Senator Barack Obama seemed well on his way Tuesday to becoming the first African-American to occupy the White House in what could very well turn into a landslide of epic proportions not seen in American politics since 1964, when Lyndon Johnson of Texas buried Barry Goldwater’s racist, conservative campaign.

Glynn Wilson

Senator Barack Obama, on his way…

With a commanding lead in the delegate count after soundly defeating Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin Tuesday night, and all indications pointing to a win in Hawaii, the state of his birth, it is looking more and more like Clinton’s comeback math just can’t add up.

The TV talking heads will not tell you that, however, since they have to keep the interest in the story going now, after trying to wrap the campaign up early in Clinton’s favor just a couple of months ago.

Obama himself addressed a boisterous rally in Houston with a message of caution, trying to keep supporters fired up and donations coming into his campaign coffers, saying he has “months and miles” to go.

Obama literally stole the spotlight from Clinton, beginning his speech before she had finished in Ohio. Cable network producers cut away from her to the man who is now “clearly the front-runner,” according to the Associated Press.

The Illinois senator seemed to echo Clinton in one respect when he agreed “it’s going to take more than rousing speeches” and big rallies to bring change to Washington. Clinton and assured Republican nominee John McCain are both sounding the theme that Obama offers words instead of substance.

“As wonderful as this gathering is, as exciting as these enormous crowds and this enormous energy may be, what we’re trying to do here is not easy,” Obama said. “It is going to require something more. Because the problem that we face in America today is not the lack of good ideas. It’s that Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die.”

Obama insisted he’s not naive.

“Hope is not blind optimism,” he said. It’s as if the cynics are saying “we need to season and stew him a little more and boil all the hope out of him. It is my central premise that the only way we will bring about real change in America is if we can bring new people into the process.”

With an appeal for Texans to take advantage of opportunities to vote in advance of the March 4 primary, he said: “I don’t want you to wait until March 4. I want you to start voting tomorrow.”

The primaries in Texas and Ohio on March 4 offer a mother lode of 334 Democratic delegates and chance to break out of a nomination struggle. But even if Ms. Clinton were to win in those states, not likely considering Obama’s momentum, it is doubtful she can amass enough delegates to catch up.

Obama accelerated his promise to end the war in Iraq in 2009 during his Houston speech. While he originally promised to remove all combat brigades within 16 months of taking office, with President Bush’s plan to draw troops down to 15 brigades this year, he said, means he could complete the removal in a year after taking office.

While Senator John McCain cruised to victory with little opposition in Wisconsin’s Republican Primary, he came out swinging at Obama in a clear indication he’s betting the Illinois Senator will be his opponent in November.

“I’m not the youngest candidate,” McCain said. He’s 71, and the question remains whether his age and health, he’s had skin cancer, can hold up to a grueling general election campaign.

“But I am the most experienced,” McCain said, trying to draw a contrast with the 46-year-old candidate of “hope” who some compare to John Kennedy during his positive campaign as the first Catholic to win the White House in 1960.