Democrats attack Dinolfo; name challenger for Monroe Co. Clerk

Monroe County Democrats named a candidate for the office of county clerk Friday morning, and in the process, took plenty of shots at the current clerk, Cheryl Dinolfo.

Assemblyman Joe Morelle, who chairs the county Dems, said that Dinolfo's actions are nearly always "in the best political interest of the clerk and her party."

Morelle points to one of the lesser-publicized aspects of the FAIR plan - the plan to reroute county sales tax money to the state, to pay for the county's Medicaid debt. Auto registration fees were doubled, and collecting those fees is done by the clerk. Morelle said Dinolfo was silent on the issue, and that's not all.

"One of the telling moments is the appeal of the county clerk that people not utilize more efficient ways of getting their automobilies re-registered," said Morelle. "Instead of using the Internet and mail, which would save taxpayers money, her appeal was still do it at the Monroe County Clerk's office, because we need the money."

Schumer: Let Hillary decide

New York Senator Charles Schumer is backing his fellow Democratic senator's decision to stay in the race, and to not bow down to pressure to drop out.

"Bottom line, is this is still a close race, and Hillary Clinton has worked long and hard, and I think she deserves the space to make her own decision," Schumer told News 8 Now on Thursday afternoon. "I've spoken to her, I've told her that I'm not pushing her to do anything quickly, and let's see what happens here."

Advisors urging Clinton to bow out gracefully

While Hillary Clinton is in West Virginia Thursday morning, some close to her campaign are suggesting her effort there should be nothing more than symbolic.

CBS News is reporting several top advisors are suggesting Clinton stay in through West Virginia, Kentucky, and Oregon, and then gracefully bow out.

There are only 6 primaries left, and her opponent in the Democratic primary, Barack Obama, has a virtually insurmountable lead in delegates and total votes. Since Pennsylvania, Obama has picked up 26 superdelegates to Clinton's 14.

Sen. Clinton not going anywhere

Campaigning in Sheperdstown, West Virginia, on Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Hillary Clinton said she's not going anywhere.

"I'm staying in this race until there's a nominee," said Clinton. "I obviously am going to work as hard as I can to become that nominee. That is what I've done. That is what I'm going to continue to do. I believe that I'm a stronger candidate and I believe I will be a better president."

On a split within the Democratic party - "We traditionally have gone longer than you've seen in the last couple of cycles, and there isn't any problem closing ranks and unifying."

Is the process putting the Democrats at a disadvantage? - "What matters is what strength you have going into the general election. Look, if we had the rules the Republicans had, I'd already be the nominee. If they had our rules, they'd still be fighting it out. Republicans look from the general election backwards. 'How do we get to 270 electoral votes.' We have a much more complicated process, and we're toward the end of it."

Why 'big states' are her strategy - "If you look at what I've won - Texas to Ohio to Pennsylvania to Indiana - certainly 3 out of those 4 are states we have to win, and I intend to do that."

IN & NC Aftermath: Clinton's money running dry?

Tuesday night did not go as Hillary Clinton and her supporters had hoped, and it looks like the New York Senator is running out of money.

She has loaned her own campaign $6.4 million over the last month. While that's not a harbinger of doom (she also loaned herself $5 million in February, during a very successful stretch), it strengthens Sen. Barack Obama's lead in both delegates and money. Obama has a war chest in the $40 million range.

According to the CBS News delegate simulator, Obama leads Clinton in delegates - by a count of 1,844 to 1,688 - a difference of 156.

Republican opponent for Morelle emerges

It's Sam Trapani, who announced Monday he is taking on Joe Morelle for the 132nd Assembly District seat.

Trapani is a local businessman. He owns Springwaters, Inc., a bottled spring water maker; and Rowe Engineering, an electronics design company.

In a statement, Trapani said he's taking on Morelle because of the Assemblyman's campaigning for the job of state comptroller, when Alan Hevesi resigned in 2006 for a scandal in which he used state employees to chauffeur his ailing wife. Hevesi was later sentenced, and Morelle did not make the final cut of comptroller candidates.

Morelle has held the seat for 18 years, and also chairs the Monroe Co. Democratic Committee. The 132nd District covers part of the east side of Rochester, and a section of city extending north to Charlotte; plus the towns of Irondequoit and Brighton.

One interesting thing about Trapani's campaign is that he has a website ready to go. Many of the candidates running for office on the state level aren't looking to the web, at least, not this early in the game. Republican Chris Lee has also launched a website, which can be found here. We're still waiting on one from Dale Sweetland.

GOP endorsements; Clintons getting busy

• The two retiring Republican congressmen both gave their endorsements out Monday morning. Jim Walsh is backing Dale Sweetland, a longtime legislator from Onondaga County. Bob Oaks, an assemblyman from Lyons, has given up his campaign in lieu of that endorsement.
• Meanwhile, Tom Reynolds is backing Chris Lee, a businessman from Erie County. Lee just entered the race last week. What's interesting about this move is the position it puts David Bellavia in. The Iraq war veteran had been the only Republican in a crowded field of Democrats. He caught a lot of flak back in April for comparing Barack Obama to Tiger Woods. Perhaps Reynolds was waiting for someone else - anyone else - to try and keep the seat in Republican hands.
• All eyes are on Indiana and North Carolina, as Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton try to squeeze out last minute votes. Hillary's on Letterman Monday night. Bill has 9 campaign stops on Monday alone.