Obama takes big step, Clinton debt grows

Barack Obama edged closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination yesterday, but rival Hillary Clinton pushed on despite owing nearly $20 million in campaign debt.

A Reuters/Zogby poll showed Mr Obama opening an eight-point national lead on Republican John McCain as the two looked ahead to a likely general election battle for the White House in November.

Mr Obama handily won Oregon and Ms Clinton easily won Kentucky on Tuesday in a split decision that gave Mr Obama a majority of pledged delegates elected during their lengthy state-by-state nominating fight - a milestone he hoped marked a turning point in their grueling battle.

"We have returned to Iowa with a majority of delegates elected by the American people, and you have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for president of the United States," Mr Obama told a rally in Iowa, site of his breakthrough victory in the first Democratic contest on Jan. 3.

The new Reuters/Zogby poll showed Americans growing more anxious about their economic prospects and the country's direction. The number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track fell from 23 per cent to an abysmal 16 per cent. Mr Obama, 46, sounded the theme of change that initially propelled him to the front of the Democratic race. He described the battle with Mr McCain, 71, as "more of the same versus change. It is the past versus the future."

But Ms Clinton gave no sign she was ready to step aside and clear the way for Mr Obama to focus on Mr McCain.

"I'm going to keep making our case until we have a nominee - whoever she may be," Ms Clinton said, promising supporters in Kentucky that she would keep fighting until the Democratic voting ends on June 3.

Ms Clinton still must grapple with a campaign debt of $19.5 million, including $10 million she put into the campaign from her own pocket, according to her Federal Election Commission report. She raised $21 million in April.

Mr Obama raised $30.7 million during the month, his FEC report showed, with $46.6 million in the bank and debts of $2 million.

After Tuesday's votes, Mr Obama is about 65 delegates short of the 2,026 needed to win the nomination at the Democratic convention in August. A delegate count by MSNBC gives him 1,960 delegates to Ms Clinton's 1,783. He had 1,655 pledged delegates, with 1,627 representing a majority.

Mr Obama hopes the pledged-delegate milestone pushes more undecided superdelegates - party officials who can back any candidate - his way. Mr Obama contends those superdelegates, who have been breaking his way heavily in recent weeks, should support him because he won the most delegates in state voting.

Ms Clinton hopes her drubbings of Obama in states like Kentucky, where she won by 35 points, will give superdelegates pause. The new Reuters/Zogby poll showed Ms Clinton running even with Mr McCain nationally at 43 per cent each. "Neither Senator Obama or I will have reached that magic number when the voting ends June 3," Ms Clinton said of the number of delegates needed to win the nomination. "So our party will have a tough choice to make."

Mr Obama aides said he would reach the magic number with a wave of superdelegate endorsements in the next two weeks. Three more contests remain - Puerto Rico on June 1 and Montana and South Dakota on June 3 - with a combined 86 delegates at stake.