Free Republic

Will keep this short. Networks preparing for Hillary to (finally) quit in speech Tuesday night. Will be from NY, Staffers being told to turn in expenses, resumes being FedExed to Obama and other state/local campaigns. Staffers at one network recalled from lunches to prepare. Campaign staffers being told to go home. One network had long conference call among suits last night, followed by conference call between tech types to set up remotes, back-hauls, break-ins, etc. Union technicians, cameramen, audio, video engineers, etc. told to expect overtime. More as available From Associated Press RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton...

Hillary Rodham Clinton won a lopsided, but largely symbolic victory Sunday in Puerto Rico's presidential primary, the final act in a weekend of tumult that pushed Barack Obama tantalizingly close to the Democratic presidential nomination. The former first lady was winning roughly two-thirds of the votes as she continued a strong run through the late primaries. Before cheering supporters, she predicted she would have more combined votes than her rival when the primaries end Tuesday night, claimed victories in key swing states and said that no contender will command enough delegates to claim the nomination. "In the final assessment I...

CHICAGO -- With just three more Democratic primaries and a rules committee meeting remaining, many expect the long race for the Democratic presidential nomination to end on Tuesday. But will it?Sen. Barack Obama says the general election campaign will begin after South Dakota and Montana hold primaries on Tuesday and that the Democratic Party will have its nominee. When asked whether he will be that nominee, the front-runner told reporters on Wednesday, "I believe so."Sen. Obama is 44 delegates shy of clinching the nomination and leads Sen. Hillary Clinton by 200 delegates, according to the Associated Press tally. He has...

Hillary Clinton, facing a de facto deadline from party leaders to wrap up the race, still is rallying supporters and rolling out endorsements four days before the final two primaries. The New York senator was endorsed Friday by the Argus Leader, the largest newspaper in South Dakota, which votes alongside Montana Tuesday. Her campaign basically has given the OK for supporters to protest on Saturday outside a Democratic National Committee meeting that will take up the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries, which Clinton won but were discounted because the states held early primaries in violation of party rules.

CROW AGENCY, Mont. -- Barack Obama is using the final primary contests to try to prove a Democrat can be competitive in stalwart Republican states. One approach: an aggressive outreach to boost American Indian turnout. With the race for the Democratic presidential primary winding down, Sen. Obama has ramped up efforts in Montana and South Dakota, which hold primaries on June 3 and have typically elected Republicans. Oregon and Kentucky hold primary elections Tuesday. As part of the Illinois senator's broader general-election strategy of bringing in new voters and independents in Republican strongholds, the Obama campaign has been recruiting its...

Gone are the days of five-a-day campaign stops. Enjoying a lighter load on the campaign trail with two stops in South Dakota Wednesday and two stops Thursday Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton played tourist at Mt. Rushmore, ignoring questions and telling the press to "learn something about the monument".

Operation Chaos South Dakota Update Monday May 19 by 5:00 PM is the last day to register to vote for the June 3, 2008 Presidential Primaries in South Dakota. SD is one of the last states to vote (along with New Mexico and Montana). You have to be registered within each party to vote and bring a form of ID such as a SD driver’s license. As far as I am aware there are no unconstitutional loyalty oaths that some of the other states have tried to enforce. There are 27 delegates at stake for the Reps and Dems have...

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) Gov. Mike Rounds says President Bush tried again but couldn't persuade him to run for the U.S. Senate this year. Rounds and first lady Jean Rounds spent two nights at the White House when they were in Washington for the National Governors Association meeting last month. Last year when Rounds stayed at the White House, Bush also tried to persuade him to run for the Senate but Rounds declined. Rounds says Bush, in a joking way, tried again this year. The governor says when Bush couldn't get him to run, he turned Jean Rounds and asked if...

Former Republican Lt. Gov. Steve Kirby says he will decide within the next week whether to challenge South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson this November. "I'm undecided but I am working feverishly on trying to come up with a decision in the next seven days," Kirby said Thursday. South Dakota Republicans have been searching for GOP candidates to challenge Johnson this year. The Democrat's bid for a third term has attracted little attention as South Dakotans have focused on his recovery from a brain hemorrhage, and the election has been seen as Johnson's to lose. Kirby is more well-known than other...

Mitt Romney, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Event (After Action report) This is a first hand account of a campaign event. A few weeks ago I looked online and realized South Dakota is the last state to Caucus/Vote (yes we are last) on June 3rd so I better get on down to Iowa to show my support. We get many radio and TV channels across the border from Iowa so I have been following the Presidential race from a closer perspective than some. Disclaimer, I supported Romney here on FR since before he declared. My posting history will show I supported him...

Fred Thompson won the first-ever South Dakota Republican Party presidential straw poll at the South Dakota State. More than 500 people voted in the straw poll, and the former Tennessee senator got 25 percent from a field of nine candidates. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani came in second with 19 percent, and U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona was third with 14 percent. The state GOP allowed anyone to vote in the straw poll if they would be at least 18 by the state primary election next June.

HURON – Fred Thompson won the first-ever South Dakota Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll at the South Dakota State Fair Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, 2007. Thompson bested the field of nine garnering 25 percent of the vote. He was followed by Rudy Giuliani who received 19 percent; John McCain received 14 percent, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney each received 13 percent; Ron Paul received 8 percent; Duncan Hunter received 4 percent; Sam Brownback received 3 percent; and Tom Tancredo received 1 percent of the vote. More than 500 people voted in the poll which was conducted at the...