US News
Clinton exits White House race, endorses Obama (Roundup)
By DPA
Jun 7, 2008, 19:17 GMT

Washington - Hillary Clinton exited the US presidential race Saturday and threw her support behind presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who clinched his party's nod for the general election earlier this week.

'This isn't exactly the party I planned, but I like the company,' she quipped before thousands of supporters gathered for one final rally in Washington.

Clinton said she was suspending her campaign for the White House and urged all the '18 million' who voted for her to get behind Obama as he begins the general election battle against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

'I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me,' she said, drawing cheers and spattered boos from the crowd after a bitter five-month nomination battle that saw a series of state primaries held across the United States.

The former first lady said it was time for the 'family' of the Democratic Party to unite behind its common goals and hailed the 'milestone' of a woman and African American candidate breaking barriers by having a realistic shot at becoming president of the United States.

Obama became the first African American to lead a major US political party into a general election when he clinched the nomination on Tuesday. Clinton would have been the first woman elected president.

'The stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been,' Clinton said. 'That is why I will work my heart out for ensure that Barack Obama is our next president.'

Obama and Clinton met privately Thursday night to discuss a way forward and secure victory for the Democratic Party in November. Obama had formally launched his general election campaign earlier Thursday with a series of rallies in Virginia.

At the early stages, a tight race was expected between the 46- year-old Illinois senator and McCain, aged 71.

Supporters chanted 'Hillary' at the National Building Museum in Washington and let out a deafening cry as the New York senator took the stage, joined by former president Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea before she began her concession speech.

'I am sad. I was hopeful that she would be our nominee,' said Meigan Thompson, 26, who quit her job to work for the Clinton campaign back in December. She said she is unlikely to do the same for Obama.

Clinton is still a possibility for the vice-presidential slot, but she made no mention of such plans on Saturday, only promising to get on the campaign trail over the next few months to help elect Obama on November 4.

Polls show a majority of Democrats would like to see Obama pick his former rival, creating was has been dubbed the 'dream ticket.'

After a gruelling and passionate campaign, some of Clinton's supporters are less than enthusiastic about the idea of Obama leading the Democratic Party. Most attending Saturday cited his inexperience - Obama was elected to the US Senate in 2004.

'I'm not thrilled about Obama. I'm here to celebrate Hillary,' said Thompson.