Breaking News: Hillary Clinton To Quit?

So reports ABC News:

Sen. Hillary Clinton will hold an event with supporters by Friday, likely ending her historic bid for the White House and ceding the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama, ABC News has learned.

I'm still skeptical; the report is just a rehash of the whole Democratic primary except for that relevant first paragraph which has dubious sources at best. Yet if true, I'll be surprised and relieved by this; considering her not so conciliatory speech last night, I fully expected her to take the fight to the convention in August.

In theory, Hillary can still get superdelegates to vote for her. Even the declared ones for Obama can change their minds come voting time at the convention. Highly unlikely, but not impossible. Then again, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was very vocal about not letting a convention fight happen, not an empty threat because she and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- who alluded to the same thing -- can whip superdelegate House and Senate members into shape.

It would be interesting to see how this unfolds and what the back story is. Did Hillary finally see the writing on the wall and decide a fight on the Convention floor would totally backfire? Or was she offered concessions she just couldn't refuse?

UPDATE:

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times confirms:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will endorse Senator Barack Obama on Friday, bringing a close to her campaign for the White House, aides said. Her decision came after Democrats urged her Wednesday to leave the race and allow the party to coalesce around Mr. Obama.

Mrs. Clinton’s aides said she would “express her support for Senator Obama and party unity” at an event in Washington, D.C., that day. One adviser said that Mrs. Clinton would concede defeat, congratulate Mr. Obama and proclaim him the party’s nominee, while pledging to do what was needed to assure his victory.

So does CNN:

Sen. Hillary Clinton will officially suspend her campaign for the presidency by the end of the week, multiple sources told CNN.

A top Clinton fundraiser says it is expected to happen on Friday.

Obama and Clinton were in Washington on Wednesday to each address the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The candidates ran into each other at the AIPAC conference and had a brief chat, Obama spokeswoman Linda Douglass said.

"She's an extraordinary leader of the Democratic Party and has made history alongside me over the last 16 months. I'm very proud to have competed against her," Obama told the Israel lobbying group.

Crooks and Liars has a video of MSNBC's report.

Via Michael Crowley of The New Republic, a video retrospective of Hillary's historic and groundbreaking campaign from the New York Times.

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