The Democrats want a winner, and most of them are prepared to forgive quite a lot of inconsistency in order to get one.

It was a day of choreographed unity for the former rivals in the presidential primary battle.

Barack Obama announced the good-will gesture to a crowd of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s leading supporters as the former foes shared the stage for the first time since she suspended her campaign.

Though the victor and vanquished stood side by side, there was plenty of ambiguity, duality and ferocity in Unity, N.H.