Barack Obama is looking at the general election map, traveling to “purple” states that could swing to either party in November, as his campaign prepares to capture the remaining delegates it needs to win the Democratic nomination for president.
Hillary Clinton is still in primary states, hitting Montana on Tuesday and South Dakota later this week. Although the math is against her, she hopes to finish strong in those states, which hold the final two primaries on June 3.
Obama needs just 48 delegates to seal the deal, having picked up 11 over the Memorial Day weekend and one more on Tuesday. Clinton has picked up none since last week, when she was harangued for noting the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy as evidence that primaries have lasted until June.
Obama chief strategist David Axelrod told The New York Daily News that the end is near.
“We’re very close now,” Axelrod told the newspaper. “When the primaries end, I think, we’ll be where we need to be. … We’ll be at the number we need to claim the nomination.”
Before Montana and South Dakota vote, Puerto Rico holds its election on Sunday. The territory is polling strong for Clinton, but could put Obama over the top or within a hair’ s breadth of it.
With Florida and Michigan counted — the Democratic Party’s rules committee meets Saturday to decide how to retract the penalty the states were given for voting early — the nomination could shake out by the weekend, but it will ultimately be done by Tuesday.
After that, Clinton may try to push forward anyway, or she may decide to end her campaign. The Obama campaign has made it clear to its supporters that it will leave it to Clinton to decide her timetable, means and method for exiting the race.
Hillary Clinton is still in primary states, hitting Montana on Tuesday and South Dakota later this week. Although the math is against her, she hopes to finish strong in those states, which hold the final two primaries on June 3.
Obama needs just 48 delegates to seal the deal, having picked up 11 over the Memorial Day weekend and one more on Tuesday. Clinton has picked up none since last week, when she was harangued for noting the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy as evidence that primaries have lasted until June.
Obama chief strategist David Axelrod told The New York Daily News that the end is near.
“We’re very close now,” Axelrod told the newspaper. “When the primaries end, I think, we’ll be where we need to be. … We’ll be at the number we need to claim the nomination.”
Before Montana and South Dakota vote, Puerto Rico holds its election on Sunday. The territory is polling strong for Clinton, but could put Obama over the top or within a hair’ s breadth of it.
With Florida and Michigan counted — the Democratic Party’s rules committee meets Saturday to decide how to retract the penalty the states were given for voting early — the nomination could shake out by the weekend, but it will ultimately be done by Tuesday.
After that, Clinton may try to push forward anyway, or she may decide to end her campaign. The Obama campaign has made it clear to its supporters that it will leave it to Clinton to decide her timetable, means and method for exiting the race.
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