Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., February 20, 2008 Adar1 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:45 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 11:20 20/02/2008 Obama sweeps Wisconsin and Hawaii, securing 10 straight wins By Reuters Tags: Hillary Clinton, Democrats  U.S. Democrat Barack Obama easily beat rival Hillary Clinton in the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucus on Tuesday, extending his U.S. presidential winning streak and putting pressure on Clinton to win next month in Ohio and Texas to salvage her campaign. The Obama win in Hawaii pushed his hot streak to 10 straight victories in Democratic nominating contests. He won his native state by outdrawing Clinton among voters who turned out i Advertisement n record numbers at caucus sites across Hawaii. Hours earlier, the Illinois senator scored a double-digit win over Clinton in the Wisconsin primary. As the Wisconsin results rolled in, both Democrats already were looking ahead to March 4 showdowns in two of the biggest states, Texas and Ohio, which have a rich lode of 334 convention delegates at stake and where Clinton needs wins to stay alive. "The change we seek is still months and miles away, and we need the good people of Texas to help get us there," Obama said at a rally in Houston after noting his win in Wisconsin. Up for grabs in Wisconsin and Hawaii were a combined 94 delegates to the August convention that selects the Democratic presidential nominee in November's election. Obama has a slight lead in pledged delegates won in state presidential contests. Republican front-runner John McCain also won in Wisconsin, taking another big step toward becoming his party's nominee in the presidential election. McCain, an Arizona senator, beat his last remaining major rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, to expand his huge and essentially insurmountable lead in delegates. "Thank you Wisconsin for bringing us to the point where even a superstitious naval aviator can claim with providence and humility that I will be our party's nominee for president," McCain, a former Navy fighter pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war, told supporters in Columbus, Ohio. McCain took direct aim at Obama in his victory remarks, previewing a possible general election match-up. "I will fight every moment of every day in this campaign to make sure Americans are not deceived by an eloquent but empty call for change that promises no more than a holiday from history and a return to the false promises and failed policies of a tired philosophy that trusts in government more than people," McCain said. Obama's win in Wisconsin was particularly meaningful, coming in a state with a large population of the blue-collar workers and rural voters who have been a big part of Clinton's constituency. The primary also was an open contest allowing participation by Republicans and independents, not the small, closed caucus states where Obama has performed well. Democrats open their caucuses for presidential preference voting in Hawaii at 7 P.M. HST (midnight EST). Clinton is the early favorite in both Texas and Ohio, although one public opinion poll in Texas on Monday showed the race in a statistical dead heat. Clinton did not mention the Wisconsin results during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, after the race was called. "We can't just have speeches. We've got to have solutions," Clinton said. "While words matter, the best words in the world aren't enough unless you match them with action." With his latest victory, Obama shrugged off a weekend controversy over his uncredited use of speech lines from a friend and ally, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Obama said he should have credited Patrick but dismissed the controversy as no big deal. But Clinton said the incident cast doubt on the authenticity of Obama's rhetoric - one of the Illinois senator's biggest selling points. "The real issue here is, if your entire candidacy is about words, they should be your own words," Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, said in a satellite interview with a Hawaii television station. Republicans in Washington state also hold a primary, which is the second half of their two-tiered nominating contest. The state's Republicans held a caucus on Feb. 9, won narrowly by McCain. The voting ends for Washington Republicans at 8 P.M. PST (11 P.M. EST). Related articles: The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews Jewish functionaries are stirring up the Clinton-Obama race Does John McCain need Evangelical voters? Not meddling - involved McCain found a tool with which to woo conservative Republicans: Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Intrigue at Heathrow According to the BBC, an IDF general dodged arrest as U.K. police feared shootout. Decency in remission A Ramat Yishai widow is suspected of faking cancer to receive donations.   1.   IF I WERE HILLARY 08:42  |  indrajaya 20/02/08   2.   Woo-hoo 10:33  |  Angel 20/02/08   3.   Indrajaya is correct, I really think it`s over now..... 10:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/02/08   4.   # 3, SWIIS (DINO) 11:23  |  indrajaya 20/02/08   5.   # 4 Indrajaya 12:05  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/02/08   6.   Thats bad news for Israel 12:30  |  Paul Wood 20/02/08   7.   TO In Jordan #1 12:39  |  dovale 20/02/08   8.   I really had no favourite candidate 13:21  |  Lobo08 20/02/08   9.   INDRAJAYA-what is up with you? 13:23  |  Marco 20/02/08   10.   Obama 14:31  |  Tony 20/02/08   11.   # 5, SWISS (DINO) 14:31  |  indrajaya 20/02/08   12.   Aren`t American Evangelicals yet shouting he is the anti-Chtist? 14:32  |  Mark B. 20/02/08   13.   indra, ewiss and other idiots, you will have your makaka running 15:23  |  vladimir 20/02/08   14.   Obama Hurdle 15:30  |  Aren Haich 20/02/08   15.   No more thought control 15:49  |  Mary 20/02/08   16.   TOO BAD 15:57  |  Mary 20/02/08   17.   Obama 16:01  |  Yariv 20/02/08   18.   Obama is NOT a muslim 16:09  |  grey 20/02/08   19.   #6 Paul 17:03  |  Moshe 20/02/08   20.   Tony - Ignorance or malice? 17:16  |  Mark Lincoln 20/02/08   21.   #10 Tony 17:26  |  Moshe 20/02/08   22.   Mark B. - American Evangelicals 17:37  |  Mark Lincoln 20/02/08   23.   Mark B. - You are wrong 17:37  |  Me 20/02/08   24.   Obama will at long last bring BALANCE to our foreign relations 17:41  |  American Sandwich 20/02/08

Today Online Israel still building in settlements despite Olmert's promise Responses: 201 Abbas cool to aide's call for Kosovo-like statehood declaration Responses: 129 Amira Hass: Israel is stealing Palestinian land, private or not Responses: 78 Peace-minded residents of Gaza and Sderot share joint blog Responses: 33 Uzi Benziman: Olmert thinks peace is a deed done through trickery Responses: 18 Rosner's Domain Does John McCain need Evangelical voters? (WTR) The only f word people should be afraid of is fanaticism Gaza: The Problem Nobody Wants Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews More Headlines 17:43 IDF chief: I can't rule out conflict in near future 18:07 Shas MK blames gays for recent earthquakes in the region 16:27 Chelsea's Israeli soccer coach sent anti-Semitic death threat 14:25 Netanyahu: Olmert government taking measures to cede Jerusalem 13:30 Abbas cool to aide's call for Kosovo-like declaration of statehood 15:05 Iranian opposition group: Tehran accelerated nuclear program 16:55 Construction continuing in West Bank settlements despite PM's pledge 14:26 Ahmadinejad calls Israel 'germ' born amid Western bid to dominate Mideast 12:28 Winograd panel member questioned over political considerations 17:24 Underworld figure's son turns himself in to police after months in hiding Previous Editions Select Day 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb

Special Offers Advertisement 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved