By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats Barack Obama and HillaryClinton take the first step toward healing the wounds of theirbruising presidential nominating fight with a joint appearanceon Friday in the symbolically named New Hampshire town ofUnity.
The rally will be the first time the former rivals haveshared a stage in public since Obama clinched the Democraticnomination earlier this month and began trying to mend therifts caused by their epic 16-month campaign struggle.
The Illinois senator has tread cautiously in courtingClinton and her millions of supporters, including some stillangry about the outcome of the Democratic race, as he tries tounify Democrats for November's election race against RepublicanJohn McCain.
He told reporters earlier this week he hoped the jointappearance in New Hampshire signalled an active role for theNew York senator in his White House race.
"I want her campaigning as much as she can," Obama said."She was a terrific campaigner. She, I think, inspired millionsof people, and so she can be an extraordinarily effectivesurrogate for me and the values and ideals we share asDemocrats."
Clinton, who returned to her Senate duties in Washingtonthis week for the first time since dropping out of theDemocratic race on June 7, offered strong praise for Obamaduring two public appearances on Thursday.
"I have seen his passion and determination and his grit andhis grace," she told a nurse's association in Washington,asking them to back Obama.
Clinton introduced Obama to her top fundraisers at aprivate meeting in Washington on Thursday night. Obama alreadyhad asked his big donors to help her pay off more than $10million (5 million pounds) she owes to campaign debtors.
Obama and his finance chair each gave Clinton a $2,300check in a symbolic move to help her pay off her debt,Clinton's former campaign chairman, Terry McAuliffe, told CNN.
"Senator Obama personally gave me a check for HillaryClinton. His finance chairwoman, Penny Pritzker, gave me acheck for Hillary Clinton. So there were a lot of checks beingexchanged tonight," McAuliffe said.
NO SMALL DONORS
But Obama will not ask his grass-roots list of 1.5 milliondonors to kick in on the Clinton debt.
"Small donors, you know, who were writing $5 or $10, or$15, $25 checks, first of all, their budgets are tighter,"Obama said. "I'm not going to be individually contacting $15donors, because frankly, it probably wouldn't be that effectivein terms of making a big dent in Senator Clinton's debt."
Clinton, who entered the race in January 2007 a heavyfavourite, battled Obama to the end of voting on June 3 in arace that embittered some of her supporters -- particularlysome of the female backers who formed her core constituency.
Whether Obama can win over all of those supporters remainsunclear, but many public opinion polls show him solidifying hisDemocratic backing in recent weeks and moving out to a clearnational lead on McCain.
The tiny town of Unity in New Hampshire, near the Vermontborder, was chosen for the rally not only for the obvioussymbolism of its name but because the state will be a criticalbattleground in the race with McCain.
Democrat John Kerry narrowly captured New Hampshire in the2004 race against Republican President George W. Bush, but Bushbeat Democrat Al Gore there in a close race in 2000.
To enhance the symbolism, each Democratic candidatereceived exactly 107 votes in the town of Unity in the January8 New Hampshire primary.
"I think we'll have a terrific time together in NewHampshire, and I think that she will be very effective all theway through November," Obama said.
(Editing by Eric Beech)
(For more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters"Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/ )
