Spring Break
Clinton wins Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island; McCain takes nomination
Mar. 5, 2008
David Lightman - McClatchy NewspapersIssue date: 2/28/08 Section: MCT News
WASHINGTON _ Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama in the Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island presidential primaries Tuesday, dramatically breaking the Illinois senator's month-long winning streak and guaranteeing that the two Democrats' tense duel will continue through Pennsylvania's April 22 primary.
Obama, who'd won 12 contests in a row, including Tuesday's Vermont primary, had hoped to secure the nomination by winning the two big prizes, Ohio and Texas.
Instead, Clinton ran strong among union members, Hispanics, older voters and those eager for a strong commander in chief to take Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island.
She still has a difficult path to the nomination. At the start of the day, Obama had 1,386 delegates to Clinton's 1,276. Final delegate tallies were incomplete early Wednesday, but Clinton wasn't expected to close the gap significantly. A total of 2,025 is needed to nominate.
A jubilant Clinton declared victory in Columbus, Ohio, and vowed to continue.
"You know what they say: As Ohio goes, so goes the nation," a beaming Clinton said. "Well, this nation's coming back and so is this campaign. The people of Ohio have said loudly and clearly we're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way."
Obama, speaking to a rally in San Antonio, had a serious, almost grim look as he congratulated Clinton for a "hard-fought race," then declared, "we are on our way to winning the nomination."
Clinton topped Obama with a two-pronged strategy that she's likely to use again as the contest heads for Pennsylvania: Show her more compassionate side and raise doubts about Obama's fitness to lead the country.
Her victories leave the two Democrats still battling for the right to oppose Arizona Sen. John McCain, who clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a victory in Texas.
The triumph of McCain, whose win there and in three other states pushed him well over the 1,191 delegates needed for the Republican nomination, caps a White House campaign that looked all but dead last summer, when he shook up his campaign staff, was short of money and fell behind better-heeled candidates such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Obama, who'd won 12 contests in a row, including Tuesday's Vermont primary, had hoped to secure the nomination by winning the two big prizes, Ohio and Texas.
Instead, Clinton ran strong among union members, Hispanics, older voters and those eager for a strong commander in chief to take Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island.
She still has a difficult path to the nomination. At the start of the day, Obama had 1,386 delegates to Clinton's 1,276. Final delegate tallies were incomplete early Wednesday, but Clinton wasn't expected to close the gap significantly. A total of 2,025 is needed to nominate.
A jubilant Clinton declared victory in Columbus, Ohio, and vowed to continue.
"You know what they say: As Ohio goes, so goes the nation," a beaming Clinton said. "Well, this nation's coming back and so is this campaign. The people of Ohio have said loudly and clearly we're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way."
Obama, speaking to a rally in San Antonio, had a serious, almost grim look as he congratulated Clinton for a "hard-fought race," then declared, "we are on our way to winning the nomination."
Clinton topped Obama with a two-pronged strategy that she's likely to use again as the contest heads for Pennsylvania: Show her more compassionate side and raise doubts about Obama's fitness to lead the country.
Her victories leave the two Democrats still battling for the right to oppose Arizona Sen. John McCain, who clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a victory in Texas.
The triumph of McCain, whose win there and in three other states pushed him well over the 1,191 delegates needed for the Republican nomination, caps a White House campaign that looked all but dead last summer, when he shook up his campaign staff, was short of money and fell behind better-heeled candidates such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Be the first to comment on this story