Senate Chairmen Line Up for Obama, Clinton
It’s an elite club inside the elite club that is the U.S. Senate — the chairman’s club. Only 19 senators — all in the majority party — can be chairmen of the 20 committees that direct legislation. They wield considerable influence in the law-making process and their word can go a long way.
They also are falling to Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton by a wide margin, currently 8-2. Democratic Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico is the latest to announce his backing for the Illinois senator in the Democratic presidential primary race.
According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has not made an announcement of his own yet, another endorsement for one of the two Democratic presidential candidates is coming very soon.
Reid said Monday that in a recent chairman’s meeting, “five or six hands … went up” when he asked if anyone was still making up his mind about who to endorse. Reid said one member of the elite gathering told fellow attendees that his decision will be known very soon.
Bingaman said he was not the chairman to whom Reid was referring, so that leaves Sens. Max Baucus of Montana, head of the Finance Committee; Joe Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee; Tom Harkin Iowa, leader of the Agriculture Committee, Carl Levin of Michigan, who heads Armed Services; Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, chairman of the Aging panel; Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, who leads the Veterans Affairs panel.
Sen. Robert Byrd, the head of the Appropriations Committee, is also on the list of those yet to endorse but no longer attends Reid’s meetings. Independent Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, top of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, caucuses with the Democrats but has offered his support to Republican John McCain.
Obama now has the following chairmen in his camp:
Bingaman (Energy)
North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad (Budget)
Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd (Banking)
North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan (Indian Affairs)
Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions)
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (Small Business)
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (Judiciary)
West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller (Intelligence)
Clinton has two chairmen in her corner:
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye (Commerce)
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Rules)
California Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works and Ethics committee, said she’s not making an endorsement, but will vote the way the constituents in her state voted. California Democrats went for Clinton.
FOX News’ Trish Turner contributed to this report.
What is up with Senator of Hawaii…doesn’t he know he’s on the side that’s losing??? *shrugs*
Looking at the list who went to Obama ,half of them their states voted for Clinton yet you hear
all this publicity about superdelegates voting the way their state went .Looks like Boxer and Fienstein are the ones that are doing it .
America has been given a gift and a rare occasion to vote for a man like Obama. He is what America needs.
America for Obama - Yes We Can!!!
finally an article about the election that has some substance. sure wish other media would get off the “drama” reporting and cover the election with substance. good job.
It is very telling when the leadership of the Senate is lining up behind Senator Obama. They see that this man has something that other candidates don’t have… the ability to transcend politics as usual and to operate across boundaries. We need someone who has a systemic view of the problems we face and the moral courage to speak truth to power. His speech on Race is an example of how he won’t be “politics as usual”. But most importantly, he will LISTEN to his opponents and will integrate the best thinking across party lines for a better America. If you hear how he talks about John McCain - with respect and admiration, you can get a sense that he will embrace ideas and people from all walks of life.
The USA is ready for trans-party politics. Lets make it happen!
Birds of a feather flock together. Take a good look at who is lining up with Obama, all lifelong career POLITICIANS. They have been in office for eons and what have they accomplished. Even Obama’s own pastor has called him a POLITICIAN who will say whatever it takes to get elected. The Dems said 2 years ago, put us in office and we’ll fix the economy, end the war, lower gas prices etc etc. They have had control of congress for 2 years now and things have only gotten worse, they have accomplished nothing. So now they want us to vote for Obama the candidate for change…. What BS!
These are distractions.
These politicians’ attempt to sway voters at a critical moment like this serve to silence rather than encourage the voices of people heard . If the Clintons route OBAMA in the next seven elections. These politicians has to come in hands down. There is no point to report them.
Mind you that Hillary is showing the type of tenacity that OBAMA can never matches. His going to a methodist church at the time of election is certainly an anti-climax that people despise more than applaud.
These elites coming in for OBAMA serve to reinforce the elite image of OBAMA which hurt more than help his image.
No to Hillary. No to Obama! They will both sell out our country.
If Obama is the nominee, I’ll write in Hillary’s name in November.