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Comeback Queen Hillary hints at dream ticket with 'Vice President Obama' after crucial wins in Texas and Ohio
Last updated at 02:07am on 06.03.08Hillary Clinton stormed her way back into the presidential race with a second sensational comeback she claims can catapult her all the way to the White House.
Even though her duel with Barack Obama is far from over, the jubilant former first lady was last night hinting at the possibility of a Democrat "dream ticket" - while making it clear she should get top billing with the Illinois senator as her running mate.
Two months ago she had resuscitated her flagging campaign by defying the pollsters and winning in New Hampshire.
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Fighting on: Hillary Clinton today shows she's back in the game after taking Texas and Ohio
Victory: John McCain and wife Cindy are greeted by President Bush at the White House today, where Bush formally endorsed McCain as his successor
And on Tuesday, the 60-year-old 'Comeback Queen' did it again, upsetting the odds and bringing her surging rival's streak of 12 successive wins to a screeching halt by winning three out of four primaries.
Denying Mr Obama, 46, the conquests he needed to effectively seal up the Democratic nomination, Mrs Clinton won both delegaterich states of Texas and Ohio, as well as the smaller prize of Rhode Island, with Obama capturing only tiny Vermont.
But when the triumphant rhetoric and smoke of the campaign battle cleared, it was apparent the maths still favour her opponent.
For Mrs Clinton was still trailing way behind in the all-important delegate count, having narrowed the deficit by only 12 delegates.
Disappointment: But Barack Obama is still in the lead - barely
And it is the harsh realities of the number-crunching that will ultimately decide which candidate claims the right to fight the November 4 presidential election. At least the Democrat rivals now know who they will be up against.
John McCain swept all four primary votes to clinch the Republican nomination. At the White House yesterday, George Bush formally endorsed the triumphant 71-year-old Arizona senator, saying he had no doubt he was 'going to be the president'.
The Democrat rivals will face off in a series of smaller contests leading up to another major test in Pennsylvania on April 22.
At a victory party in Ohio's capital, Columbus, Mrs Clinton roared: "We're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way."
The Clinton camp's attacks on Mr Obama over his lack of experience, his ability to lead the country and his dithering on international trade were widely credited with turning her campaign around.
Speaking on television yesterday, she said: "I think the voters are finally focused on who they think would be the best commander-in-chief and who would be the best president to turn the economy around."
Asked about the possibility of combining with Mr Obama, with one of them campaigning as the vice presidential candidate, she added: "Well that may be where this is headed but we have to decide who is top of the ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly said that it should be me."
Mr Obama called any talk of a dream ticket "premature" and spent yesterday emphasising his commanding lead among delegates.
The latest delegate count yesterday showed him ahead by 1,477 to 1,391.
Those tallies include the superdelegates, elected Democrat officials such as governors, congressmen and national committee members who are free to choose either candidate.
Still up for grabs are about 600 delegates tied to the ten remaining states left to vote as well as about 300 superdelegates who are either undecided or playing their cards close to their chest.
Even if Mrs Clinton wins the next ten states, election analysts say the proportional vote system means it will almost certainly not be enough to beat Mr Obama or reach the 2,025 delegates required to clinch the Democrat nomination.
So the pressure is building behind the scenes in both camps to win over the undecided superdelegates.
For Mr McCain, his victories in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont took him past the finish line of 1,191 delegates he needed to finally knock his last remaining opponent, Mike Huckabee, 53, out of contention.
Nice job, Mom: Chelsea Clinton congratulates her mother last night
Reader views (4)
Hillary is going to give the presidency to McCain. Can't someone tell her that she is a liability to the democrats rather than an asset. All the things that made her an unpopular first lady will be brought out and her appeal to any independent is minimal. As a democrat who used to like her, I've lost respect for her by listening to her campaign. I would vote for McCain if she were the candidate and many other democrats I talk to feel the same. We don't need another president who cannot look at real issues from a neutral perspective - and this goes for her evaluating her candidacy.
- Akvo, Kalamazoo, USA
Hillary would benefit from Obama on her ticket. Unsure if it would work the other way around, but it might. I'll vote for either one. I don't want another 4-8 years of the same stuff.
- Laryssa, Boston, MA, USA
Hillary just wanted to say good luck and I believe that Hillary will make a difference in our world not broken promises God Bless you and you definitely have my vote.
- Odilia Landa Cruz, Sandusky Ohio
Hillary won't offer VP slot to Obama and vice versa.
It's all or nothing for both of them.
- Stan, Expat
