Obama Wins Easily Over Clinton

By: E&P Staff NBC called the South Carolina primary for Barack Obama just as polls closed, in a "substantial margin" over Hillary Clinton. NBC's exit polls showed that he got 24% of the white vote, twice what had been predicted.

As per usual, most of the time, this year, we will be blogging the results and the react tonight as the returns from South Carolina come in.

As usual, the spin will be as vital as the vote -- unfortunately.

We will add from the top below.

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8:00: NBC now declares Hillary taking 2nd place over Edwards, which must be a relief to her.

Clinton releases statement congratulating Obama, adds, "we now turn our attention to millions who will make voices heard" in days ahead. She refers to Florida -- even though it is not supposed to count -- and American Samoa.

Obama scheduled to speak at 9 p.m. NBC reports that Caroline Kennedy will be endorsing him in the pages of The New York Times tomorrow -- an op-ed maybe?

7:15 : NBC's exit polls show that Obama got 24% of white vote, more than twice what was predicted. Young white voters really broke for him. Pat Buchanan argues that he still lost 3/4 of white vote so is doomed. Joe Scarborough and others claim big move to Obama and that Bill Clinton campaigning hurt. Latest from Bill was some sort of statement about Jesse Jackson winning a caucus there too years ago.

7:05: NBC calls it for Obama and by a wide margin.

6:10 PM: The vote, according to TV reports, may not be all that heavy, which is a surprise. What that means, or who it helps, is unknown.

Polls show Obama with a nice lead but Hillary could still catch him -- while worrying that Edwards has moved up on her. But even if Obama wins big, it's still just South Carolina -- where Democrats never win in the fall, so how much does it really mean?

Meanwhile, Colbert King in his op-ed at The Washington Post today alays into the couple he calls "Billary," and wonders if they would have his and hers desks in the Oval Office. One sample: "To elect Obama would be to 'roll the dice,' sniffed the former president. When Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992, he was governor of a small state, had no foreign policy experience and didn't know how to salute. He got his on-the-job experience in the White House."