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Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton (Reuters) Last update - 09:41 23/04/2008 Clinton scores vital win over Obama in Pennsylvania contest By The Associated Press Tags: U.S., Barack Obama  Hillary Rodham Clinton has won the Pennsylvania primary, defeating Barack Obama and staving off elimination in a riveting race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The former first lady was winning 55 percent of the vote Tuesday to 45 percent for her rival with 90 percent of the vote counted. She hoped for significant inroads into Obama's overall lead in the competition for delegates who will choose the party's nominee at the Democratic National Convention in August. Her victory, while comfortable, set up another critical test in two weeks in Indiana. North Carolina votes the same night, with Obama already the clear favorite in a state with a large black population. Advertisement Clinton scored her victory by winning the support of working-class voters, women and whites in an election where the economy was the dominant concern. More than 80 percent of voters surveyed as they left their polling places said the United States was already in a recession. Clinton won despite being outspent heavily by her rival in a six-week campaign that allowed time for intense courtship of the voters. "Some counted me out and said to drop out," Clinton told supporters cheering her triumph in a state where she was outspent by more than two-to-one. But the American people don't quit. And they deserve a president who doesn't quit either. Clinton scored her victory by winning the support of working-class voters, women and whites in an election where the economy was the dominant concern. More than 80 percent of voters surveyed as they left their polling places said the United States was already in a recession. She won despite being outspent heavily by her rival in a six-week campaign that allowed time for intense courtship of the voters - particularly working-class Democrats. The win gave Clinton a strong record in the big states as she attempts to persuade convention superdelegates to look past Obama's overall delegate advantage and his lead in the popular vote and states won in picking a nominee. She had previously won primaries in Texas, California, Ohio and her home state of New York, while Obama won his home state of Illinois. Clinton had been heavily favored to win in Pennsylvania, the largest prize remaining in the primary season and a state dominated by the types of voters who have flocked to her in the past. Clinton needed a convincing victory to ease pressure for her to end her campaign, allow her to raise more money, and press her argument that she -not a first-term senator like Obama - is the Democrats' best bet to defeat Republican John McCain in the November presidential election. In conceding defeat to Clinton, Obama criticized McCain as offering more of the same policies advocated by President George W. Bush. And he took aim at Clinton without mentioning her by name. "We can calculate and poll-test our positions and tell everyone exactly what they want to hear," he said. "Or we can be the party that doesn't just focus on how to win, but why we should." Obama remains the race's clear front-runner. The Illinois senator has raised much more money than Clinton, who has been struggling financially. More important, he began the night with a substantial lead in delegates. Clinton won at least 52 delegates to the party's national convention, with 60 still to be awarded. Obama won at least 46, according to an analysis of election returns by The Associated Press. That left Obama with an overall lead of 1,694.5 delegates to Clinton's 1,561.5, with 2,025 needed to win the nomination. The totals include so-called superdelegates - party officials and superdelegates who are not picked in primaries and caucuses. With only nine contests remaining through June 3, Clinton has almost no chance of finishing the race with more elected delegates than Obama. Her main hope is keeping the race close and seeking the support of the superdelegates, who can vote for either candidate regardless of state results. Barring Clinton landslides in the remaining contests or a huge misstep by Obama, however, superdelegates would be reluctant to overturn the verdict of the millions of Americans who voted in record numbers in the most compelling party race in memory: Obama, trying to become the first black U.S. president, versus Clinton, seeking to become the first female U.S. president. Clinton was once seen as the inevitable Democratic nominee, campaigning on her experience as a first lady and two-term senator from New York. But Obama burst into the lead with a message of hope and change directed at Americans opposed to the Iraq war, worried about the weak economy and dissatisfied with Bush's presidency. Given Bush's low approval ratings, a Democratic victory was once considered all but assured. But recent opinion polls show McCain running about even with either Obama or Clinton. Some Democrats worry the increasingly hostile tone of the campaign, with its focus on gaffes by the candidates and their surrogates, could cost them the White House. Both rivals sought to shape expectations ahead of the Pennsylvania vote. Obama said he expected to lose, but narrowly, and worked to limit any gains Clinton might make in the delegate chase. "It's an uphill battle," Obama said, campaigning at a Pittsburgh restaurant. Clinton said on Pittsburgh radio station KDKA that Obama had outspent her in Pennsylvania three, maybe four to one and was trying to undercut her possible victory by claiming she should have done even better. Obama reported spending $11.2 million (7 million) on television in the state, compared with $4.8 million (3 million) for Clinton. To the delight of Republicans, the six-week layoff between primaries produced a string of troubles for the Democrats. Obama was forced onto the defensive by incendiary comments by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, then triggered controversy on his own by saying small-town Americans cling to guns and religion because they are bitter about their economic hardships. Clinton conceded that she had not landed under sniper fire in Bosnia while first lady, even though she said several times that she had. And she replaced her chief strategist, Mark Penn, after he met with officials of the Colombian government who were seeking passage of a free-trade agreement that she opposes. Related articles: Small gain in Pennsylvania could mean big win for Barack Obama Clinton: If Tehran nukes Israel, U.S. could 'totally obliterate' Iran Obama snags black vote in Mississippi, beating out Clinton Obama hits the 'G-spot' Bookmark to del.icio.us   Double agent U.S. arrests American over suspected nuclear espionage for Israel. Conspiracy theory Al-Qaida: Hezbollah started rumor that Israel planned 9/11   1.   THE TOUGHEST WOMAN OF ALL TIMES 08:17  |  indrajaya 23/04/08   2.   Trawling 09:08  |  JW 23/04/08   3.   the battle to prove who is the best liar 10:24  |  v hardman 23/04/08   4.   Bad news 11:48  |  Angel 23/04/08   5.   To Angel. 13:38  |  sandra chitayat 23/04/08   6.   Vampire Weekday 13:38  |  Aphemia 23/04/08   7.   Obama or Clinton? 13:43  |  Dreaming 23/04/08   8.   The math is against her! 14:07  |  lakshmi 23/04/08   9.   To Sandra 14:15  |  Angel 23/04/08

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