Today, Hillary Clinton finally told us what we've been waiting to hear: that she is suspending her election campaign, fully endorsing Barack Obama, and asking all of her supporters to fight as hard for him as they have for her. This brings to a close the extremely long, potentially damaging primary cycle that we have endured for some time now.

Understandably, many people are focusing on Hillary and her speech at the moment. But, disturbingly, even after Obama won the nomination, most of the discussion -- whether here or in the mainstream media -- was not on Obama and his accomplishment, but on Hillary instead: whether she would be picked as the Vice Presidential running-mate, if she had or had not been a service for women, and so on.

Yes, this race has been historic. Never before have we had as viable a woman or an African American. This is the first black American Presidential nominee in history. And never before has a woman come so close to clinching the same. Doubtless, Barack and Hillary should be lauded for the amount of support they were able to cull, and the tremendously strong campaigns they each fought.

I just read about this online, and to the best of my knowledge it's only a few hours old. Apologies if someone has already written about it.

While browsing the news online this evening, my eye was caught by a tantalizing headline: "Obama: I'd Hire Gore." According to the article, Obama has promised that if he is elected President, he will utilize Al Gore's knowledge and leverage to help solve the problem of global warming. From the article:

At a town-hall meeting, Obama was asked if he would tap the former vice president for his Cabinet to handle global warming.

"I would," Obama said. "Not only will I, but I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem. He's somebody I talk to on a regular basis. I'm already consulting with him in terms of these issues, but climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now."

While watching late night television this evening, my favorite show was interrupted for a news break coming live from a boat in the middle of the Pacific. After a few minutes of speculation by Tucker Carlson, who was for some reason chosen to report live from the boat, Al Gore appeared at a podium, making the announcement that many of us have waited for a long time to hear.

Full story below the fold. Suffice it to say, Obama's got no chance now!

This is my first diary here, so please just let me know in a comment if I commit an egregious faux pas. (For instance, I don't know what the "appropriate" tags to use are.)

Obama. Hillary. Reverand Wright. Bosniagate. Back and forth, we in the Democratic party have continued fighting amongst ourselves while McCain and the rest of the GOP watches appreciatively from the sidelines. Don't kid yourself -- whatever attacks we use, the McCain campaign takes note, and we'll be sure to see them resurface as soon as we have a definite nominee.

Hillary and her supporters continue to level a barrage of attacks against Obama and his supporters, criticizing everything from his experience to his moral judgment. Obama supporters waste no time returning fire on Hillary and her supporters, telling her to withdraw, criticizing her claims of experience, and mocking her various public relations disasters. (Obama himself has responded as well, albeit generally with less vitriol than his supporters, I will admit.)