In the days leading up to the South Dakota and Montana Democratic primaries, stories in the media predicted an Obama victory speech and a Clinton concession by tonight by rtbohan
(libertarian)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
As voters made their way to the polls, the Democratic superdelegates continued to announce their decisions to vote, primarily moving to Obama. But the Clinton camp announced that their candidate had no intention of making a concession speech. She did announce that she would be willing to consider running for Vice President on a ticket headed by Obama, which is probably as close to a gracious concession as she is going to come.
Senator Clinton worked hard in South Dakota and Montana during the weeks before the election, visiting Mount Rushmore, campaigning on the reservations. Former President Clinton and their daughter Chelsea were also campaigning hard, and Chelsea may have helped, although the former President's appearance, as has often been the case during the campaign, were more an embarrassment than a help to the candidate.
By the time the vote totals began to come in, the super delegates had already given Senator Obama a majority of the delegates with a lead of 235 votes over Senator Clinton. The vote in South Dakota was a triumph for Senator Clinton, with a vote of 53,655 (55%) to 43, 155 (45%) for Senator Obama. Under the proportional system for the allocation of delegates, this seems to have made no dent in Senator Obama's delegate lead.
As has been the case for the most part in the closing weeks of the campaign, Senator Clinton's victory in South Dakota was offset by an Obama victory in Montana. With 96% of the precincts reporting, the vote in Montana was Obama 97,076 (56%), Clinton 71,107 (41%) No preference 4033 (2%). Clinton campaigned in Montana as she did in South Dakota and, as in South Dakota, Obama followed in her trail. But this could not even be considered a split decision, and Obama now appears to have clinched the nomination.
While Senator Clinton has indicated a willingness to share her reign as President with Senator Obama, her campaign staff continues to talk of fighting on the convention floor and hints at court action.
But the future at this point is up to Obama. He needs to continue to treat Senator Clinton with respect, but he needs to keep her at a distance from his campaign. For the past twenty years the Clintons have shown a desire to promote their own financial (and amatory) interests at the expense of the party. If Obama is to be a party leader, he needs to protect the party. He also needs to give more substance to his promises of change, and not rely on promising to prevent any reform of the failing social security system and not promise universal health care on the failed model of the medicare program.
In Senator Obama, the Democrats have an attractive candidate. The question is, would he make a good President.
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