USA Clinton puts her weight behind Obama’s White House bid 07/06/08 20:12 CET

Hillary Clinton has endorsed Barack Obama’s bid for the US presidency. Four days after Obama claimed victory in the Democratic Party primaries, she used a rally in Washington to suspend her own campaign, thank her supporters and encourage them to get Obama into the White House.

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

Clinton did leave the door open for an eventual comeback, should Obama lose to Republican John McCain in November’s election, saying:

“If we can blast 50 women into space we will someday launch a woman into the White House.”

Some 18 million Democrats opted for Clinton in the primaries and Obama will need as many of their votes as he can muster to beat McCain.

There was no mention in Clinton’s speech of an eventual Vice Presidential role, but the theme of universal healthcare cropped up repeatedly.

That may prove to be her next battle.