The NY times ran an article today discussing shifts in support within the Democratic Party from Hillary to Obama. After candidates reported first-quarter fundraising figures last weekend, it became evident that many former supporters of Bill Clinton had “switched sides” and were now opening up their wallets to Obama instead of Hillary. Such a shift should have been expected considering the prominence of Bill Clinton’s support within the Democratic Party, and the relative surprise with which it was received bodes poorly for Hillary’s campaign. Voters could interpret the shift as evidence that Obama is swaying formerly dedicated party insiders who feel that something they saw in Bill is missing from the new Clinton candidate. The campaign also cannot be pleased that her fundraising abilities are viewed as more or less synonymous with the inheritance of her husband’s political machine; they are strong in their own right. What is certain is that while Obama is no longer a second-tier candidate, Hillary still faces the risk of being a second-tier Clinton.
-Will Leiter, Graphics Editor