Senator Barack Obama expects to clinch nomination next week
CHICAGO: Senator Barack Obama said on Wednesday he expected to become the Democratic US presidential nominee after next week and he is considering an overseas trip that may include Iraq.
After a hard-fought primary season against rival Democrat Hillary Clinton, Obama said the general election race will begin in earnest next week after the last two nominating contests are held in South Dakota and Montana.
Talking to reporters on his plane from Denver to Chicago, Obama was asked if the race for the November general election against Republican John McCain begins after Tuesday’s votes. “Yes,” he responded. Asked if he will be the winner of the Democratic nomination at that point, he said, “I believe so.” The Illinois senator, 46, predicted he would be in a “pretty strong position” to clinch the nomination after a Saturday meeting by party officials and on Tuesday’s votes.
On Saturday, Democratic officials will work on a compromise over disputed nominating contests in Michigan and Florida. Obama said a resolution on how to seat those delegates would be important to “put the Michigan/Florida issue behind us.” “At that point all the information will be in,” he said.
Clinton, a New York senator, has said she will not quit until the last votes are cast and counted. The Democratic nominee is likely to be decided by the nearly 800 “superdelegates” — members of Congress and other party insiders — who are free to vote for whomever they want. Obama is leading in pledged delegates. “We’re only a few days away,” said Obama.
A sign that he believes he will be the party’s nominee is that Obama is planning an overseas trip, possibly to Iraq. Obama revealed his plans to The New York Times and a campaign spokeswoman confirmed he was considering a foreign trip and Iraq was one possible destination.
