Speech receives largely positive feedback

HILLARY CLINTON’S speech to Democratic delegates gathered in Denver received extremely positive reviews in yesterday’s newspapers.

On its front page, the Los Angeles Times reported Clinton accepted “defeat with grace and generosity,” and “moved to close the divide among fellow Democrats by offering a forceful and unequivocal endorsement of her fierce rival“.

The New York Times reported that Clinton “deferred her own dreams on Tuesday night and delivered an emphatic plea at the Democratic National Convention to unite behind her rival, Senator Barack Obama, no matter what ill will lingers”.

The New York senator “betrayed none of the anger and disappointment that she still feels and that, friends say, has especially haunted her husband”.

The Washington Times referred to a “rousing speech” that laid “rest to a bitter primary battle that left many of her supporters — especially women — seething months later”.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton was front and centre for his wife’s speech on Tuesday night, and was addressing the convention floor himself last night — but he is expected to be out of Denver before Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech tonight.

Clinton is expected to leave Denver early today.

The former president has business with his foundation to attend to, sources said.

But given the tenor of the convention so far — the tensions between the Obama and Clinton supporters has overshadowed everything — some were surprised by it.

Senator Hillary Clinton is however scheduled to be at the speech.