| January 26, 2008 Barack Obama victory speech
|
(NECN) - After an overwhelming victory in South Carolina, Barack Obama spoke to an energetic crowd, saying this victory has proved that Democratic voters are not divided along racial lines. With wins in Iowa a heavily white state, and South Carolina a predominantly black state, Obama said he has proven that he can win in any region.
As his supporters chanted "we want change" he proclaimed this election is not about rich versus poor, young versus old, or black versus White, but that this election is about the past vs the future.
More from the Associated Press.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - An exultant Barack Obama said his
overwhelming win in South Carolina disproved notions that
Democratic voters are deeply divided along racial lines.
"We have the most votes, the most delegates, and the most
diverse coalition of Americans we've seen in a long, long time,"
the Illinois senator told joyful supporters at a rally.
"They are young and old; rich and poor. They are black and
white; Latino and Asian."
As if anticipating his remarks, his supporters chanted "Race
doesn't matter" before Obama took the stage in Columbia.
Obama praised runners-up Hillary Rodham Clinton and John
Edwards, but took a veiled shot at the sometimes edgy comments made
by the former first lady and former President Clinton in recent
days.
"We're looking to fundamentally change the status quo in
Washington," Obama said. "And right now, that status quo is
fighting
back with everything it's got; with the same old tactics
that divide and distract us from solving the problems people face,
whether those problems are health care they can't afford or a
mortgage they cannot pay."
"We are up against the idea that it's acceptable to say
anything and do anything to win an election," Obama said. "We
know that this is exactly what's wrong with our politics; this is
why people don't believe what their leaders say anymore; this is
why they tune out. And this election is our chance to give the
American people a reason to believe again."
With wins in heavily white Iowa and in South Carolina, where
half of Saturday's voters were black, Obama said he has proven he
can win in any region.
"The cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa
was just an illusion were told a different story by the good people
of South Carolina," he said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Obama victory speech part 2
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