Hillary says convention is about Obama

DENVER — On the heels of reports that she would release her delegates to vote for Barack Obama this week, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said Monday that the point of the Democratic National Convention is to rally people around the presumptive nominee. 

Clinton and other speakers at a breakfast for the New York delegation alluded to the long struggle for the Democratic nomination and acknowledged lingering bad feelings about the way things turned out.

{mosads}The New York senator did not say whether she’ll release her delegates but compared the party to a “big family” taking part in a family reunion.

“It may take a while,” Clinton said wryly. “We’re not the fall-in-line party. But make no mistake, we are united.”

“We’re gathered here in Denver for a very clear and simple purpose — and that is to come out energized, excited and ready to elect Barack Obama,” she said. “I ask each and every one of you to work as hard for Barack and Joe Biden as you worked for me.”

Speaking before Clinton, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) tried to rally the delegates around Obama — a call that was met with a largely positive response.

“Despite our feelings that maybe it could have been different, we know we have a task at hand,” Schumer said, adding that Obama will need Clinton’s help in order to win.

Several “Hillary made History” signs were spotted around the hall as Clinton spoke in what may have been a practice round for the senator's address to the convention audience on Tuesday night.