DENVER (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton had a simple message
Tuesday for her still loyal supporters: This election isn't about
her any more.

The former first lady ceded the nomination that was almost hers
in a prime-time speech to Democratic delegates, closing another
chapter in a long, improbable political career that took her from
supportive spouse to political powerhouse.

She was warmly embraced by delegates split between herself and
Barack Obama in the primary. Any who were still angry over her loss
were drowned out in applause when she opened her speech by
declaring herself "a proud supporter of Barack Obama."

She exhorted her backers to remember who was most important in
this campaign.

"I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just
for me?" she said. She urged them instead to remember Marines who
have served their country, single mothers, families barely getting
by on minimum wage and other struggling Americans.

All the Clintons, a longtime royal family of Democratic
politics, were on hand to pass the torch to Obama.

Clinton was introduced by her daughter Chelsea, while her husband watched from a box seat above the Arkansas delegation.

Clinton spoke on the eve of the delegate roll call in which both
she and Obama will be nominated for president. But under a deal
between the two camps, only some delegates will get the opportunity
to cast a historic vote for either a woman or a black man before
the split decision will be cut off in favor of unanimous consent
for Obama.

But at the 11th hour, many details were unclear - which states
would get a chance to vote, whether Clinton herself would cut it
off in acclamation for Obama and if floor demonstrations would be
tolerated.

The dealmaking and lack of direction left Clinton supporters frustrated.

"Just tell me what you want me to do," Philadelphia Mayor
Michael Nutter said, throwing up his hands and rolling his eyes in
an Associated Press interview. Nutter, who had campaigned for
Clinton during the Pennsylvania primary, later said he would
support Obama in a roll call vote.

Even some of Clinton's most loyal allies - New York Democrats -
are increasingly frustrated by the silence from her and her
advisers on how to proceed. New York delegates would likely play a
key role in the roll call salute to Clinton but they still have no
idea what it is they are supposed to do, according to several
Democrats who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are
supposed to be publicly backing Clinton.

Clinton fueled confusion by refusing to publicly instruct her
delegates how to vote, though she said she'll back Obama when the
time comes.

She planned to meet with her delegates Wednesday.

The convention hall was filled with delegates wearing their Clinton gear. There were Hillary T-shirts, buttons and stickers.
Some delegates brought signs promoting Clinton for president. Many
wore white shirts to mark the 88th anniversary of women's suffrage.

The Obama campaign gave Clinton her due. Before she took the
stage Tuesday night, Obama's campaign distributed "Hillary" signs
throughout the Pepsi Center. But only sentences into Clinton's
speech, those signs were quickly swapped out for others proclaiming
either "Obama" or "Hillary" on one side, and "Unity" on the
other.

Some Clinton delegates weren't ready for so quick a pivot.

"We love you Hillary!" some shouted.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)