Newspapers described Obama as a "political giant slayer."

Newspapers see Obama's success as "history in the making"

Obama's political potency seen as key to his triumph

Clinton's failure blamed on outdated policy, husband Bill



(CNN) -- History in the making was how many international newspapers viewed Barack Obama's emergence as Democratic presidential candidate, with the focus on his status as the first ever African-American to win the ticket.


Newspapers described Obama as a "political giant slayer."

Even before Hillary Clinton admitted defeat in the hard-fought contest, some publications were already dissecting her failed campaign, analyzing where it went wrong and what the future has in store for her political dynasty.

Tuesday's win "confirms Obama's reputation as a political giant-slayer, who after less than four years in the U.S. Senate brought down the couple credited with creating the Democrats' most powerful political machine," the Guardian newspaper wrote.

The Chinese Xinhua news agency marveled at how "one year ago, it was very hard to imagine that Obama, a young politician without a strong political base and little known to the public can defeat Hillary Clinton, the heir-apparent of the Democratic Party."

The Times of London saw Obama's victory as evidence that "the United States remains a land of opportunity."

"This moment's significance is its resounding proof of the truism about America as a land of opportunity: Mr Obama's opportunity to graduate from Harvard and take Washington by storm," it wrote.

It said his victory also demonstrates "the opportunity that the world's most responsive democratic system gives its voters to be inspired by an unknown; the opportunity that outsiders now have to reassess the superpower that too many of them love to hate.

"Win or lose in November, he will have gone farther than anyone in history to bury the toxic enmity that fueled America's civil war and has haunted it ever since."


The Financial Times opened a post-mortem on Clinton's campaign, indicating that her defeat was not about her shortcomings but about Obama's political potency.

"Analysts will spend years poring over the reasons for Mrs Clinton's failed bid and probably never reach consensus," it wrote.

"But almost everyone, including some members of her own staff, would agree that the former first lady's campaign looked old-fashioned next to that of Barack Obama."

The Independent newspaper, however, placed the blame on "loyal husband" Bill Clinton who "more than anyone sabotaged his wife's chances by airing too many outspoken opinions on the way."

But the paper hinted the Clintons may still have another shot at the White House -- although it could be a few years away.

"Hillary has been beaten. Bill has dishonored himself. And Chelsea? Chelsea need have no regrets. She may be the candidate that brings the family back to the campaign trail again. But that drama is for another decade."

The French newspaper Le Monde also examined Bill Clinton's role in Hillary's failure. The former president was both her greatest asset and her worst, the paper said, delivering a blunt assessment of her campaign with an emphatic: "C'est fini."