Barack Obama willing to concede Indiana

When Barack Obama took the stage to bask in his big victory in North Carolina's Democratic presidential primary, all but one of the television networks remained unwilling to call the day's other contest, the primary in Indiana.

But Obama showed no such hesitation, saying early in his remarks that he wanted to congratulate Hillary Clinton "on what appears to be her victory in the great state of Indiana."

Maybe Obama has great confidence in the number-crunchers at CBS, the one network that had broken from the pack earlier and given Indiana to Clinton. But more likely, his comment was simply in line with the tone he clearly sought to strike -- gracious about triumphing in North Carolina by a comfortable, and politically important, margin and anxious to start healing fissures within Democratic ranks.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of Obama's speech was his reference to exit poll findings that a growing portion of his partisans and -- to an even greater degree -- some Clinton backers are saying they would be unwilling to line up behind the Democratic nominee in November if their choice does not prevail.

"I don't believe it," Obama said, launching into a brief discourse on the need for Democrats to remember which side they truly need to be on.

Even as he spoke, the race in Indiana got closer -- with about three-quarters of the vote in there, Clinton's lead had shrunk to ...

... 4 percentage points.

But having easily won the race he could not afford to lose -- North Carolina -- and in doing so maintaining his edge in eventually nailing down the nomination, he was in no mood to quibble.

He also was back in his comfort zone, stressing themes of reconciliation throughout his speech, as well as emphasizing that he would keep to his commitment to running a "different" kind of campaign that accentuates the positive. And he devoted more time than usual to his family's background, obviously with an eye to chipping away at the "elitist" tag.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Bloomberg News

[Update: Many thanks to the many readers who caught the various typos in the first draft of this item, posted with undue haste, and not enough care, as it turned out] 

Comments

[sinz52]

The only reason Obama's margin was so big in NC, is he got huge turnout from his usual coalition of black voters (35% of the electorate there) and voters under 29 (18% of the electorate there). And they voted in absolutely overwhelming numbers for Obama--over 90% of black voters went for Obama. It's that kind of a state.

But if you break out white voters, Hillary won every age category except white voters under age 29. Obama still can't break out of his youngsters-and-blacks coalition to appeal to anybody else in large numbers.

And that spells trouble for him against McCain, unless he can fix that somehow.

[Valerie Mitchson]

In response to the moronic statement that N. Carolina being over 30% black explains the outcome, I say Indiana is just over 50% female--that should explain that!

[Marks]

>Posted by: Michael Mouse

>no way yet that an African-American gets elected president in the general election.

A clown like you doesn't represent Republicans, only idiots and yourself in the mirror.

There is a way for Obama to be President of the United States, when voters the general election have more sense than you. Democrats are out voting GOP nationally and have registered more.

Democrats, independents, burned out Republicans vs. McCain. I know three long time voting Republicans voting for Obama or Hillary.

You can't reference what's better about McCain. You have to denegrate Obama's ethnic background to make your stupid points.

McCain will be very proud to have someone like you voting for him? You would be wrong.

[Willie]

Sorry Obie, but if you're not the nominee on Nov 4th I'm staying home. I don't like Clinton, she lies to much, and she dares to bamboozle us with the gas tax moronic idea, like if we weren't smart enough to know better. The Republican are just as busy throwing mud, racism, and hate as usual. You're our only hope. No, I'm not voting for Hillary, not even if you begged me to.

[toralaohu]

If you want a face for the Hillary operation, look at Lanny Davis: reality has no bearing whatsoever on their perception of the world but if anybody dares to hint at reality, they are livid, hysterical and venominous. Billary is a two-headed monster, but what distinguishes Hillary from Bill is the uncontrollable hatred that she (and her operation) has when things don't go their way. Bill is full of hatred for his enemies, too, but he is not as principled and hardened a hater as Hillary. James Carville is the face of the Bill operation. He is thuggish but he at least admits he cannot say anything bad about Bil because he loves the guy to death. Not Lanny. He is just consumed by hatred.

[Joe]

The "finger" gesture wasn't. It's been deconstructed online many times and proven to be a false allegation. How do you think we Obama supporters feel when you pull out the unfair attacks like that one?

Hillary isn't a bad person. Politics just does this to people. Please be gracious in defeat, for America's sake.

[Franky]

" I will move from this country before i call OBAMA my President."
Posted by: John D Hyatt | May 06, 2008 at 07:58 PM
----

Time to start packing!

It's funny to see all the extremists freaking out over Obama.

Go ask Rush for some drugs - everything will be ok!

