Superdelegate Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) endorses Obama after Hill meeting

[jefferson_dem]

Larsen endorses Obama after Hill meeting
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 05/08/08 05:19 PM

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) surprise visit Thursday to the House floor has already paid dividends in the form of a superdelegate endorsement.

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) announced, after meeting with Obama at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters, that he would endorse the Illinois senator for president.

Larsen had planned to delay an endorsement until after Democrats voted in the last primaries in South Dakota and Montana. But the lawmaker said Obama’s performance in Tuesday’s primaries in North Carolina and Indiana changed his mind.

“For me, what happened in North Carolina and Indiana ended up being a game changer,” said Larsen. “Especially in Indiana where he came back after getting hit hard for a couple of weeks.”

Obama spent much of the week before the Indiana primary distancing himself from the incendiary comments of his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. There had been much speculation among political analysts and Democratic strategists that Wright’s public appearances days before the Indiana primary would hurt Obama significantly among white, working-class voters.

However, the Illinois senator finished only two points behind Clinton in Indiana and beat her by 14 points in North Carolina, which also held a Tuesday primary.

“We need a change and a clean break,’ said Larsen, adding that Obama’s candidacy represented change to many voters in his district and that his message is one that “people want to be a part of.”

Larsen also noted that Obama won overwhelmingly in his northwest Washington district.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/larsen-endorses-obama-after-hill-meeting-2008-05-08.html

[nomorewhopper]

1. woot! lets open the floodgates

congrats obama

[WA98296]

2. Hey Rick, good move...wish it had been way sooner but happy to see it!

[DB1]

3. This is my rep! About time guy.. He's too layback for me.

[percussivemadness]

4. re : Rev Wright

"There had been much speculation among political analysts and Democratic strategists that Wright’s public appearances days before the Indiana primary would hurt Obama significantly among white, working-class voters."


I think the above has been written more than anything else since the primaries. How about some of these so called " political analysts and Democratic strategists" actually asking the question, why didn`t it hurt him?

Could it be the unthinkable, a black minister is more in tune with white working class voter`s real sentiments than white "political analysts and Democratic strategists"?

Peace

[jasmine621]

7. It wouldn't hurt him as much in a DEM primary as it will in the GE. nt

[me b zola]

5. w00t!

:bounce:

[newmajority]

6. Better late than never, Rick!

Welcome to the New Majority. Now where's Inslee at?

[bow-tie]

8. I'm surprised at that

I thought for sure he'd be voting for McCain. Is anybody going to run against this jerk next time around????

[juno jones]

11. I freakin agree. We can do better than him.

B'ham, here! :hi:

[bow-tie]

14. Concrete, Hi!!!!!

[Lucky 13]

9. Woo hoo!

:applause:

[juno jones]

10. About time that useless SOB was good for something

other than having old ladies arrested outside his office for protesting the damn war.

Maybe all the Obama stickers and signs in town (Bellingham) are telling him that his constituents are not into the Hillary campaign. Not like popular sentiment ever swayed him to act.

He might actually hang onto his seat after this.

[TragedyandHope]

12. Kick for the good news!

:kick:

[FlyingSquirrel]

13. That's my congressman. Colbert interviewed him:

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=71686