Talking Points Memo has scored a real coup, by getting an advance copy of Hillary Clinton's eventual concession speech.

Arecibo, Puerto Rico (June 4) TPM--Hillary Clinton stood before a crowd this morning, flanked by her daughter, Chelsea, her pollster Geoff Garin, and her Internet liaison Matthew Weaver.  The score from Evita played in the background.  Following is the full text of her concession remarks:

"I am proud to stand here before the good people of Puerto Rico, who have taken us into their hearts and homes, offering us lovely meals of lechon asado and naranjas agria.  Chelsea and I will be taking some roast pig and sour orange juice back to Chappaqua.  I am so proud to have won two-thirds of your primary's votes.  Proud that my supporters changed Puerto Rico's contest in March from a caucus to a primary, to give me a shot at winning the popular vote within primaries, even though Puerto Rico doesn't vote in the general election.  So proud that, after I campaigned on my newly articulated support for Puerto Rican statehood and massive subsidies for Puerto Rican sugar growers, the people of these fair isles rewarded us with their solidarity.  Muchos gracias, Puerto Rico!
 
"However, I have just learned that superdelegate commitments, and my opponent winning recent primaries in Indiana, South Dakota, and Montana, have now made Senator Barack Obama the Democratic Party's nominee.  It is now time for Democrats to come together behind our nominee, which sadly, and against my better judgment and that of fifteen million voters, appears to have selected him to run for President.  Let me now offer my most sincere congratulations and my concession of this race to Senator Obama, and my reasons for endorsing him as we move forward. 
 
"First, I recognize that Senator Obama changes the electoral map.  While he will probably lose large and important states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida to Senator McCain, I am sure he will perform very well in the states that Jesse Jackson won in the 1988 primaries, like South Carolina.  Senator Obama, like Jesse Jackson, has run a strong campaign.  And Jesse Jackson did well in those states.  So I'm sure that Barack Obama will do well there too."  (Read the rest)

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