Why Can't We Be Friends?

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton did what many disillusioned supporters were hoping she'd do: She apologized. Addressing the Newspaper Publishers Association, a gathering of black community newspapers, Clinton touched on a range of issues.

On her husband dismissing Barack Obama's South Carolina win by comparing it to Jesse Jackson's short-lived victory:

"I want to put that in context. You know I am sorry if anyone was offended. It was certainly not in any way to be offensive. We can be proud of Jesse Jackson and Senator Obama."

On Geraldine Ferraro's string of unfortunate remarks:

"I certainly do repudiate it and I regret deeply that it was said. Obviously she doesn't speak for the campaign, she doesn't speak for any of my positions, and she has resigned from being a member of my very large finance committee."

Perhaps most intriguing of all, however, was her assurance that her supporters would back Obama if he were to win the nomination:

"Once one of us has the nomination there will be a great effort to unify the Democratic party and we will do so, because, remember I have a lot of supporters who have voted for me in very large numbers and I would expect them to support Senator Obama if he were the nominee."

These are welcome comments, and one hopes that they'll be heard when addressing crowds of white Pennsylvania voters, too. Maybe she'll continue to take Keith Olbermann's advice (or Tommy's). That remains to be seen. The last time she made such a magnanimous statement, she followed it up the next morning by excoriating Obama with her "Shame on you!" routine. But here's hoping that this day really does signal a change in the tenor of the campaign.