WASHINGTON, June 24, 2008
Clinton Returns To The Senate
N.Y. Senator Greeted By Loud Applause And Hugs As She Arrives On Capitol Hill
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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. waves to the crown as she returns to Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Play CBS Video Video Clinton To Campaign For Obama Two weeks after conceding the Democratic presidential nomination to her opponent Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton is set to return to the national stage. Thalia Assuras reports.
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Video Clinton Rallies For Obama Hillary Clinton may play a huge role in uniting the Democratic Party after a lengthy primary. And, as Thalia Assuras reports, she's already making headway.
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Video Obama: Party Unity Barack Obama speaks about the importance of Democratic Party unity and how his views are similar to those held by Hillary Clinton.
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Photo Essay Hillary Clinton A look at a life and career full of firsts.
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Photo Essay Hillary Rodham Clinton The Democratic Senator from New York and former first lady sets her sights on the White House.
Hillary Rodham Clinton returned to Congress Tuesday for the first time since suspending her presidential campaign, to a loud round of applause and hugs from Democrats as they try to bridge the rifts left by a long, bruising presidential primary.
The return of the New York senator had been much anticipated since she suspended her race for the White House earlier this month after Barack Obama clinched the necessary number of delegates to secure the party's nomination.
“Glad to be here, my friends, glad to be here,” she said as she entered the building, adding later: “We have a lot ahead of us and I am rolling up my sleeves and getting back to work.”
She was immediately surrounded and hugged by three of her closest supporters: Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
Mikulski, who minutes earlier had been impatiently tapping her watch and peering out the door as she waited for Clinton, declared: “We need you! We need your vote!"
Schumer, a major party fundraiser, immediately answered, “We need more than your vote!"
The group then entered the weekly lunch for Democratic senators, where the applause and clinking of silverware carried far into the hallway where reporters had gathered.
Inside, Clinton gave a short speech saying she was glad to be back and planned to do everything she could to help Obama win the White House and Democrats win races across the country.
“It was the kind of pumped up talk that you would expect,” said Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., with Clinton telling them “we should all join forces.”
She emerged from the meeting about an hour later with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Schumer.
Reid called it “one of the most emotional caucuses that I've attended.”
Clinton said she returned to Congress “with an even greater depth and awareness of what we have to do here in Washington,” Clinton said.
Many of voters' most pressing concerns are about problems that cannot be solved on a local or state level, she said.
“That's why we're going to work very hard to elect Senator Obama president,” she said.
Wednesday, Clinton is to visit House Democrats. On Friday, she travels to New Hampshire for a joint appearance in the town of Unity, where each candidate received exactly 107 votes in the primary.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, she dismissed a question about the likelihood she may be asked to join Obama on the ticket as his pick for vice-president.
“I am not seeking any other position. ... This is totally Senator Obama's decision and that's the way it should be,” she said. “My role is to be the very best senator I can be and represent the greatest state in our country.”
Sen. John Kerry, the party's unsuccessful standard-bearer in 2004, said Clinton comes back “with great respect and affection, and with a readiness by a lot of people here to just go to work with her.”
As for any advice he would offer her, he said it may take time to adjust from the frenetic pace of the campaign trail to the pace of the Senate.
“You have to be kind of patient and focused and disciplined, and I'm confident she'll be all of those things,” he said.
By Devlin Barrett
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
More From Politics
Add a Comment See all 18 Comments
- So I want to know from Rowdy if she thinks us Obama supporters should bail Clinton out of her debt?
I think it sucks that the richests person in the race, Hillary now wants us to bail her out. I''''ll probably do it for the good of the party but that means I will have to forgo another night of meat on the table. I wonder what Hill and Bill will have to give up at the dinner table.
...So Rowdy, what do you think? - Reply to this comment
- What%u2019s with TruUSA trying to get Hilliary supported to vote a Write In ballot for her?
Me thinks she%u2019s a REPUBLICAN.
Anyone with half a brain knows the DEM%u2019s need every vote they can muster for OBAMA.
DEM%u2019s UNITE!!! Vote OBAMA.
The USA should not suffer through another Republican Administration.
OBAMA %u201908!!! - Reply to this comment
- Hillary fought a good hard race. It was close..REAL CLOSE. But, she lost.
It''s time to put personal feeling aside and put the country first. We have to get the Republicans out of office. This country has already suffered too much.
Democrates, please unite!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
SORRY BUT WRITE IN CANIDATES CAN"T WIN. ITs LAW. EVEN IF EVERY PERSON IN THE US WROTE HER IN EXCEPT ONE WHO VOTED FOR OBAMA, he would still be our next president. You might as well leave you ballot blank.
