Super Tuesday: Regularly updated

Democrats:
Obama: Illinois, Georgia, Delaware, Alabama, North Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Conneticut, Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Alaska
Clinton: Tenessee, Massachusetts, New York, Oaklahoma, New Jersey, Arizona, California.
Republicans:
Huckabee: Alabama, West Virginia, Georgia, Tenessee.
Romney: Massachusetts, Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Colorado.
McCain: New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Conneticut, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri.

More as this develops.
Also Obama’s support amongst whites is increasing.
He has recieved 43% of White votes.
Clinton has a strong lead among hispanic voters.
Huckabee still remarkably competitive in the South.

It appears that the three Republican candidates are all dominating in the three different regions of the country. McCain appears to strive in the Northeast, Huckabee has built a fortress of political support in the south, and Romney’s camp insists that the ensuing contests which are in the midwest are terrain that favors him. Stay tuned.

Conclusion: On the Democratic side both proved thier bonafides. They both did what they had to do. Performing either within the realm of expectations and in some instances maybe even exceeding them.
Obama recieved about 43 percent of the white vote according to exit polls and the overwhelming majority of the black vote. He held strong with his base of youth, college educated whites, and independents. However he remains having trouble garnering the support and aid of Hispanics in his quest for the presidency.

Clinton’s strength was largely grounded on the coasts, in such Democratic strongholds as New Jersey, Massachusetts,and California amongst others. She appears to have maintained her grip on older women as well as more low income voters as well as Hispanics.

Obama seemed to win on many of the interior states, although he pulled off slight victories in Conneticut and Delaware. The Obama team hungered to snatch one of the states in the Northeast, which is Clinton’s most fertile soil, politically speaking. He did that in Delaware and Conneticut. He also closed the gaps in some states such as Massachusetts, although he still went down in defeat in that contest.

But both Democratic candidates, according to logic as well as the political chattering classes are both viable and still have almost equal if not completly equal chance to make the Democratic nomination thier’s.

On the Republican side, turnout is rumored to have been disproportionatly in favor of Democrats. However if there was anyone who could claim the mantle of winner in either of the two primaries, it was John McCain,who gained plotheras of delegates in such states as New York and California. whose greatest strength was along the east coast with additional muscle in his home state of Arizona, as well as some in the south in states such as Oklahoma. The candidate who did best by virtue of breaking from the straits of conventional wisdom by prevailing in four states in the southeastern states of Alabama, Tenessee, Georgia, and an early victory in the day in West Virgina. Huckabee might be a serious candidate and not meerly siphoning votes from Romney after all.

But if McCain is able to bask in the nutrients of delegate rich states, Romney was the one whose candidacy could be in jeporady is Mitt Romney, as his hopes of pushing Huckabee out of the race, being competitive in the south, and gaining dominance over McCain in the Republican race. Romney also had weak showings alongside the eastern seaboard with the exception of his home state of Massachusetts. No doubt the Romney camps spirits have been dashed, despite the appearance of optimisim.

Questions though at this stage still remain bountiful in amounts. Can Huckabee turn his showing into greater fundraising numbers? Will Romney pull out? Can Conservatives grow fonder of McCain? Can Obama keep up his momentum? Where will Hillary Clinton go from here? Well, we will all just have to stay tuned.

This Just In: Barack Obama is the Winner.

Just as polls are closing in South Carolina in today’s South Carolina Democratic Primary, MSNBC states that Senator and Presidential contender Barack Obama (D-Illinois) is the victor by “a substantial margin”. No precise numbers have yet been disclosed or released, but Obama is the winner according to MSNBC.

Ex-first Lady and New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is said to come in a distant second and former North Carolina Senator and 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards will trail in third place.

More details as they trickle in.

Obama is said to have done well amongst African-Americans, college educated whites, and whites under age 30.

Update: 9pm ET

With 98% of the vote now recorded according to MSNBC:

Obama: 55%
Clinton: 27%
Edwards: 18%
Kucnich: 0

Results from exit polls show Obama received support from 8 in 10 black men as well as black women, in a primary where as much as 50% of those who voted in the Democratic primary were African-Americans. Obama also garnered 25% of the white vote, and was strong with both white males with a college education, as well as those beneath the age of 30.

As many as 60% of voters said issues took precedent over personality, and despite the heralding of Clinton’s experience by she and her husband former President Bill Clinton, Obama won over those voters by a large margin.

To read more details about the exit figures in the South Carolina Democratic one can click here, and here ,

Update: 9:25Pm ET- Tomorrow Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the daughter and lone surviving child of Former U.S President John.F.Kennedy will formally endorse U.S Senator and Democratic Presidential Contender Barack Obama, in a New York Times OP-Ed entitled “A President Like My Father“.

This Just IN: McCain wins South Carolina Republican Primary

U.S Senator John McCain (R-AZ), eeks out a win in the South Carolina Republican primary.

