Reporting from Obama's Campaign Plane en Route to St. Paul, Minnesota

Reporting from Mark Halperin:

David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs gaggled with reporters on the flight from Chicago to St. Paul. No news, lots of quotes to come from the campaign's transcript.

Over 20 minutes, they said that they expected Obama and Clinton to talk tonight or tomorrow, but claimed no specifics have been worked out and in fact there have been no back channel talks. Axelrod demurred after several questions about Clinton being on the ticket, saying it was still too early to discuss such things. Over and over he called Clinton “formidable” and said Obama showed his strength by beating her. He said it was quite understandable that her supporters would be upset at the outcome, but that the Democratic Party will be united in beating McCain.

There appears to be a very conscious effort not to gloat and to, a la tonight's event, turn the focus to McCain and off of the tough Democratic fight. They talked about McCain and lobbyists, McCain and Bush, McCain as an opponent of change, etc.

Asked to reflect on the historic nature of Obama's victory, Axelrod said it was “almost surreal” and that they hadn't had much time to reflect, but “we will celebrate tonight.”

Obama was visible in the front of the plane in shirt sleeves throughout the flight, talking to his friends and his wife and her staff. He seems his usual relaxed, informal self from afar.

Friends of Obama's traveling on plane to Minnesota:

1. Valarie Jarrett

2. Eric Whitaker

3. Marty Nesbitt

4. Penny Pritzker

5. John Rodgers

6. Jim Crown