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AfterVictoryinCalifornia,Hillary
ClintonTurnsTowardDonaldTrump
ByPATRICKHEALYandJONATHANMARTIN

JUNE7,2016

HillaryClintonclaimedtheDemocraticpresidentialnominationonTuesdaynight
afterdecisivevictoriesintheCalifornia,NewJerseyandNewMexicoprimaries,
andshequicklyappealedtosupportersofSenatorBernieSandersofVermontto
unitewithheragainstDonaldJ.Trump.
TheAssociatedPressreportedearlyWednesdaythatMrs.Clintonhadwon
California,butMr.Sandersgavenoindicationthathewouldyield,insisting
earlierthathewouldcontinuehiscampaignandbarelyacknowledgingher
achievement.
Withthe14monthDemocraticracenearingaclose,Mrs.Clintonsavored
thebiggestnightofherextraordinaryjourneyfromlawyer,wifeandfirstladyto
senator,secretaryofstateand,now,thefirstwomantowinamajorpartys
nomination.AtarallyinBrooklyn,shetookthestagewithherhandsclasped
overherheartingratitude,thenthrewopenherarmsinjoyandsavoredalong
momentasajubilantcrowdwavedAmericanflagsandchantedHillary.
Reachingforhistory,Mrs.Clintonpledgedtobuildontheachievementsof
pioneerslikethe19thcenturyleadersatSenecaFalls,N.Y.,whobeganthefight
forwomensrightsinAmerica.

Tonightcapsanamazingjourneyalong,longjourney,shesaid,nearly
acenturyafterwomenwontherighttovotenationwide.Weallowesomuchto
thosewhocamebefore,andtonightbelongstoallofyou.
AssixstatesvotedonTuesday,Mr.Sandersspoliticallifelinefrayedwith
eachloss.HewaslefthopingforalongshotvictoryintheCaliforniaprimary,to
justifystayingintheraceandlobbyingDemocraticofficialstosupporthimina
contestedconventionnextmonth.
InaspeechinSantaMonica,Calif.,lateTuesdaynightthatfeltmuchlikea
valedictory,Mr.SanderstoldsupportershewasdeterminedtostopMr.Trump,
thepresumptiveRepublicannominee,fromwinningthepresidency.Yethespoke
oftheircauseasmuchlargerthanhiscandidacy.Youallknowthatitismore
thanBernieitisallofustogether,hesaid.
Hevowedtofighthardtowinthefinalprimary,intheDistrictof
Columbianextweek,andtocontinueourfightforsocial,economic,racialand
environmentaljusticeattheDemocraticconventioninPhiladelphia.
Buthealsorecognizedcoldpoliticalreality.Iamprettygoodinarithmetic,
andIknowthatthefightinfrontofusisavery,verysteepfight,hesaid.But
wewillcontinuetofightforeveryvoteandeverydelegatewecanget.
WhileMr.SandersnoticeablyignoredMrs.Clintonstriumph,onlycrediting
hervictoriestonight,shelavishedpraiseonhimearlieratherBrooklynrally.
ShesaidtheirvigorousdebatehadbeenverygoodfortheDemocraticParty
andAmerica.
Mr.SanderswontheNorthDakotacaucusesandtheMontanaprimary,
whileMrs.ClintonwontheSouthDakotaprimary.Republicansalsovotedin
severalstates.
ThoughMr.Sandersmadeplanstolayoffmuchofhiscampaignstaff,he
appearedreluctanttoletgocompletelyaftermonthsofpoliticalwarfareagainsta
Clintonmachinethatheholdsinthinlyveiledcontempt.
PresidentObamaplanstomeetwithMr.SandersattheWhiteHouseon

