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Battle for Democratic nomination heats up
Sen. Clinton's campaign gains momentum, while John McCain has secured the Republican nomination
by Robert D'Andrea | News Reporter
Today it seems a little more likely that Oregon's presidential primary will matter.
After wins Tuesday night in Ohio and Rhode Island and a close projected victory in Texas, Sen. Hillary Clinton will continue to campaign for the next seven weeks until the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.
Oregon will vote May 20.
Representatives of Clinton's campaign have promised to stay in the race through the Puerto Rico caucus on June 7 and go to the Democratic National Convention in August.
Her rival, Sen. Barack Obama, won in Vermont.
The results of the primary in Texas were close all night. Regardless of the final margin of victory for Clinton, it could take a couple of days to determine the number of delegates each candidate will receive from the state's evening caucus.
Because of the way delegates will be divided in Texas, many experts and pundits predicted it was likely there would be little net gain in delegates for either candidate as a result of Tuesday's voting.
For Clinton, it was an opportunity to appear to stem the tide of Obama's 12 consecutive victories - he was the projected winner in Vermont as soon as the polls closed - and convince journalists and voters in states to come that she was making another comeback.
"You know, they call Ohio a bellwether state. It's a battleground state. It's a state that knows how to pick a president," Clinton told supporters. "And no candidate in recent history, Democrat or Republican, has won the White House without winning the Ohio primary."
The crowd responded with chants of "Yes, she will! Yes, she will!"-a staged response to Obama's "Yes, we can!" which is borrowed from Cesar Chavez' "Si, se puede!"
Clinton went on to list the 14 other states she has won, including Florida and Michigan which as of now will not have delegates seated at the convention as a result of scheduling their contests earlier than party rules allowed.
Clinton was unequivocal in declaring victory and pulled no punches against Obama, who has held a lead in pledged delegates and votes since the first contest more than two months ago.
"Ohio has written a new chapter in the history of this campaign, and we're just getting started," she said.
She continued to hammer at central themes of her campaign: Her experience, her readiness to be commander-in-chief and accusations that her opponent offers empty promises.
"Americans don't need more promises. They've heard plenty of speeches. They deserve solutions and they deserve them now," she said.
It's difficult to gauge whether these arguments gained traction recently or if Ohio, with its predominantly working class population, would have supported Clinton all along. She held a lead in Ohio polls for months but Obama made gains recently.
As of 11 p.m., Clinton led Obama in Ohio with 55 percent of the vote to his 43 percent.
Obama's speech in Texas sounded much less victorious and spent more time focusing on the general election and Sen. John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination Tuesday.
"We know this: No matter what happens tonight, we have nearly the same delegate lead as we had this morning, and we are on our way to winning this nomination," Obama told his supporters.
McCain won handily in Vermont, Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee dropped out of the race after the results came in and pledged to back McCain and his party as they turn toward the general election.
McCain overwhelmingly won moderates and conservatives in Ohio, but he lost evangelicals to Huckabee, according to CNN.
"I am very pleased to note that tonight, my friends, we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence, humility and a sense of great responsibility that I will be the Republican nominee for president of the United States," McCain told his supporters.
rdandrea@dailyemerald.com
After wins Tuesday night in Ohio and Rhode Island and a close projected victory in Texas, Sen. Hillary Clinton will continue to campaign for the next seven weeks until the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.
Oregon will vote May 20.
Representatives of Clinton's campaign have promised to stay in the race through the Puerto Rico caucus on June 7 and go to the Democratic National Convention in August.
Her rival, Sen. Barack Obama, won in Vermont.
The results of the primary in Texas were close all night. Regardless of the final margin of victory for Clinton, it could take a couple of days to determine the number of delegates each candidate will receive from the state's evening caucus.
Because of the way delegates will be divided in Texas, many experts and pundits predicted it was likely there would be little net gain in delegates for either candidate as a result of Tuesday's voting.
For Clinton, it was an opportunity to appear to stem the tide of Obama's 12 consecutive victories - he was the projected winner in Vermont as soon as the polls closed - and convince journalists and voters in states to come that she was making another comeback.
"You know, they call Ohio a bellwether state. It's a battleground state. It's a state that knows how to pick a president," Clinton told supporters. "And no candidate in recent history, Democrat or Republican, has won the White House without winning the Ohio primary."
The crowd responded with chants of "Yes, she will! Yes, she will!"-a staged response to Obama's "Yes, we can!" which is borrowed from Cesar Chavez' "Si, se puede!"
Clinton went on to list the 14 other states she has won, including Florida and Michigan which as of now will not have delegates seated at the convention as a result of scheduling their contests earlier than party rules allowed.
Clinton was unequivocal in declaring victory and pulled no punches against Obama, who has held a lead in pledged delegates and votes since the first contest more than two months ago.
"Ohio has written a new chapter in the history of this campaign, and we're just getting started," she said.
She continued to hammer at central themes of her campaign: Her experience, her readiness to be commander-in-chief and accusations that her opponent offers empty promises.
"Americans don't need more promises. They've heard plenty of speeches. They deserve solutions and they deserve them now," she said.
It's difficult to gauge whether these arguments gained traction recently or if Ohio, with its predominantly working class population, would have supported Clinton all along. She held a lead in Ohio polls for months but Obama made gains recently.
As of 11 p.m., Clinton led Obama in Ohio with 55 percent of the vote to his 43 percent.
Obama's speech in Texas sounded much less victorious and spent more time focusing on the general election and Sen. John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination Tuesday.
"We know this: No matter what happens tonight, we have nearly the same delegate lead as we had this morning, and we are on our way to winning this nomination," Obama told his supporters.
McCain won handily in Vermont, Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee dropped out of the race after the results came in and pledged to back McCain and his party as they turn toward the general election.
McCain overwhelmingly won moderates and conservatives in Ohio, but he lost evangelicals to Huckabee, according to CNN.
"I am very pleased to note that tonight, my friends, we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence, humility and a sense of great responsibility that I will be the Republican nominee for president of the United States," McCain told his supporters.
rdandrea@dailyemerald.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
G. SpiritHawk
posted 3/05/08 @ 12:46 AM PST
People of all Races, Nations, and Beliefs here in Oregon,
Tonight was but one chapter in the book of history that is being written about the People standing up for what is right, for what is good for the future of the government "of the People". (Continued…)
Curtis Taylor
posted 3/05/08 @ 2:49 AM PST
After seven years of George W. Bush, we need a president with the strength, experience, and vision to make change a reality. I'm supporting Hillary for the White House because I know that her 35 years of experience means she can end the war in Iraq, make the economy work for the middle class, and achieve truly universal health care. (Continued…)
Bill
posted 3/05/08 @ 5:32 AM PST
Senator Obama removed his name from the Michigan primary showing respect for and complying with the national democratic party rules. Seating the Michigan delegates would in sense be punishing him for being a loyal democrat and rewarding Hillary for disregarding the ruling. (Continued…)
Philip H.
posted 3/05/08 @ 11:33 PM PST
If you do the math, Barack Obama has a nearly insurmountable lead in among voted delegates, due to his 11 consecutive state victories - many of them "battleground" states. (Continued…)
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