Last Updated on June 6, 2008 by Paulette Brown-Hinds
INLAND EMPIRE
By Chris Levister
First Black Candidate To Ever Lead A Major Party Ticket
Proclaiming “This is our time…” to the sounds of “Only in America”, Sen. Barack Obama sealed the Democratic nomination Tuesday, a historic step toward his once improbable goal of becoming the nation’s first Black president.
“Because of you tonight I can stand here and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for the president of the United Sates of America.”
It was a historic night for Obama and for America since he’ll be the first African-American to lead a major political party in the race for president. In a primary campaign that inspired millions of voters from every corner of America to demand change in Washington, Obama’s protracted nomination fight with Clinton ended on the final day of the primary season as a last-minute rush of Democratic superdelegates, as well as the results from the final primaries, in Montana and South Dakota, pushed Mr. Obama over the top.
“This is our time. It won’t be easy, but we can change. You chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears, but to your highest hopes and aspirations.” Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle told a roaring crowd of 17,000 supporters in the St. Paul, Minnesota Sports Arena “Tonight, we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another.”
Watching the first African American capture the Democratic nomination was a defining moment for millions of African Americans worldwide like superdelegate Rep. James Clayburn of South Carolina whose vote put Obama over the top for the nomination.
“This is a defining moment for America. Barack Obama has earned this nomination. He has energized the Democratic party with new voters, young voters, and voters from every color, creed and walk of life,” said Clyburn.
In fitting fashion Obama and Clinton split the last contests, Obama winning Montana and Clinton taking South Dakota. A defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton praised her rival but refused to concede in what is widely perceived of as a maneuver for the vice presidential spot on Obama’s fall ticket.
“I am open to it if it would help the party’s prospects in November,” Clinton told several key supporters, according to an aide who asked not to be identified.
Obama’s campaign had no reaction to Clinton’s comments, which raised anew the prospect of what many Democrats have called a “Dream Ticket” that would put a Black man and a white woman on the same ballot.
In a speech to supporters in New York City, Sen. Clinton paid tribute to Obama, but she did not leave the race. More defiant than conciliatory, Clinton pressed her case that she was the stronger candidate and argued that she won the popular vote, a notion disputed by the Obama campaign.
“This has been a long campaign and I will be making no decisions for the next few days. I want the nearly 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected,” said Clinton.
Sen. Obama’s victory set up a five-month campaign with Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a race between a 46-year-old opponent of the Iraq War and a 71-year-old former Vietnam prisoner of war and staunch supporter of the current U.S. military mission.
Only 31 delegates were at stake, the final few among the thousands that once drew Obama, Clinton and six other Democratic candidates into the campaign to replace President Bush and become the nation’s 44th president.
Together the Obama campaign drew record turnouts in primary after primary more than 34 million voters in all, independents and Republicans as well as Democrats.
Yet the race between a Black man and a white woman exposed deep racial and gender divisions within the party.
Obama drew strength from Blacks and the younger more liberal and wealthier voters in many states. Clinton was preferred by older, more downscale voters and working women.
Clinton’s husband, the former president, campaigned tirelessly for her but sometimes became an issue himself, to her detriment.
And Obama struggled to minimize damage caused by the incendiary rhetoric of his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
His triumph was fashioned on prodigious fundraising, meticulous organizing and his theme of change aimed at an electorate opposed to the Iraq war and worried about the economy all harnessed to his incredible gifts as an inspirational speaker.
“We came together as Democrats, as Republicans and independents, to stand up and say we are one nation, we are one people and our time for change has come.”
Unity is now the key for Democrats. Even with the historic nomination Obama faces a stinging reminder of challenges he has yet to overcome in his quest for the presidency of the United States of America.