The endorsements are really rolling in for Obama this week:Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry plans to endorse Barack Obama's White House bid today at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina.
(GOI: We know now that he has indeed made that endorsement official).
This is an important endorsement for a couple reasons. First, he was the previous nominee for the Democratic party in the 2004 election. This is extremely helpful because Kerry has many contacts (somewhere around 3 million) from his run for president (and decades as a senator), he is still very popular among the party faithful and can help Obama tap into more donors.
Kerry still has the remnants of a national operation in nearly every state. That means donors, activists and operatives who know these states and will be able to add to the already large team of Obama backers around the country. Local knowledge and on-the-ground operatives are crucial to winning any of these early contests and could even prove decisive if Obama winds up as the nominee and is looking for people with in-depth knowledge of the general election battleground states. Kerry, a decorated military man and experienced hand in foreign affairs, can help to validate that Obama is indeed up to the challenge. "If he says Obama is 'ready' it will reassure many who were unsure."
GOI: The other reason that this is note able is that Kerry represents the old Democratic cadre (as Hillary does) and his endorsement shows that Obama is the future of the party and the best chance to reach the White House and change this country around.
"Barack Obama isn't just going to break the mold," said Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate four years ago. "Together, we are going to shatter it into a million pieces."
Other endorsements:
Obama also picked up an endorsement today from Representative George Miller, a California Democrat who is close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota will announce later today that he is endorsing Obama, said his spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher.
GOI: Of course endorsements don't mean they will translate to votes. That being said, It does help show that major players in the party and moving to Obama and thus maybe help sway some people to shift as well.
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PHOTO CREDIT: (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds).
4 comments:
If Obama becomes the Democratic candidate I sure hope he doesn't follow Kerry's example of how to ignore GOP slander!
T&A:
Agreed. I think Obama has learned that lesson. At least I hope so.
Perhaps Kerry warned him against letting that kind of crap slide.
He certainly needs to respond to the bogus email going viral on the internet claiming falsely that he went to school in a madrasa, blah, blah...
Yes, James. Rove and his disciples will certainly try to destroy Obama like they did Kerry. From what I hear, they will attack Obama's political core, which is his background story. Subtly and overty the idea that he is Muslim or a Muslim sympathizer will get talked up. And of course they'll play up the idea among whites that Obama will help the blacks at whites' expense -- the whole race card thing will be out there.
One thing that's interesting about Kerry's endorsement is whom he didn't endorse: Edwards, his VP running mate, and Hillary, his colleague in the senate, also from New England.
It may be pivotal whom Edwards's followers go to if this thing evolves into an Obama-Hillary face-off. Edwards, like Hillary, appeals to poorer, less-educated people. By that measure it might seem like Hillary would get a lion's share of people leaving Edwards. But it is Edwards who aligns himself closer to Obama, a change agent, as opposed to Hillary whom he identified in the NH debate as the status quo.
Thinks continue to be interesting.
Tom:
I think that the Edwards supporters would probably back Obama over Hillary.
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