Barack Obama triumphs in Illinois: Obama had 55 percent of the Democratic vote, followed by Hynes with 23 percent, with 84 percent of precincts reporting. "I think it's fair to say the conventional wisdom was we could not win," Obama told a cheering crowd of supporters. "We didn't have enough money. We didn't have enough organization. There was no way that a skinny guy from the South Side with a funny name like Barack Obama could ever win a statewide race. Sixteen months later we are here." Hynes pledged to support Obama in the November election, saying: "He's an unbelievably talented individual, and I respect him very much." Now on to trounce Jack Ryan in November. The Democratic party needs a lot more Barack Obamas, and fast.