The long Democratic presidential primary has finally come to an end, and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has emerged victorious over Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president. But now, the task for Obama is to reach out to the millions of female voters who supported Senator Clinton so staunchly in the primary.

Although it came as no real surprise that Obama clinched the nomination, many Clinton supporters (especially women) have been left feeling shortchanged by the outcome. And in all fairness to Senator Clinton, the statistics show that she came closer than any female in history to winning the Democratic nomination. In fact, had it been any other election year, Clinton would have easily won. It is a testament to the immense charisma, organizational skill and intelligence of Senator Obama that he was able to defeat such a strong candidate.

With female voters making up approximately 52% of the electorate, it will be critically important for Senator Obama to actively court the millions of Clinton supporters around the country. While the senator has already been emphasizing the differences between his platform and that of Republican John McCain (the presumptive nominee on the Republican side), in the weeks and months to come he will also have to play the “gender card” in order to win over female voters.

Obama’s stand on issues such as health care and abortion rights should help shore up his support among women, and the recent endorsement by Pro Choice America should also help to draw a clear contrast between the more progressive and socially-liberal Obama, and his conservative adversary McCain.

If previous presidential elections are any guide, the 2008 collection will be decided primarily by independent voters, not registered Democrats or Republicans. In general, Senator Obama enjoys a great deal of support among independents, and even moderate Republican voters. But in order to win in November he will have to go out of his way to appeal to female independents.

Of course, the easiest way to do this would be to simply put Senator Clinton on the ticket as his running mate; but most political analysts believe this to be unlikely. Clinton would undoubtedly help Obama to gain the support of many women, but she also comes with a great deal of baggage of her own — including her husband, ex-president Bill Clinton.

But even if Obama does not choose Hillary as his running mate, there are plenty of other female politicians who are eminently qualified for the job, including governors, congresswomen and business leaders.

For now, Obama is taking his time and considering all options before choosing a vice presidential running mate. The choice he makes could be critically important in attracting the support of women, and ultimately, to winning the general election in November.

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