Obama "exceeded expectations"

That's how The Guardian put it tonight.

With almost half the votes counted, Obama had 54% of the vote against 27% for Clinton and 19% for Edwards.

Clinton lost no time in conceding, issuing a statement of congratulations to Obama as she headed for a rally in Tennessee. But her husband, who was an equal partner in the negative campaigning against Obama in South Carolina sounded a more combative note.

"He won fair and square," Bill Clinton told a rally in Independence, Missouri. "Now we go to February 5 when millions of Americans finally get into the act."

The primary, the first in the south, was bitterly contested between Obama and Clinton, aided by her husband.

Exit polls showed voters starkly divided by race, with Obama carried to victory by 81% of the African American vote. Clinton had 17% of the African American vote, and John Edwards just 1%.

Obviously Bill has some issues, and a monster jones for his old DC digs.

Next up: Florida - we can only imagine how exciting that'll be. Do they still have punch-card ballots there, or have they gone the Diebold route? (Looks like they're planning to abandon Touch-screen voting - but not until this July).

UPDATE: Kennedy to endorse Obama!

New York Times Political Blog, "The Caucus", By Jeff Zeleny, January 27

MACON, Ga. – Senator Edward M. Kennedy intends to endorse the presidential candidacy of Senator Barack Obama during a rally on Monday in Washington.

The Kennedy endorsement has been underway for days, even before the outcome of the South Carolina primary. Mr. Kennedy told his decision to Mr. Obama on Thursday.

Of all the endorsements in the Democratic Party, Mr. Kennedy’s is viewed as the most weighty. He had vowed to stay out of the presidential nominating fight, but as the contest expands into a state-by-state fight – and given the tone of the race in the last week – associates said he was moved to announce his support for Mr. Obama.

The endorsement will be announced at a rally at American University on Monday, hours before the State of the Union Address at the Capitol.