Obama takes South Carolina

Sunday 27 January 2008

Barack Obama won a vital contest in South Carolina on Saturday in his quest for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination, showing strength among southern blacks who make up half the state's Democratic voters.

COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan 26 (Reuters) - Barack Obama won a vital
contest in South Carolina on Saturday in his quest for the U.S.
Democratic presidential nomination, showing strength among
southern blacks who make up half the state's Democratic
voters.
 

After losses in New Hampshire and Nevada, the victory gave
Obama, who would be the first black president, a big lift
heading into the Super Tuesday contests on Feb. 5, when nearly
half of the U.S. states will pick Republican and Democratic
candidates for the November election.
 

South Carolina was the latest test for Obama, who would be
the first black U.S president, and Clinton, a New York senator,
in their escalating battle for the right to represent the
Democratic Party in November's presidential election.
 

After two consecutive losses, in New Hampshire and Nevada,
Obama needed a win on Saturday if he hopes to head into the
Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" contests in two dozen states with a
realistic chance of victory.
 

The high stakes fueled a week of angry accusations, harsh
advertisements and increasingly personal jabs between the two
candidates, capped by a volley of attacks on Obama from
Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
 

Obama and Hillary Clinton visited with voters in South
Carolina during the day -- Obama visited a polling station and
a restaurant, while Clinton visited two restaurants.
 

Clinton left South Carolina before the polls closed, headed
to Tennessee -- which votes on Feb. 5 -- for a town hall
meeting in Nashville.
 

The other candidate in the Democratic race, former North
Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who won South Carolina during his
failed 2004 presidential bid, was in a battle with Clinton for
second place.