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Obama clinches nomination

AFP

HISTORIC DAY: U.S. Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle greet supporters at a rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday.

Washington: Taking a giant leap towards the White House, Barack Obama has become the first black American to seal the Democratic Presidential nomination setting up a poll battle with Republican John McCain, as defiant Hillary Clinton refused to concede angling to be his running mate.

"Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States," a beaming Obama told a boisterous crowd of supporters in St Paul, Minnesota last night after crossing the magic figure of 2,118 delegates needed to clinch the nomination for the November polls.

After the two end-game primaries in South Dakota and Montana saw the Democrat rivals sharing honours, Obama's tally reached 2,149.5, compared to 1925.5 of the former first lady.

"Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America," Obama, 46, said, marking the end of the marathon race spreading over 17 months that pitted two historic candidates - a woman and an African-American - against each other.

However, 60-year-old Clinton did not concede defeat and her supporters lobbied hard to secure the joint ticket for her to be the party's nominee for the post of Vice President.

"Obviously, it's on the table," Clinton's campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe told CNN, recalling her victories in some swing states during the epic nomination battle with Obama. "She has always said, I will do whatever it takes to win in the fall. Whatever that option may be."

Terming his capturing of the nomination a "defining moment" for the US, Obama sought to reach out to Clinton in a bid to unite the Democratic party after a bitter and prolonged slanging match that brought out deep racial and gender divide in the open.

Clinton "has made history in this campaign not just because she's 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," Obama said.

Clinton praised Obama warmly in an appearance before supporters in New York. But she neither acknowledged his victory nor offered a concession of any sort. "This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight."

US media reports quoted lawmakers as saying that during a conference call Clinton expressed willingness to serve as Obama's running mate in November if she was asked to.

The Obama campaign, however, maintained that it was "too early" to discuss the issue. "We don't have a long list or a short list," said David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist. "Obviously she's an incredibly formidable person."

The Democratic Convention will be held in Denver in August while for Republicans it will be in September in Minnesota.

Obama supporters gathered in large numbers outside a convention centre in St Paul. Festive mood prevailed all over as Obama walked in with wife Michelle amid loud cheers in an arena draped with huge American flags and the trademark "Change We Can Believe In" banners.

Diving into general election mode, Obama took on McCain, saying it's "time to turn the page on the policies of the past."

The 71-year-old Vietnam war veteran also did not mince his words while addressing a gathering in Louisiana, the home state of Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal who has been apparently shortlisted as Republican vice-presidential nominee.

"No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically. But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change, between going forward and going backward," McCain said.

Anxious to end the highly antagonistic campaigns run by Obama and Clinton, super delegates put their weight behind the Illinois Senator after it became clear the former first lady could not beat him.

But several party leaders were disappointed when Clinton, in a defiant address to her supporters, did not concede and said she was not taking any decision immediately as to the direction in which her campaign should go.

The crowd chanted "Denver," "Denver" as Clinton asked her supporters to visit her website and give their suggestions. The reference was to the party convention in August and message that she should fight till then.

She also stressed that she was more electable, pointing out that 18 million people had voted for her in the primaries which was more than any other candidate had ever got and that she had won swing states to underline her strength.

The New York Senator also pledged that she would ensure the promises she had made to her supporter who voted for her are fulfilled. That, analysts said, was a message to the party leaders and the Obama campaign that they would need to reach out to her.

Some Obama supporters said her speech would further antagonise his advisers who oppose she being offered vice presidentship as they saw no signs of reconciliation. However, party bosses would also weigh in when the time for the selection comes.

In an apparent effort to reach out to Clinton, Obama began his victory speech with high tribute for her, praising her work in healthcare and other issues affecting the people and said any progress in those areas would have her imprint.

Promptly, Obama's victory moved the elections campaign into a new phase as he and McCain attacked each other's agendas.

Bobby Jindal, who is very close McCain, introduced him as a man who would stand by his principles despite all opinion polls before the Republican candidate fired the first shot of the general election campaign.

Conceding that both want change, McCain told a huge rally of his supporters in New Orleans that Obama is pressing for wrong type of change, has nothing new to offer and was only dusting the old liberal agenda. He also took shot at his experience, saying he has no record to show for what he say he would achieve.

In his reply about an hour later, Obama repeated his charge that McCain would mean third term of President George Bush's policies for which the nation cannot afford.

When the primaries began five months ago, Clinton was the favourite to become the first woman nominee for the post of the president. But a well-oiled campaign run by Obama and full backing of African Americans turned the tables and gave him the victory something no one had expected a year ago. -- PTI

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