The event, which took place in a field outside the town's small elementary school, marked a concerted effort by the former opponents to change the political tone. The Obama campaign sought to capitalize on the town's symbolic title to spread a message of solidarity within the Democratic party.
"I don't think it's at all unknown among this audience that this was a hard-fought primary campaign," Clinton said at Friday's event. "But today and every day going forward, we stand shoulder to shoulder for the ideals we share, the values we cherish and the country we love. We may have started on separate paths, but today our paths have merged."
Obama similarly portrayed the two former adversaries as "allies," lauding Clinton's work both as a senator and as a rival for the nomination, and pointing to the work the two will do together in the coming months to secure a Democratic presidency. At one point, Obama's praise for Clinton inspired an audience member to yell out, "Hillary rocks."
"She rocks. Hillary rocks," Obama responded. "That's the point I'm trying to make."
Obama spoke both to his respect for Clinton and her role in the Democratic party -- and to that of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who was absent on Friday.
"When Hillary Clinton gets up in the morning, even in the face of the toughest odds, the most vicious attacks, she is doing so with the same motivation that took her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago," Obama said, continuing later, "We need them, we need them badly " not just my campaign, but the American people need their service, and their vision and their wisdom in the months and years to come."
The event was not without its foibles -- speaker problems and the delayed entrance of Clinton and Obama lent the event a more relaxed feel -- but the town of Unity provided an interesting forum for the two senators. The town voted equally for the two in the state's primary, with 107 votes falling to each candidate. Both candidates made reference to the vote on Friday, telling the gathered audience that now their individual totals are not as important as the conglomerate number, which Clinton termed "votes of confidence in the American dream."
The senators' central theme of the promise of a Democratic-led America was echoed by local Democratic leaders, including Congressman Paul Hodes D-N.H., Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H. and former New Hampshire governor Jeanne Shaheen, a candidate for senate. All of politicians spoke at the event.
"Today all roads lead to Unity and from here all roads go out with unity," Hodes said in an interview with The Dartmouth before the event. "Our future is on the line in this election."
Above all, Friday's event was an effort to solidify the party for its upcoming duel with the Republicans -- particularly important in a state that could become an important battleground in the coming months.
Dartmouth government professor Joseph Bafumi said that he believed the event's location, though clearly ideal for its name, was likely also chosen because of New Hampshire's historical status as a swing state. The state voted Republican in 2000 and Democratic in 2004 and 2006.
The state is particularly important for Obama, Bafumi said, as Clinton unexpectedly took the state's primary and may have more appeal among local voters.
"There are voters in New Hampshire, working class white Democrats, who in the primary said they were a little bit uneasy about Obama's candidacy," he said. "[It's] a state where she would have stronger support than he has, had she been the nominee."
New Hampshire residents should expect their state to see significant focus from both Obama and the campaign of presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain R-Ariz., Bafumi said.
Gannet Tseggai, an Obama spokeswoman, called New Hampshire a "critical state" for the campaign in an interview with The Dartmouth.
"It's a state that we are taking very seriously," she said.
Jeff Grappone, New England communications director for the McCain campaign, similarly spoke to the importance of the state, saying that he expected McCain to be a "return visitor" in the coming months. McCain has already made two visits to New Hampshire since becoming the Republican party's presumptive nominee, and the campaign plans to open its New England regional office headquarters in Manchester, N.H. today.
On Friday, both senators sought to present McCain as a candidate who would prolong a failing and outdated Republican agenda.
Clinton termed McCain and current President George Bush "two sides of the same coin," adding " and it doesn't amount to a whole lot of change."
At several points throughout her speech, Clinton made a direct reference to claims -- levied on both side of the political spectrum -- that some of her former supporters would be hesitant to rally behind Obama.
"Senator McCain and the Republicans may have hoped that we wouldn't join forces like this," Clinton said. "But I've got news for them: we are one party, we are one America and we are not going to rest until we take back our country and put it once again on the path to peace, prosperity and progress in the 21st century."
She urged those who have said they may consider voting for McCain or not voting at all in the wake of her defeat to "reconsider."
Obama's campaign is hoping to woo Clinton's base of female voters. In his speech, Obama made direct reference to the influence of Clinton's campaign on America's women, telling the gathered audience that her campaign had made it clear to his daughters, and to females around the nation, that there is no barrier in the potential for female achievement.
"Women can do anything that the boys can do. And do it better. And do it in heels," he said.
Friday's crowd, though boasting its share of long-time Obama backers, saw attendance by former Clinton supporters, several of whom told The Dartmouth they are receptive to Obama's campaign. Bernice Christianson, a Clarksville, N.H. resident, said Clinton has long been her "idol."
"Until today I was convinced I was going to vote for McCain," Christianson said. "Today I may have changed my mind. Her speech convinced me that we need to be united."
The town's honorary mayor, Ken Hall, who spoke before the senators, called the event "a real shot in the arm for Unity."
"Folks here have been sprucing up a bit, cutting the grass and weeding a little bit," Hall said. "I also bought a new pair of sneaks."
Hall then confessed to the crowd that he was a "lifelong Republican" who had voted for McCain in the primary.
"I may be a part of this change," he said.
