Clinton spends Mothers Day campaigning in W.Va.

By Elise Amendola (AP)

Hillary Rodham Clinton began her presidential quest armed with talent, tenacity, fame, money, connections and a team that knew how to win. Many people believed her victory in the Democratic nomination was a sure thing. Her ultimate failing may have been in believing it, too.

Clinton had one big problem out of the gate: 40 percent or more of Americans said they\'d never vote for her. She was too polarizing. It\'s love her or hate her.

Clinton powered through that hurdle in state after state, showing grit that earned her the valuable political currency of being merely...

By Don Ryan (AP)

Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-imposing lead among superdelegates Saturday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party\'s nomination for president.

Obama added superdelegates from Utah, Ohio and Arizona, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions enabled Obama to surpass Clinton\'s total for the first time in the campaign. He had picked up nine endorsements Friday.

The milestone is important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Barack Obama began sketching the outlines of his expected presidential contest against Republican John McCain on Saturday, saying the fall election will be more about specific plans and priorities than about questions of political ideology or who is more patriotic.

Barely mentioning Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama said he was open to campaigning with McCain in \"town hall\" events. But he also warned that controversial issues such as McCain\'s ties to the Keating Five savings and loan scandal are fair game, and he called McCain\'s proposal for a temporary halt in the...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Barack Obama began sketching the outlines of his expected presidential contest against Republican John McCain on Saturday, saying the fall election will be more about specific plans and priorities than about questions of political ideology or who is more patriotic.

Barely mentioning Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama said he was open to campaigning with McCain in \"town hall\" events. But he also warned that controversial issues such as McCain\'s ties to the Keating Five savings and loan scandal are fair game, and he called McCain\'s proposal for a temporary halt in the...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-imposing lead among superdelegates Saturday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party\'s nomination for president.

Obama added superdelegates from Utah and Ohio, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions enabled Obama to surpass Clinton\'s total for the first time in the campaign. He had picked up nine endorsements Friday.

The milestone is important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to claim the...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Barack Obama has overtaken Hillary Rodham Clinton in superdelegate endorsements for the first time.

Obama picked up four superdelegate endorsements, including two from the Virgin Islands who had previously endorsed Clinton. The additions erased Clinton\'s once-imposing lead among the party and elected officials who will automatically attend the party\'s national convention this summer.

The milestone is important because these are the Democrats who will decide the nomination for president, and Clinton would need their support by a wide margin to win. Obama has a big lead among...

By Don Ryan (AP)

Barack Obama picked up a superdelegate in Utah, bringing him within half a delegate of erasing Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-substantial lead among the elected officials and party leaders who will determine the Democratic presidential nominee.

The Utah Democratic party named Kristi Cumming, an Obama supporter, as its sixth superdelegate following the party\'s annual fundraising dinner Friday.

Obama also picked up nine superdelegates from other states Friday, while Clinton picked up two.

Clinton now leads Obama by a mere half delegate _ 272.5 to 272. Little more than...

By Ryan Gardner (AP)

The amazement was on their faces. Hundreds waited for Barack Obama on that evening in South Carolina, 15 weeks ago, to claim victory _ a surprising victory, surprisingly large.

And amazing it was. It made it possible for him to stand today on the verge of being the first black person ever nominated for president by a major party.

One could guess the thoughts of the blacks and whites in that crowd: Can you believe that our state _ South Carolina, first to secede and first to open fire in the Civil War _ is now catapulting a black man to the front of the presidential contest in...

By Charles Rex Arbogast (AP)

The amazement was on their faces. Hundreds waited for Barack Obama on that evening in South Carolina, 15 weeks ago, to claim victory _ a surprising victory, surprisingly large.

And amazing it was. It made it possible for him to stand today on the verge of being the first black person ever nominated for president by a major party.

One could guess the thoughts of the blacks and whites in that crowd: Can you believe that our state _ South Carolina, first to secede and first to open fire in the Civil War _ is now catapulting a black man to the front of the presidential contest in...

By Charles Dharapak (AP)

No constituency is more eager to see a woman win the presidency than America\'s feminists, yet _ despite Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s historic candidacy _ the women\'s movement finds itself wrenchingly divided over the Democratic race as it heads toward the finish.

At breakfast forums, in op-ed columns, across the blogosphere, the debate has been heartfelt and sometimes bitter. Are the activist women supporting front-runner Barack Obama betraying their gender? Are Clinton\'s feminist backers mired in an outdated, women\'s-liberation mind-set?

Ellen Bravo is a Milwaukee author...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

With the racially tinged Democratic race drawing to an awkward close, Barack Obama and John McCain face the challenge of winning over \"Hillary Democrats\" _ the white, working-class voters who favored the former first lady over Obama\'s historic candidacy.

