Breaking News: Maria Shriver backs Barack Obama

[jefferson_dem]

Source: LA Times

Breaking News: Maria Shriver backs Barack Obama

In a dramatic moment at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, California First Lady Maria Shriver just strode out onto a stage that had already seen its share of celebrities -- Oprah Winfrey and Stevie Wonder among them -- and announced that she was joining the Kennedy half of the family backing Barack Obama, reports our colleague Mark Z. Barabak, who is there.

More details will be posted shortly and in tomorrow's print edition, but Shriver reportedly was waiting backstage wavering over whether she should make her support public, and then finally strode out on stage. Her husband, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, earlier this week announced his endorsement for Sen. John McCain.

The Kennedy family has split over the two top Democratic contenders, with Ted Kennedy joined by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg -- daughter of his brother John F. Kennedy -- and his son, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, all going with Obama. Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, also went with the Illinois senator.

But Hillary Rodham Clinton picked up the support of three of Robert and Ethel's children -- Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Kerry Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.



Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/brea...

[floridablue]

1. Teddy backed Swartswhoever in the recall

[RazBerryBeret]

7. hmmm...

Was that "Total Recall"? ha ha, I know, I just couldn't help it....

[apocalypsehow]

21. He did? Do you have a link to that? Thanks.

[floridablue]

53. No but I recall him saying it in an interview either with

Matt Lauer or Jay Leno.

[apocalypsehow]

59. I see. I find that very hard to believe.

I could be persuaded, however, with this thing called proof, aka evidence, of Senator Kennedy making such a statement.

[Tarc]

33. And some Obamaniacs here actually see this as BENEFICIAL?

He was just endorsed by the wife of the Republican governor. Who's hoping one Obama's Hopemobile next? Joe Lieberman? Zell Miller?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

37. Just caught Michele and Maria on C-Span at UCLA

I'm a new Obama supporter come from Edwards' lean machine. I loved John's policies, but have to admit he didn't inspire me.

Obama is the man to be sure. He's got everything - including the endorsements from California's First Lady - a Democrat still. Her speech was amazing. Catch it if you can.

Obama all the way. I'm stoked.

[cali]

38. of course it's helpful. Maria Shriver is the niece of JFK , RFK and Teddy

She's the first lady of CA. Most of all, this means that Obama dominates the news cycle in CA the day before Super Tuesday. Above the fold coverage in every newspaper and the talk of every TV and radio show. Maria is a dem. Everyone knows she's a dem, and being married to Ahnold can only help with repukes and indies. She's very popular in CA.

The only people not seeing this as helpful, are Hill supporters.

[superconnected]

57. Not true, I'll take obama over hillary and I still see having shrivers support

as a negative.

[TommyO]

49. Are you trying to say that a wife can't differ from her husband on political matters?

How old-testament of you.

[dogfacedboy]

52. Maria Shriver is a Democrat. No problems there.

Take a real good look at the Governator. He's not exactly a whacko fringe rightie.
There's a lot of blur at the Center Line.

[hezekkia]

34. no he didn't.

check your facts.

[floridablue]

54. My facts are right

[Ian David]

2. If she's lucky, Arnold will lose interest in her sexually now. n/t

[floridablue]

3. Is it Nazi groping season already ???

[LibraLiz1973]

26. Ha ha, I think that happened yearrrrrrrssss ago

[NV Whino]

4. It's more interesting to watch the Kennedys than Obama and Clinton

[Cha]

5. Not for me it's not..Michelle was the most

amazing, fascinating speaker of all the women at Pauley Pavillion today.

[mchill]

8. Hadn't heard her speak before - impressive

[K8-EEE]

6. CAN NOT STAND THAT WOMAN!!!!

I'll never forgive her for helping to push that thuggish knuckle-dragger she's married to into the Governor's mansion....that whole thing with the recall was the biggest put-up job ever forced on the state of CA and a lot of creepy players (Enron, etc.) were involved.

I've got nothing against Obama but her endorsement of him means less than zero IMO.

[Iwasthere]

9. What it means is that much of the the Hispanic vote might just go to Obama

All the headlines tomorrow can't help but make a HUGH difference imo

[K8-EEE]

11. She's such a Lieberman.....maybe she'll give him some JoeMentum!

Or maybe he'll get the anorexic vote!

[Tarc]

32. Yea, and over here in the real world

Hispanics will see the wife of an unpopular Republican governor as yet another reason to break for Clinton.

Anyone over here at the DU who sees this as a positive for Obama is simply ridiculous.

[Le Taz Hot]

47. A majority of Hispanics voted for Arnie and

still support him enthusiastically. This MAY (big may) help counter Torres' influence and Clinton specifically appealing to the Latina/Latino voters. (Please note: I have no horse in this race.)