After victories by ex-Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), in the latest battle for their respective parties presidential nominations, the Republican primary was also underway in South Carolina.

And tonight U.S Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who was defeated in the Republican primary by then Texas Governor George W Bush (R-TX)back in that states primary in 2000, has prevailed by a narrow three point margin. Ex-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Ak)came in second, with ex- Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN)and Governor Mitt Romney (R- MA) trailing behind. Here are the results

CNN:

McCain- 33%
Huckabee- 30%
Thompson- 16%
Romney- 15%
Paul- 4%
Giuliani- 2%
Hunter-0%

This primary was bitter and caustic in tone often, especially towards McCain who was the brunt of personal attacks in 2000, from supporters of George W Bush, who had amongst other things instigated rumors about McCain’s mental health as a result of his five year imprisonment in a North Vietnamese Prisoner of war camp, as well as false allegations that he fathered a black child.

This time literature was disseminated branding McCain as a “traitor” to his country and saying that he had heartlessly abandoned his imprisoned brethren being held in North Vietnamese and Vietcong prisons. But McCain struck back when needed, allowing him to pull off such a victory.

This is now McCain’s second primary win, following his second place status in last week’s Michigan primary and his win in New Hampshire’s first in the nation primary.

The Democratic primary in South Carolina will be next week.

In the GOP primary, Economic and Immigration issues were atop voters minds, surprising since McCain sponsored the Immigration legislation last year, that would have provided a route to citizenship for some illegal immigrants, which has drawn the ire of many conservatives.

Exit polling shows that the majority of South Carolina Republican primary voters were white conservative Republican males, 67% of whom were over the age of 45.

MY TAKE: A distant third is a significant blow to Fred Thompson’s already faltering campaign. He has not won a single primary or caucus as of now and he placed much on the line in South Carolina. Thus far he has lost Iowa, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Michigan, Nevada, and now South Carolina. So he has shown that he can’t win ion the plains states, can’t win in the Midwest, can’t win in the North east, and now that he can’t even surmount the odds and pull off a victory in South Carolina, which should have been fertile territory for him.

This Just IN: Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton win the Nevada Cacuses

Clinton and Romney are the winners in the Nevada Cacuses.

Despite support and an endorsement from the powerful Culinary Workers Union, it is reported that former first lady and U.S Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), has pulled off a six point victory over Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill).

On the Republican side, the Nevada cacaus largely went uncontested by the Republicans with only Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) visiting.

Romney won this morning with as much as 52%, overwhelmingly crushing the opposition. Congressman and maverick Republican Candidate Congressman Ron Paul and Senator John McCain (R-Az)both followed with 13% each. Ex Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) and ex-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) both recieved 8%. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Gulliani (R-New York City) and U.S Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) recieved 2%.

Clinton’s victory was much more narrow in this contest that gained far more attention from the Democratic contenders then thier Republican counterparts. Clinton won with 51%, with Barack Obama coming in second with 45%. Former U.S Senator and 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards, came in third with a meer 4% of the vote.

Republicans seem to be investing most of thier energies though in South Carolina’s primaries which also take place today. The results of that contest will come in tonight as well.

This Just IN: Actor Brad Renfro found Dead

Actor Brad Renfro, who stared in such films as “The Client”, “The Cure”, “Bully”, and many others was found dead yesterday. He was 25 years old.

It is reported that he was drinking with a group of friends when he died. recently he had several run ins with the law and was coping with drug and alchool issues.

No offical cause of death has yet been released to the public, however an autoposy is expected to be performed.

More on this as information comes in.

Update: Death toll from Cyclone Increases

The death toll from the Cyclone that first hit Bangledesh on Thursday, has now reached 2,206. This is tragic. Sometimes it is amazing just how wrathfuland punishing nature can be.

Over 2,200 People die in Bangledesh Cyclone

Dhaka, Bangledesh (AP)- The death toll from a cyclone that devaststaed Bangladesh has surpassed 2,200 officals said Sunday, while rescuers struggled through blocked paths to reach hundreads of thousands of survivors awaiting aid in wrecked homes and flooded fields.

Tragedy strikes Bangledesh on a wide scale

Despair, in the wake of a powerful Cyclone that pounds Bangladesh

Latest reports I have read on the situation in Bangladesh say that the U.S is now deploying two Naval Ships with medical supplies to participate in recovery and relief efforts, as well as aircraft to aid in the search for missing people. This in the wake of a cyclone that touched down in Bangladesh,now estimated to have claimed between 900 and 2000 lives. Hundreds are also said to be unaccounted for, while a great many others now have their homes and much of what they know now reduced to crushed debris.

