Sen. Barack Obama opened his Raleigh rally tonight with a thank you to North Carolina for delivering what looks like will be a large win.

"I want to thank [the people of North Carolina] for giving us a victory in a big state, in a swing state, in a state where we will compete to win if I am the Democratic nominee for president of the United States," he said.

He congratulated Sen. Hillary Clinton on what he said "appears" to be a victory in Indiana (CBS has called the race for her as she's held a 60,000-vote lead all night, but the networks are waiting).

He noted that while he is "less than 200 delegates away from securing" the party nod, he considers Clinton "such a formidable opponent."

Then he pledged to work his heart out for party unity:

"This has been one of the longest, most closely fought contests in history. And that's partly because we have such a formidable opponent in Senator Hillary Clinton. Tonight, many of the pundits have suggested that this party is inalterably divided — that Senator Clinton's supporters will not support me, and that my supporters will not support her.

Well I'm here tonight to tell you that I don't believe it. Yes, there have been bruised feelings on both sides. Yes, each side desperately wants their candidate to win. But ultimately, this race is not about Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama or John McCain. This election is about you — the American people — and whether we will have a president and a party that can lead us toward a brighter future.

This primary season may not be over, but when it is, we will have to remember who we are as Democrats — that we are the party of Jefferson and Jackson; of Roosevelt and Kennedy; and that we are at our best when we lead with principle; when we lead with conviction; when we summon an entire nation around a common purpose — a higher purpose. This fall, we intend to march forward as one Democratic Party, united by a common vision for this country. Because we all agree that at this defining moment in history — a moment when we're facing two wars, an economy in turmoil, a planet in peril — we can't afford to give John McCain the chance to serve out George Bush's third term. We need change in America."

Clinton's victory speech in Indianapolis hasn't started yet, but like she did after winning Pennsylvania, the former first lady has turned her Web site into a $5 donation page.

Amidst the traveling today, I neglected to post my story from the print edition, which has been the subject of conversation all over cable TV.

DURHAM, N.C. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign yesterday tried to redefine the delegate math for securing the Democratic presidential nomination, signaling its willingness to wage a divisive battle with front-runner Sen. Barack Obama through the summer.

Mr. Obama, meanwhile, questioned Mrs. Clinton's trustworthiness heading into today's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina.

Top Clinton aides said the nominee must win based on a tally that includes delegates from Florida and Michigan, which held January primaries that were disqualified by party rules. The campaign's "Delegate Hub" Web site identifies 2,208 as the total delegates needed to be nominated, or 183 more than the threshold of 2,025 set by the Democratic National Committee's rules.

"That's what we believe is the standard for deciding this — who has the majority of the total delegates including Michigan and Florida to decide the nomination," said Clinton strategist Geoff Garin.

The Obama campaign has long accused Team Clinton of "moving the goal posts" to avoid facing the reality that it is nearly impossible for her to catch up, and his supporters in the Democratic Party's hierarchy reacted angrily yesterday to the idea that the 2,025-delegate finish line could be changed, especially because Mr. Obama is 273 delegates from reaching that magic number according to his campaign count.

Clinton herself confirmed she is operating under the 2,209 figure today, even though she said in late February she needed 2,025 to win.

Read my full story here.

UPDATE, 12:28 A.M. - Obama also has turned his home page into a donation site with a Web video talking about why he is running.

— Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times