Obama Increases Pledged Delegate Lead With Saturday Sweep

Barack Obama, after winning more states and more delegates on Super Tuesday, increased his pledged delegate lead, and cut in half Hillary Clinton's lead among all delegates (including those uncommitted and unknowable Super Delegates) by going 4-4 with dominating victories in Washington, Nebraska, Louisana, and the Virgin Islands.

In Washington and Nebraska, two caucus states, Obama won with 67% of the vote in each state, and in the Virgin Island, Obama won by an overwhelming 90-7 tally, and that's no misprint, as Obama earned 1772 votes to Hillary's 149. Ouch. It was closer in Louisiana, but Obama, with over 50% of the vote in, held a 53-37 edge. All in all, Obama may gain upwards of 35 or 40 pledged delegates today, adding to 30+ delegate lead coming into tonight, giving him 20 victories in states and territories in 30 contests, an absolutely impressive number.

What is most impressive about Obama's victories is not just their breadth, but how he wins all over the country. Where 50% of the voters were black (Lousiana) and where hardly any black voters live (like Iowa and Utah and Idaho). Could you get three different states than Louisiana, Washington, and Nebraska? And Obama won all three going away. Add in the Virgin Islands, and it was a pretty good night for the Obama campaign.

Interesting on the Republican side with Conservatives shunning John McCain and giving Mike Huckabee some victories tonight despite the Republican race being all but wrapped up for McCain. Just incredible. Republicans eating their young. With the Democrats headed for a vicious and possibly forever damaging convention fight, you'd think the Republicans would put whatever small differences they have aside and unite behind one candidate to give the party the best chance to beat either Hillary or Barack come the fall. Guess not.

11:15 Update: And Mike Huckabee continues to lead both in Washington and Louisiana, which along with his big win in Kansas earlier in the day, may give him, as well as Obama, a clean sweep over John McCain. Just stunning the contempt the right has for their presumptive nominee. And I just love Mike Huckabee's comment to CPAC today. He said that even though some have said that it is mathematically impossible for him to catch McCain, he "didn't major in math, [he] majored in miracles and [he] still believes in them." Might be the best line of the campaign, maybe second to Barack Obama's line about John McCain and the "wheels falling off the Straight Talk Express."