Verdict: Obama is a legit national candidate

I thought last night was a huge success for Obama. Beforehand, I figured he'd probably end up with about 45% or so of the night's votes/delegates, and that even that would be a strong showing, given the fact that he's made up so much ground in such a short time. According to the latest calculations from CNN, Clinton got 582 delegates last night, and Obama landed 562, roughly a 51%-49% split.

The wins in states like Missouri, Kansas, Utah, and Georgia were particularly impressive, and a key factor in many of the states was Obama's ability appeal to white male voters. This demographic has been a problem for the Democrats for the last several election cycles - and that's one reason I've been very skeptical of Hillary Clinton's chances as a nominee. Does the Democratic party really want a candidate who will do worse among men than Bill Clinton, Gore, or Kerry did? This demographic would be especially relevant if the Republican nominee is a likable candidate with strong crossover appeal, like McCain.

More on my problems with Clinton and McCain in the next week; for now, I'm excited that Obama has shaken almost every tag pundits have tried to give him. Someone who is strictly a "black candidate" doesn't win in places like Kansas, Utah, or Idaho. A "youth candidate" doesn't take in $32 million in a one-month period. And a "flash in the pan" doesn't split the Super Tuesday delegate count with a former First Lady.