Clinton Takes Pennsylvania

As expected, Hillary Clinton won the Pennsylvania primary. In her victory speech, Clinton said:

It's a long road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and it runs right through the heart of Pennsylvania.

Demographics foretold Clinton's destiny. Barack Obama won Philadelphia, Harrisburg and a few majority-black rural counties, but Clinton took the rest of the state. Exit polls show the racial divide. Obama received 92 percent of the black vote to Clinton's eight percent. Clinton won 62 percent of the white vote to Obama's 38 percent. Clinton won white voters of all ages, including 51 percent of independents and voters age 18-29.

Clinton's victory keeps her in the game and bolsters her case that she is more electable in the general election. While Obama maintains a slim lead in pledged delegates, the Democratic nomination race is increasingly about race.

Twenty percent of Pennsylvania Democrats said the race of a candidate mattered. More revealing, 17 percent say they would vote for McCain or stay home if Clinton is the nominee. Twenty-five percent would vote for McCain or not vote if Obama is the Democratic standard-bearer.

Obama won Philadelphia with 65 percent of the vote. But he needed to win in a landslide to offset his limited appeal among blue-collar workers and voters who "cling to guns or religion." Obama's Philly margin might have been bigger if he had not bypassed campaigning in predominantly black areas, including Rep. Chaka Fattah's congressional district.

Exit polls suggested the race would be close but Clinton won by 10 points. Polling history tells us that in matters of race, voters lie. So it was wishful thinking to believe that the Jeremiah Wright, "typical white person" and Bittergate controversies would not weigh on white voters' minds in the privacy of the voting booth.

In this history-making primary season, race has become the Democratic Party's Achilles heel.

Our Lens Sept. 1

Hector Jackson (C), who impersonates the late US pop star Michael Jackson, gestures while he takes part in the "I do dance Thriller" event which attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest mass "Thriller" dance, in Mexico City, on August 29. Up to 15,000 people are expected to take part in a potentially record breaking mass performance of Michael Jackson's famed "Thriller" dance on the day he would have turned 51.

Omar Torres, AFP/ Getty Images

A long line of fire marches west towards the communities of Acton and Sunland-Tujanga on August 31 in Los Angeles, California. At least 18 homes were destroyed and 12,000 more homes and 500 commercial buildings are being threatened in the fire which already took two lives. The wildfire, which broke out Wednesday afternoon near a ranger station and the Angeles Crest Highway above La Canada Flintridge, has forced thousands of evacuations.

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

Venus Williams of the United States reaches for a shot against Vera Dushevina of Russia during day one of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

Chris McGrath, Getty Images

A Kenyan Muslim child reads verses from the Quran, Islam's holy book, on the fifth day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a Madrassa (Religion School), in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk.

Sayyid Azim, AP

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center on August 28, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Discovery is scheduled for a 13-day mission to the International Space Station.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Host Vanessa Williams performs with dancer Gilles Marini onstage at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at The Orpheum Theatre on August 30, in Los Angeles, California.

Jesse Grant, WireImage

A girl plays with tomato pulp during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26. Bunol's town hall estimated more than 40,000 people, some from as far away as Japan and Australia, took up arms Wednesday with 100 tons of tomatoes in the yearly food fight known as the 'Tomatina' now in its 64th year.

Alberto Saiz, AP

Tom Wainaina recounts the events that lead to his being burned over most of his upper body August 26 in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Wainaina was burned by a group of men during post-election violence in Kenya's disputed 2007 presidential election. Ethnic-tribal violence left over 1,000 people dead. The non-governmental organization (NGO) Concern, in cooperation with local Kenyan groups, has launched a campaign to provide the urban poor with cash grants to start a business or get back on their feet after suffering disproportionately from post-election violence in 2007. The money is transferred to the recipients via a mobile phone which insures a safe and simple financial transaction to customers who don?t have bank accounts. Wainaina is one of dozens of Kibera residents to receive the assistance of a cash grant. Hairdressers, grocery stores and food vendors are just some of the businesses that have been financed through the program.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images

People standing near the grave of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) look at the grave of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Arlington National Cemetery August 30, in Arlington, Virginia. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) was buried yesterday next to his brothers President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) after he died of brain cancer on August 25.

Brendan Smialowski, Getty Images

US President Barack Obama takes out his daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (2nd L) and niece Suhaila Ng (L) to shop in the Alleys general store on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, on August 30, 2009.

Jewel Samad, AFP/ Getty Images

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