Bottom Line: Obama Claims Pledged Delegate Majority
Barack Obama returned to Iowa, where his path to the nomination began
May 20, 2008— -- Voters in Kentucky and Oregon went to the polls Tuesday with a total of 103 delegates at stake in the Democratic presidential nomination contest.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., started the day with a comfortable delegate lead overall and by the time the votes are counted Tuesday, Obama expects to hold an overall lead in the number of pledged delegates, but he will still be short of the number need to win the nomination.
"World News" anchor Charles Gibson talked with Chief Washington Correspondent George Stephanopoulos about the state of the race and what's next for the candidates.
CHARLIE GIBSON: George, Kentucky and Oregon (voted today) and perhaps we expect two different results tonight, but Barack Obama wants to make some claims after tonight is over.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Which is why he's not going to be in either state.
He's going to be in the state of Iowa where this all began for him with the Iowa Caucuses in January. It's a swing state that Democrats have to win in November and Barack Obama is going to give a big rally there tonight.
He's going to say that he won a majority of those pledged delegates but he's not going to taunt Sen. Clinton and her campaign by declaring victory in this process. His campaign wants to show no disrespect to Sen. Clinton, instead he's going to take on John McCain tonight in that speech.
They believe that the best way to unify the Democratic Party is by taking on John McCain and the Republicans.
CHARLIE GIBSON: But as we said last night, Hillary Clinton and her campaign says not so fast, this is not over yet.
There's every indication she could do very well tonight in Kentucky. Where does she go next?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: She goes straight to Florida tomorrow, Charlie.
That same place that Barack Obama's gonna be. He's going to spend the next three days there because he didn't campaign there much during the primaries. Democrats were not supposed to campaign there. So he's knows he has to make up some ground. She's going to be there tomorrow, saying the votes of Florida have to count. That's one of her last claims.
She believes that if the delegates from Florida and Michigan are counted she will be able to claim that she's won the popular vote -that will give her an argument for the superdelegates. But, Charlie, as you know, the superdelegates are all going the other way for Barack Obama right now.
Even if Sen. Clinton remains in this process through the primaries through the primaries on June 3, it's almost certain he'll be the nominee.
CHARLIE GIBSON: All right. Results to come tonight from states of Oregon and Kentucky. George Stephanopoulos, thanks.