Obama, Clinton swap wins as Democratic race nears end

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Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton swapped victories in key Democratic presidential primaries Tuesday in Indiana and North Carolina, a split decision that gave the rookie Illinois senator an expanded delegate lead and provided the former first lady enough incentive to continue her campaign.

Obama's double-digit victory in the Tar Heel State gave him bragging rights on a night when Clinton narrowly beat him in Indiana after predicting a "game changing" victory in the state.

The size of Obama's win in North Carolina means he will expand his lead over Clinton among pledged delegates in the Democratic race, giving him ammunition to argue he remains the clear front-runner for the party's presidential nomination.

"Tonight we stand less than two hundred delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination for President of the United States," Obama said in a victory speech in Raleigh, N.C.

"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."

With 99 per cent of votes tallied in North Carolina, Obama had won 56 per cent support compared to 42 per cent for Clinton.

Clinton's projected victory in Indiana came after a night of nail biting for both candidates. With 99 per cent of precincts reporting, she had won 51 per cent to 49 per cent for Obama.

Her lead in the Hoosier State, once as high as 41,000 votes, shrank to 23,000 votes early Wednesday morning following a surge for Obama in the city of Gary, which has a large population of African American voters.
After being hammered for several weeks with questions about his patriotism, Obama used his North Carolina victory speech to wrap himself in the American flag.

"I love this country too much to see it divided and distracted at this moment in history," he said.  "I believe in our ability to perfect this union because it's the only reason I'm standing here today. And I know the promise of America because I have lived it."

North Carolina had 115 pledged delegates at stake while Indiana had 72 delegates up for grabs.
Clinton claimed victory in Indiana even before the final results were known, and said she planned to campaign "full speed on to the White House."

But the former first lady also acknowledged the challenges ahead.