Obama scores 9th straight win, McCain victorious

Senator John McCain won the Republican race in Wisconsin, making things more difficult for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who is now being seen as having no serious chance of coming out on top in the race.

When the night is out Obama is also expected to win the caucus in Hawaii where polls will be open for several more hours in view of the time difference, bringing his tenth straight victory over Clinton who was once seen as the front-runner in the Democrat campaign for White House.

Clinton was not expected to win in Wisconsin and the campaign had started pulling out when it became apparent that the state was leaning the way of the African-American Senator.

Still, the former first lady made one last-ditch effort to see if she could make a break in her string of losses.

The Illinois Senator cut deep into Clinton's support base of women and working class voters in the midwestern state.

There were a total of 92 delegates at stake including 18 super delegates. The pledged delegates will be alloted in proportion to the vote when the final tally is over. But getting into Wisconsin, Obama had a total of 1,281 delegates as opposed to Clinton's 1,218.

A candidate needs to win 2,025 delegates to seal the nomination and this is not expected to take place even by the time the last Democratic primary takes place in Puerto Rico on June 7. Party elders and activists are bracing for a fight to the finish at the National Convention in August at Denver.

The critical date for Clinton now is March 4 when she has to win the big ticket states of Ohio and Texas. The good news for the New York Senator is that she is leading Obama in both those states at this time. But the bad news is the Illinois lawmaker is catching up and narrowing the gap fast.

"The change we seek is still months and miles away," Obama told supporters in Houston.

Clinton, meanwhile, made no mention of her defeat while speaking in Youngstown, Ohio. "Both Senator Obama and I would make history," said the New York senator.

"But only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy, and ready to defeat the Republicans. Only one of us has spent 35 years being a doer, a fighter and a champion for those who need a voice."

On the Republican front, McCain is still being pursued by Huckabee who has refused to bow out until a candidate reaches the magic number of 1,191 needed for the Republican Party nomination. The third candidate Congressman Ron Paul of Texas is still in the fray but at an impossible third place.

The 40 delegates at stake for the Republican candidates in Wisconsin will be sorted through once the final returns have been posted. Till now, Senator McCain had some 921 delegates as opposed to Huckabee's 245.

In his victory speech, McCain almost exclusively focussed on Senator Obama stressing that he may not be young but he is the only one in the field with experience especially when it comes to tackling serious national security issues.

"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.

"Will the next President have the experience, the judgment experience informs, and the strength of purpose to respond to each of these developments in ways that strengthen our security and advance the global progress of our ideals?" McCain asked.

And then he took a direct shot at Senator Obama.

"Or will we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested invading our ally, Pakistan, and sitting down without pre-conditions or clear purpose with enemies who support terrorists and are intent on destabilising the world by acquiring nuclear weapons?" McCain said in a reference to Iran.

"We live in a world of change, some of which holds great promise for us and all mankind and some of which poses great peril. Today, political change in Pakistan is occurring that might affect our relationship with a nuclear-armed nation that is indispensable to our success in combating al-Qaida in Afghanistan and elsewhere," the Arizona Senator said.