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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 am latin and told all my friend and family not to vote for Hillary..open your eyes Obama is the man ! they say he is a terrorist if that is true wouldnt be better that he wins..? or is it better to keep the entire world against America.
dont know where this is leading but it does bnot look good regardless..civil war..?
I am a resident of central Indiana and I agree that it was not right to let the Repub’s and Indep’s vote in this primary because they are only trying to secure a win for McCain in November by voting against Barack and for Hillary, trying to pit McCain against a supposedly “weaker opponent” in November. They are scared that us as a country (black, white, and latin/spanish) will rise up for change with Barack and against their “traditional” ways. I agree w/Carmella that both Obamaa and Hillary need to sit down, team up and go on the democratic ticket together. It really is time for a change. I don’t have anything against the Repub’s but I don’t think the country can take 4-8 more years of abuse from their party – Bush has done enough of that for them!!!!
And to all you haters dissing Barack calling him a terrorist and “not black” – please do your homework before you speak. Ignorance is bliss but being stupid is a sin!
Obama for President!!!!
Please quit hating Obama. He is trying to bring a change for EVERYBODY! Mrs. Clinton is part of the old way. Sen. Obama is part of the new.
AND Sen. Obama needs Nancy Pelosi as his VP!
My people, pray for the Obama family!
To all you idiots talking bad about Obama – You need a padded cell so you can release all of your frustration out on the world, because you sound like idiots.
Well i am so glad everybod thinks i am the crazy one…you people are crazy for voting for a muslim that is out to ruin our country. we have worked so hard for freedom! If this is a racist event please not her is not full black, he is white also! this link everybody should look at, think twice before you hand over your freedom! http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
Colley we will se who is stupid! Better say your prayers sinner!
CONGRATS TO BILLARY? CONGRATS FOR WHAT? SHE NEEDED TO WIN NORTH CAROLINA AND INDIANA AND SHE WON IN INDIANA BY 2 PERCENT HER BEING 51 TO HIS 49, PLEASE ITS TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK AND FOR HER TO GO HOME.
Once you go BARACK, you never go back!!!
OBAMA ‘08!!!
Way to go Obama, You have my blessings, I’m ready for this change, Hiliary sit down girl and get with the program.
SHE IS SWITCHING THE TONE OF THE POLITICAL GAIN BY WANTING TO ALLOW REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS TO VOTE IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY?? HAHAHA, THAT WHY INDIANA HAD SLOW VOTE RETURNS YOU DID A DUBYA BUSH LIKE FLORIDA HILLARY? I SMELL VOTE TAMPERING… aNYWAY.. NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO YOU CAN’T KEEP THE **B E S T M A N DOWN BABY… OBAMA KEEP ON PUSHING
HOORAY M E L I S S A!! YOU EDUCATE THE ONE’s THAT DONT KNOW WHAT’S UP GOOD JOB GIRL!!!
c455t
I totally agree with you Melissa and Timeless357! people like Marchelle or Faith should quit smoking, they sound SO STUPID AND ILLITARATE by talking all that nonsense…looking for evidences that are nothing but lies… to tell truth I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the persons behind those names were Clinton’s campaign aids…I feel sorry for you guys *sigh*
OBAMA ‘08!!!!!!!!!!
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. REMEMBER THE COVER OF EBONY MAGAZINE: “IN OUR LIFETIME”. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY, WILL BE THE COUNTRY’S FIRST FAMILY.
Print my remark, what are you scared of a true comment???
Priase the LORD,I told you my brothers and sisters we would make you proud here in North Carolina.
Marchelle you need help you have been listening to too much Rush Limbaugh.
Faith North Carolina is by far a black state. Where are you receiving your info from. I was born and rasie here you need to do a little
research.
GOD said no weapon formed against us shall prosper
this is the only reason Barrack is winning.
OBAMA HAS SOME OF THE MOST IGNORANT AND GHETTO “FOLLOWERS”
While reading through the blogs I noticed that one asked, “Is America ready?” No, America is not ready, and that’s for anything. Not even when given forewarning. America not being ready is the primary reason why we have to be hopeful for the upcoming CHANGE that we all so desperately look to this coming Fall as America makes history.
Additionally,power going to someone’s head has no boundaries. We a stereotyped enough without us placing stereotypes upon ourselves. Warped and negative senses of thinking are tools of destruction so please be mindful. Power is dangerous in any capacity. Have you ever had the fortune to feel what it’s like to be in a position of power. I have!!! It simply takes your breath away; a very terrifying thing it is.
good job my brotha
and which are you Marvin Ghetto or Ignorant….or both