Still After the Holy Grail

Gallery

Candidates Campaign in Oregon and Kentucky

The battle for the Democratic party's presidential nominee remains fierce as Tuesday's Oregon and Kentucky primaries approach.

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"It's become more or less a retirement community," Jimmy Meadows, 81, says of his town of 9,000. He's sitting in the bleachers, walking stick at his side. Nearby is a group of women from a nursing home. In a wheelchair pushed by a nurse, Hazel Carpenter, 86 and hooked to oxygen, proudly displays her new "Hillary" autograph. Can Clinton still win? "I sure hope so," says Carpenter.

But the old folks know how to rally for their candidate. Martha Lane Collins, a former Kentucky governor, leads the crowd in a raucous cheer of "H-I-L-L-A-R-Y" -- until a loud pop from the sound system causes many in the audience to jump. The sound continues to be uncooperative, and another warm-up speaker asks the crowd to give Clinton "a great big [inaudible]."

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King Arthur: "You've got no arms left . . ."

Black Knight: "It's only a flesh wound." (Continues kicking Arthur, who chops off knight's right leg.)

The ruckus from Clinton's senior supporters is audible backstage, where the candidate is giving satellite interviews to TV stations in Oregon, which, along with Kentucky, holds its primary Tuesday. Most slip in reminders about her status in the race.

"I'm sure that you've seen the pictures of the great big crowd of 75,000 turning out for Barack Obama in Portland yesterday," says one.

"He usually draws bigger crowds, but more people have voted for me," she explains.

"Some would say it's mathematically impossible for you to overtake Senator Obama," he continues.

"The states that I've already won total 300 electoral votes," she responds. "Barack's won states totaling 217 electoral votes."

Another Oregon interviewer points out that "Obama may try to declare himself the nominee if he wins Oregon."