Another Two Weeks… Clinton Pockets Pennsylvania

Imagine the reality. Decisive Democratic primaries. California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Senator Hillary Clinton would lead. Instead, she trails.

On Tuesday, Clinton won the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary. She (55%) defeated Senator Barack Obama (45%).

During her victory speech, Clinton was personable. “We were up against a formidable opponent who outspent us three to one,” she said. “He broke every spending record in this state trying to knock us out of the race. Well, the people of Pennsylvania had other ideas tonight. The presidency is the toughest job in the world, but the pressures of a campaign are nothing compared to the pressures of the White House, and today, Pennsylvanians looked through all the heat and saw the light of a brighter tomorrow – a tomorrow of shared prosperity and restored world leadership for peace, security, and cooperation.”

Meanwhile, Obama criticized politics. “After fourteen long months, it’s easy to forget this from time to time – to lose sight of the fierce urgency of this moment,” he said. “It’s easy to get caught up in the distractions and the silliness and the tit-for-tat that consumes our politics; the bickering that none of us are immune to, and that trivializes the profound issues – two wars, an economy in recession, a planet in peril. But that kind of politics is not why we’re here. It’s not why I’m here and it’s not why you’re here.”

Clinton’s victory was interesting. Clinton garnered white men (56-44), white women (66-34), 45-59 year olds, (54-46), 60-plus year olds (62-38), $50,000-plus families (53-47), and $100,000-plus families (51-49).

On Wednesday morning, activists, bloggers, delegates, pundits, strategists, and super delegates must accept one fact. They must ask one question. Obama cannot close. Why?