Clinton To End Campaign, Back Obama

Tells Supporters That Party Must Unite Behind Obama; "Stakes Are Too High" To Do Otherwise

(CBS/AP)  Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to officially end her historic presidential campaign.

In a letter to supporters sent early Thursday morning, Clinton said she would host an event in Washington, DC, on Saturday to thank her backers and express her support for Barack Obama and Democratic Party unity.

"I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise," Clinton said in the letter. "I will be speaking on Saturday about how together we can rally the party behind Senator Obama. The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise."

CBS News learned earlier Wednesday that the former first lady had told House Democrats during a private conference call that she would give her support to Obama and congratulate him for gathering the necessary delegates to be the party's nominee.

Also in the speech, Clinton will urge once-warring Democrats to focus on the general election and defeating Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

"My differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans," she said in her letter, titled, "I Want You To Know".

One adviser said Clinton and her lieutenants had discussed various ways a presidential candidacy can end, including suspending the campaign to retain control of her convention delegates and sustain her visibility in an effort to promote her signature issue of health care.

The other options include freeing her delegates to back Obama and ending her candidacy unconditionally. The official stressed that neither Clinton nor her inner circle had decided specifically what course to take other than to recognize that the active state of her bid to become the first U.S. female president had ended.

On the telephone call with impatient House supporters, Clinton was urged to draw a close to the contentious campaign, or at least express support for Obama. Her decision to acquiesce caught many in the campaign by surprise and left the campaign scrambling to finalize the logistics and specifics behind her campaign departure.

The New York congressional delegation's Democrats wanted to campaign for Obama this weekend, New York Rep. Charles Rangel, a longtime political patron, said and weren't comfortable doing that if she hadn't formally endorsed her rival.

"The quicker we proved that we were committed to Senator Obama, then the better for all of us," Rangel said Thursday on CBS News' The Early Show.

Rangel said Obama and Clinton need each other - it would help him pick up her supporters if she were on the Democratic ticket, and she "needs to maintain momentum" as a national and international leader.

Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean and the Democratic congressional leadership released a statement earlier Wednesday urging the party to rally behind Obama, and several lawmakers including Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu all endorsed their Illinois colleague.

Obama announced Wednesday that he had named a three-person vetting team to help him choose a running mate. The team consisted of Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder and longtime Washington insider Jim Johnson.

They have already begun compiling information on potential running mates, but have disclosed no names.

Many of Clinton's supporters are pushing for Obama to pick her as his running mate. In an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, Obama said he was going to go through a "deliberate process" and did not rule out choosing Clinton.

"Sen. Clinton would be on anybody's short list, obviously," he said. (See more of the interview.)

It was an inauspicious end for a candidacy that appeared indestructible when Sen. Clinton began 17 months ago.

Armed with celebrity, a prodigious fundraising Rolodex, a battle-tested campaign team and a popular two-term former president as a husband, many observers believed Clinton's victory in the Democratic nomination contest was a sure thing.

But in Obama, the New York senator faced an opponent who appeared perfectly suited to the time - a charismatic newcomer who opposed the Iraq war from the beginning and who offered voters a compelling message of change. Clinton voted for the legislation that authorized military force against Iraq. (Read "Five Reasons Obama Won" by CBSNews.com's Vaughn Ververs.)

After a disastrous showing in the leadoff Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, Clinton won New Hampshire's primary Jan. 8, setting off the state-by-state war of attrition with Obama that followed.

Her fortunes rose and fell like a fever chart: She was up in Nevada, down in South Carolina. Then, after a roughly even finish on Super Tuesday Feb. 5, she suffered a string of unanswered losses that, almost before Clinton noticed, put Obama so far ahead in the delegate hunt that all the big-state victories she piled up couldn't close the delegate gap.

By March, her options limited, Clinton adopted the persona of a tenacious fighter for the middle class, and powered successfully through primaries in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky, showing grit that earned her valuable political currency.

White men, blue-collar workers, socially conservative Democrats and older women were especially receptive to her message, and her strong showing with those voters exposed Obama's vulnerabilities among those groups.

Democrats whose No. 1 concern had been ending the Iraq war at the campaign's outset, started worrying more about the economy. That was a switch from Obama's strength to hers.

[omaar-101]

Note #1: You Clinton Spin Doctors are Bitter, Hatefilled & Hateful and Need to Stay Home or Vote for a Pro-life, Anti-Gay, 71-72 Yr. old Republican Moderate, that Can''t Move his Bowels, moreover Move an Audience to Vote for him...

