WORLD> America
Obama moves closer to presidential nomination
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-21 23:28

WASHINGTON  -- Barack Obama passed a major milestone to move within reach of the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday but rival Hillary Clinton refused to surrender.

A split of two nominating contests -- Obama handily won Oregon and Clinton crushed the front-runner in Kentucky -- gave Obama a majority of pledged delegates won during their lengthy state-by-state nominating fight.


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama waves to supporters, as he stands with his wife Michelle, after his speech at his Oregon and Kentucky primary election night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, May 20, 2008. [Agencies]

Obama hoped the milestone marked the beginning of the end of the grueling battle and he turned his attention to a general election matchup with Republican John McCain in November.

"We have returned to Iowa with a majority of delegates elected by the American people and you have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for president of the United States," Obama told a rally in Iowa, site of his breakthrough victory in the first Democratic contest on January 3.

A Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday showed Obama, an Illinois senator, opening an 8-point national lead on Republican John McCain as Americans grow more anxious about their economic prospects and the country's direction.

The number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track fell from 23 percent to an abysmal 16 percent, as uncertainty about the economy and rising gas prices fueled growing doubts about the future.

At the Iowa rally Obama, 46, returned to the theme of change that propelled him to the front of the Democratic race during the early contests. He described the battle with McCain, 71, as "more of the same versus change. It is the past versus the future."

Clinton gave no sign she was ready to quit.

   Previous page 1 2 3 Next Page