Obama takes North Carolina as Clinton tipped in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AFP) — Barack Obama took a stride towards the Democratic Party's presidential nomination with victory over Hillary Clinton Tuesday in North Carolina, according to US media projections.

But CBS News said the former first lady was on course to win in Indiana, the other state holding its primary on Tuesday. Other US networks said Clinton was ahead in the midwestern state, but the outcome was too early to call.

"This is a big win in North Carolina for the Obama camp," Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, an Obama supporter, told MSNBC.

"The math is inescapable at this point and the superdelegates keep coming to our side regardless of what happens," she said, referring to nearly 800 Democratic grandees who look set to decide the nomination.

The two states were the biggest nominating contests left in the Democrats' White House tussle after months of back and forth that will ...