Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Clinton wins Indiana by slim margin
By Deanna Krinn and Michael Zennie
Indiana Daily Student Indiana U.
May 07, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - It was (almost) a premature victory speech for Hillary Clinton.

Before any of the networks or major newspapers had called the Indiana race, Clinton delivered a victorious speech to a cheering, raucous crowd in the Murat Theatre Tuesday night. With former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton standing behind her, the New York senator proclaimed that her win in Indiana was a mandate for her to carry on the race.

Last month, her opponent Barack Obama told a crowd that the Hoosier state would be a “tie breaker” for the major remaining primaries.

“We’ve come from behind, we’ve broken the tie, and now its full speed to the White House,” Clinton said.

But in reality, Clinton’s victory here was only by the slimmest margins. It was not until early Wednesday morning, several hours after the crowds cleared out of the Murat Theatre, that most media outlets called the state for Clinton.

In the end, she ended up taking the state by some 22,000 votes or less than two percent.

An initial head start for Clinton quickly led into a tight race well into the night. However, after the pivotal count in Lake County votes in Northwest Indiana, Clinton came out as the winner just after 1 a.m.

This win will give Clinton two more delegates in the race than Obama will receive, according to CNN projections. The Indiana primary had 72 delegates at stake.

Monroe County, home of Indiana University, heavily favored Obama 65 percent to Clinton’s 35 percent and was one of nine counties in Indiana to vote for the Illinois senator.

Despite Obama’s loss in Indiana, North Carolina still gave a decisive win for the candidate early in the evening, with Obama snagging 56 percent of the state’s vote.

Nine IU students attended Clinton’s victory rally in Indianapolis.

Despite Obama’s resounding victory on the IU campus, IU Students for Hillary Clinton said they believed Obama’s appeal to students was not based on educated choices.

“The problem is, Obama is increasing voter turnout but not increasing civic engagement,” said freshman Sarah Robinson.

Robinson’s sister Laura, also an IU freshman, said she was “constantly amazed at how easy it is to talk someone out of voting for Obama.”

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