Obama Has Momentum for 'Potomac Primary'; McCain Solidifying Conservative Support

WASHINGTON — Illinois Sen. Barack Obama rides a political hot streak into Tuesday's Democratic presidential primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia as New York Sen. Hillary Clinton battles perceptions that she is struggling in her campaign for the party's nomination.

On the Republican side, Arizona Sen. John McCain is counting on wins Tuesday to further solidify his front-runner status after weekend losses to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in Kansas and Louisiana.

Moreover, in yet another sign that the GOP establishment is aligning with McCain and wants the primary battles to end, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday endorsed McCain, calling him "a patriot and a devoted conservative leader."

"He is beholden to no interest other than that of the public good," Bush said of McCain. "He is determined and steadfast in his commitment to reducing the burden of high taxes, restoring the people's trust in their government and winning the war against radical Islamic extremists."

Obama swept five contests from Clinton over the weekend, in Maine, Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington state and the Virgin Islands, generating momentum for Tuesday's so-called "Potomac Primary" and extending a slight lead for pledged delegates who will vote for the party's presidential nominee at the national convention in August in Denver. The latest MSNBC delegate count shows Obama with 943, Clinton with 895, and 168 up for grabs Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland and the district, all to be awarded on a proportional basis.

The latest polls show Obama with a commanding lead in all three primaries, prompting Clinton, in response to reporters' questions Monday, to point to upcoming contests early next month in Ohio and Texas. "If you look at the states that are upcoming, I'm very confident," she said outside a General Motors plant in White Marsh, Md., near Baltimore.

But Clinton shook up her campaign staff on Sunday, replacing campaign manager Patty Solis Doyle with longtime aide Maggie Williams. Coming on the heels of reports that she recently had to loan her campaign $5 million, the Willams-for-Doyle move sparked speculation that her campaign is in trouble.

Clinton downplayed the weekend losses to Obama and dismissed suggestions that her chief rival has all the momentum going into Tuesday's voting. "Let's have the elections. Instead of talking about them, pontificating and punditing, let's let people actually vote," she said.

However, in addition to saturating Virginia, Maryland and D.C. with TV ads, the Obama campaign announced Monday that it is starting TV ads in Texas and Ohio on Tuesday. The Clinton campaign would not say when it intends to begin advertising in Texas and Ohio, but Clinton's Texas organizer, Garry Mauro, said the former first lady would advertise in all major media markets in the state.

The Democrats added another debate to their schedule. Clinton and Obama will hold a debate in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 21.

Obama, meanwhile, held two rallies in Maryland on the eve of the "Potomac Primary," including an event at the University of Maryland that attracted more than 15,000 people. And at that rally, he presented himself as the Democrat most able to lead the country out of a long period of divisive and ineffective government.

"We need something new," he said.

Both Clinton and Obama are vying for the support of former rival John Edwards, who so far has declined to make an endorsement. Clinton visited Edwards last week in North Carolina, but Obama decided against such a visit, which had been set for Monday night. Asked about the meeting during a visit to a Maryland coffee shop, Obama gave no reason for the change in plans but said, "It will be rescheduled. We're gonna make it happen."

It takes 2,025 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

And it takes 1,919 delegates to cinch the GOP nomination. According to the Associated Press, McCain now has 719 to 234 for Huckabee.

The Tuesday GOP contests are for 63 delegates in Virginia (with all going to the winner), 37 in Maryland (24 divided among eight congressional districts and 10 to the statewide winner) and 19 in the District of Columbia (all going to the winner). Virginia's primary is open, which means Republicans can cross over and vote in the Democratic contest, raising the potential for political mischief, such as trying to help the Democratic candidate they would most like to run against in the fall.

Recent polls show McCain with leads of about 30 points in Virginia and 30-40 points in Maryland.

"We're doing fine," McCain said Monday, while acknowledging that he still has "a lot of work to do" attracting the support of conservatives who have never been fans of his. To that end, McCain on Monday announced an endorsement from Gary Bauer, a longtime abortion opponent who ran for president in 2004 and who has long cautioned that McCain hurt himself among Christian conservatives by criticizing some of the high-profile leaders in 2000.

But, in his endorsement statement, Bauer praised McCain for a "consistent 24-year pro-life record and demonstrated commitment to the values that keep our families and communities strong."

Huckabee said Monday that "a lot of the (Republican) establishment" wants the race to be over.

"But we're supposed to have an election," he said on NBC. "That means people get to choose. We have a lot of people in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas – they haven't even voted yet. So what do we do, just tell them don't bother to show up?"

He said his eight wins have come in states crucial to Republicans in November. "I think what I've proven is that I appeal to the conservative base of our party," Huckabee said. "That's who is supporting me. And that's going to matter if we really are serious about beating either Hillary or Obama."

In a CNN interview, Huckabee shrugged off Texas Gov. Rick Perry's request that he drop out. Perry, who initially backed Rudy Giuliani, is now a McCain backer.

"I tell (Perry) that I've never seen a football team that looked up in the stands of the other side and answered to the boos and jeers of the opposing cheerleaders," Huckabee said. "You know, as long as my guys are still waving their pom poms, I think we're going to stay on the field. I frankly think it's outrageous that supporters of one candidate think they have some influence in trying to tell me that I ought to leave the field."

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison also was among Republicans signing on with McCain on Monday, saying in an endorsement announcement that McCain called her over the weekend to ask if she would campaign with him in Texas.

"And I am very pleased to do so," she said in the announcement. "I think we can strengthen our party and our ability to reach out to voters if we all come together as soon as possible to talk about what unites us and what we will do for America."

McCain, despite his overwhelming delegate lead, has been careful not to claim the nomination. He had a simple answer when asked Monday why people continue to vote for Huckabee.

"Because they like him. I never expected a unanimous vote, although I would certainly like to have that. But I think we'll continue to win primaries across the country, including tomorrow," McCain said.

McCain also disclosed that former presidential rival Fred Thompson endorsed him last Friday. "This is no longer about past preferences or differences. It is about what is best for our country and for me that means that Republican should close ranks behind John McCain," Thompson said in a statement.