His Speed Reading skills are the Worse and did you SEE his Geriatric, Depend Wearing, DAM Near Comatose Audience !!

Oh Yeah, Sure Obama will have Problems with this Senior Citizen...

I can''t wait to See, McCain Fumble All over his Words, or Worse, McCain Falling Asleep, during a Debate !!!



Note#2: (PA) Gov. Ed Rendell, one of Clinton''''s most vocal surrogates, shot down this very idea in an interview Wednesday with NY1 News.

Rendell reminded Clinton and her supporters that the choice for Vice President belongs solely to Obama. "He has to make the choice, and it''s his choice to make," said Rendell. "You don''t bargain with the Presidential nominee. Even if you''''re Hillary Clinton and you have 18 million votes, you don''t bargain."

Last week, Rendell seemed optimistic that Clinton would get the V.P. nod. By Wednesday, the Governor had changed his tune, fearing that Clinton could overshadow Obama.

"The rule for the vice president is make sure you never upstage the president," said Rendell. "It''s rule one. You know, Hillary Clinton in some ways couldn''t help but upstage, even if she was trying not to."

[jedi080808]

ding dong the witch is dead. The wicked witch is dead

[ofbyfor1]

Senator Clinton, you fought the good fight and I''m sure you and your supporters are saddened and disappointed right now. Thank you for being gracious enough to support Senator Obama. We can''t afford 4 more years of the same policies and I know that was what you were fighting for. A united Democratic party will make sure we don''t have to suffer through 4 more years of this nightmare. Thank you.

[tiredofobama]

Posted by omaar-101 at 08:22 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Who the hell do you think you are telling me who or what I am or who the hell I have to support!

Nobody in the world has been more hateful than you Obama people! You deserve only to be spit on!

[tonytx58]

how many times does she have to call us all to hear her talk about how wonderful she is. as far as im concerned she missed her chance to be relevant last night. she has no right to be a part of this ticket after dissing him like that last night. but she shouldnt care cause if he is not electable why would she want to be on a doomed ticket anyway. it just shows what a line of bull her whole campaign has been. I hope he picks someone else cause she is nothing but a liability and a liar.

[tiredofobama]

Senator Clinton, you fought the good fight and I''''m sure you and your supporters are saddened and disappointed right now. Thank you for being gracious enough to support Senator Obama. We can''''t afford 4 more years of the same policies and I know that was what you were fighting for. A united Democratic party will make sure we don''''t have to suffer through 4 more years of this nightmare. Thank you.


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Posted by ofbyfor1 at 08:33 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Evidently you didn''t read closely. She congratulated him on getting the delegates. She not going to be seen as supporting him! She doesn''t want his dirt when the republicans bring him down!

[lastdance122]

All of the Supporters of : Nazi (Delusional-Crying) Hillary and X-cess Baggage Nazi (racist) Bill
Back to : The Republican NAZI Party - Where They Originally Came from ! !
_________

Nazi (Delusional-Crying) Hillary and X-cess Baggage Nazi (racist) Bill
Will Now Need a PRESIDENTIAL PARDON From Obama for :
Their own CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
Including and All of Their CRIMINAL Friends in : The Bush NAZI Regime
and Their CRIMINAL Cohort Friends in Criminal Corporate NAZI America

Any Corporation or POLITICAL INFLUENCE
That has Supported and Assisted in The Achievement of :
PURPOSELY and INTENTIONALLY __ DESTROYING
The INFRASTRUCTURE of The United States is an : Act of TREASON
TREASON is __ A CRIMINAL ACT !

Nazi (Delusional-Crying) Hillary and X-cess Baggage Nazi (racist) Bill
and - Criminal Corporate NAZI America

DEMOCRATIC PARTY TRAITORS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY DESTROYERS

JOB DESTROYER
WAGE PACKAGE DESTROYER
HEALTH CARE BENEFIT DESTROYER
WORKING MIDDLE CLASS AMERICA DESTROYER
FAMILY UNIT DESTROYER
HOME OWNERSHIP DESTROYER
CREDIT DESTROYER
AMERICAN ECONOMY DESTROYER
DEMOCRACY DESTROYER

The PATRIOTIC Gift of :
NAZI (Delusional-Crying) Hillary - X-cess Baggage NAZI (racist) Bill
and Criminal Corporate (NAZI) America

To The People of the World
SLAVE LABOR and CHILD FORCED SLAVE LABOR

To The AMERICAN PEOPLE
ONE WORLD NAZI FASCIST (Criminal Corporate) RULE

TREASON is __ A CRIMINAL ACT

[tiredofobama]

Won''''t do any good! Obama is C-R-A-P

Heard Oprah did a happy dance over Obama. Sheesh I thought we had an earthquake. Down Oprah, down girl!


