early and often

Clinton Says She’ll Drop Out on Saturday, Obama Gets a Bump

Hillary Clinton Michelle Obama Barack

Photo: Getty Images

Hillary Clinton will suspend her campaign on Saturday and endorse Barack Obama, she explained in an e-mail to supporters at 2 a.m. this morning. “I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party’s nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise,” the message said. “This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.” She will make the official announcement during an event for her staff and high-level supporters in Washington, D.C. By suspending the campaign, rather than ending it, she will be able to retain her earned delegates and also continue to raise money in an effort to get out of her debt, which has been estimated to be up to $20 million.

Meanwhile, Obama woke this morning facing headlines that he is going into the general election with an edge over McCain, and that the advantage is really the other way around. We also hear that his former friend and business associate Tony Rezko was found guilty of wire fraud and money laundering. (Republicans sent out a blast e-mail regarding the verdict to reporters twenty minutes after it was released.) But by far, our favorite headlines topped the flurry of earnest reports about the “fist bump heard round the world.” Not only does the intimate gesture between Michelle and Barack Obama, exchanged on Tuesday night in front of thousands of fans, indicate that they are sort of hip; it also tells us that they love each other and probably still have sex. Which throws that George Bush chest bump from last week’s Air Force graduation into a whole new light.

Related: Ten November Scenarios to Give an Obama Supporter Agita [NYM]
Commentators Can’t Stop Chuckling About McCain’s Speech [NYM]
All the Right People Criticize Obama Over Iran [NYM]

Clinton plans exit as Obama gathers more support [CNN]
O AHEADBUT IT’S THISCLOSE ON MAP [NYP]
Obama Heads to Election With Some Weaknesses [WSJ]
The Rezko Verdict: Guilty [Chicago Sun-Times]

Clinton Says She’ll Drop Out on Saturday, Obama Gets a Bump