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US Democrats have clashed over the role of unelected party leaders in choosing between senators Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama to be the party's White House nominee.

Advisers to Senator Clinton, who is trailing Senator Obama after losing eight straight contests, suggested today hundreds of "superdelegates" - party activists, lawmakers and former presidents who get a vote at the Democratic convention in August - were not bound by the results of voting in their home states.

Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio, a Clinton supporter and himself a superdelegate, said the independence of superdelegates was part of the process, and "those are the rules".

"To imply that somehow party bosses are going to thwart the will of the people, I think, is a distortion of the process that we have in place, that we have created as a Democratic Party," he said overnight on Fox.

As a superdelegate, Gov Strickland said "I think my responsibility is to vote my conscience, and I intend to do that".

"I would hope that all the superdelegates would do the same."

DROPPING OUT: Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani was expected to formally exit the race yesterday. Democrat John Edwards told advisors he would follow suit

AP, MIAMI AND DENVER
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008, Page 7

Senator John McCain and his wife Cindy greet supporters in Miami following his victory in the Florida Republican presidential primary on Tuesday.
PHOTO: AFP

Senator John McCain won a breakthrough triumph in the Florida primary, seizing the upper hand in the Republican presidential race ahead of next week's coast-to-coast contests and lining up a quick endorsement from soon-to-be dropout Rudy Giuliani.

McCain eased past chief rival Mitt Romney on Tuesday night following a tough battle in which the two traded accusations and insults. McCain has now emerged as the clear front-runner going into the Feb. 5 national contests that could decide the party's White House nominee.

"We have a ways to go, but we're getting close" to the nomination, McCain said in an appearance before cheering supporters.

Former New York mayor Giuliani ran third. It was Giuliani's best showing of the campaign, but not nearly good enough for the one-time front-runner who decided to make his last stand in a state that is home to tens of thousands of transplanted New Yorkers.

Republican officials said that Giuliani was expected to endorse McCain later yesterday in California. They spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of the public announcement.

Romney, who has spent millions of dollars of his personal fortune to run for the White House, vowed to stay in the race.

The Republican candidates were all headed to California for a debate last night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Democratic primary, an event that drew no campaigning by any of the contenders -- and awarded no delegates to the winner because of a dispute between the state and national parties over the date of the primary.

Even so, Clinton sought to emphasize her performance in the state, holding a victory rally as the polls were closing. Nearly complete returns showed Clinton with 50 percent, followed by Senator Barack Obama with 33 percent and former senator John Edwards with 14 percent.

Edwards was to announce his exit from the presidential race yesterday.

He notified a close circle of senior advisers that he planned to make the announcement at a 1pm event in New Orleans that had been billed as a speech on poverty, two of his advisers said.

The Florida victory was worth 57 Republican National Convention delegates for McCain, a winner-take-all haul that catapulted him ahead of Romney for the overall delegate lead. More than 1,000 Republican delegates will be awarded on Feb. 5 in 21 primaries and caucuses.

A total of 1,191 delegates are needed to secure the nomination at this summer's Republican national convention.

"It shows one thing. I'm the conservative leader who can unite the party," McCain said in a brief interview.

The veteran Arizona senator and former Vietnam prisoner-of-war has long been considered too much of a maverick by many of the Republican Party's core conservative base.

In remarks to supporters in Orlando, Giuliani referred to his candidacy repeatedly in the past tense -- as though it were over. He had staked his White House bid on the Florida primary, ceding earlier contests to the other candidates.

"I'm proud that we chose to stay positive and to run a campaign of ideas in an era of personal attacks, negative ads and cynical spin," he said. "You don't always win, but you can always try to do it right, and you did."

Returns from 99 percent of the state's precincts showed McCain with 36 percent of the vote and Romney with 31 percent. Giuliani trailed with 15 percent. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee finished fourth with 13 percent.

by Crystal Pattersonin News1/28/2008 9:21

Tonight President Bush claimed that the state of our union is strong. And we can all debate that. But what is not up for debate is that for too many American families, the true "state of their lives" is one of economic anxiety and uncertainty.

As I've traveled across the country and visited with people in their homes, I have listened to the urgent problems they face. These families are resolute, and when it comes to their strength, optimism and hard work, the state of our union has never been stronger. Yet after seven years of stagnant wages, declining incomes and increasing inequality, our families are working harder and harder and still falling behind.

by Crystal Patterson

Young actors America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn, today announced their endorsement of Hillary Clinton. They will serve as national co-chairs of "HillBlazers," the campaign's youth outreach program and will campaign on behalf of Hillary in key states, including Nevada. Both Amber and America are expected to campaign in Las Vegas this week.

"This election is too important to stand on the sidelines, especially for my generation. I look forward to rallying young people to use their voices and get involved. I believe that Hillary Clinton can turn this country around," said Ferrera. "I am confident she will be a champion for young women and men across the country."

"I'm concerned about the direction of our country and young Americans need to think about which candidate can make the most positive impact for our nation's future," said Tamblyn. "Young voters know that Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who has the experience to bring about change, and I'm excited to campaign for her wherever and whenever I can."