http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/obama/2008/05/06/93986.html
Obama Calls N.C. Win a Victory Against Politics of Division
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Barack Obama called his North Carolina primary win on
Tuesday a victory against the "politics of division and the politics
of distraction."
The Illinois senator claimed a strong victory in the Southern state to
steady a campaign rocked by missteps and a hard-charging rival,
Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Obama told North Carolina sup****ters in Raleigh that he was able to
overcome negative politicking that is all about scoring points and not
about solving problems. He said Americans "aren't looking for more
spin; they're looking for honest answers."
With his wife Michelle looking on, Obama savored his victory in North
Carolina and called attention to claims by the Clinton campaign that
the North Carolina race would be a "game-changer."
"But today, what North Carolina decided is that the only game that
needs changing is the one in Wa****ngton, DC.," said the first-term
Illinois senator.
Obama said it appeared Clinton had won in Indiana, the only other
state voting on Tuesday, and acknowledged there were "bruised feelings
on both sides" in the marathon fight for the Democratic nomination.
"Each side desperately wants their candidate to win."
Still, he said, "This fall, we intend to march forward as one
Democratic Party, united by a common vision for this country."
"We can't afford to give John McCain the chance to serve out George
Bush's third term," he said.
Obama's team had expected to win comfortably in North Carolina _ after
all, that's one reason they held their election-watch party here. But
they also hoped for a come-from-behind win in Indiana. An Obama win in
both states could have derailed Clinton's comeback chances.
Obama's forces sought to make as much as possible of the Obama victory
in North Carolina, while turning their attention to upcoming contests
in Oregon, West Virginia and Kentucky. He was returning to Chicago
after the celebration.
Answering charges that he was having trouble winning in big states
that will be im****tant in the general election, Obama characterized
his North Carolina win as "a victory in a big state, a swing state,
and a state where we will compete to win if I am the Democratic
nominee for president of the United States."
North Carolina is the nation's 10th largest state in population.
Earlier Tuesday, Obama was asked about the difficulty he has had in
connecting with blue-collar workers, particularly white men, in states
in the industrial Midwest like Indiana that will be im****tant in the
fall elections.
"It's really a mixed bag," he said. "There've been some states where
we have won the blue-collar vote. Wisconsin. We won it in Iowa. We won
it in Minnesota. Then there are other states where we've not done so
well, mainly because people are much more familiar with Senator
Clinton and President Clinton and their track record."
"You have to give them credit. They're the best established brand name
in Democratic politics, maybe in politics overall. They've been on the
scene for 20 years. They're not going to go down easy."
Robert Gibbs, Obama's communications director, conceded it had been "a
pretty tough two or three weeks for the Obama campaign."
Obama stunned the party with early primary victories and helped
undercut the aura of inevitability that Clinton brought into the race.
He preached unity and put up what he said was his better judgment
against Clinton's longer experience.
But as time wore on, and as Clinton won more big-state primaries that
will be crucial to Democrats in Ohio _ including New York, California,
Ohio and Pennsylvania _ enthusiasm toward Obama cooled.
And Obama's ties with inflammatory longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright and
several missteps sowed doubts about his judgment.
|
