Hillary story unites front pages

By Patty Rhule

When we want a jazzy headline, we turn to New York’s tabloids, which didn’t disappoint in reporting on Hillary Clinton’s swan song to her presidential bid at the Democratic convention.

“Heal-ary,” blared New York’s Daily News — but with a teaser to a story inside that indicated a touch of doubt: “What she said and what she really meant.”

The Chicago Sun-Times took a bottom-line approach atop a photo of a smiling Sen. Barack Obama watching the speech: “Obama’s Verdict: ‘She Delivered.’ ”

“Clinton closes the book on her historic quest,” wrote The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., with a subhead using one of Clinton’s funniest quips, “She urges ‘sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits’ to get behind Obama.”

“Team Obama” was how the Rocky Mountain News in Denver saw it.

“Clinton Puts Obama First, Only,” said Clinton’s former home-state paper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock. Its subhead referred to a local Democratic leader who was killed just before the Democratic convention: “Speech praises Gwatney, takes jabs at McCain.”

“Reaching across the great divide,” said The Dispatch in Casa Grande, Ariz., in GOP rival John McCain’s home state. “Clinton salutes Obama, Democrats rip McCain,” it added.

The Bakersfield Californian had Clinton in glorious orange under the headline “A Plea for Unity” with a subhead that quoted from her speech “… the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose.”

No translation was necessary for La Opinion’s headline, quoting Clinton: “Obama es mi candidato.”

“Clinton claims moment,” said the Merrillville, Ind., Post-Tribune, atop a lovely AP photo of Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea. “Runner-up to Obama in bitter primary makes case for her rival with eye on own political future.” Phew, that about covers it.

But “Some aren’t over the Hill,” reported The Gazette in Colorado Springs, reflecting Clinton supporters who aren’t sold on Obama.

The Honolulu Advertiser was simpatico. “A bittersweet day for some,” it said.

Patty Rhule is an assistant editor at the Newseum.

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