Obama and Clinton in Unity, NH. Says Clinton, "And to anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Senator McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider"

Excerpts….Unity, NH Obama and Clinton unity rally on June 27,2008

CLINTON…

Now, I don’t think it’s at all unknown among this audience that this was a hard-fought primary campaign. We have traversed America, making our case to the American people. We have gone toe to toe in this hard-fought primary. But today and every day going forward, we stand shoulder to shoulder for the ideals we share, the values we cherish and the country we love.

We may have started on separate paths, but today our paths have merged. Today, our hearts are set on the same destination for America. Today, we are coming together for the same goal: to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.

I was honored to be in this race with Barack, and I am proud that we had a spirited dialogue. That was the nicest way I could think of phrasing it. But it was spirited because we both care so much. And so do our supporters — each and every one of you. And I am so proud and privileged today, here in Unity, to help bring together the 36 million Americans who supported us to create an unstoppable force for change we can all believe in.

“……………But if you think we need a new course, a new agenda, then vote for Barack Obama and you will get the change that you and me need and deserve.

And to anyone who voted for me and is now considering — – not voting or voting for Senator McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider.

OBAMA

When Hillary Clinton gets up in the morning, even in the face of the toughest odds, the most vicious attacks, she is doing so with the same motivation that took her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago. The same passion that led her to work for the Children’s Defense Fund and caused her to fight for health care as first lady. (Cheers, applause.) What has made her one of the finest senators that New York has ever seen. What has made her a historic candidate for president. An unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans no matter how difficult that fight may be.

I’ve admired her as a leader. I’ve learned from her as a candidate.”

AUDIENCE SHOUT Hillary rocks!

Obama: ” She rocks. She rocks. That’s the point I’m trying to make. I am proud to call her a friend. And I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country in the months and years to come. They have done so much great work. I don’t think it’s been 40 years — I’ve — you know, maybe for the last couple, you know — (laughter, applause) — but it’s amazing how much they got done in five years’ time.

But we need them. We need them badly — – not just my campaign, but the American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom — n the months and years to come, because that’s how we’re going to bring about unity in the Democratic party, and that’s how we’re going to bring about unity in America and that’s how we’re going to deliver the American dream in every corner of every state of this great nation that we love.

Now, Hillary and I may have started with separate goals in this campaign, but we’ve made history together. Together, we inspired tens of millions of people to participate, some to cast ballots for the very first time, others who voted for the first time in a very long time. And together in this campaign in 2008, we shattered barriers that have stood firm since the founding of this nation, barriers that our supporters perhaps, at the beginning, didn’t believe could be shattered.

Now, I don’t pretend that one election can erase all the past biases and outdated attitudes that we’re still wrestling to overcome. I know that there have been times, over the last 16 months, when those biases have emerged. And Senator Clinton has always brushed them off — (laughter, cheers) — dealt with them with her usual grace and aplomb. But I also know that while this campaign has shown us how far we have to go, it’s also proven the progress we have made…………………………..