Hillary Clinton Endorses Obama, Urges Party Unity

“I support Barack Obama. I am his proud supporter. I urge Democrats to unite behind Barack Obama as the party`s presidential candidate. Otherwise, we have to endure another Republican in the White House.”

Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention yesterday urged her supporters to back Obama.

“Whether you voted for me or you voted for Barack in the primaries, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. Barack Obama is my candidate. And he must be our president."

Clinton also criticized Republican candidate John McCain for his positions on healthcare, the economy and Iraq, saying, “No way. No how. No McCain.”

Her support for Obama was clear and sharp. Obama welcomed her address, saying, “That was excellent, that was a strong speech. She made the case for why we`re going to be unified in November and why we`re going to win this election.”

Still, it is unclear if Clinton supporters will back Obama. This is because the Democratic Party in the primaries showed clear divisions in generation, race, jobs, education and region, leaving many emotional scars behind.

A CNN poll suggested 64 percent of Clinton’s supporters will vote for Obama, a considerable drop from 75 percent in June. Clinton backers who said they would vote for McCain increased to 27 percent from 16 percent over the same period.

Many experts said the main theme of unity between Clinton and Obama in the convention was both a catharsis and rite of passage. Others said Clinton made a strategic move to make a second run for president in 2012.

Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner gave the keynote address to urge support for Obama, saying, “It won`t be won with yesterday`s ideas and yesterday`s divisions. And it won`t be won with a president who is stuck in the past.”

Since his keynote speech in the 2004 convention in Boston helped Obama leap into sudden fame, Warner received much attention. The investor-turned governor is credited for resolving the chronic financial deficit of Virginia through using business principles in state administration.

Warner served as governor between 2002 and 2006.

In addition a couple of Korean-American pastors offered the benediction at the convention. The Rev. Kang Jin-ho prayed for the United States to choose a good leader dedicating himself to freedom, peace and the nation.

sechepa@donga.com