Obama on the verge of Democratic nomination available (2nd Roundup)

Jun 3, 2008, 23:43 GMT

Washington - Barack Obama was on the verge of capturing the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday over Hillary Clinton, as endorsements from undecided party officials were rolling in by the hour.

Some reports suggested he had already clinched his party's nod, while others said he within 10 delegates of the 2,118 required to run in November's general election. It was virtually certain he would pass the mark after the final primary votes are tallied in Montana and South Dakota Tuesday night.

Polls in the two states - the last to hold primaries in the five- month-old campaign - were set to close between 8pm and 10 pm (0000- 0200 GMT Wednesday) and Obama was favoured in both contests.

It remained unclear whether Clinton would concede the nomination as she prepared to give a speech before supporters in New York. The former first lady's campaign appeared conflicted in broadcast remarks throughout the day.

A number of super delegates - party elite that make up about one- fifth of total delegates - switched their allegiance to Obama throughout Tuesday as media reports said Clinton was considering a possible offer to become Obama's vice presidential running mate.

Clinton's campaign earlier in the day strongly denied reports that she would acknowledge Obama has won enough delegates to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination after the polls close in the final state-by-state contests.

'Senator Clinton will not concede the nomination this evening,' read a statement from the campaign.

But Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said she would likely acknowledge the battle was lost if Obama did secure the required number of delegates.

'If Senator Obama gets the number, I think Hillary Clinton will congratulate him and call him the nominee,' McAuliffe said Tuesday on NBC's Today show. 'She has given her heart and soul to this campaign.'

CNN reported that Clinton had told New York lawmakers Tuesday that she would consider the number two spot if asked by Obama.

Obama picked up at about 10 super delegates on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg news service, including Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest ranking black leader in Congress, and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, a longtime Clinton supporter.

The endorsements would likely allow him to claim victory at a rally in St Paul, Minnesota Tuesday night, and begin turning his full attention to presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

McCain has been focussing most of his attacks on Obama in the past few weeks in expectation that he would win the nomination. He was expected to formally acknowledge Obama's win in his own speech Tuesday in Louisiana.

Clinton has for months trailed Obama in the delegate count needed to secure the nomination, but believed she could persuade super delegates that she was the best candidate to square off against McCain in the November 4 election.

Her husband, former president Bill Clinton raised speculation that his wife was preparing to exit the race during a campaign rally Monday.

'This may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind,' Bill Clinton said in South Dakota.

'I thought I was out of politics until Hillary decided to run. It has been one of the greatest honours of my life to go around and campaign for her for president,' he said.

Clinton had gained some last-minute momentum after trouncing Obama Sunday in Puerto Rico's primary. But the victory by 68 to 32 per cent was expected to be Clinton's last.