Obama wins Mississippi

Senator Barack Obama handily won the Mississippi Democratic primary today carrying 90% of the black vote and only 25% of the white vote. Obama was expected to take Mississippi and trounced his opponent with a decisive 61 - 37% win in the overall vote. The AP reports on the racially polarized contest between the two Senators while recalling remarks made during an interview with Torrance, California periodical the Daily Breeze, by prominent Clinton supporter Geraldine Ferraro. During the interview Mrs. Ferraro said that, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. (Competing as a front-runner) And if he was a woman - of any color - he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept,".

After the comments were aired, the Obama team hit back hard with calls for Ferraro to be dismissed from any active participation with the Clinton campaign. "The bottom line is this, when you wink and nod at offensive statements, you're really sending a signal to your supporters that anything goes," said Obama senior advisor David Axelrod. The strategist for the Obama campaign added that people view Mrs. Clinton as a "divisive and polarizing force."

With 2025 delegates needed to win the Democratic party Presidential nomination, Senator Obama leads Mrs. Clinton with 1,374 delegates to 1,226 according to the AP while the New York Senator leads in super delegates 247-211. Democrat party bosses fear an all out fight on the convention floor if a clear winner is not decided in time for the party's convention in Denver this August. Activists fear a deadlock going into the convention could result in a back room deal by the Clintons to persuade super delegates to move for Clinton and take the nomination away from Obama. A behind the scenes deal by the Clintons to take away super delegates from Obama would backfire badly. Barack Obama has led the popular vote among the party faithful and has won more than twice the number of states as the former first lady in Democratic primaries and caucuses. Obama has been able to attract standing-room-only crowds for his speeches while the Clinton's play to half-empty venues. A majority of the party rank and file have flocked to hear the Illinois Senator speak of a new hope in auditoriums, gymnasiums and union halls across the land. A move by the Clintons to rob Obama at the convention would split the party and irreparably damage African-American support for the Democrats not only in this election cycle but in future elections for years to come.

But if there's anything the Clintons know, it's a good fight and they give nothing up without an all-out battle. In bare knuckles contests like this, the Clintons can count on the support of feisty allies like Mrs. Ferraro who is not one to shy away from a fight or to start one if need be as Ben Smith reveals in a Ferraro flashback to 1988. Referring to then presidential candidate Jesse Jackson's radical views Mrs. Ferraro said, "If Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race,". Like the old vaudevillian Al Jolson once said, "Hang on folks, you ain’t seen nothing yet!" I expect we'll hear more broadsides exchanged between the rival camps on the road to the big stakes primary coming up in Pennsylvannia.

Get set for a wild to Denver this summer.