Obama rattles Clinton with ninth straight primary win

Barack Obama extended his lead over Hillary Clinton today in the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, with his ninth consecutive win.

The young Illinois senator declared: “Houston, I think we’ve achieved lift-off,” after he won the Wisconsin primary election and the major US TV networks cut away from the former First Lady as soon as Mr Obama started speaking.

He delivered his 44-minute victory speech, which combined his usual stump speech with more detailed policy ideas, in Texas, where he is campaigning ahead of that state’s primary election on March 4.

It is the biggest state left to vote, polls show it is a close battle, and it could prove crucial in the race to the White House.

Mrs Clinton, 60, has still not won any contest since Super Tuesday at the start of the month and several pundits in the US have said her campaign looks more “desperate” each day.

In an indication of the significance of Texas, Mr Obama used the first part of his speech to explain the state’s complex voting system – which essentially requires people to vote twice, once in a primary election and once in a caucus - live on prime-time national television.

He told his supporters: “The change we seek is still months and miles away, and we need the good people of Texas to help us get there.”

Exit polls showed Mr Obama, 46, may have captured the momentum that has proved so elusive so far in this year’s presidential campaign as he won the support of almost two thirds of Wisconsin voters who made up their minds within the last month.

He has now won nine consecutive Democratic contests.

“After a year of travelling all across the country, after countless miles, thousands of speeches, and talks and shaking hands... I’m here to report that my bet has paid off,” he said.

“My faith in the American people has been vindicated because all across the country people are standing up and saying, ’It is time to turn the page, it is time for a new chapter in American history. We want to move forward into a better tomorrow’.”

Mr Obama looked forward to November’s general election and hit back at former Vietnam prisoner of war John McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, who had criticised him earlier in his own victory speech.

“I revere and honour John McCain’s service to this country,” Mr Obama said.

“He is a genuine American hero.

“But when he embraces George Bush’s failed economic policies, when he says that he is willing to send our troops into another 100 years of war in Iraq, then he represents the policies of yesterday and we want to be the party of tomorrow and I’m looking forward to having that debate with John McCain.”

Earlier, referring to criticism that the Obama campaign is all style and no substance, Mr McCain told a rally in Columbus, Ohio: “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.”

He also attacked Mr Obama when he asked whether the next president would have the strength and experience to respond to the challenges facing America and the world, “or will we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested bombing our ally Pakistan and suggested sitting down, without preconditions or clear purpose, with enemies who support terrorists and are intent on destabilising the world by acquiring nuclear weapons.”

As both Mr Obama and Mr McCain used their wins to look ahead to the general election campaign, Mrs Clinton ignored today’s results, not even thanking those in Wisconsin who voted for her, as she addressed a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, which also goes to the polls on March 4.

“Both Senator Obama and I would make history,” she said.

“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.

“That is what I would bring to the White House. That is the choice in this election.”