HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell, ever the optimist, thinks the rift between the Democratic supporters of Sen. Barack Obama and those of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has largely been healed, and expects the disappointed Clinton backers to work and vote for Mr. Obama in November.

"I'd say that 90 to 95 percent of the Clinton supporters are 100 percent behind Sen. Obama right now," he told reporters here yesterday.

"There's somewhere between 5 and 10 percent that aren't there yet, and I think the vast majority of that 5 to 10 percent will be there after the (Democratic national) convention," which starts next week.

"Look, when you work for a candidate, it's very very hard to just turn off your emotions and then turn them back on like a light switch. You can't do that. It takes some time," said Mr. Rendell, who was Mrs. Clinton's leading supporter in Pennsylvania and helped her win a big victory over Mr. Obama in the April 22 primary.

He noted that Mrs. Clinton herself has strongly urged her supporters to help Mr. Obama, so he can defeat presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Nov. 4. Mr. Rendell said Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama generally agree on important issues, such as health care, though they have somewhat different ideas for accomplishing some goals.

"I tell Hillary supporters that if you believe in her goals, there is no choice -- Sen. Obama will achieve 100 percent of those goals; Sen. McCain, maybe less than 10 to 15 percent of them,'' he said.

On a related matter, Mr. Rendell again put in a plug for Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware to become Mr. Obama's running mate. Mr. Rendell said his No. 1 choice for vice president would be Mrs. Clinton, but that idea looks very unlikely. He also said the Obama camp hasn't contacted him to see if he's interested in the No. 2 spot.

He said Mr. Biden brings vast experience in foreign affairs and counter-terrorism, which would help Mr. Obama rebut Republican claims that he doesn't have enough foreign affairs experience to be a good President.

Mr. Rendell said that with Delaware so close to Philadelphia, Mr. Biden has run many political ads on Philadelphia TV stations and is very well known in southeastern Pennsylvania, which would help the Democratic ticket carry the state and its 21 electoral votes.