Obama bests Clinton by 9 delegates

SAY WHAT!

Hillary Clinton may have won California, but Barack Obama edges the former First Lady by 9 delegates :

In a surprise twist after a chaotic Super Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) passed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in network tallies of the number of delegates the candidates racked up last night.

The Obama camp projects topping Clinton by nine delegates, 845 to 836.

NBC News, which is projecting delegates based on the Democratic Party's complex formula, figures Obama will wind up with 840 to 849 delegates, versus 829 to 838 for Clinton.

Now add to that the fact he won huge in a lot of the "white" states from South to West, and we have the makings of a dragged-out primary race for the Democratic Party.

That'll teach the Democrats to never, ever market a candidate as "inevitable" they way they did with Hillary Clinton.

Los Angeles times is on the money with their analysis :

Democrats who once thought their race would wrap up early instead face a potentially long duel between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, with votes divided not by ideology but, in many states, by race and ethnic group.

Clinton and Obama divided the nation almost down the middle, with Clinton winning at least eight states, including giants California and New York. Obama won at least 13 states, including Illinois and Georgia. The close result guaranteed days of uncertainty over the delegate count, followed by weeks more of renewed campaigning.

With the two candidates separated by only modest policy differences, Tuesday's results illuminated divisions of what scholars call "identity politics." Latinos turned out in large numbers and mostly supported Clinton; African American voters turned out too and voted overwhelmingly for Obama; and white voters divided, giving pluralities to Clinton in some states, to Obama in others.

Now more than ever the Obama campaign has to put Latinos of all influence ranges in front of TV and radio shows to push their message. The Clintons have thrown a lot of money to Latino organizations over the years and that's what's ultimately talking at the voting booth. If it were based on the Clintons anti-immigrant, NAFTA and their slashing government assistance policies, Latinos wouldn't be voting for them they way they have.

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