After more than two weeks off, Senator Clinton came back to her day job today — arriving on Capitol Hill to the cheers of some 50 interns and the hounding questions of the political press corps. She welcomed the applause but ignored the questions, turning to wave as she entered the building.

Clinton missed an early vote on housing, showing up in time for the Democrats’ weekly strategy session. She emerged to talk to reporters staking out the meeting outside the LBJ room, saying “I am rolling up my sleeves and getting back to work.”

“To my friends here in the leadership in the caucus and all of our colleagues I expressed my appreciation for the work that is done here in the Senate every single day and my commitment to working on behalf of the issues and values that we all stand for,” she said.

“It’s going to be up to the Democratic Party and particularly the Democratic Senate to make progress on everything from healthcare and the economy to ending the war in Iraq and I look forward to being back with this great team that we have here doing everything I can to make that happen.”

On her presidential bid, Clinton said “It was such an honor and a privilege for me to spend the last eighteen months as I did going across our country and having a chance to immerse myself in the extraordinary resilience and resourcefulness that is the American people. And I come back with an even greater depth of awareness about what we have to do here in Washington.”

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Hillary Clinton has taken to the internet to ask supporters to help with the more than $22.5 million in unpaid campaign debts — $12 million of which is owed to the candidate herself. Clinton has indicated she’ll write her own loans to the campaign, leaving almost $10 million that the cash-strapped campaign needs to make good on (not to mention whatever debts she incurred in June).

With no indication that the Obama campaign is willing to assist with that debt (much to the frustration of some Clinton backers), the New York Senator issued a web video to solicit online donations from previous contributors. While she never actually asks for money (using her long-standing euphemism of asking them to visit her website, which is chock-full of “contribute” buttons), a text box next to the video makes a more direct appeal.

“You and Hillary can write the next chapter of America’s history together,” it reads. “By helping us pay off our campaign debt, you’re not just helping Hillary elect a Democratic president and grow our majority in Congress. You’re making it possible for her to work as hard as she can on the issues we care about.”

Read the transcript of her remarks after the jump.

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The Obama campaign just announced the location for Friday’s much-anticipated joint public appearance of erstwhile Democratic primary opponents Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — the sleepy little town of Unity, New Hampshire.

It’s not just the name that’s fitting; the town split down the middle in it’s Democratic presidential preference, casting exactly 107 votes for Obama and 107 for Hillary Clinton on January 8th.

The two candidates are set to hit another location yet to be determined on Friday — one day after holding a closed fundraiser together in Washington. As one Clinton campaign staffer said about the two rivals hitting the campaign trail, it’s “all in the name of unity…. Literally!”

UPDATE: Obama mentioned Clinton in his remarks to women workers in New Mexico today, praising her and saying he looks forward to working with her on issues important to women and to American families. Check out the video below.

done

CHICAGO–

John McCain held a fundraiser at the posh Drake hotel this evening. The guests sipped beer, wine, and soda, but there were no hors d’oeuvres or snacks. He spoke for a brief thirteen minutes, but that included a jab at Barack Obama that was in his earlier prepared remarks e-mailed to the press, but that he omitted when delivering his energy speech this afternoon, “We have to go to wind and solar and tide and. . .we have to go to nuclear power. My opponent–Senator Obama said I am not a proponent of nuclear power well I don’t know exactly what that means but I am a proponent of nuclear power, my friends. “

He accused his Democratic rival of wanting to raise taxes, “Senator Obama wants to raise your taxes. I want to lower them. I want to keep them low. I do not believe you can raise taxes in economic hard times or any other time for that matter and not expect to pay a price. “ He also went after Obama for not supporting the troop surge in Iraq and not meeting with General Petraeus. The crowd of donors clapped at each jab to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

According to the McCain campaign website, donors who contributed $100, 000 were invited to a “Leadership Reception, along with the main reception,” while those who contributed $25,000 were invited to a “Finance Committee Reception, along with the main reception.” For $10,000 donors got a “photo opportunity” with the presumptive Republican nominee while tickets to the regular reception were $2,300 per person.

The fundraiser’s host, Bill Strong introduced McCain and joked about Chicago, “I think it is the hometown of your direct competitor.” Strong is the Vice-President of Morgan Stanley in Chicago and isn’t new to donating to political campaigns–oddly enough, according to FEC reports, he has previously donated both to Hillary Clinton and Fred Thompson’s campaigns.

The campaign did not immediately know how much money was raised this evening.

