Dean picked up 62 delegates over the weekend

[WI_DEM]

While it is disappointing that Dean didn't win any contests over the weekend, his showings were not without some benefit and certainly weren't embarrassing.

In Washington state he won 31% of the vote--his best showing so far, and picked up 29 delegates.

In Michigan, Dean came in second by achieving 17% of the vote and picked up 24 delegates.

In Maine, Dean so far has 26% with 20% of the precients out (why are they taking so long to get the final vote announced) and according to CNN Dean won 9 delegates in Maine to Kerry's 14.

Total: 62 delegates.

While not as many as Kerry secured it was still a good showing. Dean is still a strong alternative to Kerry and picking up delegates. The only other candidates to win any delegates this weekend were Sharpton with 9 out of Michigan and Edwards with 8.

On to Wisconsin.

[goodhue]

1. Nine ME delegates are in doubt

More likely seven

[LosinIt]

7. Link?

[goodhue]

21. sorry

No press on this whatsoever.

Although its been discussed here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=294713

The ME numbers speak for themselves:
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/primaries/by_state/ME_Page.html?SITE=YAHOOELN&SECTION=POLITICS#TOP

The 15/9 split of 24 delegates between Dean and Kerry presumes a DK finish of below 15%, which does not appear to be happening at this point.

[mopinko]

2. the two man race has to be

dean and kerry. i have nothing against edwards and clark, but why are people saying it's over for dean, when he is in second place? is anyone telling them to hang it up?

and i agree, wtf is happening in maine?

[WiseMen]

6. Dean is BEHIND EDWARDS. Illusion of #2 is from "super delegates" not real

Super delegate number is meaningless because they are not committed and always go to the front-runner at the convention.

[adadem]

9. That's correct

and some have already switched alliances or become neutral.

[Mass_Liberal]

3. On to Wisconsin

indeed!

[rucky]

4. How is it that DK didn't win any delegates in WA?

if Dean won 29 with 30%, shouldn't DK have won about 9 with his share of the vote? And Sharpton got 9 in MI with the same % as DK in WA?

I pretty much understand why. Just pointing out a flaw in the process.

[WI_DEM]

5. good point

but I think it is based on congressioal districts. Sharpton achieved over 15% in the African-American majority CD in Michigan while he won only 8% state wide.

[rucky]

20. Districting rewards segregation

if like-minded (or in this case, like-skinned) people stay in the same neighborhood, they have a more viable voting bloc.

[goodhue]

23. these are only projections!

Each state process is different but in order to select national delegates a 15% viability is imposed at some point often not until state convention. So DK's 8% in WA as it works thru process will not likely result in delegate unless his local delegates somehow double in size.

In contrast, in Maine DK is above 15% and should be projected to get 4-5 national delegates out of the 24. The press has yet to acknowledge this.

What's good for the goose apparently not good for the gander.

[ShimokitaJer]

8. Don't try to distract them with facts

Don't you know the media has decided that only the winner of each state matters? The actual method for choosing a candidate is beside the point, since they've already anointed their winner. Why, in Maine, they don't even see the need to count all the votes before declaring a winner anymore, even when the actual effects of the vote are still up in the air.

Dean will show them what it really means to run a fifty-state campaign.

[adadem]

11. Since when

do the Democratic voters own the media? I thought it was corporate controlled.

[ShimokitaJer]

13. Who said anything about media control?

I'm talking about the media deciding on an easy story and promoting the hell out of it. They did it when Dean looked like the early frontrunner, and they're doing it now that Kerry is the frontrunner. Right now, the simple story is declaring one candidate the "winner" of each state without paying attention to how the delegates fall, making the primaries seem like the same "winner take all" method of electoral politics. Whether those on the DU board here actually believe it or simply embrace it because at any given time because it's their candidate who benefits, it is still deceptive.

[Muddleoftheroad]

18. Early frontrunner

Dean put himself in that spot with his spending strategy. However, he hasn't won anything despite spending a ton. Sure, Dean is still in the race, but it will take Kerry being a North Korean plant for Dean to catch him.

[Robb]

10. Dean has nearly twice as many delegates

...as Clark, Sharpton, and Kucinich combined. :)

...and he's 34 delegates short of having more than Edwards, Clark, Sharpton, and Kucinich put together. :shrug:

Arguably Kerry has more than twice the delegates of Dean.

[bigwillq]

28. Keep the faith in Dean

While he still has a long way to go, I think Dean is the only real alternative to Kerry at this point. While Dean probbaly will do really poor tonight, last weekend's showing still shows he's still some people's number two choice. I think Dean has been the most consistent number two choice in all the primaries besides SC and OK.

[Anwen]

12. Washington still has 55 precincts left to count...

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/primaries/by_state/WA_Page.html?SITE=YAHOOELN&SECTION=POLITICS#TOP

Have they stopped counting? Is there ANY plausible reason why Washington still doesn't have 100% reported?

