01.12.2008 10:38 pm
McCaskill ends neutrality, makes it official for Obama
Special to the Post-Dispatch
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., will make official on Sunday what she’s been expected to do for months: endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president.
Click here to read Saturday’s account of McCaskill’s decision to go public, filed by Deirdre Shesgreen of the Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau.
Click here to read McCaskill’s recent musings on the subject, offered about 10 days ago during a meeting with Post-Dispatch editorial writers and yours truly.
“But she abandoned her neutrality after an intense lobbying effort by Obama’s campaign.”
McCaskill is that easily swayed by lobbying? Doubt I will be able to support her when she’s up fpr re-election. Prefer someone with stronger character.
This is great news for Senator Obama. Also, this must come as a blow to Senator Clinton who is campaign on the hope that women will vote for her and men will split their votes between Senators Edwards & Obama. (Someone should really tell Senator Clinton that it’s the 21st Century.)
Re: Ladont — @ 8:14 am
Hasn’t McCaskill made it obvious for weeks who she supports, and now it’s just official? I’m not sure that means that she’s given into lobbying and does not have strong character. Good job Claire for showing some leadership.
With endorsements split all over the place, do they really have any weight?
If so, can that backfire? If Obama doesnt’ get the nomination, will the Dem nominee give Missouri’s next Senatorial race their highest priority? Across the aisle, if Romney doesn’t get the nomination, will the eventual Rep nominee be hurrying to Missouri to back Blunt?
This is good for Obama. There are only a four statewide democratic officials (they are the most valuable for a statewide primary) and to my count this is two for Obama (Montee and Claire). I don’t think Nixon will endorse, and I don’t know if SOS Carnahan has endorsed anyone. I think Obama has signifigant support in the cities and this will only help his outstate efforts.
In talking to a high ranking McCaskill staffer earlier in the year, McCaskill was holding out for a VP run with Edwards. Guess McCaskill saw Edwards’ chance at the nomination as failing and decided to ride the tide with Obama.
Overall a good decision on her part.
I didnt see any reasons for Claire to endorese Barry. Just that he is a good speaker. Is that it? Are we reduced to voting for the best speaker? Maybe that is how shallow the dem field is, there isnt enough difference between any of them on issues so the most important thing is how they speak.