BBC: US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has told the BBC that he expects to be his party's nominee once the final primaries are over next week.
Speaking to the BBC's Katty Kay, he said the general election campaign - against Republican John McCain - would then begin in earnest.
Mr Obama is battling Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
Mrs Clinton could still win, by persuading enough "super-delegates", or senior party officials, to back her.
But Mr Obama is confident that he will pick up enough of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination.
"If we've gotten the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination then I am the nominee," he told the BBC. Obama: I’ll Be Winner Next Week >>> | May 30, 2008
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