[bpeale]

10. who the fuck cares what she says? she's a has-been

[K8-EEE]

12. She's the only one who misses her "TV career"

What's your favorite Maria Schriver TV interview?? crickets, crickets.....she's so annoying!

[DesEtoiles]

27. going on my ignore list. buh bye

[bpeale]

42. who cares? i wear it proudly as a thinking person which you are not

[Tempest]

44. A thinking person wouldn't make statements like

"Who the fuck cares".

That's something an uneducated cretin would say.

[superconnected]

58. Wow it's easy to get on your ignore list.

I make it a point of not just putting people there for an off hand comment I don't like. they have to be persistent harassers. I guess intolerance is everywhere though and some people can't handle differences of opinion... Am I on it now, too?

[Hekate]

30. Would you have been happier had she kept up her public career while being CA's First Lady? ....

I thought not.

I think you'd probably have complained that she was using her new position to further her old position.

Hekate

[bpeale]

41. uh, only if she was an actual news person. she was a fluff newscaster.

[donheld]

35. She's a has been? Are you a

Never was?

[bpeale]

40. SHE IS IRRELEVANT TO THE PROCESS

she would like to think she's relevant, but she's not. she's a has-been fluff newscaster.

[Tempest]

43. She's not irrelevant in California

She's our first lady and has done quite a bit socially to help California.

Enjoy your life wrapped up in your Clinton stickers protected from the real world.

[donheld]

50. She's very relevant. She's Califorinia's first lady.

Not too shabby.

[Hekate]

13. Good for Maria. Wow. nt

[ronnykmarshall]

25. Boxer 2010??

Good for Maria when her hubby stumps for Arnie??

[Hekate]

29. Uh, Maria Shriver's husband IS Arnie. Interesting family life they have: she's an independent...

...woman at times. I think it's rather sweet that while Governor Hubby is a Repub and endorses McCain, Maria looks at the field, looks at her family, and decides to go with her family in a very public way.

One would think -- but of course one would be wrong, given the hyper-partisan nature of DU -- that she would be praised for this action, not sneered at and otherwise disrespected, as one sees in this thread.

Hekate

[Corkey Mineola]

14. Zzzzzzzzzz

I can't wait til this is all over...
just give me a friggin' democratic president already... enough with the endorsement/pissing matches

[Teaser]

17. You win this thread

I'm supporting O, but I'm so damn sick of the back and forth on the nomination. It's worse than I remember 2004 being.

[Kittycat]

22. But with the way media/MSM is these days - the endorsements help

Between that and the massive turn outs at his rallies - he's dominating the news cycle. I'm really interested in seeing what tomorrow brings.

[Omega3]

15. who's maria shriver?

[Greyskye]

45. The Governator's wife. (n/t)

[enid602]

16. Maria

Well, if anyone knows how to pick 'em, it's Maria.

[madmom]

20. that was my first thought also...

[usregimechange]

18. This is huge for CA!

[Pierre.Suave]

19. Tomorrows headlines...

Tom In Des Moines backs Hillary...

Who is Tom? Exactly...



WHo gives a fuck who she backs for pretzeldent...

[ronnykmarshall]

23. Maria Shriver ... savior of the democratic party !!!

[ronnykmarshall]

24. So when Arnie runs against Boxer .....

are you going to suck her ass then?

[UTUSN]

28. So, the accomplishment of the KENNEDYs is to BE BORN?! n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. Well done, MARIA!

[loveangelc]

36. good choice!!!!

[itcfish]

39. Maria Shriver

Married "Ahnald" Need I say more?

[Greyskye]

46. And "Ahnald" is backing McCain.

This is a big deal - especially in the Republican woman's demographic.

[Oak2004]

48. Isn't all this crap sexist?

How many DUers have married Republicans? How many reading this thread alone?

Does that disqualify them from having opinions? From supporting Democrats? From voting Democratic?

But they didn't marry a Republican governor, you (generic "you") say? Neither did Maria Shriver. Ahnald became the Governator well after she married him.

And, finally, what rule anywhere states that a wife must support the candidate her husband supports, or remain silent? Ten to one if the husband of a Republican governor endorsed a Democrat, we would hear nothing but cheers for him from this peanut gallery.

My guy dropped out, and I'm undecided. I may even pick up my real party's primary ballot (VT Progressives) and vote for local candidates only, figuring whoever gets the Democratic nomination will have my vote in November. But I know crap when I see it.

(edited to fix "from" to "for")

[LostinVA]

51. Yeah -- it is sexist

[superconnected]

55. As if Maria Shriver - Ms. Gropenator supporter - has integrity.

What next, we cheer westburo church for being dems?

[superconnected]

56. Oh, and I'm just on pins and needles to see who lieberman will support, not.