The Independent (UK) - By Rupert Cornwell
After an epic five-month battle that has rewritten US politics, Barack Obama last night stood poised to secure the 2008 Democratic nomination, with a very real chance of becoming the first African American president in the country's history.
The most dramatic, and at times vicious, Democratic primary campaign in US memory, came to an end in South Dakota and Montana, leaving Barack Obama free to take the battle for the White House directly to John McCain. As the Democratic nomination finally fell within his grasp, Mr Obama moved on to a new phase of single combat against his Republican rival, travelling to the twin cities of St Paul-Minneapolis for a rally at the very venue where the Republicans will crown Mr McCain their nominee in September. The manoeuvre gave him the opportunity to focus the bitterly divided Democratic Party on the challenge of beating the Republicans in November.
With voting drawing to a close in the final two Democratic primaries, mixed signals were emerging from the camp of Hillary Clinton. In a speech in her home state of New York she was expected to acknowledge in so many words - though perhaps not formally - that her bid to be the first woman to occupy the Oval Office is over.
As Mr Obama waited for the last primary results to come in, five months to the day from when the contest opened, prominent superdelegates that have remained neutral in the Obama-Clinton struggle began jumping to his side. The most important of these was South Carolina's James Clyburn, the most senior black politician in the House of Representatives.
Even as voting got under way in the two Plains states, two more previously undeclared superdelegates rallied to Mr Obama, putting him just 35 delegates short of the absolute majority of 2,118 needed to nominate in the states' roll call vote at Denver. Mrs Clinton still needed 201 delegates, according to figures from the Associated Press.
On their own, South Dakota and Montana, where a combined 31 delegates were at stake, could not carry the Illinois senator over the finish line. But signs were that enough uncommitted superdelegates would declare for him to put him over the top.
Indeed, it was reported last night, even before the results were in, that Mr Obama had secured enough votes to clinch the nomination, based on private pledges from officially undeclared superdelegates combined with the minimum number of votes he will have secured in yesterday's primaries.
Earlier yesterday, Terry McAuliffe, the Clinton campaign chairman, flatly denied reports that his candidate was ready to make a formal concession, insisting that over "the next three days" she and her advisers would do their utmost to persuade the 200-odd remaining uncommitted superdelegates that, despite Mr Obama's all but insuperable lead, she was still the best bet to defeat John McCain. Reports that Mrs Clinton would last night admit that her rival fellow senator had enough delegates to win were "100 per cent incorrect," Mr McAuliffe told CNN.
However true that was technically, the short time-frame set out by Mr McAuliffe appeared to indicate that by the weekend at the latest the issue will be resolved, and that Mrs Clinton will not act out the ultimate Democratic nightmare by carrying her battle all the way to the August convention.
The fierce and sometimes ugly struggle between the first black candidate and the first woman with a solid shot at the White House has already earned a unique place in the history of US politics. It was the most costly, the most competitive and the greatest in terms of voter enthusiasm and registration. But it arguably also damaged the Democrats chances of victory in November, by fanning the flames of racial prejudice against Mr Obama. America's university-educated elites as well as black voters have been dazzled by Mr Obama's unflappable style, his thoughtfulness and his rhetorical brilliance. But he remains an elusive figure for many white working-class Americans. This could be particularly dangerous in the swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, where Mr McCain can be counted on to deploy the narrative of his military service.
Whatever the defiance of many in her entourage, every action of the Clinton campaign yesterday smacked of endgame. Even the combative Mr McAuliffe said on morning TV shows that once her opponent won the majority of delegates, "I think Hillary Clinton will congratulate him and call him the nominee".
Meanwhile, most of her campaign staff are being released, and paid only until 15 June. Ms Clinton's tone has of late become far more conciliatory. Her aides have also made clear they will accept the outcome of last weekend's Democratic rules committee decision to award her only a small majority of the delegates from disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida.
Whatever the public posturing, the most important decisions will be taken behind the scenes, as the candidates and their aides work out the choreography of this astonishing campaign's denouement, and lay the ground work for a united convention.
Feelers to that end are already out. Mr Obama has said he is ready to meet Mrs Clinton at the place and moment of her choosing. In these discussions, the future role of the New York senator, assuming she does not win the nomination, will be settled.
There were reports that Mrs Clinton had indicated last night she was willing to be Mr Obama's vice-presidential nominee, a move which would create the Democratic "Dream Ticket". Thus could be healed the rifts that have inevitably developed in the party during the closest and costliest race for a nomination in modern US history.
Originally published by Rupert Cornwell in Washington and Leonard Doyle in St Paul, Minneapolis.