[Freedommonger]

Oh, how I love to watch the closet Marxist and the suedo-Communist intellectuals fight over who is more RED. Sometimes they call it green, but it is still red. Love you all. Hitlery, keep up the fight..........you have not yet begun to damage the party of Stalin and Castro yet. GET WHITEY!!!!! STOP THE PENICRACY!!!!!!!!!!! Next thing I will be seeing is red subaru wagons running each other off the road. They both champion the blue collar, hard hat, worker but you hate when they actually build something.........so really you want them all to be unemployed so you can take care of them. You don't really care anyway, you prefer your latte drinking, paper weights, who do nothing but complain about our country. God.......sorry..........Big Bang be with you all. Peace.

[R R]

You posters are pathetic.
He's American, period.
Please do leave the country if his ethnicity is a problem for you. Hint: there's a lot of people with ethnic history. They're all Americans. Her Royal Clinton is business as usual... no hope for change there and half the country is already against her. No chance winning with her... no chance her winning... without a backroom deal against the will of the voters. Polls don't prove anything, and basing decisions on them is a Clinton hallmark.

[Arnold Peabody]

I'm a white male. I would as soon vote for a black person as one of any other color, as long as they are the best candidate, but never Obama, with his long association with Wright (which I'VE never heard him renounce, just a few of Wright's statements), his lies about what he knew of Wright's statements when, his racist wife, lies to voters about NAFTA (Canadian comments), withdrawing from Iraq (European comments), association with Ayers (see the picture of Ayers walking all over the American flag, etc.), the fact that he has the most liberal record of any senator, and his stupid claim to having good judgment! The DNC would rather lose with him as a candidate (and preserve their relationship with black voters) than admit that he can't beat McCain and give Hillary (who has a better chance of winning vs McCain) a chance (and lose their black voters). They're taking a dive! 0 for 3! The only good thing I can say about Obama is that he's better than that scumbag Kerry (the worst in American history to date!)

Lightnin'

[don d]

i think bill should not have his 3rd term. hillery should marry macain.

[thinkresults]

Steven Yang, the media and others: "All along his winning is along racial ground the black votes." ??

What? Like Main? Even NC was almost 70% white plus Bill Clinton on porches talking it up with all those rural white voters and still Obama won by double-digits. Please, you really need to get over it.

"racialistic" - LOL

[Jeff]

Love will conquer hate. You can hate Obama and his supporters but I refuse to hate you back. You might hate to have a black president, but I will love you back. Because no matter what you are my American brother/ sister. We are in it together no matter who becomes president.

[MARTY MARK]

I AM A LIFE LONG DEMOCRAT AND UNION MEMBER AND CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC IS SO LIBERAL TO BELIEVE THAT THIS RACIST HALF BREED WILL EVER GET TO THE WHITE HOUSE NO MATTER HOW MANY KENNEDY'S
ENDORSE HIM.
HE WILL GIVE AWAY THE COUNTRY AND HIS RACIST WIFE AND FRIENDS WILL AMPLIFY THE REVERSE DISCRIMINATION WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR SOME 40 YEARS CALLED EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. SO THE WHITE EDUCATED MALE MUST WORK FOR IGNORANT TOKENS IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.
I WILL VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN BEFORE I EVER WOULD VOTE FOR THE RACIST OBAMA.

[Scott Behrmann]

I can't believe how racist this country still is! We are all flesh and blood human beings. We ALL are made in Gods image, not just whites or blacks, but ALL of us! It's my opinion that racists are no different than the terrorists we are dealing with in the Middle East

[Nic]

I LOVE HOW THESE OLD SCHOOL PRETENTIOUS BABY BOOMER TYPES COME IN HERE ALL HUFFED UP "I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY OR I HATE OBAMA AND WON'T VOTE FOR HIM OR I WILL VOTE REPUBLICAN" ...

Thank you my friends for proving why YOUR generation will never again be allowed to run this country. Obama is only the start, we have a new generation, a younger, more intelligent generation stepping up to the plate and ready to correct your mistakes of the past thirty years.

You can cry and fuss all you want, you are simply proving to be the very thing we Obama supporters see in Hillary. Bitterness, over-developed sense of entitlement, "dirty" politics and plain old stupidity. We are a connected, educated generation that can't be fooled by your smoke screens and it seems your last recourse, like any grade school bully, is simply to run away.

If you were any REAL DEMOCRAT you would stand your ground and vote like it. But if going home to cry about it better serves your country (in your head), so be it.

Good luck Obama, I hope to see you in the White House soon.

