Obama addresses the crowd | Clinton claims victory in Ohio

WASHINGTON  -- Hillary Rodham Clinton, fresh off big primary victories, hinted Wednesday at the possibility of sharing the Democratic presidential ticket with Barack Obama — with her at the top. Obama played down his losses, stressing that he still holds the lead in number of delegates.

AP

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton

In a night that failed to clarify the Democratic race, John McCain clinched the Republican nomination. Clinton won primaries in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island, halting Obama’s winning streak. Obama won in Vermont.

Both Democrats insisted on Wednesday they had the best credentials to go head to head — or as Clinton put it “toe to toe” — against McCain.

Asked on CBS’s “The Early Show” whether she and Obama should be on the same ticket, Clinton said:

“That may be where this is headed, but of course we have to decide who is on the top of ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly said that it should be me.”

Obama, who had hoped to knock Clinton out on Tuesday, said he would prevail against a tenacious candidate who “just keeps on ticking.” Clinton acknowledged the race was close and said it would come down to her credentials on national security and the economy.

The two presidential contenders made the rounds of the morning network television news shows.

Both Democrats called McCain — a Senate colleague — to congratulate him on his triumph in the Republican race.