Pictured Above: People able to see past the smear tactics congratulate the New Democratic Nominee.


Obama claims Democratic nomination
Clinton refuses to concede; aides, colleagues say she’s considering No. 2

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois claimed the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday night, NBC News projected based on its tally of convention delegates. By doing so, he shattered a barrier more than two centuries old to become the first black candidate ever nominated by a major political party for the nation’s highest office.

“After 54 hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end,” Obama told cheering supporters in a victory celebration in St. Paul, Minn., at the site of the convention that will nominate his Republican opponent in the fall, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

“Tonight, I can stand here before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for the president of the United States of America.”

Obama, 46, of Illinois, hailed his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, for having “made history in this campaign, not just because she is a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.”

“Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton,” Obama said.

But Clinton refused to give Obama the unalloyed victory he sought.

In a speech to supporters in New York, Clinton said it had been “an honor to contest these primaries with him” and declared that she was “committed to uniting our party so we move forward stronger and more ready than ever to take back the White House this November.”

But she emphasized that she had won more votes in primaries and caucuses than Obama, and she pointedly said she would “be making no decisions tonight.” Instead, she said she would consult with party leaders in the next few days to determine her next step.

Aides said that was a strategic decision to preserve her leverage to negotiate over policy disagreements and the possibility that she would join Obama’s ticket as the vice presidential nominee.

Superdelegates put Obama over the top
In a speech Tuesday night in New Orleans, meanwhile, McCain welcomed Obama to the general election campaign as a “formidable” opponent, but accused Obama of unfairly trying to tie him to the policies of President Bush. "But the American people didn't get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama,” McCain said.

McCain said Obama “hasn't been willing to make the tough calls, to challenge his party ... I have.”

In his speech, Obama fired back that McCain has regularly backed President Bush in the Senate and would offer four more years of failed policies on Iraq and the economy.

“There are many words to describe John McCain's attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush's polices as bipartisan and new,” Obama said. “But change is not one of them.”

Significant events in 2008 Democratic primary race

Jan. 16: Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois launches his campaign by forming a presidential exploratory committee, saying voters are hungry for change.
Jan. 20: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York announces she is joining the presidential race. She is considered the early favorite for the nomination.

April 15: Obama and Clinton report raising about $26 million in the first quarter of 2007.

May 23: A Clinton campaign memo urges her to bypass the Iowa caucuses because it is her weakest state. She disavows the memo.

July 1: Obama reports raising $33 million during the second quarter of 2007, compared to $27 million for Clinton.

Oct. 30: In a televised debate, Obama and candidate John Edwards sharply challenge Clinton's candor, consistency and judgment. Clinton evades direct answers to several questions, including her views on New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to offer driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Obama’s victory came on the last day of the Democratic campaign schedule, as voters in South Dakota and Montana voted in the final primaries. But it was the decisions of the last unpledged party officials, known as superdelegates, who put Obama over the top.

Throughout the day, as Obama edged closer to the number of 2,118 delegates needed to win the nomination, more and more superdelegates relentlessly ticked over into his column, leading him to claim victory early in the evening.

Other notable black candidates have run for president, but it was Obama who broke through to be embraced by one of the two major parties, 45 years after Martin Luther King Jr. declared his dream for a colorblind America.

NBC News projected Obama as the presumptive Democratic nominee at 9 p.m. ET, as polls closed in South Dakota. NBC projected that Clinton had won the primary, but it said Obama would win at least six delegates. Combined with late superdelegate declarations, it said Obama had gone over the top.

Even though the race had been all but decided, record numbers of Democrats turned out in South Dakota, NBC affiliate KDLT of Sioux Falls reported, giving Clinton about 56 percent of their votes.

NBC later in the evening projected Obama as the winner in Montana, where he was winning roughly three-fifths of the vote in early returns.

Throughout the day, meanwhile, as superdelegates kept falling into Obama’s column, speculation increased that McCain could be facing an Obama-Clinton unity ticket.

In an afternoon conference call among Clinton and members of the New York congressional delegation, Clinton signaled an interest Tuesday in joining the ticket but stopped short of conceding, participants told NBC News. On the call, Rep. Nydia Velasquez said she believed the best way for Obama to win over Latinos and members of other key voting blocs would be to take Clinton as his running mate.

“I am open to it,” Clinton replied, if it would help the party’s prospects in November, the participants said.

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Your spin doesn't matter... I can slam revolving doors.

She just wants her debt paid off and then it is onto retirement with Bill and his Harem.

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Liberals believe it is okay to kill babies
but not terrorists.

Anyone know Obamas feelings about having Clinton as VP? Ive been looking all over for statements.

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Dr. Carl Sagan

I don't think he has a choice if she wants it, it is hers. And if Obama does have personal animosity towards her, he will distance his administration from her. We sometimes forget, because cheney is so influential, that the VP has almost no power or responsibility, except that given to them by the President.

"on anybody's shortlist" is his standard line...

"premature" is usually the next sentence.

what do you mean "if she wants it, its hers". i might not understand the process of choosing the vp..? amd i right in thinking each candidate will choose a running mate? if that true then cant obama simply not choose her?

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Dr. Carl Sagan

Actually, in the Bush administration, it is Cheney who has held all the power. Bush has been mostly just a figurehead.

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Jack Kevorkian for White House Physician - 2008

Yes, of course he has a choice, what I meant by that was. If she wants it, he would be making a very very poor political move not to offer it to her!

I think it's slightly more complicated than that...

While everything for Bush & Co, when Dick and rummy, and turd blossom were all in line, when everything was going groovy, you're right, Cheney was clearly at the helm with Bush doing what he's told.

But, as things have gotten worse, and the firing line has circled up, the Decider has been forced to pick and choose courses, as scary as that is.

You can see the apex of this when he fired rummy, and turdblossom departed.

Since then, they've been a full-throttle lame-duck.

Oh; yeah I agree. I dont he has a chance if he doesnt choose her. there are so many democrats that would rather vote republican than give it up to obama. in my opinion theyre acting like stubborn children.

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Dr. Carl Sagan