It Begins... John Lewis Backs Obama
By: Chris Guy
Published On: 2/14/2008 11:34:34 PM
Superdelegates are starting to flip from Clinton to Obama, including one man in particular whose endorsement Clinton supporters have been bragging about for months. Regardless of his reasons, Obama won the state of Georgia in a route on Super Tuesday. from the New York Times: Representative John Lewis, an elder statesman from the civil rights era and one of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s most prominent black supporters, said Thursday night that he planned to cast his vote as a superdelegate for Senator Barack Obama in hopes of preventing a fight at the Democratic convention. “In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit,” said Mr. Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who endorsed Mrs. Clinton last fall. “Something is happening in America and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap.”
UPDATE: The Washington Post tried to confirm the story but the Clinton campaign is denying it.
UPDATE II by Lowell: It looks like reports of John Lewis' defection may have been premature. Stay tuned!
UPDATE III: John Lewis is not actually endorsing him. But he will listen to the wishes of his constituents and place his superdelegate vote for Obama.
Comments
One in NJ too (DanG - 2/14/2008 11:41:26 PM)
It's beginning. Superdelegates are realizing the truth.
John Lewis rocks!!! (proudvadem - 2/14/2008 11:50:21 PM)
Wow! This is an incredible endorsement coming from a true American Hero.
Seriously, if you haven't - read "Walking with the Wind"- Lewis's bio (sidenote, co-author Mike D'Orso is from Norfolk).
What a civil rights pioneer! Great day, 3 superdelegates in one day!!
-Maria
"Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It's about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and the world. Politics is about doing well for the people."- the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MI)
Maria- (Susan Mariner - 2/15/2008 12:33:20 AM)
It was great to meet you Tuesday night! I'm so happy you're getting active again after stepping back. I guess burnout isn't always permanent :-)
Great meeting you too! (proudvadem - 2/15/2008 9:29:17 AM)
Susan,
Burnout is not permanent and it's good to be back!
What a great week.
It was a pleasure meeting you too!
"Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It's about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and the world. Politics is about doing well for the people."- the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MI)
yes... (varealist - 2/14/2008 11:52:23 PM)
and so it begins.
actually, he joined the bandwagon (teacherken - 2/15/2008 12:11:19 AM)
from
a dailykos diary we learn that Lewis is one of three who switched, the other two being Rep. David Scott of Georgia and superdelegate Christine Samuels of NJ. In addition, two others switched from Clinton to uncommitted, Nancy Larson of MN and Sophie Masloff of Pennsylvania. Sophie is the really interesting one, as she is the former mayor of Pittsburgh.
and that means net +8 for Obama: (teacherken - 2/15/2008 12:14:18 AM)
he gains 3, she loses 5. In one day.
I read somewhere (elevandoski - 2/15/2008 12:27:59 AM)
maybe on an Obama blog, that Obama is telling folks not to personally lobby the superdelegates. I read that after I unfortunately signed a MoveOn.org petition that they say was going to all the superdelegates asking them to support Obama. I'm so confused!
Exactly (Harry Landers - 2/15/2008 12:40:25 AM)
Wow! This is a very big deal. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama worked very hard for John Lewis's endorsement and it was a great coup when he agreed to support Senator Clinton. The floodgates have burst. The superdelagates will flow to Senator Obama. They're not going to wait for Texas or Ohio or Pennsylvania. It's over. Just watch.
If the Clinton campaign denies it, (spotter - 2/15/2008 6:52:02 AM)
it must be true. John Lewis is a man of great courage and a true hero. He can recognize character, or lack of it.
As for not lobbying the superdelegates, many of these people are elected officials. They work for us. They need to hear what their constituents think, and should be expected to act accordingly. At this point, the Clinton campaign is asking superdelegates to cast their votes against the will of the majority of voters. The superdelegates should put a stop to that strategy, immediately.
I heard him once (legacyofmarshall - 2/15/2008 8:13:58 AM)
Congressman Lewis came to speak to my Freshman class at William & Mary in 2005. It was so powerful to hear a man so deeply involved with one of the proudest chapters in our nation's history.
We shall overcome! (The Clinton superdelegate lead)
The total BS argument of Clinton (Dan - 2/16/2008 1:18:58 AM)
One thing Clinton is bashing Obama about is that he voted for tax breaks for oil companies and she didn't. As an insider on this legislation, I know why he did it, and I am proud he did it. You see, this bill was the progressive 2005 Energy Policy Act, which came out of the Senate with a renewable energy standard and a long extension of tax subsidies for renewable power. I believe hybrid tax credits were also included. Unfortunately the bill did provide huge support for oil, but in the end the Senate bill was one that he needed to vote for.
The House bill that year was horrible, and loaded with oil subsidies, and few clean energy subsidies. Obama can't be blamed for that. So, I want to let you all know Hillary shouldn't be misleading the public like she is with her stupid commercial in Wisconsin.