[steve]

It's amazing that in the 21st century that we can't accept a black person as a nominee for president. I started first grade with all white kids except me and one other black person. I even have a picture where I dressed as a pilgrim. Its amazing how prejudice some people can be! Please let's move on into the future and treat people the way you would want to be treated. Please...Please...Please...stop the white supremacy!

[EuropeanTraveler]

Obama will do and say ANYTHING to get the nomination...He will kiss up to anyone that listens. Actions speak louder than words. What has Obama done as a senator that defines him as a leader? Nothing! What issues has an Obama "signature" on it? None! Those to whom one associates with and calls "mentor" and "acquaintances" and "friends" reflects on that person's character and integrity. You lay with dogs and you'll get fleas. How can anyone believe in a person who has associated himself with characters of ill-repute and those who have been part of anti-American plots and acts to bomb the Pentagon (and who regret not bombing more!). It is beyond imagination that a person such as this should even be considered as a candidate for the most trusted job of our country! WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THINKING????? Our forefathers are turning in their graves! WAKE UP AMERICA before we totally destroy this country by supporting a character such as Barrack Obama!

[robert lejeune]

Any democrat that says that they will not vote for a democrat in November is forgetting what the last eight years have brought us. They are forgetting what John McCain and the republican tornado is capable of. Moreover, they are denying them selves from an America that we all have dreamed of and have the potential of achieving. We all need to stop being so selfish, we need to be responsible, we need to be objective and stop basing our decisions off of bitterness and rash thought. Listen, I am a dedicated Obama supporter. Consequently, I very much dislike Hillary Clinton, I do not trust her and believe that she has run a despicable campaign. Nevertheless, if she wins the nomination, I would support her. Not because I believe she is the best candidate out of the pick of millions of other Americans, but because she would be the best choice when weighed against McCain. Let us stop being little children, grow up, and unite. Let us together make our home a better place. Moreover, to paraphrase from Barack’s speech tonight, let us not let John McCain serve a 3rd term for George Bush and the conservative base.

[Me, Myself and Eye]

Hillary "Pinocchio" Clinton? No way!

[cm grigg]

The racial argument is ridiculous. What is everyones excuse in Indiana. 60 years ago the KKK held every major position in state government. He is going to get half the vote and maybe a win. Clinton abandoned the 'black vote' by marginalizing Obama's wins in certain areas. Would women flock to John Mcain if he said Clinton was only in the race because they were dumb broads?How unperceptive are "free" American citizens today. It's 2008 and you are still falling for the same bull all those uneducated southerners fell for when the slave owning minority of rich boys convinced them they needed to fight for "their" rights. Wake up and get a GED

[cm grigg]

If you are switchin sides you never believed in nothin' no how.And most that are saying they will are either Republicans liars or the throwback bigoted Democrats from the old days. Too many liars in this country. Pick a side and vote and then shut up until the education system improves to the point that most of you learn to politely discuss facts and not fairy tales

[B. Hickson]

GO HILLARY!!!!!!!

HILLARY BREAKS THE TIE AND SCORES ONE OVER BHO YET AGAIN!!!

SHE IS NOW AHEAD IN THE POPULAR VOTE AND INCHING CLOSER WITH PLEDGED DELEGATES. WE CAN EXPECT BHO TO DROP OUT THIS MONTH.

GO HILLARY!!!!!

[BJ]

Who says these primaries are not about race? It's absolutely clear that Blacks & college kids voted for Obama, and the regular folks voted for Clinton.

Yes, Obama won NC, BUT regardless of what happens in IND, this State had been previously claimed by Obama as his...

The real question, regardless of what the pundits say (and they are blah blah blahing all over the cable channels) is, WHO IS ELECTABLE IN NOV.?

IF what the pundits say is true that Clinton has no arguments left... WHY are the super delegates not declaring Obama the winner?

There is something going on, and I think the Dems are REALLY worried about the fact that Clinton supporters WILL NOT vote for Obama in Nov.

Once more, the Dems have shot themselves in the foot!

[BJ]

To all Obama supporters who wonder "why" Clinton supporters will not vote for Obama.

I can only speak for myself, but I was willing to accept a tax hike because I felt it was unfair that the Bush administration is depriving the middle class of this country an opportunity to improve their positions in life. But I distrust Obama's integrity because we still don't know "who" this man is! I am not willing to take a chance on someone who does not have the experience to lead this country, when there is such a confluence of negative factors (war, recession, etc.) facing our nation. We cannot afford ONE MISSTEP!
I question his JUDGEMENT. There are no mulligans, and FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!

This has nothing to do with color. It has everything to do with "credentials".

IF CLINTON is not the nominee, I will vote McCain and keep my tax breaks, thank you very much!