8 Questions the Potomac Primary Could Answer

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: 8 Questions the Potomac Primary Could Answer
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2008; A08

1) Will a Sweep by Obama Make Him the Front-Runner?

Victories in Maryland, Virginia and the District would give Barack Obama a narrow but undisputed lead among pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Together with the rest of his recent string of victories, such a sweep would bestow unmistakable momentum heading toward next week's primary in Wisconsin and caucus in Hawaii. That kind of success normally would be enough to crown someone a front-runner, but in this case, it would make Obama, as Democratic pollster Mark Mellman put it, "a front-runner by inches in a tied race." In this race at least, as Democratic strategist Don Fowler noted, "front-runner does not mean winner."...

2) Will the Clinton-Obama Race Split the Party?

Not until it does. There have been nasty exchanges and low moments, but so far the Clinton and Obama campaigns have managed to pull back from the brink each time they've come close to a major explosion. Most strategists expect that will continue to be the pattern, but the seeds for serious discord exist.

There is a consensus that an Obama victory would be easier for the Democratic Party to accept, that Clinton's supporters would be more receptive to an Obama nomination than his supporters would be to a Clinton win. That reflects the passion of many of his supporters and the fact that they are younger and in some cases newer to the process....

3) Will Edwards Endorse Someone Soon?

The candidates have started courting their former rival and he has been receptive to their overtures. That is a sign to Democratic insiders that he's getting ready to declare his support for one of them....

4) Will Obama Catch Clinton Among Superdelegates?

Yes -- if he keeps winning. Clinton has clear advantages in this battle for party insiders and has used them to build up an early lead. At this point, however, the superdelegates are likely to wait to see how the nomination battle unfolds, at least over the next month....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021102916_pf.html