***** Barack Obama Wins Democratic Nomination! *****

[jefferson_dem]

That's it!

Onward to the General Election!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:





http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/primary.wrap/index.html

***

From: "Barack Obama" <[email protected]>
To: xxxx

The polls are closed in Kentucky and votes are being counted in Oregon, and it's clear that tonight we have reached a major milestone on this journey.

We have won an absolute majority of all the delegates chosen by the people in this Democratic primary process.

From the beginning, this journey wasn't about me or the other candidates. It was about a simple choice -- will we continue down the same road with the same leadership that has failed us for so long, or will we take a different path?

Too many of us have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. We've seen promises broken and good ideas drowned in a sea of influence, point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington.

Yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment -- or perhaps because of it -- people have stood for change.

Unfortunately, our opponents in the other party continue to embrace yesterday's policies and they will continue to employ yesterday's tactics -- they will try to change the subject, and they will play on fears and divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future.

But those tactics will not work in this election.

They won't work because you won't let them.

Not this time. Not this year.

We still have work to do to in the remaining states, where we will compete for every delegate available.

But tonight, I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far -- farther than anyone predicted, expected, or even believed possible.

And I want to remind you that you will make all the difference in the epic challenge ahead.

Thank you,

Barack Obama

****

[MonkeyFunk]

1. Oh dear

I'm sorry to tell you, but that's not the measure. He hasn't won the nomination yet. I'm sorry.

[ossman]

3. Oh yeah.. its Tuesday... what's the measure today?

[MonkeyFunk]

13. same as it's always been

a majority of ALL the delegates.

I'm constantly surprised how so few people here seem to know that.

[Blarch]

16. ya, we heard hillary...

2210 delegates are now needed.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. Does he have 2025?

No.

So by whatever measure you use, he hasn't won yet.

[Weary Traveler]

31. Can you pass me your playbook?

I am curious. A poster stated what was an attempt by Camp Clinton to move the goal post, and instead of answering if her "new" math was correct, you post a tirade about Barack Obama not having the wrong delegate number? Sigh.....

[anigbrowl]

51. Try to keep up. 2210 is the new 2025. Didn't you get the memo?

[TheWraith]

90. And what do you say to the supers who've pledged to support the pledged majority?

Including some of Hillary's supers? He's currently only 53 delegates out from the "magic number," even though it's already mathematically his, and he's likely to win at least 16 delegates in the last couple primaries. So unless you really think that Clinton can pull 176 out of 211 superdelegates, when they've been breaking 2 to 1 for Obama or better, then you're just nitpicking and trying to stretch things out.

[jefferson_dem]

5. Don't be sorry. Be united!

Hop aboard the ObamaWagon! We need you!

[Kittycat]

6. Neither is 2210 or false popular vote.

The RULES are 2025. Obama has sealed the PD win, now it's up to the supers to finalize it.

[MonkeyFunk]

14. So it's not finalized

therefore he hasn't won the nomination. We agree for once!

[Kittycat]

29. I never have agreed on this point.

He won the Pledged part of the race, not the entire thing. I stated earlier that tonight is a Milestone night - a victory in that regard, but not a final victory. I do consider him to be the presumptive nominee, however. Because nothing short of a devastating act of god will change that. The supers have been moving steadily and swiftly in his direction - to that point that he now exceeds that mark as well. Obama will also end the night on a high note with the Oregon vote, and dominate the news cycle tomorrow.

A victory and congrats for hillary is also noted for her strong win in KY.

[gmudem]

62. The SD's are not meant to overturn the will of the voters

Unless the nominee turns out to have killed kittens, the SD's will not overturn the will of the voters.

Say goodnight Hillary.

[dcindian]

9. Ya the vote of the people can be overturned.

The queen of the nukes can still be installed.

[cascadiance]

17. Here are the numbers... He HAS won the pledged delegate count now!

This is the best possible scenario she has without changing rules or getting super delegates to overturn the delegate count...

