ST. PAUL—In a moment bearing history's weight and the future's promise, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois claimed the Democratic nomination for president Tuesday night to cap a grueling but ultimately successful quest to be the first African-American candidate to lead a major party's bid for the White House.The career trajectory of the man who only four years ago was serving in the state legislature in Springfield has been as rapid as any in American politics, featuring a blend of celebrity, youthful appeal and gift for rhetoric that could attract crowds by the tens of thousands across the nation.His rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, kept her campaign alive, telling supporters in New York that she would "be making no decisions" on Tuesday and pledging to meet with allies and party leaders to figure out what to do next. She hinted at accommodation but sounded notes of defiance, and her supporters sent signals that she would like to run for vice president with Obama. (Chicago tribune)
