The New York Times reported in a news flash just minutes ago that Democratic candidate Barack Obama has leapt over the threshold of the 2,118 delegates needed to be nominated at the party’s convention in Denver in August.
The daily is touting the accomplishment this evening as a "victory" for Mr. Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and white Kansan mother, who they note, "broke racial barriers and represented a remarkable rise for a man who just four years ago served in the Illinois State Senate."
In an emotional speech to supporters in St. Paul just a short while ago, Mr. Obama thanked the ralliers for choosing "not to listen" to doubts or fears but "to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations."
Confident about the new path he is now embarking on, he noted with hearfelt enthusiasm,
"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. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States."
But, there was one cloud hanging over the celebration.
Not surprisingly, Mrs. Clinton was reluctant to hand over the reigns.
"This has been a long campaign and I will be making no decisions tonight," Mrs. Clinton told supporters in New York.
She said she would be speaking with party officials about her next move. In fact, I expect she'll be stomping her foot at Democratic headquarters bright and early in the morning demanding that her supporters "do something!"
Tough ti**y, Hillary.
In what was described by the Times as quite a "combative speech", Mrs. Clinton argued up-and-down "she was the stronger candidate" and that "she had won the popular vote", not Obama.
Denial. Denial. Denial.
Spoil sport, if you ask me.
In a bold-faced effort to give the impression she was not being selfish, and that she had the interests of others at heart, the fast-talking Senator used the occasion to twist and distort the facts to make sense of an argument for continuing.
"I want the 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected."
They will be Hillary.
You don't have to steal an election - or make a fool of yourself in the process - to make that happen
It's not their fault you lost, is it?
Obama, the consummate gentleman responded with proper decorum.
"I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton."
Yeah, you've learned how to watch your back, handle yourself in public, and - in spite of your alleged lack of experience - managed to deftly avoid setting off any of the mine fields that old "soldier-boy" keeps exploding on the campaign battleground day-in and day-out.
What a diplomat, that Obama.
Starting tomorrow, I expect the presidential campaign will take on a new twist.
Let the games begin!
No more dashed hopes...