Last Tuesday night, when Sen. Barack Obama formally clinched the Democratic nomination for president, his rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, did not concede and endorse him at a moment when party unity mattered most.

For all her talk that she has the nation’s interest at heart, her inaction Tuesday sent the message that only her dynastic ambitions matter.

Saturday afternoon, that all changed.

Bowing out of the race before thousands of supporters in Washington, D.C., Hillary ended her bid for the White House on the highest possible note, throwing her support behind Barack Obama and urging her followers to do the same.

She was sincere in her disappointment at falling short in the Democratic race, for personal reasons and because she believed she would be the best candidate.

But she was also sincere in her desire to see Obama elected. It was unquestionably Clinton at her best, giving us confidence for the party’s November hopes.

What her role is going forward in the campaign remains to be seen, but Hillary Clinton went a long way toward redeeming herself with this speech Saturday:

Follow this link for some particularly memorable Hillary Clinton quotes from this terrific speech, and follow jump for the full transcript…

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After five months of primaries, 16 months of campaigning, 36 million votes cast, ups, downs, and plenty of controversy along the way, Sen. Barack Obama finally clinched the Democratic nomination for president yesterday evening.

In what he called a “defining moment for our nation,” Obama becomes the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party.

Speaking to an overflow rally at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. - the venue for this year’s Republican National Convention - Barack Obama made great strides in healing some of the divides with Sen. Hillary Clinton and within the Democratic party, then focused his attention on battles still to come.

Here’s his address to the Minnesota crowd …

It was one of his best - no small feat considering who we’re talking about. Follow the jump for a transcript of Barack Obama’s victory speech …

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Sen. Hillary Clinton won the South Dakota primary last night, the latest in a string of battles she has carried in recent months.

The war, however, has been lost for the former First Lady. Sen. Barack Obama won the Montana primary - and the Democratic nomination.

Hillary Clinton was congratulatory in her South Dakota victory speech, but stopped short of endorsing her rival or conceding the race.

Her next move? Only Hillary knows what that may be.

Here’s Hillary Clinton’s South Dakota victory speech last night …

As the primary season drew to a close, Sen. John McCain spoke in suburban New Orleans, attempting to portray himself as the real agent of change in this election - with the new tagline, “A Leader We Can Believe In” to prove it.

No matter who wins the general election, John McCain told supporters in Kenner, La., the direction of the United States will change dramatically - the choice voters have to make is between the right change and the wrong change.

The first thing we’d change personally? The hideous green background behind the Arizona Senator during his speech. Blegh!

In all seriousness, John McCain will have to do a lot better than this…

Follow the jump for the transcript of John McCain’s speech …

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Friday, Sen. Hillary Clinton defended her decision to stay in the 2008 presidential race despite overwhelming odds in favor of Sen. Barack Obama - and in the process, she evoked the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.

The uproar over Clinton’s comments by some members of the party was extreme and unnecessary. What she meant was merely that Kennedy, like her husband Bill Clinton, continued campaigning for the nomination into June.

Here’s what Hillary had to say to the New York Daily News regarding the flap over her remarks about RFK - and her decision to keep running …

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This past Friday, during a meeting with a newspaper editorial board, I was asked about whether I was going to continue in the presidential race.

I made clear that I was - and that I thought the urgency to end the 2008 primary process was unprecedented. I pointed out, as I have before, that my husband’s primary campaign, and Sen. Robert Kennedy’s, had continued into June.

Almost immediately, some took my comments out of context and interpreted them to mean something completely different - and completely unthinkable.

I want to set the record straight: I was making the simple point that given our history, the length of this year’s primary contest is nothing unusual.

Both the executive editor of the newspaper where I made the remarks, and Sen. Kennedy’s son, Bobby Kennedy Jr., put out statements confirming that this was the clear meaning of my remarks.

Bobby stated, “I understand how highly charged the atmosphere is, but I think it is a mistake for people to take offense.”

I realize that any reference to that traumatic moment for our nation can be deeply painful - particularly for members of the Kennedy family, who have been in my heart and prayers over this past week.

And I expressed regret right away for any pain I caused.

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Last night, Sen. Barack Obama spoke in Des Moines, Iowa, the site of his first caucus victory January 3. Although he lost the Kentucky primary to Hillary Clinton Tuesday, Obama won in Oregon and has officially garnered a majority of pledged delegates in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Here’s Obama’s address in Des Moines, where his historic run began …

While it is likely too little too late, Sen. Hillary Clinton posted another demonstrative victory in Kentucky Tuesday night. Here’s the first part of the former First Lady’s victory speech in the Bluegrass State …

Clinton won by approximately 35 percent and 250,000 votes over frontrunning Sen. Barack Obama - who won the Oregon primary later that night. Follow the jump for more of Clinton’s Kentucky speech…

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Love him or hate him, Mike Huckabee’s sense of humor offered a welcome reprieve to the cutthroat political campaigning this winter.

He may have missed the mark with this attempt, though.

The former Republican presidential candidate was speaking Friday to the NRA, when there was an unexpected loud bang backstage.

Instead of continuing his speech about limited government, he quipped that someone had fired at Barack Obama, who had to hit the deck.

*Crickets*

Mike Huckabee later apologized for his “offhand remark,” saying it was not “intended to offend or disparage” Sen. Obama, who did not comment.

Mike Huckabee: What’s funnier than killing a U.S. Senator?!

Here’s Sen. Hillary Clinton’s last victory speech, given in West Virginia last night. After a huge win over Sen. Barack Obama in the West Virginia primary, Clinton says she’s “more determined than ever,” and will never quit the fight …

Follow the jump for the second part of Hillary’s speech, which she gave in Charleston, W.V., following her 39-percent victory Tuesday …

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Is it game over? It certainly feels a little more like it watching Sen. Barack Obama address a crowd in Raleigh, N.C., on May 6, the night of the crucial Democratic primaries held in both Indiana and North Carolina.

Here’s Obama’s address to the Raleigh crowd …

Obama won North Carolina comfortably. Hundreds of miles away, vowing to soldier on, Sen. Hillary Clinton addressed supporters after an apparent victory in Indiana. She withstood a late surge to win the Hoosier State.

Both Democratic candidates stuck to their campaigns’ central themes - experience vs. change - and made some subtle overtures to the other, while also looking ahead to future primaries and to beating John McCain.

Follow the jump for both parts of Hillary’s speech …

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