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Election Unspun for Feb 11
About - Past Radio Shows
February 11 - Election Unspun
produced by Leigh Ann Caldwell
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It was a big weekend for Barack Obama.

He swept every single primary and caucus. Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington, Maine and the Virgin Islands, he beat Hillary Clinton overwhelmingly – 2 voters to 1.

"Hillary and I both want universal healthcare, but unless we can put a working majority together it doesn't matter what plans are adopted, they will not pass through the Congress."

Hillary Clinton made a change at the top. She hired a new campaign manager, long time confidant and former Chief of Staff Maggie Williams. Her previous campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, is still on staff, but the shift exposes the Clinton's difficulty in securing the nomination.

Barack ObamaBoth Clinton and Obama are attempting to gain the endorsement of John Edwards.

As for the Republicans, Mike Huckabee had a good weekend….beating John McCain by a wide margin in Kansas and narrowly in Louisiana. Huckabee says his wins prove the race is not over. McCain did edge out Huckabee in Washington State.

Ron Paul pulls back from his Presidential run, but does not drop out. He is reducing his staff but says he will continue to compete in all upcoming primaries and caucuses, but wrote on his campaign website he must defend his Congressional seat in Texas. Paul ruled out a third party Presidential run.

Candidates and their supporters campaign in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. as Republicans and Democrats head to those polls tomorrow.

 


It's not only the Presidential candidates that will be on the ballot in Maryland tomorrow. Local political primaries will as well. One race is receiving national attention – that of eight term Democratic US Representative Al Wynn. He usually wins the general election with over 80 percent of the vote, but this year, he is facing a tough primary challenger, who is campaigning on the platform that Democrats are not listening to the demands of the people.

Donna Edwards is identified as a progressive candidate trying to unseat incumbent Wynn. Edwards has never been an elected official. She co-founded the National network to End Domestic Violence. As a lawyer she also worked to reform lobbying laws. Edwards is making a congressional run because she says her opponent has become entrenched in Washington and has stopped looking out for his constituents.

"Voting to authorize the war in Iraq. Voting to fund it up until recently. Voting with the banks and credit card companies on a .. law that President Clinton vetoed and many members of the Democratic caucus said is one of the worst anti consumer legislations ever," Edwards says.

Donna EdwardsHer message is being well received. At a Maryland metro stop election unspun spoke to about twenty voters – all of whom backed Wynn in the past. Every voter said they were voting for Edwards this year.

"I think it's time for a new generation."

"I'm just tired of old faces in Congress."

"He didn't practice what he preached."

That was June Langley, Donald Davis, and Sicilia Smith. They say they want new blood in the Capitol. Smith says she doesn't like Wynn's initial support for the war. Wynn says Edwards has distorted his stance on Iraq.

"I said in 2004 before Donna Edwards was even on the scene that the Iraq vote was a mistake and that the war was a mistake. My vote was a mistake," Wynn says.

This past year Wynn voted five times to end the war, and also voted against war funding. But Edwards says his initial support for the war shows a lack of judgment. The two faced off against each other in the last Democratic primary here . . . Edwards lost by only three percent of the vote. Her campaign's money was low at the end that race. But recently she has out raised representative Wynn. But Eighty percent of that money has come from out of state contributors . . . like Emily's List and the Progressive Democrats of America. Wynn says that is telling.

"Her campaign is basically an out of state driven effort to control the seat, and they don't have our interests at heart," Wynn says.

Edwards has failed to receive Democratic establishment support. The county commission and members of Congress like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are throwing their support behind Wynn. Edwards is popular in the wealthier Montgomery County, She is focusing a lot of her ground movement in the lower income Prince George's County. Her message is resonating with local voters. Edwards says she is optimistic about Tuesday's results, but she knows it hinges on one thing, "Its all about the votes now isn't it?" Edwards asks.

Local officials expect more primary voter turnout than usual because of the high profile presidential primary.

 


The Democrats were elected in such huge numbers in 2006, enough to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the idea that Washington would be anew… an end to the Iraq war and the Bush Administration would be held accountable.

The local Maryland race between incumbent Albert Wynn and newcomer Donna Edwards, is causing political analysts to think that Democrats are not safe in their seats just because they have a D next to their name. Wynn is considered corrupt by many and his closeness to big industries seems to be falling out of favor, despite his support from the Democratic establishment.

signs of change Election Unspun Producer Karen Miller spoke with Walter Faunteroy, the first DC delegate to Congress, co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, and long time political analyst.

.. it's a movement, you cannot stop a movement, simple as that... People are waking up.. This is between the past and the future, some people are getting smart... they have outsourced my job.

 

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About Election Unspun

You will find audio, video, blogs, and hard-hitting analysis from progressive journalists. Each day, unravel the double speak of candidates and media pundits, with news and alternative perspectives about the critical issues.

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