WASHINGTON - Presidential politics this upcoming tuesday means just one thing. And while that's actually two things, the one thing it means is maybe the end of the race for the Republican and Democratic nominations. What could be the end of the battle within each party, and the start of the battle between the parties is the focus of this morning's Presidential Picture: Race for the White House.
More than 350 delegates are at stake between the two states. Trying to reverse 11 straight losses, Hillary Clinton is campaigning today in Texas, with stops tomorrow in Houston and San Antonio.
In addition to Ohio and Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island are also holding contests. Clinton says she's upbeat despite the difficulty since super duper Tuesday.
"What keeps me optimistic is the success I've had thus far. And what I think the prospects are for Tuesday... We're now raising an average of $1 million a day on the internet. People have just been really rallying to my candidacy. And what keeps me going is that I know I would be the best president," Clinton said.
Clinton and Obama debated Tuesday night in a debate that made news for what was said about foreign policy, specifically in Iraq.
Obama was asked Tuesday night if he reserved the right to re-invade Iraq after a U.S. troop withdrawal if Al Qaeda reestablished a major presence there.
He answered that he would always look out for American interests, and on that part of the debate, John McCain pounced. Seizing on his foreign policy expertise, McCain tried to make a campaign issue out of Obama's comments saying that Al Qaeda is already in Iraq.
"...So i don't understand how Senator Obama can say he would go back to Iraq if Al Qaeda were there when Al Qaeda is there, and everybody knows it," McCain said.
Obama indirectly reacted to McCain's comment, saying Republican policy caused what he calls the chaos in Iraq.
"There was no such thing Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq," Obama said. "They took their eye off the people who were responsible for 9/11, that would be Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, that is stronger now than at any time since 2001. I've been paying attention, John McCain! That's the news!"
Obama appears to be on the way to the nomination. He is winning in the delegate count, and has gained in superdelegates since Super Tuesday where Clinton has lost ground. He has endorsements by former presidential candidate Chris Dodd and John Lewis, a Georgia congressman with a reputation for friendship with the Clinton family. McCain's and edorsements, even by friends of the Clinton family. McCain's campaign has focused on running against him - not Clinton.
And they say opposites attract: and on one subject -- that's happening. Both Clinton and McCain agree that Barack Obama is not ready to be commander in chief.
"We simply cannot legitimize rogue regimes, or weaken American prestige, by impulsively agreeing to presidential level talks that have no preconditions...... It may sound good, but it doesn't meet the real world test of foreign policy," Clinton said.
And Mike Huckabee made a splash on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, poking fun at himself in response to the fact that he's still in the race - and might not know how or when to leave. But in response to a rumor about his running for Senate from his home state Arkansas, he dispelled it this way:
"There's a greater likelihood of me dying my hair green, tattooing my body, and going on tour with Amy Winehouse other than me running for the Senate this year. Not happening."