Jun 7, 2008 8:30 pm US/Eastern
Chicago Leaders Confident Dems Will Unite
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Clinton's 18 Million Supporters Need To Back Obama Now
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
With Hillary Clinton's campaign officially over, civil rights leaders in Chicago are confident the Democrats will unite in their efforts to take the White House.
Barack Obama had to wait four days for Saturday's concession and an endorsement from Hillary Clinton.
"Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run," Clinton said.
Rev. Jesse Jackson said that it is critical for Clinton's 18 million supporters to Obama. Others agreed.
"Her vote and her enthusiasm will determine the winner in November," Jackson said. "In '68, when Humphrey didn't get the enthusiastic support of Johnson, he lost and Democrats lost."
"I need to see the Hillary supporters and their enthusiasm. It's up to them," said Honna Eichler of McCormick Theological Seminary.
"The Democratic Party has to come together. They cannot be fractured," said Chicagoan Mildrid Hitt.
Rev. Walter Coleman, of the Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, said he always knew Hillary would do what it takes to unify the party.
"We have two ships that have been out to sea that were getting closer and closer to the harbor and as they got closer and closer they became flotillas and now we see them joining together," Coleman said.
Jackson said an Obama victory would in many ways signify ascension to the top of the mountain that Martin Luther King Jr. talked about so many times when he was alive. His one pain is that the slain civil rights leader isn't here now to witness what he calls a 'redeeming moment in American history.'
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
