Holy shit, that was unexpected. At the big rally at UCLA with Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver just unexpectedly showed up to endorse Obama.
I wonder how Ahnold took that.
Update: Keep in mind, this is now top-of-the-fold news in every California newspaper tomorrow, it will lead every newscast. And it should push into Tuesday as the governor is forced to answer questions about it.
Did this just clinch California for Barack Obama? What will Ah-nuld have to say?
P.S. Shriver is the only daughter of Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of the former President John F. Kennedy.
UPDATE: More details here. "She appeared as a surprise guest at a rally in Los Angeles for Mr. Obama with Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Caroline Kennedy." Also, see the LA Times report here.
Comments
pew numbers (Chris Guy - 2/3/2008 7:10:12 PM)
GOP/Dem/Ind
Hillary Clinton
Favorable 14 83 46
Unfavorable 82 11 47
Since we don't register by party in Virginia, "independents" can vote in either the GOP or Democratic primaries on 2/12. If McCain clinches the Republican nomination on 2/5, wouldn't that mean a lot of independents voting in the Virginia Democratic primary on 2/12? And wouldn't that strongly favor Barack Obama? Seems like it to me.
Latest poll results on Maria (Lowell - 2/3/2008 7:20:02 PM)
"Overall, do you have a favorable or an unfavorable impression of Maria Shriver, California's First Lady?"
Following your own truth...it's all you can do (HerbE - 2/3/2008 7:57:16 PM)
I particularly liked the quotes:
"He's not about himself. He's about the power of us and what we can do if we come together," Shriver said. "He is about empowering women, African Americans, Latinos, old people, young people. He's about empowering all of us."
Shriver, a former network television journalist, also acknowledged some uncertainty over taking such a public stand. "Sometimes, when you follow your own truth and your own voice, it's scary," she said. "But that's all you can do."
CBS Poll: Obama 41%- Clinton 41% (Lowell - 2/3/2008 8:50:29 PM)
According to a new CBS poll, the Democratic race is tied nationally at 41% each, with under 36 hours until polls open Tuesday...
Bill Richardson and Bill Clinton spoke to reporters during halftime in New Mexico...but no endorsement, and the Clinton campaign says not to expect one.
A senior Democratic source said Bill Richardson was expected to endorse Hillary Clinton tonight, but this seems to have been just high-level chatter.
The New Mexico governor is watching with the Super Bowl with the former president.
Bottom line: it looks like NO RICHARDSON ENDORSEMENT, at least not tonight.
What this will mean in terms of Independents (DanG - 2/3/2008 11:19:05 PM)
California Independents will see this as a strong sign of Independence from Barack Obama. I expect him to clean up amongst Indies on Tuesday.
Not sure... (libra - 2/4/2008 12:40:43 AM)
Don't know how reliable all those polls are, regarding California and Obama surge, or how the surge will actually "translate" into delegate numbers. I've heard that 40% of voters have gone the absentee/mail-in route, because they didn't trust the Diebold machines to count properly. And that would have been before all the endorsements, possibly even before the post-Iowa aggressiveness of the Clinton campaign (ie before the anger it generated).
What's even worse... We may not know till much later, since those are the votes which are counted last (as I found out when I worked our precinct's CAP in November)
I was appalled to learn from my friend today that he didn't get to vote in the New Jersey primary because they don't allow absentee voting for primaries, even though he is a student in Virginia.
I'm an optimist however, and looking on the bright side however, it means New Jersey should be thoroughly affected by Senator Obama's surge.