The Cyclone touched ground on Thursday night with winds said to be violent and as fast as 150 mph and a tidal wave surge of 5 meteres. Cyclone Sidr has since waned in strength after touching down in the middle Eastern country located next to India, but that is obviously of little comfort to the people of Bangladesh. a great many are now undoubtedly displaced due to the storm and the country’s infrastructure is severely damaged by the cyclone’s fury.

Correction: In this I refer to Bangladesh as a Middle Eastern Country located next to India. While Bangladesh is located next to India, it is considered to be a South Asian Country. My apologies there.

OUTRAGE- Iraqi defector who provided false info on WMD selected for big job.

Ahmed Chalabi, the former head of the group of exiles known as the Iraqi National Congress (INC), who were the source for the bulk of the intelligence pertaining to alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, has been selected by the U.S and Iraqi Government officials, to play a role in lobbying the central Iraqi government to repair and rebuild much of the Baghdad infrastructure and improve services to Iraqis in Baghdad.

The choice is odd, since Chalabi played a crucial role in disseminating erroneous information on Weapons of Mass Destruction, the primary justification used by the administration and war architects for the 2003 Iraq War. The exile who is said to have left Iraq as a young man and returned after Saddam Hussein was removed from power six years ago, also has faced criminal charges of bank fraud in Jordan and is said to have been funneling U.S intelligence to the Iranian regime.

A spokesman for General David Petraus, who has been in charge of military operations in Iraq, says that Chalabi is “an important part of the process” and has “alot of energy”.

MY TAKE: Chalabi is just as guilty as anyone, working with others to fabricate information and intelligence for his own gain. Now nearly 4,000 American soldiers are dead and their blood is on this guys hands. he shouldn’t be given a job in which to profit and wield influence, rather he should be facing criminal charges of some sort for his part in perverting intelligence. He should be put on trial and then, if found guilty, sentenced for his crime. What crime? Providing trumped up info that placed hundreds of thousands of U.S soldiers in danger as well as costing about 4,000 their lives.

It is also unbelievable that in the face of providing U.S Intel to the government in Iran, which the Bush/Cheney Administration have accused of fueling the insurgency could hold such a position of prestige and garner praise from the U.S General in charge of operations in Iraq.

Gore and UN Climate Change panel win the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

It was announced this morning that former U.S Vice President Al Gore and the United nations intergovernmental panel on Climate Change, are the recipients of the 2007 Nobel peace Prize, for their efforts to spread knowledge and contribute efforts to halting global climate change.

The move comes months after Gore received an Academy award for his 2006 Documentary on Global warming “An Inconvenient Truth”, and as efforts to get Gore into the Democratic Primary for the Democratic Nomination in the 2008 U.S Presidential Elections have been stepped up by some, including a group DraftGore.com that released a full page advertisement in the New York Times, to Persuade Gore to enter the race, though Gore has said that he as of now isn’t interested in running for president.

Regarding the money Gore will receive as a joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Gore states that he will donate the entire amount to the Alliance for Climate Protection, an organization that seeks to fight Global Climate Change.

It was much anticipated that Gore would receive the award, but Gore has been heavily criticised in some circles for his stance and outspokenness on the issue. many Conservatives have alleged that the Science on which Gore bases his claims are skewed and inaccurate. And in the Conservative Community many are viewing the Award as a political statement.

Little green Footballs:

“To no one’s surprise, the Nobel committee has awarded their meaningless politically drive peace prize to the Goracle and the United Nations.”

In discussing the prize they noted past recipients.

“And let’s not forget that other paragon of peace Yasser Arafat.”

But many others praise Gore for his efforts and think that the former Vice President and winner of the popular vote in the highly contested 2000 U.S Presidential Election, say gore is deserving of the prize. Many in the liberal and progressive community have reacted with elation at the news, especially in the blogosphere. Regarding news of Gore’s win, the Progressive site Americablog reacted with just one word: “Fantastic!”

For the History of the Nobel prizes click here.

Source: Yahoo.com

MY TAKE: Those on the right who bash Gore’s win are just sore losers. Whenever anyone they disagree with whether it be Al gore, the united nations, Jimmy carter, Amnesty International, or DR Martin Luther King Jr receive this honor, the conservatives bark and howl because they don’t have a candidate deserving of the prize. think who would they nominate Dick Cheney? George W Bush? Or that pill popping guy with the microphone (Rush Limbaugh)?

Maybe someone else should have won it, but Al gore’s efforts at educating the public on this science are certainly commendable. besides other then Aung Sung Sui Kyi, The Burmese dissident and pro-democracy leader who won the prize in 1990, I can’t think of anyone else off hand who deserves it. So Congrats Al Gore and Congrats United Nations.

September 28- Myanmar and the Internet

story via: lauraingraham.com

Today it is said that the government of Myanmar is closing off access to the internet by it’s citizens, following two days of violence towards peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations by the ruling millitary junta. The internet and cellphone video is some of the technology that has projected the struggle of the poeple of Myanmar out to the rest of the world.