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Posted by ObombA1 at 08:23 PM : Jun 04, 2008

lol, Poor old Oprah! Her ratings have come down from 75% to barely 50% since she supported Obama.

Ellen Degeneres has more support!

[barbaraf4]

I suspect this is the first time in her entire life that Hillary has heard the word "no".

[omaar-101]

Posted by ObombA1: Heard Oprah did a happy dance over Obama. Sheesh I thought we had an earthquake. Down Oprah, down girl!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I HEARD, SEAN HANNITY, ANNE CULTURE, RUSH LIMBAUGH & BILL OREILY, & GLENN BECK ALL SAY D@MN, IS THIS GERIATRIC SENIOR CITIZEN, THE BEST REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, WE COULD GET ?

BOY ARE WE DONE THIS NOVEMBER !!

LATER THAT DAY, THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, TURNED UP PICTURES OF ANNE & RUSH COPPING SOME (VAICODONE) !!

[tiredofobama]

I suspect this is the first time in her entire life that Hillary has heard the word "no".


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by barbaraf4 at 08:37 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Get ready for the big bang, when the whole country tells Obamanation NO!

[the74blaster]

Senator Clinton, you fought the good fight and I''''m sure you and your supporters are saddened and disappointed right now. Thank you for being gracious enough to support Senator Obama. We can''''t afford 4 more years of the same policies and I know that was what you were fighting for. A united Democratic party will make sure we don''''t have to suffer through 4 more years of this nightmare. Thank you.

Posted by ofbyfor1,

Great post! Hillary did run a tough fight and I for one was somewhat critical of her efforts once it became obvious Obama had an insurmountable lead.

However, that does not reduce my respect for what she has accomplished.

[omaar-101]

Posted by ObombA1: Heard Oprah did a happy dance over Obama. Sheesh I thought we had an earthquake. Down Oprah, down girl!


----------------------------------
----------------------------------------
------

I HEARD, SEAN HANNITY, ANNE CULTURE, RUSH LIMBAUGH & BILL OREILY, & GLENN BECK ALL SAY D@MN, IS THIS GERIATRIC SENIOR CITIZEN, THE BEST REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, WE COULD GET ?

BOY ARE WE DONE THIS NOVEMBER !!

LATER THAT DAY, THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, TURNED UP PICTURES OF ANNE USING (HEROIN & CRYSTAL METH) & RUSH COPPING SOME (VAICODONE) !!

PS: RUSH LIMBAUGH, YOU NEED TO START A STRICT 4 CUPS OF WATER PER DAY DIET AND ANNE, YOU NEED TO START EATING WHATEVER RUSH & SEAN ARE EATING AND TONS OF IT !!

[randynason]

Hillary should support the Democratic Party and look ahead, not back. She can run again. In the meantime, there is a Republican Party and its'' supporters to destroy and annihilate.

[the74blaster]

Evidently you didn''''t read closely. She congratulated him on getting the delegates. She not going to be seen as supporting him! She doesn''''t want his dirt when the republicans bring him down!

Posted by TiredofObama,

Perhaps. However, if Obama does the right things it will be a landslide in his favor. As an independent I can tell you many have already decided another GOP administration is the worst thing we could do to our country.

[ofbyfor1]

Evidently you didn''''t read closely. She congratulated him on getting the delegates. She not going to be seen as supporting him! She doesn''''t want his dirt when the republicans bring him down!

Posted by TiredofObama at 08:34 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Second paragraph of the article, Mr know-it-all. Apparently YOU were the one who did not read it correctly.

''Clinton will host an event in Washington, DC, on Friday to thank her supporters and EXPRESS HER SUPPORT FOR Barack Obama and Democratic Party unity, her communications director Howard Wolfson told CBS News. ''

[thisandthat1]

Too little, too late. She had a chance to do the right thing last night. She blew it! Unclassiest politician ever!

