Mrs Clinton making her farewell speech to thousands of cheering supporters at the National Building Museum in Washington yesterday. With her are her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and her daughter, Chelsea. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

'The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand, is to take our energy, our passions, our strengths and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States,' she told thousands of cheering supporters.

'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.'

Mr Obama, 46, was not part of the event and spent the day in his home town of Chicago with his family.

Democrats hope Mrs Clinton's show of support will help heal the party, which has been fractured by a bitter battle for the presidential nomination.

Mrs Clinton's support could help Mr Obama win over her ardent working-class and older female supporters.

Obama's winning ways in Chicago Chicago - An exuberant Mr Barack Obama offered a cheeky prediction that he would be president until 2016, as he tried to lend his winning streak to his home city's bid to host the Olympics. Fresh from a giant-slaying win over rival Hillary Clinton in the Democratic White House nominating race, he joked that he could put his house near Chicago's Washington Park up for rent to make a financial killing if the city wins the 2016 Summer Games. ... more Hillary backer hosted late-night meeting Washington - The late-night meeting on Thursday between Mrs Hillary Clinton and Mr Barack Obama took place at the Washington home of Senator Dianne Feinstein (below). In 1978, the San Francisco Democrat was one of the first women to become mayor of a major US city. In 1992, she was one of California's two first female senators. This year, she hoped to see Mrs Clinton become the first woman to occupy the White House. ... more

The former first lady was once seen as unbeatable for the Democratic presidential nomination, but her hopes of becoming the first woman US president faded as Mr Obama chipped away at her early lead.

The epic, gruelling 50-state nominating contest saw him becoming the first black presidential nominee from a major US party.

Mrs Clinton, 60, made her endorsement speech in Washington following a tight race in which she resolutely refused to back down, even as it appeared Mr Obama had reached the number of delegates necessary to face off against Republican John McCain.

But she made no bones about her support yesterday, constantly telling her supporters why 'we need to elect Senator Obama our president'.

She also picked up on his campaign slogan in urging her supporters to become his supporters and put a Democrat in the White House, saying: 'Yes, we can.'

Analysts said her speech sounded as much like an audition to be put on the ticket as vice-president, as it did a farewell speech.

Mrs Clinton was expected to campaign for Mr Obama and to help with fund-raising, while seeking his assistance in retiring her US$30 million (S$41 million) campaign debt.

One of her strongest supporters, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, delivered what he called 'my first Obama speech' before a gathering of state Democratic Party leaders on Friday night.

In it, he challenged fellow Clinton supporters to set aside their grudges and work to elect Mr Obama president in November.

'We have to go to work!' Mr Rendell told about 200 people at a Democratic State Committee dinner in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton met privately on Thursday evening, though neither campaign has given details about their discussion.

Mrs Clinton also held a party at her Washington home on Friday night to thank and bid farewell to her campaign staff.

Mr Obama is still under pressure from Mrs Clinton's supporters to offer her the vice-presidential slot on his ticket. However, he has said he will not be rushed into a decision.

Mrs Clinton, a New York senator, disavowed efforts by supporters pushing for Mr Obama to choose her, but she has told lawmakers privately that she would be interested in the vice-presidential nomination.

Democrat Charles Schumer, the other senator from New York, told ABC television network that Mrs Clinton has said she would be Mr Obama's running mate if he makes the offer, but 'if he chooses someone else, she will work just as hard for the party in November'.

A CNN-Opinion Research Corp poll released on Friday showed that just over half of Democrats nationally wanted Mr Obama to put Mrs Clinton on the ticket.

The same poll showed Mr Obama leading Mr McCain nationally by a slight margin. Mr Obama had 47 per cent to Mr McCain's 43 per cent, with 6 per cent for independent Ralph Nader.

AP , AFP