Obama concedes to Clinton -- for now

He says that huge turnout in Iowa and New Hampshire proves that voters are ready for change.

Published January 9, 2008 4:01AM (EST)

Conceding New Hampshire to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama said tonight that the state's voters had "made it clear" that "there is something happening in America." He said huge voter turnout in both Iowa and New Hampshire proves that Americans "believe in what this country can be" and are ready to march out of a "long political darkness."

Although voter turnout in New Hampshire didn't bring Obama the result he wanted, he said he's still "fired up and ready to go." And after congratulating Clinton and proclaiming all of the candidates in the race to be good people with good ideas, Obama made it clear that he's ready to go again after the woman who came from behind to beat him tonight.

"We have been asked to pause for a reality check," Obama said. "We have been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."

If Hillary Clinton didn't know that before, she surely does tonight.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

MORE FROM Tim Grieve


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

2008 Elections Barack Obama Hillary Rodham Clinton War Room