Hillary's Chances: Growing Chorus Says It's Not Going To Happen 

The chorus from major news outlets saying Hillary Clinton's candidacy is almost impossible is growing louder as the Clintons continue to push on. The AP reports on the nine superdelegates Barack Obama picked up today. Clinton picked up one. This morning, ABC declared that according to their delegate tallies, Obama had won more superdelegate support than Clinton for the first time. This afternoon, AP's tally showed Obama within half a superdelegate of Clinton.

When asked about Clinton this morning on NBC and MSNBC, former Democratic contender John Edwards said, "it's very difficult to make the math work." Edwards has yet to make an endorsement.

AP:  -Barack Obama all but erased Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-imposing lead among national convention superdelegates on Friday and won fresh labor backing as elements of the Democratic Party began coalescing around the Illinois senator for the fall campaign.

ABC:
ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: For the first time this campaign season, Barack Obama has surpassed Hillary Clinton's support among superdelegates, according to the ABC News delegate estimate.

John Edwards on NBC and MSNBC:
The former presidential candidate told interviewers on NBC and MSNBC that Barack Obama will probably top the Democratic ticket this fall.

Hillary Clinton has said that she can still win the nomination - but "it's very difficult to make the math work," said Edwards.

(Agencies/Huff/Post/ 05/09/08)

Obama Brings Charm Offensive to Hill 

Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), seeking to wrap up the Democratic presidential nomination, made a surprise visit Thursday morning to what can be called the last major battleground of the long-fought primary campaign: the U.S. House.

(Roll Call/ 05/08/09)

Alec Baldwin may 'Rock' world of politics 

Alec Baldwin says he's ready to be Mr. Nice Guy - and he's mulling a run for public office.

The Massapequa, L.I., entertainer, eldest of the four Baldwin brothers turned actors, says in an interview airing Sunday that politics looks appealing now that he's turned the corner on 50.

"There's other things I want to do," besides acting, the left-leaning performer tells CBS' "60 Minutes." "There's no age limit on running for office, to a degree."

It is "something I might do one day," he said.

Discussing his public divorce from Kim Basinger and the custody battle that led to an angry voicemail to daughter Ireland Eliesse, calling her "a thoughtless little pig," Baldwin said he is learning something about tact.

"You can pretty much bet all you own that I would never leave another voicemail message for my daughter that wasn't just like something out of a Rodgers and Hammerstein score," said the "30 Rock" actor.

Over the years, Baldwin has done little to hide his brand of politics. He has called Dick Cheney a terrorist, then said the vice president wasn't a terrorist but rather "a lying, thieving oil whore and murderer of the U.S. Constitution."

(AgenciesNYDN/Moritz/05/09/08)

Obama weighs in against CBC legislation on Cherokees

Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has weighed in against legislation proposed by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) that would punish the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

CBC lawmakers have proposed a number of provisions this year that would cut off federal funding to the tribe because of its decision in March 2007 to remove the Freedmen — descendants of freed slaves once owned by tribe members — from Cherokee membership.

But Obama disagrees with those measures. In a statement to The Hill provided by his Senate office, the Illinois Democrat said that although he opposes unwarranted tribal disenrollment, Capitol Hill should not get involved.

“Discrimination anywhere is intolerable, but the Cherokee are dealing with this issue in both tribal and federal courts . . . I do not support efforts to undermine these legal processes and impose a congressional solution,” said Obama. “Tribes have a right to be self-governing and we need to respect that, even if we disagree, which I do in this case. We must have restraint in asserting federal power in such circumstances.”

Obama’s position on the Freedmen issue was first reported by the blog NowPublic.com and has since been confirmed by The Hill.

(The Hill/ 05/09/08)

Clinton Argues She Would Boost House Democrats Downballot 

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (N.Y.) latest pitch in her come-from-behind bid for the Democratic presidential nomination is that she runs considerably stronger in Republican-leaning House districts than does rival Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.).

Competing Energy Measures to Fuel Senate Debate

Just two weeks before the Memorial Day recess, the Senate has a full plate, but bickering over dueling energy packages may stand in the way of progress.

(Roll Call/ 05/09/08)