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Sen. Barack Obama captured the Wyoming
Democratic caucuses Saturday, seizing a bit of momentum in the
close, hard-fought race with rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for
the party's presidential nomination.

      Obama generally has outperformed Clinton in caucuses, which
reward organization and voter passion more than do primaries. The
Illinois senator has now won 13 caucuses to Clinton's three.

      Obama has also shown strength in the Mountain West, winning
Idaho, Utah, Colorado and now Wyoming. The two split Nevada, with
Clinton winning the popular vote and Obama more delegates.

      But Clinton threw some effort into Wyoming, perhaps hoping for
an upset that would yield few delegates but considerable buzz and
momentum. The New York senator campaigned Friday in Cheyenne and
Casper. Former President Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, also
campaigned this week in the sprawling and lightly populated state.

      Obama campaigned in Casper and Laramie on Friday, but spent part
of his time dealing with the fallout from an aide's harsh words
about Clinton and suggestions that Obama wouldn't move as quickly
to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq if elected. In Casper, Obama said
Clinton had no standing to challenge his position on the war
because she had voted to authorize it in 2002.

      Clinton, buoyed by big wins in Ohio and Texas last Tuesday, said
she faced an uphill fight in Wyoming. Her campaign also holds out
little hope for Tuesday's primary in Mississippi, which has a large
black population.

      Obama had 59 percent, or 4,459 votes, to Clinton's 40 percent,
or 3,081 votes, with 22 of 23 Wyoming counties reporting.

      Obama won seven delegates and Clinton won five. In the overall
race for the nomination, Obama led 1,578-1,468, according to the
latest tally by The Associated Press. It will take 2,025 delegates
to win the Democratic nomination.

      Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said the Wyoming victory
speaks to the candidate's strength in the West, and that Obama is
better suited to help down-ticket Democrats even in states that
traditionally vote Republican in the general election.

      "I think it's evidence that Senator Obama is going to be able
to put more states in play because of his strength with independent
voters," Plouffe said.

      Clinton's campaign took heart in their ability to pick up more
delegates.

      "We knew that Wyoming was an uphill climb and that Senator
Obama was expected to win," said Ben Kobren, a spokesman for
Clinton's campaign in Wyoming. "We're glad we were able to bring
out our grassroots support and come very close in delegates."

      Both candidates were looking ahead to the bigger prize -
delegate-rich Pennsylvania on April 22.

      From the first caucuses of the day, it became clear the state's
Democrats were showing up in large numbers. In 2004, a mere 675
people statewide took part in the caucuses.

      In Sweetwater County, more than 500 people crowded into a high
school auditorium and another 500 were lined up to get inside.

"I'm worried about where we're going to put them all. But I
guess everybody's got the same problem," said Joyce Corcoran, a
local party official. "So far we're OK. But man, they keep
coming."

      Party officials struggled with how to handle the overflow
crowds. The start of the Converse County caucus was delayed due to
long lines.

      In Cheyenne, scores of late arrivers were turned away when party
officials stopped allowing people to get in line at 11 a.m. EST. A
party worker stood at the end of the line with a sign reading,
"End of the line. Caucus rules require the voter registration
process to be closed at this time."

      State party spokesman Bill Luckett said they were obligated to
follow its rules as well as those of the Democratic National
Committee regarding caucus procedures.

      "Everybody knew the registration began over an hour before the
caucus was called to order. We've done everything we could to
accommodate people in the long lines," Luckett said.

      After initially accepting provisional ballots from about 20
people who remained behind at the caucus site, party officials said
they and both campaigns had decided not to count those votes. John
Millin, state party chair, said doing so would have been unfair to
those who had left after being turned away.

      In Casper, home of the state party's headquarters, hundreds were
lined up at the site of the Natrona County caucus. The location was
a hotel meeting room with a capacity of 500. Some 7,700 registered
Democrats live in the county.

      "We'll have to put 'em in the grass after a while," said Bob
Warburton, a local party official.

      About 59,000 registered Democrats are eligible to participate in
Wyoming's caucuses.

      Only in the last few weeks have the campaigns stepped up their
presence in Wyoming, opening offices and calling voters and sending
mailers.

      Although a win in Wyoming may not persuade many superdelegates,
it will be one more prize for the candidates as they make their
case for the nomination.

      Clinton has hinted recently that if she wins the nomination she
would consider sharing the ticket with Obama. But in an interview
Friday in Wyoming with KTVQ-TV, a CBS affiliate based in Billings,
Mont., Obama shied away from that possibility.

      "Well, you know, I think it's premature. You won't see me as a
vice presidential candidate - you know, I'm running for
president," Obama told the television station. "We have won twice
as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote,
and I think we can maintain our delegate count.

      "What I am really focused on right now, because all that stuff
is premature, is winning this nomination and changing the country.
I think that's what people here are concerned about."

Associated Press writers Bob Moen in Casper, Matt Joyce and Ben
Neary in Cheyenne contributed to this report.

Gallery

Politics and Government News

Sen. Barack Obama captured the Wyoming
Democratic caucuses Saturday, seizing a bit of momentum in the
close, hard-fought race with rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for
the party's presidential nomination.


Obama defeats Clinton in Wyoming caucuses

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