Former DNC Chairman Switches Support From Clinton to Obama
Thursday Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Joe Andrew announces he has switched his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama and is encouraging fellow superdelegates to make their choice for a nominee soon. (AP Photo)
A Democratic superdelegate and former head of the party who served while Bill Clinton was president said Thursday he’s changing his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama because of Obama’s skill in handling the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy and his opposition to a proposed gas tax holiday.
Joe Andrew had originally endorsed Clinton on the day she declared her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. While holding a conference call in support of Obama on Thursday, he encouraged other superdelegates to act quickly in making their choice.
He said he’s now convinced that Obama represents the promise for a change in the way Washington will work.
“What I saw this past week as Barack Obama answered the questions about his former pastor and as Barack Obama took on the heavy and difficult task of doing what is right on an energy policy and environmental policy and not doing what is politically expedient in order to give a quick pander to Hoosier voters to say we ought to have a cut in the gas tax reconfirmed to me in my mind that it is time for change,” Andrew said from his hometown of Indianapolis.
Andrew also issued a letter that he is sending to superdelegates that says he is switching his support because “a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain.”
Asked for a response to Andrew’s decision, Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said, “We support that Democratic process and think that every American should be able to weigh in and support the candidate of his or her own choosing.”Andrew becomes the second superdelegate this week to say he has switched his support for Obama as a result of the Wright controversy.
Indiana. Rep. Baron Hill, who represents a crucial swing district in the state, endorsed Obama on Wednesday. Clinton has the backing of Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who has a vast organization in the state and has been campaigning aggressively with the former first lady.
Obama initially refused to denounce his former pastor, but did so this week after Wright said Obama is just posturing to distance himself from a world view that could damage his campaign.
“He has shown such mettle under fire,” Andrew said in the interview. “The Jeremiah Wright controversy just reconfirmed for me, just as the gas tax controversy confirmed for me, that he is the right candidate for our party.”
Andrew’s decision — and the announcement of Texas superdelegate and United Steelworkers member John Patrick — puts Obama closer to closing Clinton’s superdelegate lead. Clinton had a big advantage among superdelegates, many of whom like Andrews have ties to the Clintons and backed her candidacy early on. But most of the superdelegates taking sides recently have gone for Obama, who has won more state contests.
Obama now trails her by just 16 superdelegates, 247-263. This week, he picked up 11 superdelegates, including three add-on delegates named by the Illinois Democratic Party, while she netted three.
Superdelegates are nearly 800 elected leaders and Democratic Party officials who aren’t bound by the outcome of state contests and can cast their ballot for any candidate at the national convention. They are especially valuable in this race since neither Clinton nor Obama can win enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination through state-by-state elections.
Obama now leads in the delegate count overall 1735 to 1597 for Clinton. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win the nomination. About 230 superdelegates remain undecided, and about 60 more will be selected at state party conventions and meetings throughout the spring.
Other party leaders are encouraging superdelegates to pick a side by late June to prevent the fight from going to the national convention in August. Andrews wrote in his letter that he is calling for “fellow superdelegates across the nation to heal the rift in our party and unite behind Barack Obama.”
Obama and Clinton are running close in Indiana and both need a victory there — Obama to help rebound from a loss to Clinton in Pennsylvania and to prove he can win Midwestern voters and Clinton so she can overcome Obama’s lead in the race overall.
In North Carolina, which votes alongside Indiana on Tuesday, Obama has been leading by double digits, but recent polls taken since Wright’s outspoken press tour began last Friday show Obama may have been damaged by the relationship. Clinton has closed the gap and even passed him in one poll in the Tar Heel State, according to RealClearPolitics..
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
No, my vote for Sen. Clinton is for Sen. Clinton. If she’s not on the ticket, or if Sen. Obama is, THEN I will vote for Sen. McCain. Also, I will vote against any candidate I can who endorsed Sen. Obama (Perdue, Moore et al) or who did not endorse Sen. Clinton. I voted straight dem for 24 years: but the DNC does not own my vote. I am extremely disturbed by the disenfranchisement of voters: (that is, not seating all their delegates apportioned as to how they voted) and attempted disenfranchisement by trying to force a candidate –and my only other choice from Sen. Obama– to withdraw.
This is getting rediculas. The more people tell the party they prefer Hillary the harder they try to put a stop to the primaries. They think we will back Mr Obama. What a bunch of fools. How much does it cost to buy a delegate? If they give the nomination to Mr Obama everyone just write in Hillary’s name.
I don’t think it is right for superdelegates to announce their support now. I believe everyone should wait until everyone has their primariy. Then the superdelegates to vote.
This is a perfect example of why Barack Obama is important to America. We need a human being who does not let politics drive his or her decisions. It is exactly why even as a woman, I cannot support Hillary Clinton. I will not vote for a politician who panders to special interests and that means his or her own special interests as well. I want better for my children, for my country.
With all the things going on with Obama and him to back him, There must be something passing under the table. All of us working and taxpaying true Americans had better be prepared to
lose out freedoms. Seems like they are going to be sold to the highest bidder. I felt a fear of man when all of a sudden there he was, the saviour of the world. I had never heard of him in my life. It wasn’t because of race, it was just a scarey feeling I had. I even thought of writing to someone to please check him out. Then I prayed God would not give up on us an please help us. The very next day, I kid you not, the Wright deal came up and since then,more and more. I love America and all the special people here. I am so afraid America as we know it might slip away.
Obama is a fatally flawed candidate. He will not beat McCain in November.
Thanks DEMS! All us republicans appreciate your support of Mr. Obama who has 0 chance against McCain. Most dems are too inept to realize this so saying it doesn’t mean a thing.
But I would personally like to thank and welcome all the Hillary supporters to the republican party train when Obama becomes another Dukakis, etc etc.
To answer your question, in my opinion of course, I believe the difference in the statements this time was that the reverend Wright challenged Obama’s integrity by insinuatiing that he has given answers to earlier questions about Wright’s comments as a politician would and not a person of honest intregrity and moral loyalty would. I believe that Obama’s comments in the beginning of this political mess, especially in his Philadelphia speech on race, had been accurate and compassionate towards his former pastor. Reverend Wright turns around and now has insinuated that he was just pandering to white America’s sympathy and that somehow Obama’s values reflect his point of view, even though he will not admit it. That is what I believe he meant by calling him a politician.
Former - makes a big difference - what is Obama giving him? If just two issues make folks switch sides they are not worth much. The Gas tax has to be passed by the Congress - so even if Obama wants to do something he can’t. What a bunch of opportunists - they do belong with Obama who demonstrated his expediency for personal promotion by dumping his mentor. Welcome aboard to a ship full of rats.
Make no mistake about this…..moveon.org has gotten to Joe Andrew. Joe Andrew knows where the money for the DNC is coming from. This is retaliation for Senator Clinton appearing on Fox news.