[frankie1949-2009]

Thank you ofbyfor1 for being the voice of reason. Many Obama supporters are having such a good time sticking it to Clinton and her supporters they have lost sight of the bigger picture, that is beating John McCain. They have won nothing if the Dems are defeated in Nov. Stop the arrogance start trying to unify the party. Gloating wont win the election.

[thewarning2]

*** TiredofObama! I am sensing alot of hate! What''s wrong?

[ofbyfor1]

Great post! Hillary did run a tough fight and I for one was somewhat critical of her efforts once it became obvious Obama had an insurmountable lead.

However, that does not reduce my respect for what she has accomplished.

Posted by the74blaster at 08:41 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Thank you. I agree.

[sgtrds-e4]

hear that sound? Why that''s me playing the worlds tiniest violin, just for her. LOL!

[thisandthat1]

The loser (Hillary) doesn''t get to call the shots! Obama won the nomination ... he gets to choose who he wants to be VP and not be blackmailed by the loser!

[knoesgaard]

To the diehard Hillary supporters that think they''ll be punishing Obama by voting McCain - you won''t be. You''ll be punishing your country and yourself. Obama and Hillary agreed on 90% of the issues, remember. Obama will enact 90% of Hillary''s proposals. McCain will enact ZERO, and will work to cripple the house and the senate with veto power, and will install conservative Scalia-like judges on the Supreme Court. Think about it.

[tiredofobama]

Stay away from Obama, Hillary! You don''t need his dirt raining down on your when the republicans bring him down!

Don''t support or endorse! Keep out of it!

[sgtrds-e4]

The speech she gave last night was one of the most classless speeches of all time. It was arrogant, self-centered and egotistical. Today dozens of her super-delegates called her in a series of individual and conference calls and told her just that. Like I said all along, the powers that be in the DNC let her run out the clock, but when she wouldn''t concede they told her she has no choice.

[ofbyfor1]

Posted by Frankie1949 at 08:46 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Thank you. Yes, too many people are still giving Hil a hard time and too many of her supporters are ''taking their ball and going home''. I''d like to think that we have enough maturity and common sense in this country not to allow ouselves to cut off our nose to spite our face. We''re supposed to be adults and I fear for the next generation''s future if we continue the madness of the last 7 years.

[tiredofobama]

Congratulations on the DNC oligarchy picking out your candidate for you! You should be PROUD!

Time to vote in the candidate that actually got chosen by the people, instead of the republican oligarchy!

[thisandthat1]

ttracymorgan, you''re so naive ... it''s fun to read your comments. Do you honestly think McCain has a chance to beat Obama in the Fall? I mean, really? Or are you just hoping?

[ofbyfor1]

Posted by Frankie1949 at 08:46 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Thank you. Yes, too many people are still giving Hil a hard time and too many of her supporters are ''taking their ball and going home''. I''d like to think that we have enough maturity and common sense in this country not to allow ouselves to cut off our nose to spite our face. We''re supposed to be adults and I fear for the next generation''s future if we continue the madness of the last 7 years.

[tiredofobama]

John McCain...all the way! Now we''ve got the DNC bull spit put aside! We can get on with putting down the Obamanation once and for all!

[ofbyfor1]

Sorry for the repeat post. Publish button is cranky tonight, LOL.

[tiredofobama]

Rezko, Obama''s Chief Campaign Fund supporter was put down today! Now they can concentrate on Blagojevich, Daley, and all those who supported them!

Time to clean up Chicago and get rid of the fraudulent apportionment of government funds and those that supported it including Barak Obama!

[ofbyfor1]

Obama is losing 25% of the vote on racial identity alone. All McCain needs is another 26% to win. The "naive" ones would be those who pretend otherwise.

Posted by ttracymorgan at 08:57 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Those 25%(or whatever) would never have voted Dem to begin with. And I think it''s extremely naive of you to think that McCain will pull enough to make a majority. Beside that, I suspect that your numbers are full of it anyway.

[feminator1]

Hillary supporters are now in the middle between Obama and McCain. We''re no longer Democrats.
We demand a VP spot for Hillary. If this can''t be met then we will vote McCain.
Snub us and we snub the democratic party.

[andor3]

Thank you Sen. Clinton--it was a good race and Americans are honored to have two talented and intelligent people vying for the Democratic nomination. Once we unite, Swen. McCain will be sent to the back of the bus where he belongs.

