8:00 p.m. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News have all called Barack Obama the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, having culled together enough superdelegates today and enough votes (> 30 percent) in South Dakota.

8:06 p.m. (9% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

8:12 p.m. Fox News has called South Dakota for Hillary Clinton (as projected by Smart Politics months ago – in the face of near universal dissent among political pundits and media commentators). This is Clinton’s 20th victory plus Michigan, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa.

8:15 p.m. (14% reporting)
Clinton = 55%
Obama = 45%

8:19 p.m. (17% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

8:21 p.m. (19% reporting)
Clinton = 57%
Obama = 43%

MSNBC has now called South Dakota for Clinton. Their liberal commentators were at first shocked and then dismissive – stating the Clinton’s had campaigned “vigorously” there. There is no mention, naturally, that the network got this state wrong – dead wrong – for the past month.

8:24 p.m. Now CNN has called South Dakota for Clinton.

8:27 p.m. (22% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

8:37 p.m. (29% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

Clinton has now picked up approximately 4,000 votes so far.

8:38 p.m. In Clinton’s speech to supporters, she is quick to mention she has won more votes than any other primary candidate in U.S. electoral history (math which, at this point, indicates she is including Michigan in the total).

8:45 p.m. With her victory in South Dakota, Clinton has now won states with 294 cumulative Electoral College votes, 31 percent more than the states Obama has carried (224 Electoral College votes).

8:53 p.m. (38% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

Clinton has now picked up approximately 5,000 votes on Obama thus far.

8:57 p.m. (41% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

9:09 p.m. (45% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

Clinton has picked up 6,200 votes so far in South Dakota, but Obama may win that back in Montana and then some.

9:23 p.m. (50% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

Clinton is currently on pace to pick up 13,000 votes in South Dakota.

9:34 p.m. (62% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

9:58 p.m. (73% reporting)
Clinton = 56%
Obama = 44%

11:28 p.m. (98% reporting)
Clinton = 55%
Obama = 45%

8:38 a.m. (100% reporting)
Clinton = 55%
Obama = 45%

While Clinton’s victory in South Dakota came as a surprise to many, the only surprise at Smart Politics was that she won by just 10,453 votes. Although South Dakota officials were bracing for a record turnout, just 25.2 percent of the 2004 general election turnout voted in the Democratic primary – far short of the 40.2 percent in Montana. It is unclear if Hillary Clinton supporters (in both states) were discouraged from voting after false news reports spread over the media that Clinton would be conceding the nomination and dropping out of the race in her speech Tuesday night. That, of course, did not happen.

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