International   

It’s Tuesday again and day of reckoning for Obama, Hillary

HOUSTON: Barack Obama sought a knockout against rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in Texas and Ohio on Tuesday, crucial races where the former First Lady desperately needs a win to salvage her once-powerful candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Voters in two other States — Vermont and Rhode Island — also cast ballots on Tuesday in a series of four contests that offer a total of 370 delegates. But Texas and Ohio are pivotal.

They offer 334 of the delegates, providing Ms. Clinton with what could be her last chance to end Mr. Obama’s string of 11 wins and keep alive her hope to become the first woman U.S. President.

Republicans also compete in the same four primaries, and a strong showing by presumptive nominee John McCain could allow him to clinch the nomination that is already well within his grasp.

“I feel really good about today,” Ms. Clinton told reporters after a visit to a polling place at an elementary school here. “Let’s wait and see what the voters have actually decided — I think it’s going to turn out well.”

Mr. Obama began the day with a stop at a livestock show here. He shook hands with people at a Future Farmers of America exhibit and viewed show cows and bulls.

Both candidates have expressed confidence of their chances, but acknowledged that split decisions on Tuesday and close votes could prolong their fierce battle for at least another month.

Senior Democratic officials worry that this could undercut the party’s chances of taking the White House.

“We know this has been an extraordinary election. It continues to be. We’re working hard to do as well as we can,” said Mr. Obama, who planned to await the Texas returns in San Antonio.

The former President, Bill Clinton, has asserted that his wife must win both Texas and Ohio to keep her campaign alive. But her advisers have recast the stakes, saying if Mr. Obama lost any of the four presidential primaries it would show voters are having second thoughts about him.

Polls show tight races in both Texas and Ohio. The Obama campaign saw Texas as its best opportunity, while the Clinton campaign saw Ohio as its best shot.

Polls showed Ms. Clinton ahead in Rhode Island and Mr. Obama leading in Vermont.

Mr. Obama has won 11 straight contests since the February 5 “Super Tuesday” series of races, and leads in the AP delegate count, 1,386-1,276. As his victories have piled up, Ms. Clinton’s support has begun to erode.

A total of 2,025 delegates are needed to secure the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention in late August in Denver. Over 600 delegates will remain to be picked in a series of 10 contests after Tuesday, beginning with Wyoming caucuses this weekend and a Mississippi primary on March 11. Pennsylvania is the biggest State remaining, with 158 delegates to be chosen in a primary April 22.

Ms. Clinton needs to win by sizable margins in Ohio and Texas to cut into Mr. Obama’s lead in the delegate count because delegates are awarded proportionally. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

It’s Tuesday again and day of reckoning for Obama, Hillary
Iran slams Security Council sanctions
Local bodies poll in Batticaloa after 14 years as plea is dismissed
Budget hike to meet training needs: China
“Diana dumped me”
UK Tamils call for Commonwealth sanctions against Sri Lankan government
Hu warns Taiwan

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu