Photograph of Barack Obama with an Obama basketball jersey given to him by University of Oregon Men's basketball coach Ernie Kent, right, at a University of Oregon rally by Ryan Gardner/AP Senator Barack Obama's campaign got a huge boost yesterday as nine superdelegates pledged support for him. Now, for the first time, Obama leads Senator Hillary Clinton in the number of superdelegates, according to the NY Times' calculations (the Times has a good graphic),......

Photograph of Barack Obama on the Hill by Susan Walsh/AP; photograph of Hillary Clinton in Oregon by Elise Amendola/AP Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's campaigns continued their push for the Democratic nomination, but only one seemed energized. Obama made an unexpected appearance at the House Congressional chambers, causing "Obamamania [to descend] onto the floor of the House in full force." Representative Yvette Clarke, who represents Brooklyn, had him sign the Daily News cover with......

It's a good thing Bill Clinton made so much money on the speaking tour--he and wife Hillary have lent millions to her presidential campaign, most recently a $6 million loan from the candidate herself, broken up into three installments over the past month. The Clinton campaign said last night's loss in North Carolina and narrow win in Indiana "strengthens the case that she will be the strongest nominee for the party in November." Still, pundits......

With yesterday's primaries giving Barack Obama decisive win in North Carolina and Hillary Clinton a much smaller-than-expected/ needed victory in Indiana, many are wondering if it's the beginning of the end for the Clinton campaign. Example: The video (above) of NBC's Tim Russert proclaiming last night that "we now know who the nominee will be." The NY Times reports one Clinton adviser describing the campaign as "essentially broke." At one point late last night,......

Photograph, top, of Michelle and Barack Obama in North Carolina by Gerry Broome/AP; photograph, below, of Clinton supporters in Indianapolis by Elisa Amendola/AP Barack Obama is projected to win the North Carolina primary. With 57% of the vote in, Obama has 580,760 votes to Hillary Clinton's 427,773, about 56% to 41%--at stake is the state's 115 delegates. Politico calls Obama's win "resounding." Indiana, however, is "too close to call." Clinton does have a lead,......

How long till the Democratic National Convention? Because Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama went negative with new ads yesterday. First, the Clinton camp offered up an ad explaining how Clinton's plan for a gas tax suspension (one that Obama does not support) will really help regular Americans, complete with regular Americans lamenting the price of gas. Then Obama's campaign released an ad that talks about Clinton's negative campaigning, points to a NY Times editorial slamming......

This morning, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appeared on the Today show, an early morning pre-primary day media blitz, as it were. While it's unclear which Democratic presidential candidate will be victorious this fall, one thing was clear: Obama kept calling Matt Lauer "Tim." The first time Obama appeared, he did greet Lauer as "Matt," but then he refers to him as "Tim." Lauer ignored Obama's gaffe the first two times, but by......

Photograph, above, of Barack Obama with his wife and daughter at the Great Skates Fun Center in Lafayette, Indiana by Jae C. Hong/AP; photograph, below, of Hillary and Bill Clinton in Indianapolis by Elise Amendola/AP Barack Obama narrowly won yesterday's Guam caucuses, with a Guam election official saying the margin of victory was just 2 votes. Which means he and Hillary Clinton each picked up 2 delegates, ahead of Tuesday's Indiana and North Carolina......

Responding to his former pastor's recent controversial remarks, Barack Obama gave a press conference where he expressed dismay and specifically said, “I’m outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday...I find these comments appalling. It contradicts everything that I’m about and who I am....Whatever relationship I had with Rev Wright has changed as a result of this." The presidential candidate, whose campaign appears to be suffering......

Barack Obama's former pastor the Reverend Jeremiah Wright has taken over the spotlight from the candidate as he goes on a speaking tour that provides fodder for Obama's rivals, be they Democrat or Republican. For instance, the Post reports that Wright "delivered his most brutal wallop to his pal's campaign as he hailed hatemonger Louis Farrakhan and accused the United States of committing terrorism." And the Post front covers it "Pastor Disaster." The NY Times'......

Hillary Clinton's campaign sent a letter to Barack Obama's campaign to suggest an unmoderated debate, but Obama's campaign said no, specifically pointing out, "We have participated in 21 nationally televised debates, the most in primary history, including four exclusively with Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton refused an earlier invitation that had been accepted to debate in North Carolina." Instead, Obama's campaign said it believes "it's important to talk directly to the voters of Indiana and North......

The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is no fan of Maureen Dowd! Bill Moyers's interview with the controversial former pastor of Barack Obama will air tomorrow night. ABC News' Political Punch offered some excerpts of the interview:"The persons who have heard the entire sermon understand the communication perfectly," he tells Moyers, according to excerpts released by Moyers' show. "When something is taken like a sound bite for a political purpose and put constantly over and over again,......

Hillary Clinton's campaign estimates donations have totaled $10 million since her Pennsylvania primary win last night. Campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe crowed, "Senator Clinton’s game-changing victory last night has turned the tide and resulted in an historic outpouring of grassroots support." Clinton's 10-point Keystone state win over Barack Obama gave her opportunity to emphasize how she's won states that will be critical in the November election. She said, "I won the states that we have to......

The Cheese Steak Primary: Photographs of Clinton with a cheese steak in Conshohocken (above) and Obama at a Pittsburgh cheese steak eatery (below) from the AP Brace yourself for more Democratic party infighting: Hillary Clinton is projected to win today's Pennsylvania primary. Now everyone, including the Clinton and rival Barack Obama campaigns, are waiting for what her margin of victory will be and how many of the state's 158 delegates she'll be able to......

