Clinton refuses to concede the nomination

'I am open to it'
Clinton's vice presidential remarks came in response to a question from Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who said she believed the best way for Obama to win key voting blocs, including Hispanics, would be for him to choose Clinton as his running mate.

According to an NBC News source, Clinton said if Obama were to ask her to be on the ticket, she would be interested.

"I am open to it," Clinton replied, if it would help the party's prospects in November.

Clinton also told colleagues the delegate math was not there for her to overtake Obama, but that she wanted to take time to determine how to leave the race in a way that would best help Democrats.

"I deserve some time to get this right," she said, even as the other lawmakers forcefully argued for her to press Obama to choose her as his running mate.

'She'll be available'
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., a prominent Clinton supporter, told NBC News that “certainly to the extent that she will do anything to win ... she’ll be available.”

Slide show   Historic night in U.S. politics Sen. Barack Obama becomes the first black candidate to claim a major party’s presidential nomination in U.S. history. more photos

“She’ll do whatever is needed,” Rangel said. “If people think it would help, she’d do it.”

Lisa Caputo, a longtime Clinton adviser, said Clinton “knows the math just isn’t there, so everybody needs to be a realist.”

Aides to Obama said he and Clinton had not spoken about the prospects of her joining the ticket.

Clinton aides told NBC News that Clinton would seek a meeting with Obama as soon as possible, perhaps as early as Wednesday, when they could cross paths twice. First they will be in Washington to address the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and later they will be in New York for a round of party fundraisers.

Word of Clinton's vice presidential musings came before she delivered the televised address to supporters on the final night of the epic primary season. She worked out final details of the speech at her Chappaqua, New York, home with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, their daughter Chelsea, and close aides.

'Her campaign is over'
While Clinton will continue to speak out on issues like health care, for all intents and purposes, two senior officials said, her campaign is over.

Chris Mcgrath / Getty Images Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton waves to supporters during her speech Tuesday night at Baruch College in New York City.

Most campaign staff will be let go and will be paid through June 15, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge her plans.

Clinton field hands who worked in key battlegrounds said they were told to stand down, without pay, and await instructions. Speaking not for attribution because they didn't want to jeopardize their job searches, many said they were peddling resumes, returning to their hometowns or seeking out former employers.

Clinton officials have said they would not contest the seating of Michigan delegates at the convention in Denver this August. The campaign was angry this past weekend when a Democratic National Committee panel awarded Obama delegates it thought Clinton deserved.

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