(c) 2008 Independent, The; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
After an epic five-month battle that has rewritten US politics, Barack Obama last night stood poised to secure the 2008 Democratic nomination, with a very real chance of becoming the first African American president in the country's history.
The most dramatic, and at times vicious, Democratic primary campaign in US memory, came to an end in South Dakota and Montana, leaving Barack Obama free to take the battle for the White House directly to John McCain. As the Democratic nomination finally fell within his grasp, Mr Obama moved on to a new phase of single combat against his Republican rival, travelling to the twin cities of St Paul-Minneapolis for a rally at the very venue where the Republicans will crown Mr McCain their nominee in September. The manoeuvre gave him the opportunity to focus the bitterly divided Democratic Party on the challenge of beating the Republicans in November.
With voting drawing to a close in the final two Democratic primaries, mixed signals were emerging from the camp of Hillary Clinton. In a speech in her home state of New York she was expected to acknowledge in so many words - though perhaps not formally - that her bid to be the first woman to occupy the Oval Office is over.
As Mr Obama waited for the last primary results to come in, five months to the day from when the contest opened, prominent superdelegates that have remained neutral in the Obama-Clinton struggle began jumping to his side. The most important of these was South Carolina's James Clyburn, the most senior black politician in the House of Representatives.
Even as voting got under way in the two Plains states, two more previously undeclared superdelegates rallied to Mr Obama, putting him just 35 delegates short of the absolute majority of 2,118 needed to nominate in the states' roll call vote at Denver. Mrs Clinton still needed 201 delegates, according to figures from the Associated Press.
On their own, South Dakota and Montana, where a combined 31 delegates were at stake, could not carry the Illinois senator over the finish line. But signs were that enough uncommitted superdelegates would declare for him to put him over the top.
Indeed, it was reported last night, even before the results were in, that Mr Obama had secured enough votes to clinch the nomination, based on private pledges from officially undeclared superdelegates combined with the minimum number of votes he will have secured in yesterday's primaries.
Earlier yesterday, Terry McAuliffe, the Clinton campaign chairman, flatly denied reports that his candidate was ready to make a formal concession, insisting that over "the next three days" she and her advisers would do their utmost to persuade the 200-odd remaining uncommitted superdelegates that, despite Mr Obama's all but insuperable lead, she was still the best bet to defeat John McCain. Reports that Mrs Clinton would last night admit that her rival fellow senator had enough delegates to win were "100 per cent incorrect," Mr McAuliffe told CNN.
However true that was technically, the short time-frame set out by Mr McAuliffe appeared to indicate that by the weekend at the latest the issue will be resolved, and that Mrs Clinton will not act out the ultimate Democratic nightmare by carrying her battle all the way to the August convention.
The fierce and sometimes ugly struggle between the first black candidate and the first woman with a solid shot at the White House has already earned a unique place in the history of US politics. It was the most costly, the most competitive and the greatest in terms of voter enthusiasm and registration. But it arguably also damaged the Democrats chances of victory in November, by fanning the flames of racial prejudice against Mr Obama. America's university-educated elites as well as black voters have been dazzled by Mr Obama's unflappable style, his thoughtfulness and his rhetorical brilliance. But he remains an elusive figure for many white working-class Americans. This could be particularly dangerous in the swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, where Mr McCain can be counted on to deploy the narrative of his military service.
Whatever the defiance of many in her entourage, every action of the Clinton campaign yesterday smacked of endgame. Even the combative Mr McAuliffe said on morning TV shows that once her opponent won the majority of delegates, "I think Hillary Clinton will congratulate him and call him the nominee".
Meanwhile, most of her campaign staff are being released, and paid only until 15 June. Ms Clinton's tone has of late become far more conciliatory. Her aides have also made clear they will accept the outcome of last weekend's Democratic rules committee decision to award her only a small majority of the delegates from disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida.
Whatever the public posturing, the most important decisions will be taken behind the scenes, as the candidates and their aides work out the choreography of this astonishing campaign's denouement, and lay the ground work for a united convention.
Feelers to that end are already out. Mr Obama has said he is ready to meet Mrs Clinton at the place and moment of her choosing. In these discussions, the future role of the New York senator, assuming she does not win the nomination, will be settled.
There were reports that Mrs Clinton had indicated last night she was willing to be Mr Obama's vice-presidential nominee, a move which would create the Democratic "Dream Ticket". Thus could be healed the rifts that have inevitably developed in the party during the closest and costliest race for a nomination in modern US history.
Originally published by Rupert Cornwell in Washington and Leonard Doyle in St Paul, Minneapolis.
(c) 2008 Independent, The; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