[quantass]

68. ,

[JackORoses]

23. it's done, and there is not a thing Hillary and her Flying Monkeys can do about it

[Tellurian]

24. The Latest MSNBC barely mentions Obama...It's all Hillary!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

drinking tonight celebrating Hillary's Win?

Good on ya, JD..

[Chisox08]

75. you need to check MSNBC.com again because the opposite is true

[nxylas]

89. I thought I saw a Hillary story on there when I looked

The headline was "elderly Chinese cling to ruins", but it turned out to be about an earthquake.

[cliffordu]

25. Under the rules he has. Why can't she balance her checkbook, by the way??

[saltpoint]

2. "Muslim Elitist Grabs Dems' Nom!" will be the headline on FOX.

[Condem]

12. Or- Will Face the White POW Hero!

[saltpoint]

18. Is McCain white? O yeah -- I guess I do remember that. There are so

many lines on his face...

O no wait -- those aren't lines -- they're ledger grids from the Keating 5 book-cooking project.

Gosh, what a complex guy.

- _ _ _ _ -

Hiya. Good to run into you tonight on DU.

[Swamp Rat]

32. yep

:D :hi:

[saltpoint]

46. I'm wondering what the odds are on McCain's health.

He doesn't sound all too lively out there on the stump.

[Condem]

35. You too, Crusoe

You were nominated as one of the chief peacemakers here on DU. Congrats. And, McCain: the whitest dude yo'll ever see there, Delta Dawn!

[saltpoint]

44. McCain. A white guy. Well, I'm just going to have to get used to it!

Hey there again.

[Condem]

48. Another toast in order, my friend?

[saltpoint]

50. Tell ya what. Sure -- at LEAST one more round, and let's toast to

the landslide loss of John McCain, plus 6 new Senate pick-ups and 25 more House seats.

Ice cold, no limit, and we're off work tomorrow!

[Ichingcarpenter]

53. Obama is moving up to the stage in Iowa on TV !

Getting ready to speak! I just went and bought a bottle of wine
that I just opened.



:) :party: :toast: :beer: :hi: :thumbsup: :dem: :kick: :pals: :patriot: :patriot:

[saltpoint]

56. I'll toast with you in absentia.

[Condem]

55. A day off, yes,indeed

Walking down to get another McClelland's scotch. Not spelled , by the way, like the failed Civil War general. Lee kicked his ass. But I digress. Obama's in Iowa and so am I, so I will watch THE SPEECH. Then we'll toast to victory.

[saltpoint]

58. - - - -

:toast:

[Condem]

63. How bout that speech, Crusoe?!!!!

[saltpoint]

64. !

[Condem]

66. One for the ages!

[Ichingcarpenter]

65. Cheers Condem and Old Crusoe..... I'm happy as shit this is over

Great Speech.......



:) :toast: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :beer: :kick:

[Condem]

67. Iching

We are there! We have to beat these fucks!

[saltpoint]

71. Would you two pipe down? The Haldol is just now kicking in. . .

[Condem]

72. Crusoe & Iching

An official toast....... OBAMA!!!!!!!

[saltpoint]

73. Obama!

:toast:

[Condem]

74. Gentlemen

A toast to the future President of the United States. Barack Obama.

[saltpoint]

76. He even sounded like a world leadr this evening, too.

We were listening. And I bet people we've never met iin Bolivia and Hungary and Thailand were as well.

[Ichingcarpenter]

79. I agree...... My kids voted for him

and will vote for him in the fall... dual citizens of denmark

[saltpoint]

80. Let the globe listen to Barack Obama. He will be an ambassador

of good will -- sorely lacking these last 8 years.

Good for your young folks, Ichingcarpenter. Very nice indeed.

[Condem]

82. Let's take the White House!

[saltpoint]

83. I'm in on that project, and let's take it with a resounding electoral

college mandate.

I want the U.S. map behind Wolf fucking Blitzer to be a sea of blue neon come election night.

[Ichingcarpenter]

77. ObAMA !!!!!!!

Skol!!!!!

[anigbrowl]

52. In fact, it's 'Clinton gets bluegrass boost'...I'm sure that'll make a few diehards happy.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Not yet...but it's a good step.

