Clinton Endorses Obama

“Ain’t no stoppin’ us now…”

In a speech this afternoon, Senator Hillary Clinton officially withdrew from the race for the Democratic party nomination and endorsed Senator Barack Obama. The announcement of today’s speech came only a couple days ago but already much anticipation and even more speculation surrounded the event. Amongst a crowd of supporters Hillary offered the following in her 28-minute address…

“The way to continue our fight now to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States.

Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.”

Many have questioned the future of Senator Clinton following her concession. Interviews with supporters offer a range of guesses including Vice President and cabinet member. Additionally, Obama was reported to have privately met with Senator Clinton days ago though the topic of discussion remains unclear.

Clinton to Drop Presidential Bid

Literally, not a moment too soon.

Reports from the Clinton campaign announce that she will concede her party’s nomination Saturday and endorse Senator Obama. A conference call to senior Democrats was among the turning points in her stance. She still has yet to publicly admit she lost the contest. However, all primaries have concluded and Clinton remains short of the necessary delegate count needed to become the Democratic nominee. Supporters were stunned in her speech as Obama claimed victory in which she seemed determined as ever to press onward.

Many (including we here at AfroThought) have speculated that her prolonged campaign was a tactic to position herself as the prominent choice for Vice President. Public opinion seems mixed about an Obama-Clinton ticket. While some feel it would unite the party, others feel she would negate the “change” so desired by the Obama campaign. It is however clear that Obama needs a running mate with foriegn policy experience, as well as experience in Washington. However many more see Clinton as far too polarizing a figure to aide the Obama ticket. Her active endorsement will definitely be much needed among the voting groups with which Obama has had difficulty. Clinton has expressed strong commitment to do “whatever it takes” to makes sure her party wins in November.

Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination

“Who’s the man with the masterplan?!”

In a historic occasion last night, Senator Barack Obama officially declared himself the Democratic party’s presumptive nominee. Following the primaries in both Montana and South Dakota, the Illinois senator crossed the threshold of 2,118 necessary delegates needed to clinch to nomination. Obama is expected to have an estimated 2,156 delegates garnered not only by the primaries but also an influx of super-delegates.

In the past week, in effort to bring the heavily contested democratic nomination race to an end, the Obama campaign reached out to super-delegates who were on the fence or leaning in the direction of his campaign to make endorsements; thus receiving backing from super-delegates in Oregon, Colorado, Guam, Wyoming, California and Texas. The results of the primaries split as expected were still enough to push Obama well beyond the needed delegates. In fact, it has been reported for weeks that Obama could lose every remaining primary with a 40-60 margin and still clinch the nomination. Now June 3, 2008, he has made history as the first African-American to clinch a major party’s Presidential nomination.