Clinton: "Tide Is Turning" After Pa. Win
Hillary Rodham Clinton has defeated Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, a victory that keeps alive Clinton's hopes of winning the White House.
With nearly all of the votes counted, the former first lady led Obama 55 percent to 45 percent. CBS News estimates that Clinton won 82 delegates in the Keystone State while Obama won 69, with 7 delegates still unallocated. Obama now has an overall lead of 126 delegates.
"Because of you, the tide is turning." ()
Her victory, while comfortable, set up another critical test in two weeks time in Indiana. North Carolina votes the same day, and Obama already is the clear favorite in a Southern state with a large black population.
"Now it's up to you Indiana," Obama said at a rally of his own in Evansville after Pennsylvania denied him a victory that might have made the nomination his. ()
Obama criticized John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting, by name, saying he offers more of the same policies advocated by President Bush. He took aim at Clinton without mentioning her by name. "We can calculate and poll-test our positions and tell everyone exactly what they want to hear," he said. "Or we can be the party that doesn't just focus on how to win, but why we should."
Clinton scored her victory by winning the votes of blue-collar workers, women and white men in an election where the economy was the dominant concern.
She won despite being outspent heavily by her rival in a six-week campaign that allowed time for intense courtship of the voters.
Clinton showed her blue collar bona fides one night by knocking down a shot of whiskey, then taking a mug of beer as a chaser. Obama went bowling in his attempt to win over working-class voters.
"Hillary Clinton did what she needed to do in order to continue her campaign into North Carolina and Indiana two weeks from now, perhaps through the end of the primary process in June and potentially all the way to the Democratic convention in August," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "She almost certainly muted any calls for her to exit the race." (Click here to read Ververs' complete analysis).
The win gave Clinton a strong record in the big states as she attempts to persuade convention superdelegates to look past Obama's delegate advantage and his lead in the popular vote in picking a nominee. She had previously won primaries in Texas, California, Ohio and her home state of New York, while Obama won his home state of Illinois.
At the same time, even some of her aides conceded she is facing another likely must-win state in Indiana in two weeks time, particularly with Obama favored to carry North Carolina on the same day.
With 158 delegates at stake, Pennsylvania offered the largest prize remaining in a primary season that ends on June 3.
CBS News exit polls show that most Pennsylvania Democrats made up their minds a long time ago, while only 24 percent decided within the last week.
But voters who made late decisions broke to Clinton, with those deciding in the last week supporting the New York senator 58 percent to 42 percent. (See all exit poll data.)
New Democratic voters, who either switched from another party or registered as a Democrat for the first time, strongly backed Obama at a rate of 62 percent to 38 percent.
Women made up 59 percent of Pennsylvania Democratic voters, and they voted for Clinton over Obama 57 percent to 43 percent. Obama won a majority of men (53 percent).
Clinton won the support of 62 percent of white voters, while Obama was the overwhelming choice of black voters (92 percent). Clinton won the crucial demographic of white men, garnering 56 percent of their vote.
As has been the case in other states, the economy was the most important issue to voters, with 55 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats describing it as such, and most Democrats saying that the economy is in a recession. The war in Iraq and health care were the other top issues to voters.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. With nearly all of the votes counted, the former first lady led Obama 55 percent to 45 percent. CBS News estimates that Clinton won 82 delegates in the Keystone State while Obama won 69, with 7 delegates still unallocated. Obama now has an overall lead of 126 delegates.
"Some counted me out and said to drop out," the former first lady told supporters cheering her triumph in a state where she was outspent by more than two-to-one. "But the American people don't quit. And they deserve a president who doesn't quit, either."
Pennsylvania Results
"Because of you, the tide is turning." ()
Her victory, while comfortable, set up another critical test in two weeks time in Indiana. North Carolina votes the same day, and Obama already is the clear favorite in a Southern state with a large black population.
