WASHINGTON--Barack Obama's win over Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic White House ticket has provoked an outpouring of emotion online, with bloggers expressing pride and bitterness in equal measure.

"As an African-American, I feel that this is a proud moment for America. Now let's get back to work and win the general election!" commented Jay Spartan on a blog on the Washington Post's website.

"I am profoundly moved," added hmsbirkenhead of Obama's victory Tuesday, which makes him the first black presidential nominee of a major US party.

"I feel that I have witnessed a momentous event, and more importantly, that I am part of it, and I am very, very proud."

Several bloggers echoed Obama's own words Wednesday, when he paid tribute to "all the people who have knocked down barriers for me to walk through this door" and remarked that today's children can "take for granted now that, of course, a black can run for president, that a woman can run for president."

CNN posed a question to its viewers asking: "What message does it send to the world that an African-American is his party's likely nominee for president?"

"It says that the American people are starting to move forward again. We are still fighting each other but it is a huge step forward to nominate an African-American," replied one website user, Collin.

Pro-Obama commentator Andrew Sullivan, who has a blog on the website of Atlantic magazine, collected several moving reactions to the Illinois senator's win.

"Tomorrow I will go to the African-American cemetery outside of Chicago where my great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, and my mother and father are buried," one said.

"And I will tell them that they were right -- that if we studied hard, worked hard, kept the faith, fought for justice, prayed, that this day would come. And it has."

Another said: "My grandfather, 86 years old and a veteran of WWII, just gave me a call. He was calling all of his grandchildren to let them know what an important night this was in the history of our country...

"Many people, especially the younger generation who supported Obama, will never fully realize the historical import of what happened tonight... it was the second time in my 33 years that I have heard my grandpa cry."

But for all the goodwill generated by Obama's victory, there was also bitterness at the end of Clinton's bid to be the first female US president.

"Obama got the nomination because of the superdelegates that supported him and the superdelegates that turned their backs on their states and Hillary," wrote JHack on the CNN website, referring to the party leaders who, unlike the delegates pledged according to state primaries, could vote for who they wanted.

There was also anger in Obama's camp at her refusal to concede defeat after Obama clinched a majority of delegates late Tuesday.

Instead, she will wait until a rally on Saturday to formally bow out, her campaign said.

"She's like that child we have all seen somewhere. Spoiled brat, petulant and just plain insufferable," wrote kmg on the Politico website.

Elvis1 noted on the Washington Post website that Clinton had her chance to quit gracefully Tuesday, and "if she had done so, the whole country would be talking today about how great she is and give her her due."

"Instead she left her supporters empty, Obama's angry, and party leaders trashing her," the blogger wrote.