Momentum

Eventually one candidate gains enough momentum to put him or her over the top.

John Edwards, a former Democratic candidate, decided to endorse Obama on May 14, right before the Kentucky and Oregon primaries.

Oregon proved to be a key state for Obama, who is shown here visiting Portland, Oregon. Obama’s win in the May 20 Oregon primaries secured the majority of delegates in his favor. On June 7, Hillary Clinton ended her run for the presidency and endorsed Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee.

Watch the news coverage to learn what happened next:

Click on the image above to watch
Onine NewsHour: Presidential Hopefuls Hammer Out '08 Strategies

Journal: The 2008 Election

Complete part four of your journal assignment. Once Obama secured enough delegates to guarantee his nomination, how did his campaign change? What is a battleground state and why did Obama target the states he did? What issues divided Obama from his opponent Senator John McCain? What is Obama’s campaign strategy to win the election?