ABSTRACT
How did he do it? A simple question, but the stunning victory of Barack Obama in the Democratic nominating process does not lend itself to a simple answer. Obama’s victory in the primaries and caucuses was a product of numerous factors, including his campaign’s comprehensive understanding of the nominating process, its groundbreaking use of the Internet as a fundraising and organizing tool, a powerful message of change, and Obama’s enormous talents as a candidate. In the end, Obama overcame the most formidable Democratic primary opponent who was not an incumbent president in the modern nominating process, Hillary Clinton, and honed his campaign for the general election fight against John McCain.
