By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
UNITY, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Democrats Barack Obama andHillary Clinton joined forces at a carefully staged campaignrally on Friday, promising to bury the grudges from theirbruising presidential nominating fight and work together to putObama in the White House.
The former rivals embraced, lavished praise on each otherand vowed to bring the Democratic Party together for theNovember election fight against Republican John McCain.
"Today we are coming together for the same goal -- to electBarack Obama the next president of the United States," Clintontold the crowd of about 3,000.
"We have gone toe-to-toe in this hard-fought primary, buttoday and every day going forward we stand shoulder-to-shoulderfor the ideals we share and the values we cherish," she said.
The joint appearance in a rural field outside an elementaryschool in the symbolically named New Hampshire town of Unitywas the first time the two shared a stage in public since Obamaclinched the Democratic nomination earlier this month.
The Illinois senator has trod cautiously in courtingClinton and her millions of supporters, many still angry aboutthe outcome of their epic 16-month campaign struggle.
"We've made history together," said Obama, who would be thefirst black U.S. president. Clinton was vying to be the firstwoman U.S. president. Obama said she had served as aninspiration to millions of women and his own two daughters.
"We shattered barriers that have stood firm since thefounding of this nation," he said.
He noted the town of Unity had split its votes evenlyduring the January 8 New Hampshire primary, with 107 votes forObama and 107 for Clinton.
"Now we look at them as 214 votes for change in America,"Obama said.
FRONT-ROW SEAT
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.
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 women 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.
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 Obama.
"I've had a front row seat to his candidacy," she said.I've seen his strength and determination, his grace and hisgrit."
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, his wife Michelle, and finance committee chairwomanPenny Pritzker, along with other top Obama donors, each gaveClinton the maximum $2,300 check to help her pay off her debt.Obama will not ask his grass-roots list of 1.5 million donorsto kick in on the Clinton debt.
Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton,donated the maximum to Obama's campaign, Clinton aides said.
The two senators flew to Manchester, New Hampshire fromWashington together on Obama's campaign plane, sitting in thesecond row together and chatting amiably for the hour-longflight.
They also shared a bus with a half-dozen aides for the90-minute ride from Manchester to Unity. Obama spokeswomanLinda Douglass said the bus conversation was light-heartedbanter on foods and computers, but the two did adjourn for aprivate discussion before speaking at the rally.
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.
(Editing by Patricia Wilson and Eric Walsh)
(For more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters"Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