But aside from that worrisome problem, GO DEAN!!! Pretty good for a guy whose campaign is "dead" ;-)

[liberalron]

14. The delegate count.

How can this be?  Surely this can't be true.  We have been
told, repeatedly, since Iowa and N.H. that Dean is dead and
Edwards is the #2 guy.

[mopinko]

16. move along

nothing to see here.

[Bombtrack]

15. I guess it doesn't matter to his supporters that he lied AGAIN

If you're gonna stay in when you lose Wisconsin, don't say the opposite. Hasn't he waisted enough of his supporters money in gimics!

[mopinko]

17. that's right

it doesn't matter to his supporters that his detractors spin everything he says. why should it?

[WI_DEM]

19. please if you want unity in the fall

I think that some of you Dean detractors should watch what you say about the candidate on DU--it doesn't go over well with his supporters.

24. more press spin, where is the lie?

Internal e-mail stating the pragmatism that if he didn't win in Wisconsin then . "Anything less will put us out of this race."
That is not the same as saying he would withdraw. So where's the lie?

[Padraig18]

22. Why is ME taking so damned long?

:wtf: The damned caucuses were SUNDAY, ffs! :grr::nuke:

[GumboYaYa]

25. Well, then clearly for the "good of the party"

Dean needs to drop out immediately.

Geez, as we have gonde through the primaries we have steadily watched Bush's poll numbers drop. I simply do not buy the argument thatDean or any other candidate staying in the race hurts the Dems. The attention we get from the campaign is helping to destroy Bush.

IMO the push to get others out of the race stems from a desire of Kerry supporters to see Kerry win and has nothing to do with protecting the Dems in the GE.

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. And Kerry picked up 153

Dean is going to have to start placing ahead of Kerry somewhere if he is going to have a chance. It doesn't look like Dean will pick up any delegates today, while Kerry is poised to win both primaries by wide margins.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

33. If Kerry keeps winning and Dean keeps losing, the math is inevitable.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

27. What does it all mean?

Kerry wins even if he loses primaries.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/02/10/trailing_candidates_counting_on_delegate_math?mode=PF

29. very interesting article

with some interesting quotes

"Dean - "I'm only about 200 delegates behind John Kerry, maybe a little bit more, but I'm second in delegates right now," Dean said yesterday. "I think a win in Wisconsin would allow every state in Super Tuesday to take a second look. My great fear is that John Kerry may not be the strongest nominee against George Bush. . . . And so, all I want to do is make sure we nominate the strongest person."

Also at stake are about 802 "superdelegates," mostly party leaders and current or former top elected officials who are free to choose which candidate to support -- and free to change their minds at any time.

But several candidates are taking some comfort in the calendar. After an expected hard-fought Wisconsin election next Tuesday, the race will a relative lull; only Hawaii, Idaho, and Utah will vote, with 61 delegates total at stake. That could be the time, some strategists hope, that an attack on Kerry sinks in or voters decide to take a second look before the avalanche of primaries in March"

********
Although I have a bit of a bias, regardless of the outcome, I think this makes for an interesting next few weeks and perhaps even an interesting convention.

[liberalron]

30. the primary

What 56kid said. I think the front loading of the primaries plan is flawed, for a variety of reasons (none of which have to do with the fact that I have been, am and will be, a Dean Supporter). This is supposed to be the process of vetting the candidates, in order to find out who actually is the best choice to run in the "main event".
This takes some time. With 3 or 4 candidates running, you have 3 or 4 times as many people/organizations "taking on" the Bush Administration; 3 or 4 times as much money to spend against Bush; denies the Bush/Republican/Corporate PR/Propaganda machine the opportunity to focus entirely on one candidate, and forces them to spread out their resources; more time and opportunity to inform all of the public (voters) about our candidate (whoever it ends up being), and why Bush should not be reelected; and less opportunity for something to "blow up" re. our nominee, for which we would have no recourse, as we had already "made our bed" before bedtime; etc., etc.
I don't want to depend on Bush beating himself. I don't want to have to just vote against Bush. I want to vote FOR someone as well. It can be done.
So, I would urge voters in the remaining primary/caucus states to give the party and the people (not just those of the Dem. party)
to vote strategically, and give us the time we need, in order to do this properly, with the best chances for eventual success in the fall. Extend the process. It won't hurt; and just might help. Vote to win, in the end.
Thank 'ya, thank ya' veramuch.

[liberalron]

32. Previous Msg.

Sorry. Should read: So, I would urge the voters in the remaining primary/caucus states to vote strategically, and give the party and the people (not just those of the Dem. party) the time we need, and have, in order to do this properly, ........

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[Freddie Stubbs]

34. And he picked up zero delegates last night

[jmoss]

35. Your a Dean Supporter so....

...hopefully you appreciate the notion that if 2-out-of-3 of Edwards, Kerry, and/or Dean aren't on the ticket in Nov., our party is severly misinformed as to what people will want as a solid option to GW.
I just pray they don't pull another Jack Kemp/random option (i.e. Tom Harkin, Jay Rockefeller, etc.) out of the wood work, instead of encorporating the momentum this fantastic press coverage of the primaries has created.