Clinton stages rally for supporters, Obama

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, in an e-mail sent Thursday, thanked her supporters and said she would be supporting Sen.Barack Obama's bid to be U.S. president.

"This has been a long and hard-fought campaign," her e-mail read, "but ... my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with (presumptive GOP nominee) Senator (John) McCain and the Republicans."

Clinton said she would hold a rally in Washington Saturday "to thank everyone who has supported my campaign," during which she will extend "my support for (Obama's) candidacy."

Obama secured enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination on Tuesday.

"I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise," her e-mail read.

Clinton plans to suspend her campaign instead of dropping out, her aides told CNN. By suspending her campaign, Clinton would keep statewide pledged delegates and district-level delegates.

Since becoming the likely nominee, Democrats have rallied around Obama, including Democrats from Clinton's home state of New York saying they plan to endorse the Illinois senator, CNN reported.

Clinton supporters, meanwhile, are pushing to have her on the ticket as the vice presidential candidate.