[DevonRex]

7. Booyah!!!! nt

[NatBurner]

60. DAMMIT!!!!

uh...
























BOOSH!

[DevonRex]

88. Heh heh. :) nt

[TBF]

8. Making history - way to go Obama!

:party:

[musicblind]

10. Did you doctor that screenshot? Not accusing just asking.

cause when I went to CNN. The headline "Obama hits milestone despite Clinton Victory" was the same, but the two pictures over the headline were different. The pictures one you have of Clinton is very unflattering and the Obama you have is smiling, and looks like a pictorial message. But the actually pictures are more generic of the two of them giving passionate speeches?

[jefferson_dem]

20. No. I did not doctor the pic...

but I see they have updated the Hillary shot to one more flattering. :hi:

[musicblind]

33. K, thanks. I wasn't accusing or anything. Just wondered.

Congratulations by the way on winning the pledge delegate lead! That was a hard fought contest.

[SoCalDem]

85. her campaign probably called & made them change it n/t

[phrigndumass]

11. Love that headline

Obama hits milestone despite Hillary victory

Next up: Obama victory adds to his milestone

Tomorrow's headline: Superdelegates endorse Obama en masse

:D

[Zachstar]

15. Nice!!

[hendo]

21. I love the photochopped Apple commercial stills. n/t

[jefferson_dem]

30. Stills grabbed from the most badass web ad ever produced.

When it all began....

All we could do was believe. Now...its a wonderful reality!

---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h3G-lMZxjo

[hendo]

45. awesome!

How on earth did I never know that existed. The original still stands as one of the greatest ads ever, IMHO.

[myrna minx]

22. I love you subject line!

:woohoo:

[suston96]

26. Nominations are not dispensed by CNN count but by the conventions......

Anything can happen between now and that first round of delegates voting.

[Gore1FL]

36. Yeah, but why rub in the fact that he'll wein more?

[me b zola]

27. How many hours is one week?

For that matter, how many minutes? x(

[redstate_democrat]

28. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!! WOOT!

:bounce: :headbang: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :bounce: :headbang:

[DearAbby]

34. We made HISTORY tonight --- WOOT WOOT...n/t

[JimGinPA]

37. Yes We Can!

http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/ywc/


K&R

[nomaco-10]

38. You know it, I know it, but too many hillary supporters don't....

get it, because they either refuse to acknowledge basic math, they blindly believe hillary's bullshit or they are not getting the facts they need to hear from the MSM.

We need super delegates to come out tomorrow in full force and the MSM needs to feel the pressure to finally call this thing.

Obama's victory speech will be as inspiring as ever tonight and the supers have got to come out in a big way tomorrow.

[D23MIURG23]

84. Or they really, really, don't want to get it

and wholeheartedly refuse to.

This is by far the most common scenario in my opinion.

[ruby slippers]

39. official announcement on Barackobama site.....

The polls are closed in Kentucky and votes are being counted in Oregon, and it's clear that tonight we have reached a major milestone on this journey.

We have won an absolute majority of all the delegates chosen by the people in this Democratic primary process.

From the beginning, this journey wasn't about me or the other candidates. It was about a simple choice -- will we continue down the same road with the same leadership that has failed us for so long, or will we take a different path?

Too many of us have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. We've seen promises broken and good ideas drowned in a sea of influence, point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington.

Yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment -- or perhaps because of it -- people have stood for change.

Unfortunately, our opponents in the other party continue to embrace yesterday's policies and they will continue to employ yesterday's tactics -- they will try to change the subject, and they will play on fears and divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future.

But those tactics will not work in this election.

They won't work because you won't let them.

Not this time. Not this year.

We still have work to do to in the remaining states, where we will compete for every delegate available.

But tonight, I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far -- farther than anyone predicted, expected, or even believed possible.

And I want to remind you that you will make all the difference in the epic challenge ahead.

Thank you,

Barack Obama

[jefferson_dem]

41. Thanks!

I planted that message in the OP. :toast:

[ruby slippers]

47. glad I could legitimate you....

