By Kate Miller

San Antonio, TX–Eloquent, but empty. Speeches, not solutions.

These are the main criticisms coming from McCain and Clinton in regards to his campaign, Barack Obama explained tonight in San Antonio.

Coming off the heels of a win in Vermont, but a loss in both Ohio and Rhode Island, Obama and his wife Michelle came out to an smaller than usual crowd at around 10:30 p.m.

Giving a speech far different from the one I heard in Seattle and earlier this week in San Antonio, Obama focused heavily on the criticism often hurled at him and his “hope” campaign.

“We were told we couldn’t really change the way it is…then, a few people in Iowa stood up, and said ‘Yes, We Can.’” Obama went on to recognize many different areas in our nation where he has been victorious, saying change is calling “from the hills of Vermont, to the streets of San Antonio.”

Focusing a fair amount of his speech on our tarnished image throughout the world, Obama exclaimed to the crowd that when an American goes abroad, he or she should be proud to say, “I am an American.”

“We have it within our power to remake the world as it should be,” he proclaimed near the beginning of the speech.

Obama advisor David Axelrod remained in extremely high spirits while addressing the media moments before Obama’s speech.

Axelrod repeatedly stated that the “Clinton campaign thought they could wipe out our delegate lead tonight, and they didn’t,” explaining that when the math is done, it shows that Obama will go on to clinch the nomination.

However, the mood on this surprisingly cold Texas night was somber. There was an interesting mix of emotions in the crowd, and within Obama’s voice. On the one hand, he had lost a big one, Ohio. But on the other hand, Texas was still up in the air, giving the campaign hope. He couldn’t quite give a victory speech, and he couldn’t quite address defeat.

Somewhat stuck between a rock and a hard place, Obama’s speech was full of his passionate rhetoric, but not so much his passionate gestures, and his inspired tone of voice.

I half expected to drive away from San Antonio tonight and observe throngs of supporters dancing in the streets, singing the praises of Obama at the top of their lungs.

I half expected Clinton supporters to be marching throughout the streets of Texas, beaming with pride for their woman of the hour.

I half expected to witness history, whether it be because the first woman had secured the Democratic nomination, or because the first black man had.

But this race will go on. History has begun to be written; chapters have been completed. But the book has yet to be finished.

Obama’s delegate lead going into this second Super Tuesday will keep him in this race, if not in the lead, depending upon how Texas plays out. Currently, Clinton has been projected the winner of the primary, but by a small percentage. The caucus results are beginning to come in, with Obama taking the lead. But Clinton proved the ability to recover from a floundering campaign tonight, something that will no doubt bolster the momentum she’s been craving, and hinder the force that has been the Obama campaign.

This race will be close, and this race will get ugly.

And so, as we end this Texas journey, the roller-coaster that is the 2008 election continues in full force…