The marathon battle for the Democratic nomination to run against Senator John McCain for the presidency has finally crossed the finish line.
Although Senator Barack Obama passed the magic number of delegate and superdelegate votes needed for the nomination on Tuesday June 3, Senator Hillary Clinton did not concede or acknowledge this at a rally she held that night, dismaying many Democrats who wanted to see this protracted battle end.
However, on Saturday June 8, Senator Clinton finally suspended her bid and came out in full support of Senator Obama.
After such a hard-fought and close race to garner enough delegate support to gain the Democratic nomination, regardless of one's personal feelings, Senator Clinton had earned the right to step back, take a deep breath and a few days to regroup before giving her concession speech.
After all, nearly 18 million voters had supported her bid and she split the last two states, taking the South Dakota primary while Senator Obama won Montana.
She also knew her supporters were emotionally drained and distraught in coming so close without winning. She had earned the right to remind her supporters of what she stood for, how hard she fought without giving up (perhaps for too long in some peoples' minds) and how grateful she was for her family and her supporters.
Both Senators Clinton and Obama created history—she as the first woman to run for either party's nomination and he as the first black candidate to actualise that nomination. As she said in her concession speech: "Now, think how much progress we've already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions. Could a woman really serve as commander-in-chief? Well, I think we answered that one.
"Could an African-American really be our president? And Senator Obama has answered that one."
Yes, history has been made all around, but during these hard-fought contests, ill feelings have surfaced and continue on both sides. There have been claims of gender bias and racial bias from the media and from the campaign teams of both candidates.
Many of Senator Clinton's supporters, at this point in time, harbour a lot of resentment that their candidate did not succeed. This was clearly demonstrated as boos were heard during her concession speech whenever Senator Obama's name was mentioned. This emotional energy will need to be given time to dissipate so these wounds can heal and rationality can again gain the upper hand.
Still immersed in this emotional vortex, a number of Hillary's supporters say they will never support Senator Obama, some going so far as to say they will vote for Senator McCain instead.
To her credit, Senator Clinton's concession speech addressed these issues in a direct and what came across as genuine manner. She pledged her full support for Senator Obama and asked her supporters to do likewise. After all, at the end of the day, Senator Clinton is a Democrat and will do whatever is necessary to see that the Democrats regain the White House in 2008.
"The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand, is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States.
"Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him.
"And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me."
For some of her supporters, this is a big request at a time when the reality of her loss is only beginning to sink in. Healing will require time and some of Hillary's supporters may choose not to vote or to vote for Senator McCain in the fall. But the vast majority are ardent Democrats and will support the party's nomination.
In truth, the differences between the two candidates were not so much policy issues as they were personalities. This is a year that the Democrats have one of their greatest chances to regain the White House from the Republicans. As Senator Clinton told her supporters in Saturday's speech: "This election is a turning-point election. And it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards?
"So I want to say to my supporters: When you hear people saying or think to yourself 'If only' or 'What if,' I say, please, don't go there. Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward."
Yes, it's time for the Democratic Party to heal its wounds and come together for the greater good. Even with Senator Clinton's full support, Barack Obama and the Democrats have a long road ahead and he will need to display his best qualities to win against Senator McCain.
Some people feel his lack of experience is a minus and this will no doubt be pressed by the McCain campaign, but a number of the most famous US presidents were inexperienced when they first came to office. What really matters is not so much experience, but that a candidate has a clear and vibrant vision for the country, and that he or she is able to both articulate that vision and inspire the electorate to also aspire to that vision. This is something that Senator Obama has the qualities to do. Inspiration can move mountains and the U.S. has mountains of problems that need to be moved.
As one historic chapter in this saga has closed, a new chapter is opening that just might see Barack Obama become America's first black president.
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