UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Obama gathering another win in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Barack Obama Sunday appeared to be heading to a weekend sweep of Democratic presidential nominating contests over rival Hillary Clinton.

The senator from Illinois was leading his colleague from New York 58 percent to 42 percent, with 59 percent of the state's caucuses reporting, the Portland Press Herald reported.

Despite a snow storm, more than 27,000 Maine Democrats made their way to caucuses. About 17,000 Maine Democrats caucused in 2004, the newspaper said.

"I'm surprised the turnout is this high," said Arden Manning, executive director of the Maine Democratic party.

The high turnout was causing long delays in some areas and final results were not expected until 11 p.m. EST.

Obama and Clinton are running a close race in the campaign for the Democratic nomination. Obama also won in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and the Virgin Islands this weekend.

Clinton campaign undergoes major change

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Patti Solis Doyle has stepped down as Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign manager, making way for Maggie Williams to assume the role.

Doyle will stay on as a senior adviser to the Democratic New York senator for the 2008 election campaign, NBC reported Sunday.

"Patti Solis Doyle has done an extraordinary job in getting us to this point -- within reach of the nomination," Clinton said in a statement, "and I am enormously grateful for her friendship and her outstanding work …. Patti and I have worked with Maggie Williams for more than a decade. I am lucky to have Maggie on board, and I know she will lead our campaign with great skill toward the nomination."

Williams served as Clinton's chief of staff when she was first lady.

Doyle also sent a letter to campaign staff Sunday.

"I have been proud to manage this campaign, and prouder still to call Hillary my friend for more than 16 years. I know that she will make a great president," she said.

Huckabee disputes 'impossible' comments

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Sunday his bid for the Republican presidential nomination is not "impossible" as some people have stated.

Huckabee said on CBS' "Face the Nation" he intends to stay in the race and despite some experts' comments, he believes he has a chance to beat Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for his party's nomination.

"This country was built on the impossible," Huckabee said. "And it's impossible that I'm still in the race.

"In politics, so many things can happen that can change the landscape overnight. A candidate can say something, do something, something can happen, and everything can change."

Whatever the outcome of the primaries, Huckabee said during Sunday's edition of NBC's "Meet the Press" he would vote for whatever candidate the Republican Party put forward.

"Oh, sure, I'm going to vote for the Republican nominee," Huckabee, who won the Kansas caucuses and Louisiana primary Saturday. "I would have said that even when we had 10 people on the stage, because as I looked at the stage, I said, 'Any of these guys are better than any of those guys' from my perspective."

East Timor president wounded

DILI, Timor-Leste, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Jose Ramos-Horta, the Nobel Prize-winning leader of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, reportedly was shot in the stomach in an attack at his house Monday.

Ramos-Horta was undergoing emergency surgery following the 7 a.m. attack in Dili, the BBC reported. Maj. Domingos de Camara, an army spokesman, said the president of the southeast Asian nation was injured when two cars drove by his house and began shooting, the British network said.

One of the attackers, identified as renegade soldier Alfredo Reinado, was killed by presidential guards and one guard was reported to have been seriously wounded.

Reinado allegedly had threatened last November to use force against the government and had been indicted in connection with fighting between police and rebel troops in 2006.

There were unconfirmed reports from local media that the house of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was attacked as well, but no injuries were reported, the BBC said.

Ramos-Horta was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo in 1996.

Timor-Leste -- formerly referred to as East Timor -- gained independence in 2002.