WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama took a big step toward the Democratic presidential nomination with an easy victory in North Carolina, and Hillary Clinton narrowly won Indiana and loaned $6.4 million out of her own pocket to help keep her struggling campaign alive.
The outcome of Tuesday's primaries helped Obama widen his lead over Clinton in the grueling Democratic duel for the right to face Republican John McCain in November's presidential election with just six nominating contests remaining.
A Clinton campaign source said she loaned $6.4 million to her campaign in the past month. It was the second time she has had to dip into her personal fortune to fund her struggling presidential bid.
Both candidates looked ahead to contests in West Virginia on May 13 and in Oregon and Kentucky a week later, but Clinton is nearly out of opportunities to change the course of the race.
"We have seen that it's possible to overcome the politics of division and distraction, that it's possible to overcome the same old negative attacks that are always about scoring points and never about solving our problems," Obama said at a victory rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Illinois senator's 14-point victory in North Carolina was a dramatic comeback from a difficult campaign stretch that began last month with a big loss in Pennsylvania and was prolonged by the controversy over racially charged comments by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
The results meant Clinton missed her best chance to narrow Obama's lead in pledged delegates who will help pick the nominee at the Democratic Party's August convention.
LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER
The outcome of Tuesday's primaries helped Obama widen his lead over Clinton in the grueling Democratic duel for the right to face Republican John McCain in November's presidential election with just six nominating contests remaining.
A Clinton campaign source said she loaned $6.4 million to her campaign in the past month. It was the second time she has had to dip into her personal fortune to fund her struggling presidential bid.
Both candidates looked ahead to contests in West Virginia on May 13 and in Oregon and Kentucky a week later, but Clinton is nearly out of opportunities to change the course of the race.
"We have seen that it's possible to overcome the politics of division and distraction, that it's possible to overcome the same old negative attacks that are always about scoring points and never about solving our problems," Obama said at a victory rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Illinois senator's 14-point victory in North Carolina was a dramatic comeback from a difficult campaign stretch that began last month with a big loss in Pennsylvania and was prolonged by the controversy over racially charged comments by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
The results meant Clinton missed her best chance to narrow Obama's lead in pledged delegates who will help pick the nominee at the Democratic Party's August convention.
LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER
vietnam2nd
i think the democrats will lose with obauma. i don't think american are ready for and afican american president. the only change he has of winning is putting hillary on the ticket. with bill clinton out their working for him and his wife he will be able to win some southern states who need to carry some in order to win that was proven in 2000 and 2004 we didn't carry a southern state and lost the presidency that allow george bush to destroy this country.
deleted_user
I have no problem with any candidate as long as he is not pro-arab, but I am not saying who or whom. I am voting for hillary even if i write her name in.
deleted_user
excuse my error i meant a candidate that supports our enemies, not arabs, I like all people, sorry mistake. Also I dislike someone who refuses to pledge to the American Flag that is an american.
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