Obama, Indiana election close, aims now at McCain

According to the prepared remarks for his North Carolina victory speech Tuesday evening in Raleigh, Sen. Barack Obama was supposed to say, “I want to start by congratulating Senator Clinton on her victory in the state of Indiana.”

But Obama changed that line. And here's what he ended up saying, “I want to start by congratulating Senator Clinton on what appears to be her victory in the great state of Indiana.”

It may have been a hopeful move on his part, having won a big victory in North Carolina and, in the end, coming a whole lot closer to putting Sen. Hillary Clinton away for good with a surprise win in Indiana. But by apparently coming within about 20,000 votes of also capturing the Hoosier State, Obama's campaign now says it plans a major change in direction.

On the Obama plane out of North Carolina tonight, his chief strategist, David Axelrod, apparently convinced that Clinton can no longer beat them, told The Times' Peter Nicholas that Obama will likely cut back his intensive primary campaigning in the remaining states; West Virginia is next Tuesday. And start his actual general election campaign almost immediately.

"We've got to multi-task here," Axelrod said enroute back to Chicago. "Superdelegates are a part of this and also a focus on the general election is important. Sen. McCain has basically run free for some time now. Everyone is eager to get on with this."

Of course, putting out such self-serving remarks may also help feed the impression that pervaded much of the evening's television chatter on how much longer Clinton could last and how graceful would be her exit. Right now, the campaigns' attention is focused on the less than 300 uncommitted superdelegates.

The fact is Obama scored so well in Lake County, Indiana especially among Gary's overwhelmingly black population, that he came within some 20,000 of scoring a huge upset.

Obama could start campaigning more against Sen. John McCain as a way of, in effect, marginalizing Clinton's continuing effort and convincing superdelegates it's all but over.

A major swing by a growing number of them could undermine Clinton's rationale for continuing, although no one underestimates the remaining fight in Clinton.

--Andrew Malcolm

                                                                                                                      Photo Credit: ABC News

Comments

[dave]

obama attacking mccain will be an interesting spectacle to behold, as we'll see a staged puppet fight of two 'paper tigers' without any substance whatsoever; while the true and increasingly uncontested republican presidential candidate, RON PAUL, in his own undeterred way, continues getting out his message of the constitutional reformation and restoration of the american republic, even in spite of the continued bizarre failure of some to acknowledge truth. though it's time for reality.
(a good read: RON PAUL's new book, 'the revolution: a manifesto')

[orlando]

McGovern just announced that he urged HIllary to drop-out of the race.

I agree. Hillary, there is a fine line with being courageously serious or just plain delirious!

If this is all big ploy in creating herself to be the V.P. candidate, then she had better fess up.

If not, then please do as McGovern recommends you to do. He has experience.

[Seni]

I hope Hillary Clinton stay in this primary race to the end. She has that right because neither candidate has the total number needed to win. Quitters lose, the strong survive. Who knows what skeletons might come out of Obama's closet. After all, we really don't know him that well. ----- It's time to scrutinize----.

[Don Ball]

Ron Paul is a joke when speaking about POTUS - even he thinks all the fringe support he is getting is strange.

Ron Paul would make a better cub scout leader - but with all his crazy followers, he'd be denied that as well.

But heck, I'm glad the crazies have a place to go other than McCain!

[dave]

don,

agreed.

(RON PAUL has no use for a moniker like POTUS, allegedly used in reference to a former president in office by his entourage to mock certain of his legendary traits and habits, cf. pot... -ency/ -head/ ... - and incidently also short for 'President Of The US.' RON PAUL's quest is not for bloated ego power - his only 'potus' is for remedy, and safeguard of the constitution. this makes him truly great, and worthy to be PRESIDENT. nor is it likely that he'll have his wife referred to as a FLOTUS - she'd not be seen as hopelessly adrift and lost, or uncertain as to her gender.)