Clinton urges Democrats to get behind Obama

Denver: Senator Hillary Clinton has urged fellow Democrats to work for Barack Obama's election as president, telling them "We are on the same team and none of us can sit on the sidelines."

Clinton, who received a rousing ovation when she appeared on the podium, called herself a "proud supporter" of the presidential candidate.

Seeking to ease doubts that she would fight hard for Obama despite lingering tensions from her loss to him, Clinton told the Democratic National Convention, "Barack Obama is my candidate and he must be our president."

She added, "Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines."

Clinton's enthusiastic call for party unity was designed to end a rift that has clouded the convention to nominate the first-term Illinois senator to face John McCain in the November 4 election.

The second day of the convention focused on economic themes and began to discuss Obama's plans to aid lower- and middle-class voters suffering in a faltering US economy, which polls show is the top issue in the final months of President George W. Bush's term.