Former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman Endorses Obama

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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/16733607.htm

Former SC Democratic Party chairman endorses Obama

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party said Monday he would throw his support behind presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

"I see in Barack Obama ... the same magnetism I saw in Bill Clinton," said Dick Harpootlian, who met with the Illinois senator during Obama's first campaign visit to this early voting state Friday.

Harpootlian's announcement came as New York Sen. Hillary Clinton made her first campaign trek through South Carolina. Harpootlian, who has in the past called Hillary Clinton a polarizing political figure, downplayed his comments Monday and said she or any of the Democratic candidates would make a fine president.

But he said Obama was the embodiment of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that people be judged by their character, not their skin color.

Harpootlian said he would immediately begin fundraising for Obama.

"I think it will be easy to raise money for him," Harpootlian said.