Jun 4, 2008 10:21 pm US/Central
Clinton To End Campaign, Endorse Obama
(CBS)
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Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
CBS 2 has learned U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton will officially suspend her campaign and endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that under mounting pressure from even her own supporters, Clinton will announce this week that she's suspending her campaign.
Clinton reportedly told her supporters Wednesday that she might wait weeks before either formally folding her campaign or endorsing Obama. Several of them were stunned, apparently including Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel. When they gave her a deadline, Clinton scheduled an announcement for Saturday.
"It's been an honor to contest these primaries with him. It is an honor to call him my friend," Clinton said Wednesday. Her warm words for Obama came as they spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee within minutes of each other.
Backstage and away from cameras, they reportedly met for the first time since the Illinois senator claimed victory in their sometimes bitter contest for the Democratic nomination.
"I like Senator Clinton … she is a passionate person on behalf of the things she cares about," Obama said in an interview with CBS News Anchor Katie Couric. Obama hedged when Couric pressed him on Clinton as vice presidential running mate.
He said he wouldn't rule Clinton out as a running mate, "but we're going to go through a deliberate process, and think this thing through."
Sources said it was during a conference call that key Clinton supporters demanded no more delays and that she endorse Obama this week. She ultimately agreed and scheduled an announcement for Saturday.
After Clinton loyalist and North Side Congressman Rahm Emanuel endorsed Obama, he said Clinton had already implicitly acknowledged reality.
"She didn't say she conceded, but you can't be talking about the vice president unless you acknowledge, implicitly if not explicitly, that he's the nominee," Emanuel said.
Rangel said pressuring Obama for the vice presidential slot might backfire, as did Clinton backer Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. He advised, "You don't bargain with the Presidential nominee. Even if you're Hillary Clinton and you have 18 million votes, you don't bargain."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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