OH, and All you women need to get over it. Hillary was sooo over rated, hopefully she will go crawl under the rock she came from!!! - Reply to this comment
- **YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR OWN MIND.
If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.
DON''''T LET THEM MAKE US CHOOSE
BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS!!!
Don''''t forget that more people actually cast their vote for Hillary than any other candidate in history!!
Vote the people''''s choice.
VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!
**We WILL Do It!!**
Posted by TruUSA at 12:37 AM : Jun 25, 2008
Yep all 18 million of her supporters--would trump the other 92 MILLION voters. That new math will kill ya, --that is one thing an education will do--let you know the value and pitfalls of integers and show you why and how Hillary lost and got in so much debt that the side she alienated has to be sought out to bail her and her supporters sorry azzes out. - Reply to this comment
- Sen. Barack Obama is being criticized for the choice of words he used last week during a meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus in which he reportedly degraded senior female allies of his one-time rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., by telling them to "get over it.%u201D
Posted by elicatlover at 08:46 PM : Jun 24, 2008
He''s right--all Clinton supporters (including you) should grow up and get over it-or let McCain in and fvck yourself and the country in the azz--but if you do--you better not run HRC again--because she won''t earn any new friends--and here''s a clue--there is such a thing as losing with grace--HRC did not do that--though she is now bucking up--but she certainly latched herself to a bunch of vindictive, whiney, supporters--huh? LMAO - Reply to this comment
- She lost, she lost and now, her supporters know its for real--there''s a time to fight and a time to not be a poor sport--but hell hath no fury nor the lack of intelligence and emotional stability of a woman scorned. LOL (and that goes for the feminine males among ya too. LOL
- Reply to this comment
- Get over it, you racist morons!!!!
- Reply to this comment
- Unbelievable. The woman has not done anything as Senator since she was there and those naive folk applaud her- what is up with this country?
Posted by jack3213 at 05:46 PM : Jun 24, 2008
There is noun trouble in the above paraphrase. "WOMAN" .... you sure you didn''t mean "MAN"?! Oh yeah ..... Obama hasn''t returned to the SENATE, he got the nomination. Despite having NEVER DONE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT in the IL State or US Senate! If you live in a glass house, don''t throw stones. - Reply to this comment
- Hillary is the true winner of the Dem Primary, how she can support Obama after Dean and the RULZ committee fixed the race for the party puppet with faux rules conning their own former Base is amazing, classy and gutsy brave.
McCain in 08
Posted by pepperp1 at 08:28 PM : Jun 24, 2008
Of course you realize they will pay ALL OF HER CAMPAIGN DEBT for her troubles (under the table). Obama''s not gettin'' a free ride. - Reply to this comment
- Is it the Wright way to have Damnation with Obamanation through Decapitation?
AKA God D_A_M_N America!
Listen all, Jews and Christians, and beware of the practice of the Muslim faith!
Sura (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"
There is some cool beheading videos online for those who want to see first hand experience of Muslim people who read the Koran that follow the path of the way of the beheading bliss?
The blade goes around your throat as you cry out for this not to happen? You begin to grasp for air as the Muslim cuts deeper and deeper into you throat. You realize that in a few seconds your head will be removed for the purpose of Islam. The last thing you notice is the eyes of the person who is cutting into your bone. You shriek your final breath as you know that time cannot go backwards for this not to happen to you!
This is the Muslim way to a better way!
Do you think Decapitation is the Wright way to have Damnation with Obamanation?
Listen all and practice!
If Obama is not a Muslim let him renounce it the way a Muslim would renounce it!
Obama is he born again?
If he is this is what makes him a christian!
Cbs removed part of my posts?
I wonder why? - Reply to this comment
Hillary is the true winner of the Dem Primary, how she can support Obama after Dean and the RULZ committee fixed the race for the party puppet with faux rules conning their own former Base is amazing, classy and gutsy brave.
McCain in 08- Reply to this comment
- Unbelievable. The woman has not done anything as Senator since she was there and those naive folk applaud her- what is up with this country? Is is not enough to be a lame ''celebrity''- one without experiance or is it just fame most desire without qualifications? Is it just being a woman without crediblity enough? Is it the fact people want "change" wothout ever really knowing or caring what that means? Isn''t it time to "Wake UP" to reality?! If you want ''change'' and not to have this country look foolish in the eyes of terrorists- for the long haul-wouldn''t it be wise to vote for someone who can produce ''change'' without bankrupting you with high taxes or put this country at risk?! Time to think REAL not imaginary. MCCAIN 2008- the only ''REAL" choice.
- Reply to this comment
