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A Nail Biter for Clinton; A Big Win for Obama
Published by Pamela Gentry on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 10:57 am.
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
RALEIGH, N.C. (Posted May 7, 2008) – A nail-bitter into the morning hours ended with Sen. Barack Obama winning a decisive win in North Carolina and losing by the narrowest of margins to Sen. Hillary Clinton in Indiana.
Obama’s victory in the Tar Heel State was announced seconds after the polls closed. With 99 percent of the votes counted by midnight, the Illinois senator had defeated the New York senator 58 percent to 42 percent in North Carolina.
But Indiana was a different story. Tardy vote tallies from one of the largest counties in the state, Lake County, a suburb of Chicago with one of the largest populations in the state, was slow reporting.
The delay required Clinton to give remarks to supporters without a clear check in the win column. “Tonight we’ve come from behind. We’ve broken the tie and thanks to you, it’s full speed on to the White House,” Clinton told a rally in Indianapolis.
Mayor Rudy Clay, of Gary, Ind., told CNN that the reason for the delays was that the small election staff was dealing with 11,000 absentee and early ballots, and that they had been overwhelmed by the unprecedented number of voters who turned out during the day.
Obama addressed supporters gathered at North Carolina State in the field house after his victory and congratulated Clinton for “what appears to be her victory in the state of Indiana.”
Sticking to his message of change, Obama told a cheering crowd, “There were those who were saying that North Carolina would be a game-changer in this election, but today what North Carolina decided is that the only game that needs changing is the one in Washington, D.C.”
After tonight’s contest, only six primaries are left. Next Tuesday, West Virginia voters will go the polls, leaving Kentucky and Oregon (May 20), Puerto Rico (June 1) and Montana and South Dakota (June 3) as the last battles for elected delegates.
Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic Party, has said that super-delegates will be asked to meet following the final contest in June, in hopes of allowing the party time to mend fences before the August convention.
In Indiana, where Clinton won, the primary was open to Republicans and Independents – but not here in North Carolina. Only Democratic and Independents can vote in the primary.
This could have been a factor in how close the race was in Indiana; Obama usually fairs well among Independent voters.
North Carolina reported record turnout of primary voters Tuesday, and it wasn’t really surprising. This year the state registered 106,000 new Democrats leading up today’s contest.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections showed 471,006 early votes and 24,900 absentee ballots mailed before today’s vote.
“We know what’s coming. We’ve seen it already,” Obama said. “The attempts to play on our fears and exploit our differences to turn us against each other for pure political gain — to slice and dice this country into red states and blue states; blue-collar and white-collar; White and Black, and Brown.”
The theme of party unity was in Obama’s speech to supporters, and he avoided targeting his rival, saving those for the presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Clinton’s 51-percent victory, to Obama’s 49 percent, will not give her any significant delegate lead. These contests offered the largest remaining numbers of delegates.
Indiana had 72 delegates at stake, North Carolina 115.
Obama leads Clinton in total delegates, 1,745 to 1,608, according to The Associated Press.
It’s not possible for either candidate to reach the 2,025 delegate votes needed to secure the nomination, so they are relying on super-delegates to take them over the threshold.
I heard something that is really interesting. I don’t want to look ahead, but on August 28 of this year when Obama becomes the first black to win the Democratic nomination, it will also be the day that 45 years ago, Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have A Dream Speech” speech. A great day to celebrate and witness history.
Great Job Obama!
Let us remember to keep Obama and his famliy in our prayers. Lets remember that God has all powers and that’s why he’s still in the race. Let’s pray that America will make the right choice and vote for Obama. Lets pray for those who don’t vote for him becuase he’s a black man. Let’s face it, if Hillary and a white man were the last two standing it would have not gone this far. America don’t want a women over them, but to have a black man, you figure it out. Obama has proven himself to want a change, and he has spoke well on every debate that they have had. I must say that he has been an awesome Gentlemen unlike Hillary being a pleasant women, she has tried and did everthing to destroy Obama but she has failed, so let focus and do whats right. Support Obama, not because of his color but because he is real.
hooray for hillary clinton i hope she wins.
i will not vote for obama.i live in a small place in southeast georgia.
christine rozier.
My fault for having the word speech in there twice.
Obama 08
B.E.T. pratices censorship at its worst,atleast when Bob.Johnson was the owner all blogs were posted
I hope the United States id ready to be ruined by Obama. He has promised to destroy us from the inside out…he is a terrorist! We all need to pray!
Oh and BTW …he is not BLACK!
Gor everyones information, Obama is not african american…he is a terrorist!!
Obama is not a “Strong Black Man” he is out to ruin our country, people wake up, he went to a terrorist school….his name says it all! He is not a Christian….He is not A black man! do your homework!
Marchelle
Obama was born in this country so what makes you think he isn’t American and what makes you think he is a terroist and that he promised too destroy us from the inside out and when did he make that promise ? One more question,did you take your medicine today ?
BIG UP FROM CANADA ITS ABOUT TIME LIKE MOSES LETS SET OUR MINDS FREE, FROM MENTAL SLAVERY, YES RASTA, NUFF RESPECT. HIGH THE MOST HIGH, AMEN
Marchelle
Marchelle
You seem too be very shallow minded in thinking a person’s name says what their religion is.
Marchelle, there are facilities that can help people like you in your condition.
K. J. don’t say that you don’t want to look ahead. Just say it. “Speak things that are not, as though they were.” Habakkuk says,”Write the vision and make it plain upon the tables… For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” HAB2:2 – OBama 08′.
Marchelle, you sound schizophrenic.
CONGRATS TO OBAMA…YES WE CAN!!!!….F**K HILLARY!!!!!!
H&LL TA DA YEAH I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HOLD HIM DOWN,GO!!!!!!!OBAMA!!!!!!!GO
Faith, Marchelle and Christine Rozier.
You all were not listening when Nancy Regan said “JUST SAY NO” or that “Crack Is Wack” because all of you sound like you are on something, especially Faith. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Obama is real, Hillary isn’t. Every state she has campaigned in she tries to convince the people, and some believe her, that she has some “roots” of some kind in that state. Can’t wait until she takes her presidential hopes to Puerto Rico; want to bet she will develop a Spanish accent? What Mrs. Clinton needs to do right now is go out like a winner (though it was just a 2% win, haha!) and concede and commence to doing her part in the mending of the Democratic party since she had much to do with the disharmony and negativity surrounding us. OBAMA ‘08! GET READY FOR CHANGE!
What’s up B.E.T.