Comeback wins pull Clinton back into Democrat fight

Published on Wednesday 5 March 2008 09:25

HILLARY Clinton has stormed back into the race for the Democrats' presidential nomination by beating rival Barack Obama in crucial primaries in Texas and Ohio.

The former First Lady, whose chances of returning to the White House were being written off by pundits, won a decisive victory in Ohio but a much narrower one in Texas. She also won Rhode Island, while Mr Obama took Vermont.

The results mean the battle to become the Democrat candidate in November's presidential election is likely to continue for some weeks yet.

Meanwhile, Senator John McCain clinched the Republican nomination with a clean sweep of yesterday's primaries. Former Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee, who had remained in the race till the end, conceded defeat and urged Republicans to unite around Mr McCain. The 71-year-old former Vietnam PoW – who would be the oldest president to take office if he wins in November – was due to visit the White House later today to receive the official endorsement of President George W Bush.

Speaking at his campaign headquarters in Dallas, Texas, last night, Mr McCain told supporters: "Stand up with me my friends. Stand up and fight for America, for her strength, her ideals and her future. The contest begins tonight."

Mrs Clinton won around 55 per cent of the Democrat votes in Ohio, about 51 per cent in Texas and more than 58 per cent in Rhode Island while Mr Obama took roughly 60 per cent of the Vermont vote.

Exit polls showed Mrs Clinton won the support of 56 per cent of blue-collar voters in Ohio and 67 per cent of voters over 60.

In Texas, she won 64 per cent of Hispanics. But African Americans in the state went 83 per cent for Mr Obama.

Mrs Clinton's victories come as many observers were predicting she might drop out of the race after a string of 11 consecutive defeats.

Her comeback will re-open the race, but Mr Obama remains ahead in terms of support from the party's delegates, who will select their nominee at the national convention this summer.

In her victory speech, Mrs Clinton insisted she would go "all the way" to the White House. "Keep on watching," she said. "Together, we're going to make history."

Attacking Mr Obama's rhetoric and lack of experience, she said when there was an emergency in the world there was "no time for speeches and on-the-job training".

Mr Obama congratulated Mrs Clinton for running a "hard fought race" but focused his speech on November's general election and Mr McCain.

He said Mr McCain may claim "a long history of straight-talk and independent thinking" but in this campaign "he has fallen in line with the very same policies that have ill-served America".

"He has seen where George Bush has taken this country and he promises to keep us on the very same course."

He said that was a course that continued to "divide and isolate" America by substituting "bluster and bullying" for diplomacy.

The Democrat race now moves on to Wyoming on Saturday, Mississippi next Tuesday and Pennsylvania on April 22, with a further eight contests in May and June.