Clinton Concession Speech Reaction

Hillary Clinton formally suspended her campaign and enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama in Washington D.C. today. Below is reaction to her speech. Read the transcript of her speech here.

Andrew Sullivan says of Clinton, "Yes She Did"

Senator Clinton did all she needed to do: thanked everyone and unequivocally endorsed and supported Barack Obama. One theme stuck out to me: she essentially said that even though she was careful to avoid ever saying that she was running because she was a woman and that people should vote for her because she is a woman, that's what she believes in private. That's the theme she spoke of most compellingly.

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza observes that:

Hillary Rodham Clinton today offered a full-throated endorsement of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in a speech that mixed the historic nature of the protracted Democratic nomination fight with intimate personal reflections about her time on the campaign trail and an unwavering promise to remain in the political process moving forward.

David Kurtz at Talking Points Memo noted the graciousness of Clinton's speech:

The only thing harder than delivering a concession speech must be writing one. But Hillary's speech is striking all the right notes, while still letting her hit her familiar campaign themes in a way that makes the speech sincere and authentic, without seeming to be forced.[...] Judged against other concession speeches, I think she did it just right.

The Obama campaign called the speech "very generous" and that it "appreciates how hard it is."
Obama's statement:

"Obviously, I am thrilled and honored to have Senator Clinton's support...I know she will continue to be in the forefront of that battle this fall and for years to come."