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain released his tax returns for 2006 and 2007 yesterday, but most attention is on his wife Cindy's wealth. The Arizona Senator made $405,409 (including $23,157 in Social Security!) last year and $358,414 in 2006, but returns for Cindy McCain, chairman of Hensley & Company, a Phoenix-based Anheuser-Busch distributor, weren't released. The McCains have donated a cumulative $340,000 to charity in 2006 and 2007. Cindy McCain has apparently made......

Like Russell Simmons and Ronald McDonald before him, Bruce Springsteen has come out to officially endorse Barack Obama for president. Shortly before the Philadelphia debate, The Boss outlined why Obama is "head and shoulders above the rest" in a letter on his website:He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years...A place where "...nobody crowds......

Last night, Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama met for a debate in the city of Brotherly Love. Their last debate was in February, and while this had moments of civility, it was a fight night. Obama was on the defensive for much of the night, answering questions about his "elitist" remarks and the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The NY Times noted how "Mrs. Clinton did not let an opportunity pass as she......

The Democratic presidential candidates have just wrapped up their debate, but right before the debate, Barack Obama released his and his wife Michelle's tax returns for 2007, showing they made $4,238,165 last year. Most of it--$3,943,378--was from royalties from Obama's books. The couple made $260,735 in salaried income and Michelle Obama also earned about $30,000 for sitting on the board of food producer TreeHouse Foods; she left the position, per ABC News, after complaints......

Just a month ago, people wondered if Saturday Night Live was playing favorites with the Democratic presidential candidates, with seemingly more pro-Hillary Clinton material, not to mention the terrific Amy Poehler playing the Senator from New York to the hilt. However, last week, the show poked fun at the Clinton's tax returns and, last night, well, see how Clinton is spoofed in a hearing with General Petraeus (video above). Interestingly, Tina Fey told Entertainment......

The owners of the rooftop Ronald McDonald have stepped forward! We received the following email today from one of them (Ali), telling us:That's my apartment featured in your Ronald McDonald story; it actually was not stolen; my roommate [Michael] saved it from McDonald's garbage one night and then lugged it up five flights of stairs. He's a hero if you ask me.Ronald used to reside near a piano inside the McDonald's but was dumped in......

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe published an opinion piece by former governor Mario Cuomo. He said to avoid "a Democratic disaster in November," Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should put aside their bitter rivalry and form a ticket together, so their supporters will be relatively happier (and less divisive). Otherwise, "the 2008 primary may be the story of a painfully botched grand opportunity to return our nation to the upward path, and leave us......

As Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, Republican nominee John McCain has released his first general election commercial. The 60-second commercial emphasizes McCain's military service and also features him saying, "Stay strong. Do not yield. Stand up. We're Americans. And we'll never surrender," as well as giving his military rank and serial number. The ad's final words are "John McCain: The American president Americans have been waiting......

Later today ABC will join together Barack Obama with the ladies of The View. While they tell us the main focus of their interview segment is on the "controversial remarks of Reverend Jeremiah Wright" (something that Elizabeth Hasselbeck has slammed him for in the past), one of the clips shows Barbara Walters telling Obama he is, "very sexy looking." At which point the presidential candidate needs to fan himself from the 78-year-old news legend's......

Photograph of Bloomberg introducing Obama at the Cooper Union this morning by Alex Brandon/AP Presidential hopeful Barack Obama will be speaking in NYC today, as part of Cooper Union Dialogue Series. And Mayor Bloomberg's office "took the highly unusual step" of issuing a release letting the media know Bloomberg would be introducing Obama. Aw, that's what any billionaire mayor would do for his breakfast buddy! Though Bloomberg hasn't decided on supporting a presidential candidate......

Barack Obama has popped up in the form of street art in Brooklyn, and AAVR Magazine points out the Grattan Street mural near the Morgan L stop. That's part of his More Perfect Union speech in the background, and yes, it looks a little bit more like Fred Armisen's Fauxbama than the real thing. Less detailed Obama murals can be found on Carlton Avenue at Dean Street in Prospect Heights (photos here and here). How......

First, former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from Hillary Clinton's campaign over her remarks about Barack Obama. Now, with Obama's campaign facing an outcry over inflammatory remarks by his minister, Obama said, “I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue," and by evening, Wright had left the campaign (he had been on the African American Religious Leadership Committee). Obama is close to Reverend Jeremiah Wright of the Trinity United......

Ever since Saturday Night Live returned in February, it's been hard to tell which candidate they're favoring. Lorne Michaels is putting his money on McCain (saying he has a "real affection" for him), but the show's spotlight is on Clinton and Obama (the former having appeared herself). Now the NY Times is taking a look at their Hillary favoritism, something they've been accused of having. Michaels isn't hearing it, though, saying:"Why is it ok for......

After the controversy her remarks about Barack Obama generated, Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from her position on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign finance committee yesterday. The first - and only - female vice-presidential candidate sent Clinton a letter: Dear Hillary – I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign. The Obama campaign is attacking......

Top photograph of Obama in Greenville, Mississippi yesterday by Alex Brandon/AP; lower photograph of Clinton at Temple University in Philadelphia by Carolyn Kaster/AP Barack Obama is projected to win the Mississippi primary, with about 59% of the vote to Hillary Clinton's 39%. He will earn at least 6 of the state's 40 delegates, with the final split still to be determined. In what the AP called another "racially polarized presidential" contest, Obama won 91%......

An interview that former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro made to a small California newspaper is causing a stir in the Barack Obama campaign. Ferraro, a supporter of Hillary Clinton, told a Daily Breeze reporter, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And......