Primaries
Hearing the News in South Bend
By Peter Slevin
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The West Side Democratic Club is officially agnostic in the presidential race. But the room was rocking tonight, and it rocked for Barack.
At an event billed as an unlikely joint celebration for Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, the Obama fans had the Clinton crowd badly outnumbered. Even as the statewide race remained too close to call, the room thundered when word came that Obama had won St. Joseph County, where two strong organizations went head to head for weeks.
"O-bam-a! O-bam-a!"
When Obama appeared on the television screen, declaring victory in North Carolina, the 200 Obama partisans erupted again in cheers and applause.
"Yes We Can!" "Yes We Can!"
Standing in a clutch for solidarity, a half-dozen women in white Hillary T-shirts -- "Strength -- Vision -- Courage" -- kept their eyes on the screen and their hands at their sides, silently trying to summon a miracle finish to the primary season. Speech over, they pushed outdoors into the night air.
"At this point, I'm still for Hillary," said Chris Lim, of South Bend. "I always have been for Hillary and I always will be."
Across the way, her friend Pam Peck seemed to be looking ahead.
"I'm voting for the Democrat," Peck said. "Whoever gets it, that's who I'm voting for."
Posted at 10:39 PM ET on May 6, 2008
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Posted by: MissClarity | May 7, 2008 8:35 AM
Regarding CBS's suspicious early call for Clinton in Indiana - am I alone in thinking that there's a direct line between the pitifully inept campaign coverage by CBS and the other networks, including the Stephanopoulos/Gibson ABC debate charade, and the Bush administration's Pentagon-Network Retired Military Analyst deception?
Posted by: Rick P. | May 7, 2008 2:37 AM
Joyce,
As long as this "zipper problem" thing called "Bill" (aka "the big dog") isn't back in the east wing. Let's hope he (and the attached she) will just dwindle away as the embarrassing and minor president he is (was). Perhaps Rodham won't even be able to face the senate, and upstate New York soccer moms may view her differently.
Why not back to Arkansas and the Rose Law Firm (might find those files) and Wal-Mart.
Isn't that where they belong -- just AWAY from most people.
Posted by: Jim | May 7, 2008 12:43 AM
Phenominal night of what "we the people" can and will do! Barack On!
Note: Hillary's victory speech earlier in Indiana should have been her respectful departure speech. No offense to Hillary supporters, but even if you could count MI and FL, which you can't b/c the broke the rules they agreed to with the DNC, but even if you could, you still wouldn't have the popular vote or have more delegates.
I hope you take the lead from Hillary and work for the candidate.
As for the Limbaugh factor, you're just a bunch of idiots.
Posted by: Jeanne Marie "Hussein" Guadagnoli Wray | May 7, 2008 12:38 AM
Bill Clinton looked absolutely stunned and sick on that stage. He knows it's over....now he just has to convince his wife. But, the Clintons will do just fine. Hillary can go back to her day job and start working on that windfall profits gas tax thingy. And there's a huge disaster in Mayanmar waiting for Bill and Poppy Bush to attend to.
Posted by: Joyce | May 7, 2008 12:33 AM
Mr. Obama -- a rare and remarkable individual (black, green, gray, yellow, polka-dot, half and half, male, female, who cares). Thank God he is giving of himself -- heart and soul -- to help this beleaguered country.
Such an individual comes along very rarely to the sordid morass of politics, and we sorely need his heart and gifts.
Posted by: Richard | May 7, 2008 12:30 AM
WHAT A GREAT NIGHT!
OBAMA/WEBB 2008
Posted by: Joyce | May 7, 2008 12:27 AM
Oh my goodness! God Bless America that we will have a great man like Barack Obama for President.
Posted by: Arthur | May 7, 2008 12:16 AM
"I'm voting for the Democrat," Peck said. "Whoever gets it, that's who I'm voting for."
Good for you, Pam Peck! That's the spirit!
Posted by: OD | May 7, 2008 12:07 AM
Eat your heart out, CBS News.
Posted by: herzliebster | May 7, 2008 12:07 AM
Obama!!!!!! 08! Time for goodness in politics!
Posted by: Sally | May 7, 2008 12:06 AM
We Love Obama!
Posted by: Leroy M. Kirk Jr | May 7, 2008 12:00 AM
Give me a break. If Obama can win or come this close in Indiana, he can win anywhere. Time for the concession speech, Hillary.
Posted by: Sara B. | May 6, 2008 11:58 PM
I'm Sorry, Hillary Was Already 1st Lady.
Then Senator,Now She's Attempting to Return to the presidency Again!
Hillary is Getting Old (Behind The Camera!)
Stop Allowing Her All These Terms in Office!
Wake Up & Smell The Starbucks! It's Time For A CHANGE!
Vote Barack Obama,The Nation's 1st African-American President!
Posted by: Leroy M. Kirk Jr | May 6, 2008 11:57 PM
Yes, Obama does not have the experience that McSame and HillBilly have with doing more of the same.
Thank God for that!
Posted by: KEVIN SCHMIDT | May 6, 2008 11:52 PM
However, Lassie is more qualified than any Republican--and Lassie is dead.
Posted by: Bryan | May 6, 2008 11:37 PM
Half the country knows Obamas not qualified.
The other half hopes he is.
Posted by: hhkeller | May 6, 2008 11:35 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
When a vicious rabis infected frothing at the mouth attack dogs time is up you put it down and then everyone is safer and the world is a better place for it. And, per Hillary, "the clouds will open and celestial choirs will sing and, yes, there will be light". This was 'her' self-professing prohecy earlier on when she mocked God with the very words that apply to her now. Put that dog down once and for all but she'll snarl til the end and coo whimperingly with her last breath. RIP