A top aide to US presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama has let slip that the Democratic contender is sincere about considering former rival Senator Hillary Clinton for a spot on the ticket, saying she was on the "shortlist" for the job of running mate.

After a sometimes acrimonious Democratic primary, which saw both sides question the other's fitness to govern, a joint rally held at the appropriately-named Unity, New Hampshire last Friday, has pundits suggesting Sen. Clinton is once again in the running for the all-important vice-presidential nominee slot.

Speaking on Australian television, Sen. Obama's campaign co-chairman Tom Daschle appeared to confirm this saying Sen. Clinton would be on "anybody's short list".

"I think he needs two things, first somebody who can become president in the case of a tragedy and secondly, somebody with whom he can work closely," he said to the ABC's Insiders program.

"I think Hillary Clinton would be, as Barack Obama has said, on anyone's short list and I think that is sincere.

"I think he is looking at Hillary and a host of other possibilities for the future."

After sitting out the Democratic primaries, refusing to endorse either Senator Hillary Clinton or Senator Obama, former Vice President Al Gore has heartily endorsed Obama before a packed crowd at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit calling him "clearly the candidate best able to solve...problems and bring change to America."

Though seemingly unwilling to commit to either candidate during the campaign, perhaps out of respect to the former First Lady, Gore allegedly encouraged Obama in his bid for the presidency and offered some "good political advice" according to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

A recently released AP-Yahoo opinion poll has shown a large number of Republicans, conservatives and the all-important independent voters dislike Senator Hillary Clinton, suggesting the Obama camp would do well do consider carefully before adding her to the ticket as vice-presidential candidate.

The poll, the results of which were published in this AP report, involved telephone interviews with 2,124 adults conducted April 2-June 2, with most during April prior to her withdrawing from the Democratic contest.

Worringly for the Obama camp, thirty-two percent of independents strongly dislike Sen. Clinton, an area Obama must do well in if he is to challenge successfully for the presidency.

Image: Sen Clinton, Jul 2007. Credit Llima/flickr

Senator Barack Obama's communications director has confirmed the presumptive Democratic nominee did meet with Senator Hillary Clinton on Thursday.

"They did meet tonight," said Robert Gibbs in answer to reporter's questions following rumours that the two were meeting to discuss the vice presidential nominee. Gibbs said earlier reports that the two had met at Sen. Clinton's home were incorrect however refused to give details of the meeting.

Both Obama and Clinton preferred not to disclose details of the meeting, releasing a statement saying: "Senator Clinton and Senator Obama met tonight and had a productive discussion about the important work that needs to be done to succeed in November."

Image: Hillary Clinton at the National Education Association Representative Assembly in Philadelphia., July 2, 2007. Credit: Llima/flickr

U.S. media reports (1,2,3) have said Sen. Hillary Clinton will formally concede the Democratic nomination to her opponent Sen. Barack Obama by the end of the week. Clinton, who has been criticised for not conceding defeat during her speech following the final Democratic primaries earlier this week, is expected to endorse Sen. Obama.

Sen. Barack Obama looks to be nearing his goal of gaining enough delegates to claim the Democratic nomination as the two camps prepare for Tuesday's final two primaries in Montana and South Dakota.

Obama wont gain the pledged delegates from tomorrow's last two contests -- there aren't enough delegates on offer, however he is expected to be able to claim enough superdelegates to fall over the line, according to press reports.

With Obama needing just 41.5 delegates to win the nomination according to AP predictions, CNN has reported that most of the seventeen uncommitted Senate delegates will throw their support behind Obama following the end of the nomination process.

Image: Sen. Obama addresses a rally at the University of Maryland, Feb 2008. Credit: Thirty30 Photography/flickr