After 16 months as a presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton will hang up her stumping shoes today in Washington — where she’ll throw her support behind her long-time Democratic rival, Barack Obama

Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee says Hillary Clinton’s final campaign remarks will focus her speech on unifying the party. “She’s going to make it very clear she’s supporting Senator Obama, and urge her supporters to do the same,” he said. She’ll also talk about the high stakes in this election, stressing the need for party unity to elect a Democrat.

A senior Clinton aide says bringing disgruntled supporters along with her to support Obama is crucial in the immediate aftermath of her defeat — noting that the bitterness engendered by a tough primary fight needs to be put to bed quickly so the party can get behind Obama. Exit polling showed Clinton supporters to be far less likely to support Obama should he be the nominee, and some websites have sprung up urging her voters to  support McCain in the Fall.

The Clinton aide also insists that the criticism of her final election day speech on Tuesday — which some said sounded like a victory address, even though Obama wrapped up the delegates needed to win the nomination — is just beltway chatter. He argues that the millions of Clinton supporters would never have accepted her ending the campaign so abruptly, and that they needed to be brought along slowly to ensure they remain loyal to the Democratic party in November.

But it’s not all about coming together; Clinton is expected to reflect on all that her campaign accomplished and the history that was made — particularly on behalf of women, who supported her in record numbers.

As for what’s next, the New York Senator will hold a private reception after the event for big donors, then return to her house in Georgetown before flying to her home in Chappaqua, NY with her family.

New York–Members of New York’s Congressional Delegation and other local politicians stood on the steps of City Hall today to endorse Senator Barack Obama, much like they did yesterday in Washington D.C.

They said that they back Senator Clinton’s decision to suspend her campaign and are putting their full support behind Obama. U.S. Representative Yvette Clark was just one of the members who thanked Clinton and expressed their complete support for the presumptive nominee, “We have accepted and we are totally in agreement with what Hillary Clinton has to say in her concession tomorrow and that means all of us must roll up our sleeves starting each and every moment of each and every day to do everything that we can to make sure he is the next President of the United States. I’m proud to be here.”

At times the delegation broke out into chants of, “Si se puede!” and “Yes we can!” One member even quipped, “Yes we did!”

The politicians pressed that they were all unified now that there was one Democratic candidate, but New York State Minority Leader Malcolm Smith who originally endorsed Obama said the delegation was never divided even though some backed the eventual Democratic victor, “The bottom line was we were never split we were smart.”

Even with all the expressions of party unity there was some disagreement when I asked if members of the delegation would persuade Obama to put Clinton on his ticket. U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks said the decision was up to Obama, but Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said there is nothing wrong with expressing their support for Clinton as a potential Vice-Presidential candidate, “We have a right as Clinton supporters to also put forth her name as a Vice-Presidential candidate. She would add strength to the ticket. It’s not our decision but boy I can imagine a ticket like that. Look out! I don’t think there is anything wrong with articulating for our senator like other states will articulate for their governors or senator.”

The politicians also went after Obama’s rival for the White House, Senator John McCain. The always-colorful Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz told America the choice is now theirs to make:

New York State and New York City. You either want a health care system that works for all of us or none at all.” Markowitz continued, “Either you want this war going on in Iraq or end it on reasonable terms. You either want to restore respect in the world in America again or you continue to want the world to look at America with anything other than positive feelings. All this Barack Obama promises for all of us and this is a country of rich and poor, of moderate and middle income, of every color, of every religion of every nationality. Barack Obama represents the best of all of us and he is the one that can bring it about.”

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Hillary Clinton welcomed her entire campaign staff to a party at her home in Georgetown today, hosting about 500 people in the back yard by the swimming pool. All morning, workers brought tables, food, and bags of ice through the side gate, assisted by Secret Service agents. Valets helped park cars to keep them off the quiet one-way street.

Guests began arriving at 2pm. Dressed in khakis and a white blouse, Hillary Clinton greeted them in the back, mingling and saying her thank you’s along with her husband. Chelsea was there for the kick-off, but left with two staff members to thank Clinton supporters in Texas at the state’s Democratic convention tonight.

National campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe stopped by to say hi to reporters staked out outside the house, saying Hillary’s feeling great since she got off the trail. As for what’s next? “She will do anything she can to help Barack Obama,” he said. “If he wants her to travel every day, she’ll do that.”

McAuliffe wouldn’t discuss the meeting between Clinton and Barack Obama last night, but did say tomorrow’s address at the National Building Museum would be “a great speech, it will be pumped up” — and while focusing on Party unity, she would be zeroing in on issues like health care and education.

“This was never about Hillary Clinton,” he said. “This was about the issues that matter to her.”

