Clinton concedes Louisiana to her rival

[TomClash]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/clinton-concedes-louisiana-to-her-rival-780176.html

And so it is that the four states holding primary or caucus votes this weekend suddenly find themselves the focus of unfamiliar national attention. Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington State vote today, while Maine will hold caucuses tomorrow. Add to the mix the US Virgin Islands and you hardly have a weekend on the scale of Super Tuesday but, nonetheless, 161 delegates will be chosen.

For residents of New Orleans, the plunge into the political spotlight is energising. "This is a struggle for every delegate," said Pearson Cross, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. "We have not been down this road in a long time. It is just crazy."

Buoyed by his success in fending off any significant comeback by Mrs Clinton on Tuesday, Senator Obama has barely eased up in his campaign schedule, visiting here, Omaha, Nebraska and Seattle in Washington in quick succession.

Mrs Clinton has skipped campaigning in Louisiana. Even ignoring the enthusiasm for him on the street car, it looks like this state, with a large African-American population, is Mr Obama's to lose. The former president Bill Clinton was in the state yesterday, however, packing in several appearances in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and other cities up and down the state.

Privately, the Obama campaign is expressing confidence that the days ahead will help him close the small delegate gap with Mrs Clinton, and possibly overtake her. She looks stronger than him, possibly, in Maine, but weaker in the other states. And on Tuesday, he expects to fare well in contests in Virginia, Maryland and also Washington DC, where the delegate trove is larger.

[cali]

1. I see Obama closing the delegate gap by Tuesday night

and most likely exceeding it. I also think that at that time, we'll see more SDs come out and pledge their votes to him.

[TomClash]

3. I think they wait until after March 4 nt

[bklyncowgirl]

2. Lowering expectations--that way if she wins anything or even comes close she declares victory.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Perry Logan]

4. It's magnanimity. Good quality in a leader.