AMERICAS 
Fight to the bitter end: Clinton
Friday, 9 May, 2008
Hillary Clinton supporters at her primary night watch party in Coloumbus, Ohio. (AAP)
It's been revealed Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House will be swiftly concluded in June, and that she'll back opponent Barack Obama if he's the nominee.
Clinton's campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe says party bosses, known as superdelegates, will rapidly coalesce behind a candidate once the final primaries are held on June 3.
"I think it will be all over. I don't see it going to the (August) convention. We'll have a nominee in June," the legendary fundraiser said on NBC television.
"We've all said we'll be together at the end. If Hillary doesn't win, Hillary, president (Bill) Clinton, myself, we'll be over there helping Senator Obama," McAuliffe added.
"And, likewise, Senator Obama will come together to help Hillary if she's the nominee. We'll all be together."
Clinton faces lengthening odds of beating Obama to the Democratic nomination. He is ahead in delegates, has won more states, and is building more support from the nearly 800
superdelegates.
McAuliffe pinned her campaign's hopes on edging ahead in the national popular vote, if the voided results of primaries in Michigan and Florida are reinstated at a May 31 meeting of the Democratic National Committee.
"She's proven she can win the blue-collar workers. She can win the states we need to win in the general election," he said.
"But why should Hillary Clinton -- until there's a nominee with the number of necessary delegates, why should she get out?
"We ought to go on, let the voters decide. And then after June 3rd, I think this will come to a conclusion."
McAuliffe laughed when asked if Clinton would agree to run as Obama's vice presidential candidate, an idea that is gaining ground as one way of healing Democratic wounds from the bruising primary fight.
"Well, I haven't talked to Hillary about that," he said.
"Sure, is it a possibility? But they're both fighting for the top spot right now."
I won't step down: Clinton
Earlier this week Clinton insisted she wouldn't quit her campaign for the White House, despite mounting pressure to step aside.
George McGovern, the Democrats' defeated presidential candidate in 1972, is urging her to step aside for the good of the party.
Meanwhile some of Clinton's younger campaign supporters now say they'd like to see her as Obama's running mate, in what would be a Dream Team.
In a further sign she is floundering, Clinton lent her campaign 6.4 million dollars over the past month, according to aides. That took her personal input from her own fortune to more than 11 million dollars.
Source: SBS staff and agencies
Clinton's campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe says party bosses, known as superdelegates, will rapidly coalesce behind a candidate once the final primaries are held on June 3.
"I think it will be all over. I don't see it going to the (August) convention. We'll have a nominee in June," the legendary fundraiser said on NBC television.
"We've all said we'll be together at the end. If Hillary doesn't win, Hillary, president (Bill) Clinton, myself, we'll be over there helping Senator Obama," McAuliffe added.
"And, likewise, Senator Obama will come together to help Hillary if she's the nominee. We'll all be together."
Clinton faces lengthening odds of beating Obama to the Democratic nomination. He is ahead in delegates, has won more states, and is building more support from the nearly 800
superdelegates.
McAuliffe pinned her campaign's hopes on edging ahead in the national popular vote, if the voided results of primaries in Michigan and Florida are reinstated at a May 31 meeting of the Democratic National Committee.
"She's proven she can win the blue-collar workers. She can win the states we need to win in the general election," he said.
"But why should Hillary Clinton -- until there's a nominee with the number of necessary delegates, why should she get out?
"We ought to go on, let the voters decide. And then after June 3rd, I think this will come to a conclusion."
McAuliffe laughed when asked if Clinton would agree to run as Obama's vice presidential candidate, an idea that is gaining ground as one way of healing Democratic wounds from the bruising primary fight.
"Well, I haven't talked to Hillary about that," he said.
"Sure, is it a possibility? But they're both fighting for the top spot right now."
I won't step down: Clinton
Earlier this week Clinton insisted she wouldn't quit her campaign for the White House, despite mounting pressure to step aside.
George McGovern, the Democrats' defeated presidential candidate in 1972, is urging her to step aside for the good of the party.
Meanwhile some of Clinton's younger campaign supporters now say they'd like to see her as Obama's running mate, in what would be a Dream Team.
In a further sign she is floundering, Clinton lent her campaign 6.4 million dollars over the past month, according to aides. That took her personal input from her own fortune to more than 11 million dollars.
Source: SBS staff and agencies
