Obama Won't Declare Victory Tomorrow

Reversing earlier plans, Barack Obama will not declare the Democratic race over tomorrow night—in a move Carrie Budoff Brown, on Politico, sees as concern about “appearing presumptuous or antagonistic” toward Hillary Clinton. Hillary fans are sensitive about disrespect, so Obama will boast he’s won a majority of pledged delegates, a “tiptoe right up to the line” of claiming victory.

The change of course also shows Obama is so confident about securing the nomination that he can refrain from marginalizing his rival. He'll travel to Iowa tomorrow, a trip he called a “terrific way to … bring things full circle"—though Clinton’s campaign manager has warned that “taking victory laps before the nomination is actually secured is a slap in the face.” (More Barack Obama stories.)