Barack Obama becomes the Democratic Nominee

More than the vote itself (Hillary Clinton won South Dakota and Barack Obama in Montana), it was the super delegates of the party who brought the 17 months of suspense to a close, rallying progressively behind the mixed-race candidate in the middle of the day on Tuesday.

“Tonight, we mark the end of a historic voyage and the beginning of another. A voyage that will bring a new and better America,” exclaimed Barack Obama in front of his partisans in jubilation. Almost 17,000 of them came to hear him speak in Minnesota, in the same building where the Republican Party held its convention this summer. Almost as many of Obama’s supporters had to wait outside for lack of space. With a more modest gathering, in New York, Hillary Clinton did not strictly speak about her defeat. Attributing the “extraordinary campaign” of her rival (but not of his victory), she contrarily insisted more than one time on the fact that she represents, in her eyes, the “strongest candidate.” “I want the 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected,” she stated. In what manner? Many of those near her have let it be known that she counts on winning the Vice-President position on Obama’s ticket. “I will not announce any decision tonight,” she highlighted, arguing the fact that she should consult her team and the party leaders again.

It is not at all sure that Barack Obama will accept this kind of “coalition government” which suggests cooperation with his rival Democrat. In any case, the November elections are still too far away for the nominee to tie his hands up by prematurely announcing the name of his running mate, male or female.

For his part the senator from Illinois, who was perfectly unknown in the general public’s sphere a year and a half ago, has launched a tribute to Hillary Clinton, saying that he is honored to have fought against her. But Barack Obama is concentrating, above all, on his opposing Republican candidate, whose social policies and support for the war with Iraq have been publicly denounced by him.

His tone was unrelenting: a serious warning for John McCain who, a few moments earlier, had also tried to start a direct confrontation in a debate held in Louisiana. Presenting himself as a candidate of “real change” compared with Barack Obama, who he presented as a gentle dreamer, the Republican also gave the sentiment of lacking conviction, which even his partisans have recognized. “There are many words to describe John McCain’s attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush’s policies as bipartisan and new,” rallied Obama. “But ‘change’ isn’t one of them.”