They spoke with one voice, however, at a fund-raiser last night for the Democratic National Committee and Obama in Center City, spelling out a message of unity.

"We. Are. All. For. Barack. Obama," they said, speaking in turn.

Held at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center, the dinner and reception pulled in at least $1 million for the candidate and the party. The event came just six days after Clinton conceded defeat, with the feelings of some backers still raw.

"Her supporters were as passionate as our supporters, and it's that passion we have to tap into," Obama told a couple hundred donors in a meeting room. "I know that passion could fray some nerves," he said, adding that he and Clinton have more in common than they do with the Republicans.

"We are here to win," Obama said. "I'm not interested in symbolism. I'm not interested in moral victories. . . . We don't have a choice but to win. There are some elections you want to win for your own ambition. And look, all of us here if you're in elected office you wake up in the morning and you see the next president or the next mayor or the next governor or next senator in the mirror while you're shaving.

"There is a megalomania to politics that cannot be denied. But there are certain moments in history where it's not about you, it's not about us, but rather it's about the American people. And we are in that moment now. We are in a moment in our history when families are struggling each and every day."

Most of Pennsylvania's Democratic establishment supported Clinton. She won the April 22 state primary by 9 percentage points, with huge margins of support from white working-class voters. At that time in the campaign, Obama had weathered controversy over the anti-American preachings of his former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, as well as his own comments, recorded at a private fund-raiser in San Francisco that "bitter" small-town voters "cling" to guns, religion and xenophobia for comfort amid their economic struggles.

"The Clinton voters in Pennsylvania aren't there yet," Rendell told reporters, referring to support for Obama, "but they will be, in my judgment. But the political establishment, I think we're 100 percent behind Sen. Obama."

During the primaries, Rendell often said that the media "drank the Kool-Aid" for Obama. He said yesterday that a supporter at one of his own fund-raisers earlier in the week gave him a canister of powdered Kool-Aid with an Obama sticker on it.

"I put some in a glass of water and drank it," Rendell said. "From now on, Sen. Obama is the greatest American politician who ever lived," he joked.

About 75 major donors attended a dinner for the DNC, which is able to accept up to $28,500 from each donor under federal law. A reception afterward raised money for Obama's campaign, with donations from $1,000 to the federal maximum of $2,300.

Mark Aronchick, a Center City lawyer who was a major Clinton fund-raiser, said he worked his contacts to rustle up contributions for the dinner as a step toward the party harmony that Clinton called for when she withdrew from the race last Saturday.

"There's a great deal of just exhaustion" among Clinton supporters, Aronchick said, but "we're working toward unity."

Obama urged the audience to campaign hard against Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, who he said would continue Bush administration policies that have created the greatest income inequality since 1917.

"Once in a while, what he really thinks pops out and his staff has to clean up after him," Obama said.

He promised that he would respond forcefully to Republican attacks. "If they bring a knife to the fight, we'll bring a gun," he added.

"One thing I understand is that Philadelphia likes a good brawl. I know, I've seen those Eagles fans. This is a full-contact city," he said.

"The only reason I'm standing here with all my flaws is the American people are ready for change," Obama said.