Obama scores decisive win in South Carolina

Last Updated: Sunday, January 27, 2008 | 9:56 PM ET

CBC News

African-Americans came out in droves to back Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina on Saturday, propelling him well ahead of Hillary Clinton in the party's first test in the southern U.S.

Supporters for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama celebrate his win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday.
(Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press)

The racially-charged primary was a critical one for Obama in his bid to become the first black U.S. president.

When all the votes were counted, Obama had 55 per cent support in South Carolina, compared to Clinton's 27 per cent and 18 per cent for John Edwards.

"We have the most votes, the most delegates and the most diverse coalition of Americans than we've seen in a long, long time," a jubilant Obama told delirious supporters.

"Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can seize our future," said Obama, who stressed the presidential election is not about black versus white, rich and poor, or regions, religions and gender.

The past versus the future

"This election is about the past versus the future."

He also took a dig at Clinton and her husband Bill after a week of sharp jabs from the former president that many found offensive, saying it's not acceptable to "say anything or do anything to win an election."

Clinton and Obama, the two front-runners, now have two wins apiece as they head into so-called Super Tuesday, when 22 contests are held countrywide on Feb. 5.

Earlier in the month, Obama pulled off a dramatic, unexpected victory in Iowa, but lost the next two contests to Clinton in New Hampshire and Nevada, where women voters and Hispanics played a key role in her success.

Obama has stepped carefully around the issue of race for the past year, but played up his ethnicity in states like South Carolina, calling attention to his potential to heal firmly entrenched racial and economic inequalities.

He was careful, however, not to alienate voters in larger, mostly white states that hold considerable sway in determining the eventual winner of the nomination.

Obama secures 81 per cent support from blacks

In South Carolina, Obama was capturing 81 per cent of support from blacks, expected to make up half of all voters, compared to 17 per cent for Clinton, according to exit poll surveys by the Associated Press.

He was pulling in 24 per cent of whites compared with 39 per cent for Edwards and 36 per cent for Clinton.

Among whites, third-place candidate Edwards was leading among men, while Clinton had more support among women.

Earlier Saturday, Obama dismissed suggestions that the party was splitting into racial blocks.

"We won in Iowa, that's 94 per cent white," he told MSNBC, and "practically tied" with Clinton in New Hampshire.

"I'm absolutely confident that when you look at where we are drawing support from across the country that we'll do very well."

Clinton moves on to Super Tuesday states

Clinton veered from the South Carolina campaign trail in recent days, instead hitting the road in some of the Super Tuesday states and leaving her husband behind as a surrogate.

Former president Bill Clinton signs the shirt of Lori Stiles during a campaign stop for his wife, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, on Saturday.
(Patrick Collard/Associated Press)

She didn't plan to stick around for the results, heading to Tennessee for an evening rally.

"I think people are focused on the future," she said earlier Saturday during a stop for brunch in Columbia. "I think they want to know they are going to get a president who cares about them [and] their kids."

This week was a nasty one in the Democratic race as both camps accused the other of lying and dirty tricks as well as playing the race card.

Former president Bill Clinton suggested early on that his wife wouldn't win in South Carolina because African Americans wouldn't support her. That led to charges they were trying to brand Obama as the "black candidate" who has limited appeal to others.

There was also an e-mail whisper campaign that made allegations Obama was a "closet Muslim" who refuses to take a pledge of allegiance. Obama fought back, telling voters not to be "bamboozled."

There were 45 delegates for the Democratic national convention up for grabs in South Carolina.

The winner needs 2,025 to secure the nomination. But analysts say there may be no frontrunner even after the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday, meaning big states like Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania could be important.