Barack Obama’s efforts to elude the press last night have been well documented, but Hillary Clinton took her own steps to evade the cameras outside her house. She ditched her normal gray Chevy Suburban for a dark minivan, followed by a small, nondescript car full of agents, which pulled out without fanfare around 8pm from her Georgetown home.

The destination? The home of Sen Dianne Feinstein of California, a long-time Clinton supporter who had offered her home as a meeting place for the two Democratic contenders to hash out differences and work to unify the party.

Feinstein provided details of the meeting to Fox Senate Producer Trish Turner, saying Sen Clinton called to take her up on the offer yesterday afternoon.

“In talking with Hillary and knowing at some point they would want to have a private conversation, I offered my home — which has some advantages in the privacy area,” Feinstein said. “She said that might be a good idea, and i didn’t hear anymore after.

“Late afternoon, she called and said can we use your home? And I said sure.”

As for the meeting itself, Feinstein said she didn’t get involved. “I welcomed them, i had a chance to talk to Hillary, who came early. I had a chance to talk with her a little bit,” she said. “Then Barack came, and I seated them in comfortable chairs by the fireplace and they had some water. Then I went upstairs to work and when they were finished he called up and I came down and said good night, and that was it.”

Asked whether Obama told her any of the details, Feinstein said “No, and I didn’t ask.”

Feinstein didn’t know whether they’d talked about the possibility of a Vice Presidential spot on the ticket for Sen Clinton, but said she supports the idea. Clinton, she said, brings constituencies “like women, elderly, like working people, certain states that are critical to win.”

“I also think it is a very good mix because it is a very historical ticket,” she said, but acknowledged that it’s Obama’s choice to make.

As for the secrecy, Feinstein defended the evasive maneuvers employed by both candidates. “This was a private conversation. It was just between Sen Obama and Sen Clinton,” she said. “I feel very strongly that they are entitled to be able to talk without having to make a statement or go out and greet the press.

Major Garrett reports that it was pressure from three high-powered House Democrats that finally forced Hillary Clinton into setting a date to suspend her campaign for the nomination.

Congressional sources tell Major that Reps. Charlie Rangel of New York, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, and Norm Dicks of Washington leaned on Hillary Clinton to end her campaign this week, after she declined to give a date for her departure on a conference call with about 20 congressional supporters

Rangel, Frank and Dicks made separate appeals to Clinton to come up with a plan to leave the race and throw her support behind Obama, telling her the party needs to unify.

All three were dissatisfied with Clinton’s speech on Tuesday, when Clinton failed even to acknowledge Obama’s insurmountable delegate lead. On Wednesday, Rangel told ABC News that “Unless she has some good reasons– which I can’t think of– I really think we ought to get on with endorsements and dealing with what we have to deal with… so we can move forward.”

Clinton later told congressional backers that she’d move to begin unifying the party soon, but the of lack a specific date caused Rangel, Franks, and Dicks to ratchet up the pressure

Overnight, Clinton sent a letter to supporters letting them know about her Saturday event where she’ll thank those who have been behind her for the last 16 months and express her support for Obama’s candidacy. You can read the full letter after the jump.

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A senior Clinton adviser tells Fox’s Major Garrett that Hillary Clinton informed her campaign staff today that Friday is their last day of work and she will end her campaign on that day.

According a senior Democratic source on Capitol Hill, Clinton told a conference call with about 20 House Democratic supporters, that it was “time to bring the party together,” and acknowledged there were “two wings in the party right now,” and it was her obligation to “unite them.”

In that conference call with lawmakers Clinton did not announce a timeline of her withdrawal from the race but made it clear her campaign was drawing to a close.

When asked about being Obama’s running mate, Clinton said, according to a senior Democratic source that she “was not campaigning for the position but will do whatever she is asked to do to help the party win in November.”

Democratic sources have also said Clinton will suspend her campaign rather than close it down entirely. By suspending her campaign, Clinton retains nominal control of her delegates and can continue to raise money to pay off campaign debts and allow late primary states to finish up the process of electing pro-Clinton delegates to the convention.

Sources tell Fox Clinton staffers are paid in full through June 15. Most of them were on hand today at Clinton’s headquarters in Arlington, VA, where the NY Senator stopped by to say thank you. After that brief meeting, most of the staff could be seen exiting the building in large groups, heading out for a late lunch — but most hadn’t returned by the time Clinton herself left the building nearly 3 hours later.

UPDATE: The Clinton campaign changes the event to Saturday, saying in a statement “Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, DC to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity.  This event will be held on Saturday to accommodate more of Senator Clinton’s supporters who want to attend.”