[tritsofme]

40. 1627 does not equal 2024

For those who are paying attention.

[CalGator]

59. He could have 2024 by tomorrow.

Pelosi club might come out of the woodwork.

[BeatleBoot]

42. Anxiously Awaiting Obama Acceptance Speech. When is that?

[jefferson_dem]

43. August 28, 2008. Denver.

See you then!

[BeatleBoot]

49. See you then!

:popcorn:

[Barack_America]

54. We need an official speech thread.

I'm out. Gahhhh....

[Colobo]

57. This victory is for you, Ted!

[Mimosa]

61. Obama, NOW on CNN: 'Hungry for change'

Obama speaks to us ALL. No pitting group against group.

[Ravy]

69. Talk about moving the goalposts.... nt

[cloudythescribbler]

70. Only umpteen more Obama-trashing days till a tide of SDs makes it REALLY REALLY official

Clearly, Jefferson_Dem (one of the more astute posters on the election here at DU) is quite right. Now that Obama has gotten the majority of pledged delegates, everything he gets from now on is just icing on the pledged delegate cake. Remember that if Obama has the majority, Hillary must admit that she cannot get the self-same majority, and her campaign people as well as surrogates are apt to start stirring bigtime. The tipping point, where hordes of as yet undeclared SDs who said they would support whoever got the pledged delegate majority are about to come on board (for Obama), has been reached, and now its just like the unfolding of a script.

OK, so soon Obama will not only have an absolute majority of the pledged (legitimately) delegates, but ALSO an ABSOLUTE majority of the total number of Super Delegates (SDs), and between the two, that means plainly that Hillary will be confronted continually with the fact that she has lost. This makes it more and more uncomfortable for her to remain in the election. It's just two weeks until June 3 and it will be all Hillary can muster if she is to stay in the race until then (based on some attempt to assume that MI and FL count fully, leaving her with a theoretical possibility by her own solipsistic definition of reality). But even that solipsistic definition is fast fading, and my guess is that the popular vote for her will decline accordingly in the few remaining races (none of which are in states even the size of Oregon).

So we're back to discussing who Obama's VP nominee should be, and who that WILL be or CAN be. CAN AND WILL Hillary Clinton, seeing the Democratic presidential nomination this year as gold (which explains staying in after impossibility has been achieved), force or at least TRY to force herself as the nominee? Should Obama accept her if she does, just to avoid a fight?

I personally feel that Obama should hold the line, but almost DEFINITELY name a WOMAN as his running mate. Some talk about merit in the abstract, something NO ONE was talking about when there was talk about Mondale nominating a female running mate in 84 (there WAS however, the slogan "A FEMINIST, NOT A FEINSTEIN".

Another thing I personally consider both Realpolitik in electoral terms AND a point of principle is that Barack Obama name someone, of either gender, who never supported the Iraq War Resolution (IWR) as Hillary did. Boxer is my own favorite, but some say she would skew the ticket too far to the left. I think that isn't really going to be a problem, and she isn't Kucinich (who I personally voted for in MA in 04, when Kerry was already the presumptive nominee) anyway. She is ENORMOUSLY popular, really DESPISED by the RW, and would be as much as Hillary, but has immense mainstream appeal and a notable (AFAIK) lack of baggage. She would I think be about Obama's best shot at carrying Florida, and possibly some other states. For a pol, she is strong on Greenhouse, and she has DECADES of REAL foreign policy experience in the Senate, said to be one of THE most genuinely knowledgeable and smart members of that body, and is not somehow tied down to the "old" politics, even to the extent eg of Richardson.

Richardson is arguably the best choice, politically and otherwise, among the candidates that competed for the nomination, but I think there are better males to choose and that it is common sense (after a complete vetting process blah blah blah, under the present political circumstances to nominate a woman and TOTALLY blast McCain in terms of breadth of appeal AND enthusiasm, out of the water. I do NOT want to take ANY unnecessary chances of getting a president McCain when the country urgently needs to have Obama instead, and that strongly colors my sense of choosing a VP.

