Analysis: Obama makes history but can he win?

Black president.

Those are the two words you heard sprinkled sometimes emotionally, and often historically into commentators' analysis last night. It's the possibility that Senator Barack Obama's campaign now looks at, after clinching the democratic nomination Tuesday. He will likely be the first African-American nominee of a major party. And as CNN senior political analyst David Gergen said, 200 years after the slave trade was stopped, and 46 years after he was born into the heart of the civil rights movement, so many are looking at what the possibility of Barack Obama's candidacy means to the way the United States views ethnic and ideological unity. Those thoughts have many ramifications and they will play out in November as voters determine if Obama can win.

That's the question Senator Hillary Clinton has posed throughout the race. She has consistently said she is more electable in the general election. And perhaps she will be able to bring her strengths to bear as the democratic vice-presidential nominee (Yes, the so-called dream ticket question looms larger than ever). Her senior advisors say they will support Obama, now the challenge is to determine how to fold the Clinton support team and voters into the Obama campaign.

So you may not have been counting--but it's been some 150 days since the first primary until the final two polls in South Dakota and Montana! And we are here, the end of the longest, most expensive primary season the country has seen. Did we get our "money's worth"? For some, it's hard to believe it's over; for others it's a long time coming.

If you were watching live news coverage on television or online, You probably felt like you were right there watching history as it happened. Despite watching and learning along with all of you about this election process for the last half year, for me, somehow last night made it all seem like a blink. What were daily trickles of one or two superdelegates publicly declaring their preference, became a cascade hour by hour until Senator Barack Obama had the number to claim victory. I was glued to the TV.

So what do you think? Can Obama win in November? What does the possibility of a black presidency mean to you and the United States? Should Clinton be his running mate? And what should she do now -- she hasn't officially congratulated Obama or withdrawn. Which brings back up the vitriol that has marked this primary season: Can the democrats come together and beat Senator John McCain? McCain has already started attacking Obama on his experience, age, and decision making capabilities.

Let the final round of an exciting presidential election year begin and tell us what you think! Sound-off in the comment section below and we'll be sharing your thoughts on Morning Express with Robin Meade all morning.