Although she arrived late to her concession speech, supporters in attendance and Democrats everywhere were not disappointed by the Junior Senator from New York today. She ran a great race, trail-blazed for women in this country like no one has before and even though she ran the campaign with many questionable practices, she gave hope to millions that America can break through its misogyny and elect a woman to the highest office in the land just like the rest of the world. Unfortunately for her, this just wasn't the particular time for this particular candidate. Now, despite the bad blood between the two campaigns in the last few months, both Barack and Hillary can lead the way for the rest of us in the party.
From The Huffington Post:
Clinton backers described themselves as sad and resigned. "This is a somber day," said Jon Cardinal, one of the first in line. Cardinal said he planned, reluctantly, to support the Illinois senator in the general election. "It's going to be tough after being against Obama for so long," he said.
Aides said Clinton would be unequivocal in her praise for Obama, her rival in an epic, 50-state nominating contest pitting the first serious female candidate for president against the most viable black candidate.
"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 told supporters in an online message late this week.
She said her speech would focus on "how together we can rally the party" behind Obama as he prepares for the general election against Arizona Sen. John McCain. "The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise."
The two had a face-to-face meeting Thursday evening at the Washington home of a Senate colleague, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, where they discussed the campaign to come. They spoke alone for about an hour. Both were laughing when they finished.
Thank you Senator Clinton for your fantastic speech this afternoon and your new and continuing support for Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee. Nothing is more important than coming together as a party so that we beat John McCain this fall so that we can start to put the country back on the right track.
P.S.: I must say, this speech today was better than anything I could have imagined. Hillary Clinton is truly an incredible woman politician Senator American.