Other than Boxer, other very possible women include Sen Stabenow of MI (who might totally blow McCain out of the water in the midwest, MI, OH, PA, etc), Gov Sebelius and (though I don't know her position on IWR back when, when both Sebelius AND Stabenow opposed it) Gov Napolitano.

If for some reason we are to have a male, I STRONGLY oppose any kind of DLC stalking horse, both politically (votes) and in principle, such as Strickland (who indeed might help carry Ohio) or Clark or Nunn. The ticket does not need to have the 'espiritus Al From' to garner popular support, and surely would be substantively better off without it.

Webb is a bit better, and always opposed the IWR. I know many on DU would be thrilled at Edwards, but he didn't impress me much on the ticket in 04, and like Feingold, I too have difficulty with Edwards running as if he had Feingold's senate record. There's also Gov Schweitzer, who many suggest would be a political master stroke, about which I would be interested in hearing more (in addition to his apparent opposition to IWR back when).

Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll,

If Obama plays his cards right, we could be seriously and for a while coming to the end of a Repuglican era, and not a moment too soon. HOWEVER, the establishment and the MSM, and all those "serving" justifiers of the lying out there are apt to be pulling for McCain, so though the rest of the course seems less an upstream swim than beating Hillary was, there are less visible forces afoot.

[workinclasszero]

78. GOBAMA!!!!!!!!!!

:woohoo:
:party:
:toast:

[Bake]

81. You've just been dying to be the first to post that, haven't you?

Too bad you jumped the gun. It makes you look a little silly.

Bake

[jefferson_dem]

86. I'm just happy to be on the winning side.

Is it any more silly than claiming Hillary still has a path to a nomination she has already lost?

Join us.

[Condem]

87. Jefferson

Good work!

[NJSecularist]

91. ROFLMAO

:spray: :spray: :spray:

This thread is good for a laugh, if nothing else. :rofl:

[knixphan]

92. There's always more room on the love boat!

GOBAMA!

[Perry Logan]

93. Pretty good spin for such a humiliating defeat! Well done, Obatrons.

HRC winning by 40 points among women and 30 points among men

- HRC leads among age 17-29, 30-44, 45-64, 65+, under $50k, over $50k, affected by recession, not affected by recession, Cath, Prot, suburban, rural, north, east, west, central, college grad, not college grad, economy, Iraq, health care, experience, cares about people, electability, late deciders, early deciders, church-goers, non-church-goers, Dem, independent, lib, mod, con,

- Obama winning among AfAm, urban, Jeff County, change voters

- Majority say Obama shares Rev Wright’s views

- 76/22 satisfied if HRC wins nomination, only 41/56 satisfied if Obama wins nomination

- HRC leads on electability, honest and trustworthy, shares your values

- If HRC is nominee, 76% would vote for her against McCain; if Obama is nominee, only 49% would vote for him against McCain

Women (57%): HRC 67 / Obama 27
Men (43%): HRC 62 / Obama 32

White (89%): HRC 72 / Obama 22
AfAm (9%): Obama 88 / HRC 7

White women (50%): HRC 74 / Obama 20
White men (38%): HRC 69 / Obama 25

Age
17-29 (13%): HRC 55 / Obama 39
30-44 (24%): HRC 61 / Obama 35
45-64 (44%): HRC 65 / Obama 28
65+ (19%): HRC 77 / Obama 18

Under $50k (45%): HRC 67 / Obama 28
$50k+ (55%): HRC 63 / Obama 31

Affected by recession (86%): HRC 66 / Obama 29
Not affected by recession (12%): HRC 60 / Obama 31

College grad (34%): HRC 57 / Obama 39
Not college grad (66%): HRC 69 / Obama 25

Prot (69%): HRC 66 / Obama 28
Cath (18%): HRC 66 / Obama 30

Urban (12%): Obama 56 / HRC 38
Suburban (29%): HRC 57 / Obama 39
Rural (59%): HRC 75 / Obama 19