Analysis: Clinton loses N.C., best chance to upset Obama

The results dented if not doomed her hopes of convincing superdelegates to disregard Obama's lead in delegates, states won and popular vote to nominate her.

"Senator Clinton did not get out of the night what she needed," said North Carolina Rep. Brad Miller, an undecided superdelegate. "To use a basketball analogy, she traded baskets. And she needed to do much better than that this late in the contest with her down 150 or 160 pledged delegates."

Obama came into the race at a low point, reeling from his former minister Jeremiah Wright's racially divisive remarks and a blistering loss in Pennsylvania that raised questions about whether he can win white voters. Clinton had momentum and devoted her scarce funds and precious time to turning around a long-anticipated Obama win in North Carolina.

She diverted resources away from Indiana, a state she had a better shot of winning. In hindsight, the Clinton campaign may consider that a mistake since the Indiana race was so close.

A clearly buoyed Obama told supporters in Raleigh that his victory came in "a big state, a swing state and a state where we will compete if I am the Democratic nominee."

Message: I can win here, and Clinton can't.

It was a thrust at Clinton's electability argument, her chief argument to superdelegates. It hasn't been working.

Since the Pennsylvania primary two weeks ago, Clinton has picked up 11.5 superdelegate endorsements to Obama's 22, according to an Associated Press count.

"Even during the period post-Pennsylvania, during Reverend Wright, we decisively won superdelegates in that period," said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe. "And if they're not going to make up significant ground during that period, it's hard to see how things are going to change."