AP: Obama 'Effectively' Clinches Nomination

That's the day he'll have a majority of pledged delegates

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama plans to lay claim to his party’s nomination on May 20, the day that votes in Kentucky and Oregon will net him a majority of pledged delegates, a top aide tells Politico, setting up what David Paul Kuhn calls “a train wreck waiting to happen.” For at least 11 days—until the DNC meets on whether and how to seat Michigan and Florida’s outlaw delegates—the Clinton camp will dispute it. More»

Let primary process continue, he urges party faithful

(NEWSER) - Former President Bill Clinton told California Democrats to "chill out" and let the long, bruising battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination continue. "We are going to win this election if we just chill out and let everybody have their say," Clinton told the state Democratic convention in San Jose yesterday. He said it would strengthen the Democratic Party to allow the rest of the states to vote. More»

Batch of party elites could pick the next nominee

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton lost Wyoming yesterday, but today the Washington Post has some welcome news for the Democratic underdog: Many superdelegates say they’ll wait until the end of the primaries to chose a candidate. “You’re going to see a lot of delegates remaining uncommitted,” said one neutral Democratic congressman. “There’s a sense that this is going to Denver not resolved.” More»

Dem finally clinches the nomination—now the real work begins

(NEWSER) - It wasn’t easy, but a bruised Barack Obama has finally wrapped up the Democratic nomination. The Guardian’s Michael Tomasky knows what he needs to do next:

• Redefine himself. Obama has a lot of time now to remind us why he inspired people in the first place.
• Define John McCain. The honeymoon should be over for the GOP nominee; Obama can attack him pointedly on Bush, Iraq, and his growing array of flip-flops.

Delegate-by-delegate fight led to historic upset

(NEWSER) - Last night was not a triumphant coronation for Barack Obama, whose campaign limped over the finish line in Montana and South Dakota. But the Illinois senator's victory over Hillary Clinton—one of the biggest upsets in US political history, writes the Washington Post—was never about glamorous wins in battleground states. Rather, the campaign fought delegate by delegate in an uphill "slog" against the establishment candidate. More»