Thursdayatthecandidatesrequest,anadministrationspokesmansaid,adding
thatMr.ObamahadcalledbothDemocraticcandidatesTuesdaynightto
congratulatethemonrunninginspiringcampaigns.
AsMrs.Clintonsoughttoturnherattentiontothegeneralelection,Mr.
Trump,whohadaweekslongheadstart,wasbusyreckoningwithproblemsof
hisownmaking.Hiscriticismofafederaljudge,GonzaloP.Curiel,forthe
judgesMexicanheritagecontinuedtoinflictdamageonhiscampaign,asthe
Housespeaker,PaulD.Ryan,calledMr.Trumpsremarksracistandother
Republicanspiledon.OneRepublicansenatorrescindedhissupport.
Mr.Trump,speakinginBriarcliffManor,N.Y.,pledgedtomake
Republicansproudofourpartyandourmovement,thoughhedidnottryto
defusethecontroversy.Instead,readingcarefullyfromateleprompter,he
mountedalengthyattackonMrs.Clintonsrecord,sayingshehadturnedthe
StateDepartmentintoherprivatehedgefund.Andheteasedaspeech,on
probablyMondayofnextweek,thathesaidwoulddelveintoallofthethings
thathavetakenplacewiththeClintons.
Mr.TrumpexplicitlyreachedouttoSanderssupporters,whohesaidhad
beenleftoutinthecoldbyariggedsystem.
Wecantsolveourproblemsbycountingonthepoliticianswhocreatedour
problems,hesaid.TheClintonshaveturnedthepoliticsofpersonalenrichment
intoanartformforthemselves.
Mrs.ClintonreturnedfireatMr.Trumpinherremarks,chargingthathe
wantstowinbystokingfearandrubbingsaltintowounds.
Yetsheavoidedthesortofslashingattacksandridiculethatsheusedto
greateffectinherindictmentofMr.Trumpandhistemperamentlastweek.
ScarcelyraisinghervoiceonTuesday,Mrs.Clintonagainlookedtotheexample
ofaninfluentialwoman,thistimetenderlyinvokinghermother.
Shetoldmetoneverbackdownfromabully,whichitturnsoutwasprettygood
advice,shesaid.

AlthoughTuesdayhadpromisedtobeawatershedmomentinthenations
politicalhistory,itprovedanticlimacticafterTheA.P.reportedMondaynightthat
Mrs.Clintonhadsecuredenoughdelegatestoclinchthepartysnomination.But
shestucktoherplantouseherrally,attheBrooklynNavyYard,tocelebrateher
achievementwithsomeofthesameNewYorkDemocratswhohelpedherwina
Senateseatin2000,beginninghercareerinelectedoffice.
TheunexpectednewsonMondaysetoffconversationswithinthetwo
campaigns,withClintonrepresentativespreparingtomakeoverturestothe
SanderscampasearlyasWednesday.
SandersadviserswereonedgeoverthedeclarationthatMrs.Clintonhad
lockedupthenomination,worriedthatitwoulddepressvoterturnoutin
California.AndMr.SanderstoldNBConTuesdayeveningthathewasupset
anddisappointedthatTheA.P.hadmadeitscallbasedonasurveyof
superdelegates,partyofficialswhocanshifttheirallegiancesaslateasthe
convention.
Mr.Sanderssaidthathisaideswereonthephonerightnowwith
superdelegates,includingthosesupportingMrs.Clinton.
Defyinghistoryiswhatthiscampaignhasbeenabout,hesaidofhisbid,
whichwasinitiallyseenasalongshot.Iamgoingtobemeetingwithour
supporterstofigureoutthebestwayforwardsothatwehaveagovernment
whichrepresentsallofus,andnotjustthe1percent.
HiscampaignalsoemailedsupporterslateTuesdayaskingthemtocommit
tovoteforhiminthefinalDemocraticprimary,intheDistrictofColumbianext
Tuesday,suggestingthatMr.Sanderswasnotcallingitquitsjustyet.
Still,heplannedtoletgoalargenumberofworkersonWednesday,
accordingtocurrentandformeraideswhospokeontheconditionofanonymity.
PartofMr.Sandersschallengeisthathisjustificationsforcontinuinghis
campaignareincreasinglythin.
Mrs.Clintonhasnowwonamajorityofthe4,051pledgeddelegatesatstake

