Obama wins Democratic nomination

According to US news reports, Barack Obama has defeated Hillary Clinton in the race for the US Democratic Party nomination and has become the first black candidate ever to be nominated by a major US political party.

For an advanced copy of Obama’s victory speech, go here.

Obama won more than enough of the required number of pledged and superdelegates as the Democratic primaries in South Dakota and Montana started Tuesday. Clinton won the South Dakota poll but it didn’t matter.

I am thrilled over this news. Obama succeeded in painting Clinton as an incumbent, so to speak, and rode to victory on a campaign theme of change and hope. His youth and lack of long experience have done him more good than harm — buttressing his point that the US needs a new type of leader.

We will have to see what the Democratic Party and Obama would offer to Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in their national platform for the Nov. elections. But one thing is clear: Americans has done what was deemed impossible some years back by nominating Obama and by embracing his call for change. This achievement should not be lost on Filipinos who have fallen into the trap of cynicism.

If the Americans can find an Obama, so can we.