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Clinton to concede, loses grasp on No. 2

Obama gains Democratic momentum to forge unity

By Joseph Curl (Contact) | Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is conceding the Democratic presidential nomination to Sen. Barack Obama, as party leaders and strategists began to openly oppose the former first lady's aggressive efforts to join the ticket.

"Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, D.C., to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity," the Clinton campaign said in a statement Wednesday night. The event is set for Saturday.

A series of other events Wednesday consolidated Mr. Obama's power over the party as its de facto nominee - a continuing surge of superdelegate endorsements, statements by party elders that the race is over, and his naming of a vice-presidential team, which brought about the inevitable debate over Mrs. Clinton as a running mate.

Former President Jimmy Carter told a British newspaper that choosing the former first lady, who has refused to concede defeat, would be "the worst mistake that could be made." He told the Guardian that since half of each Democrat's supporters don't like the other, Mr. Obama would run the risk of "the worst of both worlds."

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, a Clinton supporter, disputed the notion that Mrs. Clinton's strong second-place finish gives her leverage on the all-but-certain nominee.

"There's no bargaining. You don't bargain with the presidential nominee. Even if you're Hillary Clinton and you have 18 million votes, you don't bargain," he said.

The former first lady agreed to back Mr. Obama during a lengthy conference call with "impatient" House Democrats on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. Obama aides said their team had no scheduled plans for the candidates to appear together.

Mr. Obama on Wednesday night attended a $2,300-per-person fundraiser on New York's Park Avenue, which he called "our first post-nomination event" to applause and whistles. At the event, attended by "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker among other celebrities, Mr. Obama repeated his recent praise of Mrs. Clinton, saying his daughters will grow up taking for granted that a woman can be president.

"Your junior senator from New York engaged in an extraordinary campaign," he told the crowd. "Now that the interfamily squabble is done, all of can focus on what needs to be done in November."

Also Wednesday, Mr. Obama swiftly compiled a three-member team to lead his vice-presidential search: choosing Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and former deputy attorney general Eric Holder to join Washington insider Jim Johnson.