From the Huffington Post:

Hillary Rodham Clinton suspended her pioneering campaign for the presidency on Saturday and summoned supporters to use “our energy, our passion, our strength” to put Barack Obama in the White House.

“I endorse him and throw my full support behind him,” said the former first lady, delivering the strong affirmation that her one-time rival and other Democratic leaders hoped to hear after a bruising campaign.

Amid tears from her supporters, Clinton issued a call for unity that emphasized the cultural and political milestones that she and Obama, the first black to secure a presidential nomination, represent.

“Children today will grow up taking for granted that an African-American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States,” she said. (full article and video of speech)

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Reactions:

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza

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.

Talking Points’ David Kurtz

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.

Senator 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.

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But it’s not enough for some…

Various comments on Pam’s House Blend…

Even some of her own supporters suggested that Clinton may have hurt the reconciliation process when she did not immediately concede the race to Obama after he won the 2,118 delegates needed to capture the party’s nomination Tuesday night.

The Clinton camp resisted the move so it could gauge what her supporters wanted and allow Clinton to bow out of the race on her own terms. Tensions between the two camps may have also increased when some of Clinton’s most prominent supporters launched a campaign Wednesday to get her on the Democratic ticket as the vice presidential nominee, arguing that it would help unify the party.

Let’s see – it’s about 12:26 EDT and Hillary hasn’t even left her house. Not quite the whole world is watching and she hasn’t got the grace to show up on time. How typical Clintonesque passive -aggressive clinical behavior. And some of us wanted her to be the leader of the free world?

and then finally from the same website…

People need to let the Hillary bashing go and focus their wrath on the opponent to beat: McCain. Wrath against Hillary is only divisive and will in no way help Obama. Please consider that. Please really think about it.

Various comments on The Confluence…

We have principles, issues, causes. We are not yielding one inch. You may have gotten to nomination with the help of your frat boys and your Villagers and your libertarians and your theoretical-liberals-as-long-as-we-don’t-have-to-live-in-the-same-neighborhood-*sniff* fauxgressives and ignorant young college students who don’t remember the nineties. But you aren’t going to win it unless you get down on your knees and convince *US* that you are willing to adopt her causes as your own.

Count me out…NO OBAMA for me.
I am a long time Dem but McCain is the lesser of two evils and will get my vote.. He will only serve four years and will have a Dem House and Dem Senate. Obama will do more damage for many years.

and then finally from the website…

Well I think Hillary is right. This election is too important. Voting for McCain or staying home only punishes my kiddos – can’t do it. Thank you for your blog riverdaughter, goodbye.

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To both sides…let it go…it’s over. This election is too important. This isn’t a football game, it’s the future of our country. The majority has spoken and Obama won. Move on to McCain.