intheDemocraticprimariesandcaucuses,crossingwhatMr.Sandershadlong
heldupasacriticalthreshold.Shealsohassupportfrom571superdelegatesto
Mr.Sanderss48onlyabout100uncommittedsuperdelegatesremain.
ThecampaignmanagersforMr.SandersandMrs.Clintonhavebeen
speakingrecently,includingearlyonTuesday,aboutthefutureoftheraceand
aboutpolicyprioritiesforthepartysconventionplatforminJuly,accordingto
twoDemocratsclosetothecandidates.Sofar,thediscussionshavenotincluded
thepossibilitythatMr.SanderswillconcedetoMrs.Clintonorendorseher,the
Democratssaid,butthegroundworkhasbeenlaidforaneventualconversationor
meeting.
SeveraladviserstoMr.SanderssaidTuesdaythathehadnotbeeninviting
opinionsorholdingmeetingsaboutwhethertowithdrawfromtherace,norhad
hesketchedoutaspeechannouncingthesuspensionofhiscampaign.Theysaid
hehadbeenwhollyfocusedonwinningtheCaliforniaprimaryinhopesthata
victoryinsuchapoliticallyimportantstatewouldhelphimlobbysuperdelegates
toshifttheirsupport.
Movingalotofsuperdelegatesintoourcolumnwillrequireabigcampaign
ofpersuasion,anationwidelogisticaleffort,butwebelievewehaveastrongcase
tomaketothemespeciallyifwedoverywellinTuesdaysprimaries,said
TadDevine,asenioradvisertoMr.Sanders.
OthercampaignadviserssaidtheyexpectedMr.Sanderstoconsiderhis
optionsduringhisflightfromCaliforniatoVermontonWednesday.Onerecalled
thatMrs.Clintondidmuchthesamewhenshefoundherselfinasimilarsituation
eightyearsago.
ThedayafterBarackObamaclinchedtheDemocraticnominationinJune
2008,Mrs.Clintonhuddledwithheradvisersanddebatedwhethertoholdonto
herdelegatesandtrytoforceacontestedconvention.ShedecidedtoendorseMr.
Obamainstead.ThetwohadatensebutproductivemeetingthatThursdaynight,
andtwodayslatershedeliveredaspeechthankinghersupportersandurging
themtounitearoundthepartyspresumptivenominee.

TheresistanceofmanyofMr.SandersssupporterstoMrs.Clintonislikely
tosoftenonceMr.Sandersleavestherace,andespeciallyifheendorsesher.But
Clintonadvisersandalliessaytheywillneedhishelptobringaroundthemany
youngervotersandliberalswhopreferhim.
IfMrs.ClintonisbeginningthegeneralelectionwithmanySanders
supportersincensedather,Mr.Trumpisinthemidstofhisownselfmadecrisis.
HeisforcingRepublicanstoconfrontapainfulchoice:Embracehisbrandof
racialpolitics,onethatcouldtaintthepartysimagewellbeyondthiselection,or
abandontheirpresumptivenomineeandhandtheWhiteHousetotheDemocrats
foranotherfouryears.
ButMrs.Clintonssupporters,pointingbothtothethreatfromMr.Trump
andtoherchanceatmakinghistory,predictedthatshewouldhaveaneasiertime
bringingherpartytogetherthanMr.Trumpwouldhis.
Ithinkthatwillsinkinoverthenextfewweeksandmonthsandwillgoa
longwaytohelpingunitetheparty,SenatorChuckSchumerofNewYorksaid.
IwasonthebikethismorningandsawonTVthatMondaynight,Hillaryhad
wonthenomination,andIgottearyeyed.Froma10,000footperspective,itsan
amazingaccomplishment.
Findoutwhatyouneedtoknowaboutthe2016presidentialracetoday,andget
politicsnewsupdatesviaFacebook,TwitterandtheFirstDraftnewsletter.
AversionofthisarticleappearsinprintonJune8,2016,onpageA1oftheNewYorkedition
withtheheadline:ClintonClaimstheDemocraticNomination.

2016TheNewYorkTimesCompany