"Now it's up to you Indiana," Obama said at a rally of his own in Evansville after Pennsylvania denied him a victory that might have made the nomination his. ()
Obama criticized John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting, by name, saying he offers more of the same policies advocated by President Bush. He took aim at Clinton without mentioning her by name. "We can calculate and poll-test our positions and tell everyone exactly what they want to hear," he said. "Or we can be the party that doesn't just focus on how to win, but why we should."
Clinton scored her victory by winning the votes of blue-collar workers, women and white men in an election where the economy was the dominant concern.
She won despite being outspent heavily by her rival in a six-week campaign that allowed time for intense courtship of the voters.
Clinton showed her blue collar bona fides one night by knocking down a shot of whiskey, then taking a mug of beer as a chaser. Obama went bowling in his attempt to win over working-class voters.
"Hillary Clinton did what she needed to do in order to continue her campaign into North Carolina and Indiana two weeks from now, perhaps through the end of the primary process in June and potentially all the way to the Democratic convention in August," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "She almost certainly muted any calls for her to exit the race." (Click here to read Ververs' complete analysis).
The win gave Clinton a strong record in the big states as she attempts to persuade convention superdelegates to look past Obama's delegate advantage and his lead in the popular vote in picking a nominee. She had previously won primaries in Texas, California, Ohio and her home state of New York, while Obama won his home state of Illinois.
At the same time, even some of her aides conceded she is facing another likely must-win state in Indiana in two weeks time, particularly with Obama favored to carry North Carolina on the same day.
With 158 delegates at stake, Pennsylvania offered the largest prize remaining in a primary season that ends on June 3.
CBS News exit polls show that most Pennsylvania Democrats made up their minds a long time ago, while only 24 percent decided within the last week.
But voters who made late decisions broke to Clinton, with those deciding in the last week supporting the New York senator 58 percent to 42 percent. (See all exit poll data.)
New Democratic voters, who either switched from another party or registered as a Democrat for the first time, strongly backed Obama at a rate of 62 percent to 38 percent.
Women made up 59 percent of Pennsylvania Democratic voters, and they voted for Clinton over Obama 57 percent to 43 percent. Obama won a majority of men (53 percent).
Clinton won the support of 62 percent of white voters, while Obama was the overwhelming choice of black voters (92 percent). Clinton won the crucial demographic of white men, garnering 56 percent of their vote.
As has been the case in other states, the economy was the most important issue to voters, with 55 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats describing it as such, and most Democrats saying that the economy is in a recession. The war in Iraq and health care were the other top issues to voters.
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Hillary, get a clue! ...it''''s over! you need to quit.
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Well, at least we agree about that. I think it ended when she told us she shot a duck. Speaking of dead ducks, stick a fork in Hillary''s campaign, I think it''s done.
In the awfuly chance that Obama becomes Commander in Chief, he had better never declare war on a country run by a woman. Apparently women can easily kick his as''''s.
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OK - if you call it "kicking" when HE''S AHEAD IN THE DELEGATE COUNT and Hillary will have to RUN HER OWN OFF to have any hope of catching up. BUY A CLUE!!!
Yeah, the guy who''''s singing ''''bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran! bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb iran!''''
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Guess what - Hillary isn''t a GUY!!! She said "attack Iran."
Or maybe she misspoke again. Like her support for attacking Iraq...
It''''''''s really THAT SIMPLE.
Posted by txgrouch2004 at 06:28 PM : Apr 23, 2008
Yeah, the guy who''s singing ''bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran! bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb iran!'' His military intelligence shows really really well in that context. That makes sense.
It''''s really THAT SIMPLE.
Posted by txgrouch2004 at 06:23 PM : Apr 23, 2008
You''ll really do well in November with that campaign slogan. I can see now how the GOP is so bankrupt on ideas if their people buy such simpleton arguments.
it''s good for a laugh anyway. Pick a guy who''s older than dirt and showing every bit of his age as he forgets who''s really fighting in Iraq or he''s forgetting lines to his speaches. That''ll go over well.
CBS and the rest of the corporate media need to stop taking in the Clinton spin. It''s over. Give it up. there''s NO race.