Obama wins North Carolina; Clinton eeks out Indiana
Obama wins North Carolina
RALEIGH (AP) – Barack Obama says he knows the marathon struggle for the Democratic nomination has caused "bruised feelings on both sides" but predicts the party will unite by November. And his campaign is dropping broad hints that it's time for the 270 remaining unaligned party figures known as superdelegates to get off the fence and settle the nomination.
Speaking at a victory party in Raleigh last night, Obama also sought to answer charges that he was having trouble winning in big states that will be important in the general election. He characterized the North Carolina win as "a victory in a big state, a swing state." North Carolina is the nation's 10th largest state in population.
Obama told supporters he won by overcoming "politics of division and the politics of distraction." He said Americans "aren't looking for more spin; they're looking for honest answers."
Clinton gets narrow win in Indiana cliffhanger
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Hillary Rodham Clinton has eked out a narrow victory over Barack Obama in Indiana's Democratic primary. The tallies from 99 percent of the Indiana precincts show Clinton with 51 percent to Obama's 49 percent. That margin is a little more than 22,000 votes of the more than 1.2 million cast.It was a cliffhanger. The outcome wasn't clear for more than six hours after the polls closed. The uncertainty stemmed from slow counting in Lake County near Obama's home city of Chicago. Before the race was called for her, Clinton
declared victory and told supporters "it's full speed on to the White House."
Obama wins the most delegates Tuesday
WASHINGTON (AP) – Barack Obama is less than 200 pledged delegates shy of the number needed to secure the Democratic presidential nomination. He won the most delegates Tuesday night. With a few yet to be awarded, Obama won 95 delegates in North Carolina and Indiana. Clinton won 76. Obama could reach a majority of the pledged delegates in two weeks, when Kentucky and Oregon vote.
About 270 superdelegates are yet to be claimed. They are the party and elected officials who will automatically attend the national convention and can support whomever they choose, regardless of what happens in the primaries and caucuses.
Obama has argued for months that superdelegates should support the candidate who wins the most pledged delegates. Clinton says the superdelegates should exercise independent judgment.
Clinton appeals for cash to keep her in the hunt
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – There are signs Hillary Clinton is mindful of the fragile state of her presidential candidacy. Clinton made a direct fundraising appeal to backers to help her compete against Obama's better-financed operation — unusual remarks at a victory party. She told supporters in Indianapolis, "I need your help to continue our journey" and referenced her Web site.
Her speech seemed to lack the boisterous spirit that marked her events in the run up to Tuesday. And she didn't linger on the "rope line," where fans crowd her to shake hands, sign autographs and pose for pictures, after ending her speech. She spent some time greeting supporters but then quickly left the building.
Clinton lost to Barack Obama by a wide margin in North Carolina and managed only a slim victory in Indiana, a win she's holding out as evidence that she still has staying power in the race.
Race still plays a role in Democratic fight
WASHINGTON (AP) – Race again played a pivotal role in Tuesday's Democratic presidential clashes. Exit polls show whites in Indiana and North Carolina leaned solidly toward Hillary Rodham Clinton and blacks voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama. Almost half said they were influenced by the focus on Obama's former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
Obama again failed to gain ground with a crucial voting bloc that has consistently eluded him — working-class whites. But he pieced together coalitions that also included young, first-time primary voters, the very liberal and college graduates and sizable minorities of whites.
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