Clinton: "Barack Obama is my candidate"

DENVER — Hillary Rodham Clinton summoned her still-disappointed legions to the cause of Barack Obama on Tuesday night with an emotionally charged speech that sought to bind the wounds of the longest presidential primary fight in the history of the Democratic Party and summon Democrats to political arms against Republicans this fall.

"We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines," Clinton told a capacity crowd that jammed the Pepsi Center, the Democratic National Convention site, to witness the final act of the New York senator's historic campaign for president.

"We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare," Clinton said as thousands of delegates stood and cheered, wildly waving blue and white signs reading "Obama" or "Unity."

While the keynote speaker, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, echoed the economic populism and much-touted "postpartisan" message of Obama, it fell to Clinton to tackle job No. 1 for the Democrats before leaving Denver this week — uniting all factions behind the party's soon-to-be nominee.

Clinton, who came closer to winning a major party's nomination than any woman in history, called herself "a proud supporter of Barack Obama," and urged her Democrats "to unite as a single party with a single purpose" — to defeat Republican John McCain in November and end eight years of GOP rule under George W. Bush.

"I haven't spent the past 35 years in the trenches, advocating for children, campaigning for universal health care, helping parents balance work and family and fighting for women's rights at home and around the world to see another Republican in the White House squander the promise of our country and the hopes of our people," she said.

"And you haven't worked so hard over the last 18 months, or endured the last eight years, to suffer through more failed leadership," she added. "No way. No how. No McCain."

While thanking her supporters for joining her in "making history," Clinton emphasized that "Barack Obama is my candidate. And he must be our president."

The former first lady was introduced by her daughter, Chelsea, who called her "my hero and my mother" after a film presentation of highlights from her campaign for president.

Ironically, Clinton's speech came on the 88th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote in the United States.

And it was a bittersweet moment for some of her most ardent supporters.

"It hurts. My heart's broken," said Lulu Flores of Austin, president of the National Women's Political Caucus, standing on the convention floor stairs amid the Texas delegation.

And as Clinton's speech ended, tears welled in Flores' eyes and the delegates cheered. At that moment, Flores became an Obama backer.

"I'm going to do what Hillary asks of me. I'm going to respect her wishes," Flores said, looking forward but still emotional about Clinton's speech and historic candidacy. "I see how great she would have been as president," she said. "But I know where we are and where we have to go. I'm ready."

St. Petersburg, Fla., Clinton delegate Kathryn Larkin, however, said she will vote for Clinton "to the bitter end."

Garry Mauro, the former state land commissioner who steered Clinton's Texas campaign, sat with former President Clinton in his box above the convention floor.

Mauro said Hillary Rodham Clinton gave a great speech. "She told us exactly what we have to do," Mauro said. Clinton supporters who previously waffled, Mauro said, no longer can say the candidate has sent a mixed message.

"She expects all Clinton supporters to do whatever it takes to elect Barack Obama, period, end of discussion," Mauro said.

Tuesday's program sought to trumpet Obama's proposals for helping lower- and middle-income voters hurt by the faltering U.S. economy, the top concern of voters, according to recent polls.

But amid criticism that presumptive Republican nominee John McCain went largely unscathed Monday, the opening day of the convention, a parade of speakers Tuesday took aim at McCain and President Bush, much to the delight of the restive delegates.

Montana's folksy Gov. Brian Schweitzer acted like a high-school cheerleader, demanding that the delegates stand and cheer Obama. "We need all of you to stand up," Schweitzer yelled. "Colorado, stand up! Florida, stand up! Pennsylvania, get off your hind end! In the cheap seats, stand up! We want to hear you from Denver to Detroit, from Montana to Mississippi, from California to Carolinas."

Warner, on the other hand, emphasized that Obama will "appeal to us not as Republicans or Democrats, but first and foremost as Americans." He added, "We need leaders who see our common ground as sacred ground."

The choice of Warner to deliver the keynote address was a key element in Obama's attempt to showcase his economic program. A wealthy technology venture capitalist, Warner co-founded the company that became Nextel.

His political career also reflects the "new politics" and fiscal responsibility Obama has promised to bring to a bitterly divided Washington — themes he emphasized in his address.

And while including a rebuke of Bush's economic policies and the suggestion that McCain would deliver "more of the same," Warner's address was hardly a summons to political arms against the GOP, which he readily admitted.

"I know we're at the Democratic convention, but if an idea works, it really doesn't matter if it has an R or a D next to it," he said. "Because this election isn't about liberal versus conservative. It's not about left versus right. It's about the future versus the past."