POTOMAC PRIMARIES: Obama sweeps VA, DC, MD by wide margins, claims frontrunner status; McCain widens lead with sweep as well...

Illinois senator Barack Obama scored three convincing wins over rival Hillary Clinton, senator for New York, in the Democrats' 'Potomac primaries'. Obama won Virginia by a margin of 64% tp 35%, Maryland by a margin of 60% to 37%, and the District of Columbia by a margin of 75% to 24%, over Clinton. Sen. Clinton declined to congratulate her opponent for the victories and has focused her campaign's attention on upcoming contests. She also chided the Illinois senator for not yet accepting an invitation to debate in Wisconsin ahead of the primary there next Tuesday.

Arizona senator John McCain has hardened the perception that he is the nominee of his party, sweeping the same three primaries. Conservatives in Virginia showed skepticism for some of his policies and/or senatorial record, shifting their vote to Mike Huckabee. McCain has sought to assuage doubts about his allegiance to current GOP policies by voting against a ban on harsh interrogation techniques and promising to make Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, though he initially opposed them.

McCain has also begun to attack the new Democratic frontrunner personally, with Obama responding that he respects McCain's record of service, disagrees with his policies and looks forward to a vigorous debate (should he win his party's nomination). Ironically, McCain also sought to take up the mantle of Obama's crusade for change, using Obama's very words and claiming he's "fired up and ready to go".