Town of Unity hosts display of Demo unity
And the former rivals both understand they need each other now. Friday's unity event was the first public step in meeting all those needs.
Obama publicly implored the New York senator and her husband, former President Clinton, for their help.
"We need them. We need them badly," Obama said. "Not just my campaign, but the American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom in the months and years to come because that's how we're going to bring about unity in the Democratic Party. And that's how we're going to bring about unity in America."
And he let her supporters know he appreciates her historic bid to become the first female president.
"I know that ... because of the campaign that Hillary Clinton waged, my daughters and all of your daughters will forever know that there is no barrier to who they are and what they can be in the United States of America," Obama said.
Obama and his supporters also got what they needed to see: Clinton endorsing the Illinois senator without equivocation and imploring her loyalists to join his cause.
After worrying for months that the Clintons would be too narcissistic and power hungry to accept defeat with grace, Obama's backers had to acknowledge that she more than came through with her end of the bargain.
The former first lady needs to be an energetic team player to protect her own legacy. She cannot be seen as someone who stood in the way of a Democratic victory in November or of electing the first black president. Many Obama backers already blame Clinton for weakening Obama's candidacy by remaining in the primary race long after she had any hope of winning.
Bill Clinton must also guard his legacy by campaigning full-bore for Obama. But the former president was conspicuously absent from the Unity gathering, and friends say it could be awhile before he is ready to fully embrace Obama's candidacy.
The former first lady also needs Obama's help paying back her multimillion-dollar campaign debt, and he has promised to lend a hand.
In an important symbolic gesture, both Clintons contributed the maximum $2,300 apiece to Obama's campaign Friday. The announcement followed Obama's disclosure that he and his wife Michelle would give the same amount toward Clinton's debt retirement.
Recent comments
I just can't wait for Hilary and Bill to really give it to BHO...
I Can't Wait | June 28, 2008 at 1:48 p.m.
At the Hillary/Barack charade in Unity, N.H., Hillary again proved...
The Perfidious One | June 28, 2008 at 12:53 p.m.
That was as scripted as Wrights attack on Obama and the next day...
MoJules | June 28, 2008 at 11:16 a.m.