Obama and McCain clearly have set their sights on each other, a recognition of the long odds Clinton faces in trying to capture the Democratic presidential nomination. The McCain campaign figures some of her supporters might be up for grabs and won\'t necessarily vote Democratic in the general election in November.

\"I\'ve...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Campaigning a few miles from each other Friday, Barack Obama trained his eye on November and the GOP, while Hillary Rodham Clinton battled for her political life, trying to hang on a few more weeks or even days in hopes of denying him the Democratic presidential nomination.

Obama, increasingly confident that Clinton cannot overtake his lead, ignored her in his prepared remarks at a Portland-area workplace. Instead he pointedly criticized Republican Sen. John McCain\'s economic, health and Iraq policies, saying the probable GOP nominee would continue failed Bush administration...

By Susan Walsh (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.

Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter.

In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the...

By Susan Walsh (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.

Obama picked up the backing of six superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter.

In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the...

By Susan Walsh (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.

Obama picked up the backing of five superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter.

In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the...

By Susan Walsh (AP)

The movement of Democratic superdelegates to presidential hopeful Barack Obama gained steam Friday with four new endorsements, including a union president and a congressman who switched his backing from rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama has now climbed within a handful of superdelegates of catching Clinton in endorsements from the party and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination. With the new endorsements, the superdelegate count is Clinton, 271.5 and Obama, 267.

Obama\'s endorsements from superdelegates have picked up sharply since Tuesday, when he...

By Susan Walsh (AP)

The movement of Democratic superdelegates to presidential hopeful Barack Obama gained steam Friday with endorsements from a union president and two congressmen, including one who switched his backing from rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama has now climbed within a handful of superdelegates of catching Clinton in endorsements from the party and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination. With the three new superdelegate endorsements, the superdelegate count is Clinton, 271.5 and Obama, 266.

Obama also picked up the endorsement of the influential American...

By Susan Walsh (AP)

The movement of Democratic superdelegates to presidential hopeful Barack Obama gained steam Friday with endorsements from a union president and two congressmen, including one who switched his backing from rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama has now climbed within 10 superdelegates of catching Clinton in endorsements from the party and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination. With the three new superdelegate endorsements, the superdelegate count is Clinton, 271.5 and Obama, 266

Obama also picked up the endorsement of the influential American Federation of...

By Pablo Martinez Monsivais (AP)

Barack Obama\'s sprint to the Democratic nomination received another boost Friday as two more superdelegates pledged their support, including one who dropped his backing for Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s faltering White House bid.

The two Democrats have been lobbying superdelegates _ who are not bound by state results _ to line up behind them in the final push for the nomination. While Obama has presented himself, albeit subtly, as the inevitable candidate, Clinton\'s efforts have been to ward off further defections and convince the crucial voting block that her candidacy still...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

The movement of Democratic superdelegates to presidential hopeful Barack Obama gained steam Friday, with endorsements expected from two more congressmen.

Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said the Illinois senator plans to receive the endorsement of Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon an event Friday in his homestate. Oregon holds it\'s primary on May 20.

While polling in the Oregon has been sparse, Obama is believed to hold a significant advantage over New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. With DeFazio, he will have the endorsement of three of the state\'s four Democratic House members....

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

The president of the American Federation of Government Employees says the influential union is endorsing Democrat Barack Obama for president.

AFGE President John Gage _ a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention _ says he will also personally back Obama. The union endorsement gives the Illinois senator fresh momentum toward capturing the nomination.

Gage said Friday the endorsement was a recognition of the enthusiasm and vitality behind the Illinois senator\'s campaign.

Obama\'s candidacy has been picking steam since Tuesday, when he won the North Carolina...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

A spokesman for Democrat Barack Obama\'s presidential campaign says he\'s won the endorsements of two more superdelegates.

Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer says Congressman Peter DeFazio plans to endorse the Illinois senator at an event Thursday in Oregon, which holds it\'s primary on May 20.

And in New Jersey, Don Payne _ a black congressman who had been backing Obama\'s rival for the nomination, New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton _ is switching his support to Obama, according to Pfeiffer.

The movement of uncommitted superdelegates into Obama\'s campaign has picked...

By Pablo Martinez Monsivais (AP)

Hillary Rodham Clinton, defying electoral math stacked against her, is urging supporters to ignore predictions that her White House bid was over. Barack Obama, meanwhile, was reaching out to top Democrats who could help seal a historic nomination well within his grasp.

Clinton spent some of Thursday in West Virginia _ the next battleground and where she is favored to win _ telling supporters that she had faced similar pressure to withdraw before she went on to win New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania\'s primaries.

\"I\'m running to be president of all 50 states,\" said...