a landslide victory in North Carolina's Democratic presidential primary yesterday, moving him ever closer to locking up an insurmountable lead among pledged delegates, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton posted a razor-thin win in the hotly contested Indiana primary...

... The twin results solidified the status quo in the Democratic race, one that now gives Obama the clear advantage in the battle for the nomination because of his solid lead in the tally of pledged delegates. Despite her Indiana victory, Clinton emerged even more the underdog in the nomination battle.

Read more on barackobama.com

Early voter turnout in Indiana favors Obama?

INDIANAPOLIS — Early voting in Indiana could offer some encouragement to presidential hopeful Barack Obama, who needs a victory in its upcoming primary after a tough few weeks on the campaign trail.

Obama victories in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries on May 6 could help him regain momentum in his nomination fight against Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obama has been on the defensive because of comments by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and his own comments about people in small towns growing bitter.

About 20 percent of the 127,000-plus absentee ballots received as of early Friday were cast in three Indiana counties: Marion, Monroe and Lake - that political observers believe Obama is strongly favored to win.

Read more at Huffington Post...

Obama denounces Rev. Wright

Katie Kouric visits Obama's Chicago headquarters

Obama speaks on Equal Pay

IFPTE labor union endorses Obama

Obama gains another labor union endorsement. The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers’ (IFPTE) membership includes engineers, scientists and technicians at the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA and Boeing. The IFPTE Executive Council voted without opposition late yesterday to endorse the Illinois Senator.

In response to yesterday’s action, IFPTE President Gregory Junemann issued the following statement.

"While IFPTE applauds both Democratic candidates, our union’s internal polling results, coupled with Senator Obama’s unblemished record of support for the critical issues facing IFPTE, prompted our action to endorse Senator Obama.

Source: www.barackobama.com

43 North Carolina mayors endorse Obama

Today, the Obama campaign announced the endorsements of 43 North Carolina mayors, mayors pro tem, and former mayors, representing cities large and small, from Raleigh to Roper. To encourage North Carolinians to vote early, more than a dozen of these mayors will be voting early today at 1 p.m. at their local One Stop Early Voting locations.

"As a mayor, I’m on the front lines of local economic development," said Mayor Bill Bell of Durham. "We need a president who will work with us to solve the problems we face, help working Americans succeed, and usher in a new era of prosperity."

Obama's response...

“I’m honored to have the support of so many mayors from across North Carolina who are committed to working hard to change America. These mayors understand what leadership is, and how important it is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to make change happen for our working families and our communities. Their support is incredibly important to this campaign – and I look forward to working with them to build a stronger economy where Main Street thrives, not just Wall Street.”

Click here to see the names of the 43 North Carolina mayors supporting Obama!

Obama's Statement on Equal Pay Day

They say he has nothing substantive to discuss...that he is merely a great orator that lacks "solutions." Don't fall for the hype. Anyone with that opinion is not paying close attention to this presidential race.

Check out what Obama has to say about Equal Pay Day:

"Equal Pay Day is about the fundamental American principle that if you work hard and do a good job, you should be rewarded for your success, regardless of what you look like, where you come from, or what gender you are. And yet, many women today are still earning less than men for the same work – making it harder for single mothers to climb out of poverty, and for elderly women to retire with security."

"This pay gap is an ugly reflection of the discrimination that still exists in the workplace. And as the son of a single mother and the father of two young daughters, I believe we have a responsibility to close it...and that's why tomorrow, I will vote for the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to overturn an unfair Supreme Court decision and ensure that workers can seek a remedy for any paycheck that reflects pay discrimination, no matter when they received it."

"In the end, while closing the pay gap is essential, it is not sufficient to make sure that women and girls have an equal shot at the American dream. We need to update the social contract to reflect the realities that working women face each day by providing seven paid sick days each year, helping all fifty states adopt paid leave for their workers, doubling federal funding for quality after-school programs, and encouraging flexible work schedules to help parents balance work and family."

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/

Another SUPERDELEGATE for Obama!

LINCOLN, Neb. – Audra Ostergard, Associate Chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and member of the Democratic National Committee, publicly announced her support for Senator Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

“I have carefully weighed input from Democrats across Nebraska and closely watched results from primaries and caucuses across the country,” said Ostergard. “There are compelling arguments for supporting both candidates, but my decision came down to what’s best for our country and for Nebraska. In that regard, I am confident in my decision to endorse Senator Obama. He has a proven ability to activate Democrats in Nebraska.”

Source: www.barackobama.com