Clinton Urges Backers to Look to November

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Sen. Clinton Drops Out, Endorses Obama

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) dropped out of the Democratic presidential race at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. The Washington Post's Anne Kornblut explains what happened and what's next for Clinton.

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Other Democratic leaders issued statements of praise -- and relief. "My heart is with her and her remarkable family today," Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a former Clinton administration official and friend to both the Clintons and Obamas, said in a statement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised Clinton for running a "courageous and groundbreaking campaign."

If Clinton had sought a sense of closure, the event seemed to offer it. Young staff members, now jobless, hugged each other and passed out business cards. More recognizable Clinton stalwarts -- from campaign chairman Terence R. McAuliffe to Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and adviser Sidney Blumenthal -- wandered the floor.

Vernon Jordan, a longtime friend of the Clintons, said that whatever tensions linger from the epic battle will be resolved. "It's all about winning now. The primary campaign is about fighting. The general campaign is about winning."

Ellen Malcolm of Emily's List, the women's political group that backed Clinton, said she has been surprised in her conversations how many Clinton loyalists had not yet focused on the choice in the general election.

She said women are the key to victory in the fall and that Obama will have to work to get them, but added, "Once the spotlight is on the choice between Senator Obama and Senator McCain, the picture will become clearer."

Staff writers Dan Balz and Kevin Merida contributed to this report.