Clinton backs Obama as next US president

Hillary Clinton Saturday formally withdrew from the historic quest to be America's first woman president and endorsed the Democratic Party’s new champion, presidential nominee Barack Obama.

The former first lady's rally, in Washington's National Building Museum, is the latest attempt to unite the Democratic Party after a divisive campaign, and follows a secret meeting with Obama on Thursday night, and speculation about her vice presidential prospects.

"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" said Clinton.

Clinton's constituency of white, working class voters, women and Hispanics could play a crucial role in boosting Obama all the way to the White House, but is also seen by Republican John McCain as part of his own path to power.

The New York Senator's campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said her mission now was to rally the party to defeat McCain in November's general election and to close ranks behind Obama in his own historic White House bid.

"She will do anything, she has made that clear, she will do anything she can to help Barack Obama," he said, as Clinton held a party at her home in an upscale Washington neighborhood to console laid-off campaign staffers.

Clinton's speech at noon (1600 GMT) will be the final act in a near 17-month odyssey which has encompassed two winters, the snows of Iowa and the dry heat of Nevada, gritty towns of Pennsylvania and swank Hollywood fundraisers.

The former first lady, 60, was once a prohibitive front-runner, leading national polls by huge margins last year, but her campaign was stunned by her loss in the leadoff Iowa caucuses on January 3.

She pulled off a glorious comeback in New Hampshire days later, but her front-runner strategy -- she ran virtually as an incumbent -- was buckled by Obama's soaring message of hope and change, and superb campaign organization.

After she failed to knock Obama, 46, out in the Super Tuesday nationwide primary contests in February, the former first lady was always behind, despite clinging on with famous victories in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.

On Friday, an exuberant Obama offered a cheeky prediction he would be president in 2016, as he tried to lend his winning streak to his home city of Chicago's Olympics bid.

Obama joked he could put his house up for rent, to make a financial killing if Chicago wins the Summer Games.

"I have to let you know in 2016, I'll be wrapping up my second term as president," Obama said in a surprise appearance at a rally celebrating Chicago's selection as a finalist for the Olympics.

"So I can't think of a better way than to be marching into Washington park ... as president of the United States and announcing to the world, let the Games begin!" he told a surprise outdoor rally downtown.