[moeen1000]

BE PREPARED TO BE SURPRISED BY Clinton again on Friday.

Something tells me she will support Obama, BUT WITHOUT CONCEDING.

I HAVE SEEN HER GIVING HINT OR MAKE PROMISE TO BE GRACIOUS only to do just the opposite.

I DON''T TRUST A WORD COMING OUT OF HER or HER CAMPAIGN.

[andor3]

"We demand a VP spot for Hillary. If this can''t be met then we will vote McCain.
Snub us and we snub the democratic party."

If that is really your feeling, go ahead: we do not want your vote or your support, you obviously do not value your vote or what is best for the country.

[tiredofobama]

Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to end her historic presidential campaign while leaving her options open to retain her delegates and promote her agenda, a campaign official says."

This says it all


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Posted by Policrypt at 09:02 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Yes, it proves there is at least one politician that will stick to her guns! This is one of the bravest moves I have seen in recent history!

[sgtrds-e4]

Hillary supporters are now in the middle between Obama and McCain. We''''re no longer Democrats.
We demand a VP spot for Hillary. If this can''''t be met then we will vote McCain.
Snub us and we snub the democratic party.

Posted by feminator1 at 09:02 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Don''t let the door hit you in the as*s on the way out and good riddance.

[feminator1]

Hillary supporters will back McCain if the Democrat Party screws us over by denying Hillary a VP spot.
We have power. Yes we do. We demand a VP spot for Hillary. Failure to do so will force us to vote for McCain. We''re not Democrats, we''re independant feminists. Who will be nicer to us? McCain or Obama. So far it''s even.

[sgtrds-e4]

Posted by feminator1 at 09:08 PM : Jun 04, 2008


GOP troll trying to stir up cr*ap.

[sgtrds-e4]

Posted by feminator1 at 09:08 PM : Jun 04, 2008


GOP troll trying to stir up cr*ap.

[marcpcbs]

I was going to vote for Hillary but because I don''t believe that Obama has sufficient experience, I''m voting for Mc Cain.

[sgtrds-e4]

I was going to vote for Hillary but because I don''''t believe that Obama has sufficient experience, I''''m voting for Mc Cain.

Posted by marcpcbs at 09:10 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Bye, you won''t be missed.

[tiredofobama]

Those that believe that Hillary Rodham Clinton owe allegiance to the DNC party are totally immature and bias! She doesn''t owe a damned thing to anybody but her supporters!

She may support the party, but she does not owe one bit of support to Barak Hussein Obama! Nor do we! And we reserve our right to keep that support for her!

Thank GOD for our freedom of choice, even though the DNC and has a system of policy that robs it from you!

[feminator1]

GOP troll trying to stir up cr*ap.


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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 09:09 PM : Jun 04, 2008


Are you kidding me? After 8 years of GOP failure?
No. I hate the GOP , but I hate islamic terrorists even more.

[sgtrds-e4]

Are you kidding me? After 8 years of GOP failure?
No. I hate the GOP , but I hate islamic terrorists even more.

Posted by feminator1 at 09:14 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Oh, I didn''t recognize you rowdy.

[ofbyfor1]

We demand a VP spot for Hillary. If this can''''t be met then we will vote McCain.
Snub us and we snub the democratic party.

Posted by feminator1 at 09:02 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Well now, that''s downright mature of you. Just going to take your ball and go home? Even Hillary is saying that she''ll support Obama so that we don''t have 4 more GOP-laced nightmare years. Why can''t you show the same graciousness that she is? BTW, I''m sure she''d be a shoe-in for a top cabinet position.

[suzyq28-2009]

Stop with the hate mongering. These candidates all deserve your praise. Why should any of them care about what happens to YOU. We should all be grateful there are people like them. They work tirelessly to make our world a better place. I congratulate Barack Obama, and I thank Hillary Clinton. What a feat these two have accomplished. Hopefully Obama will consider carefully who can best serve as VP. I vote for Hillary. Lets take back our country.

[tiredofobama]

Dictionary.com for a more accurate definition of the word BRAVE. I think you may meant opportunist, self serving, or selfish. Those are much better adjectives for ANY Clinton


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Posted by Policrypt at 09:11 PM : Jun 04, 2008

Yes, I call her very brave in every sense of the word!

What I call you is foolish...

Main Entry: fool7ish
Pronunciation: %u02C8f|-lish
Function: adjective
Date: 13th century
1: lacking in sense, judgment, or discretion