Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich Endorses Obama

BOSTON — Former Clinton Cabinet member Robert Reich on Friday endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Two other Democratic elder statesmen, former Sens. Sam Nunn of Georgia and David Boren of Oklahoma, also said they were supporting the Illinois senator.

Reich, who served as Labor secretary under Bill Clinton, said in a blog post that "although Hillary Clinton has offered solid and sensible policy proposals, Obama's strike me as even more so."

Reich also said Obama's plans for reforming Social Security and health care have a better chance of succeeding, and his approach to the nation's housing crisis and financial market failures are sounder than the New York senator's.

Reich is a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton. He ran for governor in Massachusetts in 2002 and now is a professor at the University of California-Berkeley.

A number of other former Clinton cabinet members have endorsed Obama. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was U.N. ambassador and energy secretary under Clinton, endorsed former rival Obama in March despite heavy wooing by the former president. Former Denver Mayor Federico Pena, who headed the transportation and energy departments under Clinton, became a co-chair of Obama's campaign last September. Former Clinton Commerce secretaries Norman Mineta and William Daley also have endorsed Obama.

Nunn and Boren will serve as advisers to Obama's National Security Foreign Policy Team.

Nunn served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 1987-95, while Boren was the longest-serving chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Both fall into the moderate-conservative end of the Democratic party's ideological spectrum and gave Bill Clinton trouble during his presidency, trying to tug him to the right on issues while most congressional Democrats were leaning to the left.

Nunn, who recently flirted with his own possible White House bid, said Obama has "a rare ability to restore America's credibility and moral authority and to get others to join us in tackling serious global problems."

Boren, who recently played host to a forum on electoral alternatives, including third-party runs, said: "Our most urgent task is to end the divisions in our country, to stop the political bickering, and to unite our talents and efforts. Americans of all persuasions are pleading with our political leaders to bring us together. I believe Senator Obama is sincerely committed to that effort."

Comments

[Plank]

Mr. Reich is an extremely sharp guy. His endorsement chips away from Hillary's legitimacy.

[mam]

Sure hope he's prepared to be called "Judas", or worse!

[DAVESEAN]

hillary ..the goldwater girl should give up now....a born republican.......republican during nixon convention....she needs to go back to her first love........the far right loons......everybody loves a success story and that is obama

[mesuki]

She was on Fox tonight in Philly,and you know she was bashing Obama.....God, I hate this woman!What I wouldn't give to see her fall flat on that wrinkled face of hers.

[tiredoflies]

Reich has always gone whichever way the wind is blowing. I have seen it time and again whenever he is participating in roundtable discussions and various shows. Sorry, but I think he has a bit of a napoleonic complex that colors his views.

[gnoice]

I thought he was taller...

[workingboy]

He's one of the Wee People. Is he sporting a shiner in this picture? Really looks beat up. Did he fall off a bar stool?

[kevenseven]

Sorry, but I think you are a fool.

[mesuki]

Jealousy will get you nowhere!

[bdd]

Thank -You Mr. Reich.
You are one of the few sec. of labor that got it since the FDR administration. I never understood why president Bill Clinton let you leave. And you wou;d have made a great Massachusetts Governor.
Hillary,
Please read the writing on the wall. It says "BOW OUT NOW".

[DumbDad]

Yeah, but who's Brad DeLong backing? Serious brains there.

[Bluedog12]

There is no where to go but up with this Reich endorsement. This is a big deal, no small feat which should allow obama to make short order of Clinton.

[RoseFromPhila]

why this story was not followed up on think media bias . i guess obama said shhhhh don't talk and when I am elected I will give you the hush money and pardon rezko if he is convicted
Obama consulted on health board appointees, trial
March 10, 2008 AP
Sen. Barack Obama was among eight state officials and others consulted about who should be appointed to a state board that later became involved in what prosecutors describe as a fraud scheme, according to a memo from a Democratic official.

The memo was discussed Monday at the trial of Antoin ''Tony'' Rezko, a Chicago businessman who was a prominent contributor to Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Among other things, Rezko is on trial for allegedly plotting with board member Stuart Levine to split a bribe from a contractor.
Prosecutors say Levine used his position on the health facilities planning board and a state pension board to pressure companies for payoffs. They say Rezko used political clout with Blagojevich to help Levine.
Wilhelm wrote his memo to Susan Lichtenstein, who was on the stand at Rezko's trial for a second day Monday. She was general counsel to Blagojevich in June 2003.
So Wilhelm's memo exposes the fact Obama over 6 months ("we worked closely over the past six months") was one of only 3 State Senators allowed to push their candidate and opposed other folk's candidates no doubt - with the Rezko preffered candiate winning the position - and that candidate starting

[Testtubebaby]

WHY DO YOU KEEP POSTING THIS? OBVIOUSLY IF THERE IS BREAKING NEWS TO KILL MR. OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN...WE WILL HEAR ABOUT IT IN A NANOSECOND!

[momofsix]

I'll see you Rezko and raise you a Peter Paul.
Honestly, what are you talking about?? The article is about 3 new endorsements for Obama.

[nk007]

RoseFromPhila,

Why are you so obsessed with Rezko? Is that because you have nothing important to say. Why bring Rezko up to comment on a story about Robert Reich's Obama endorsement. By the way have you ever heard of Norman Hsu, Marc Reich and all the other convicted shady character? I am sure you are going to claim that they all support Obama. You keep beating a dead horse.

[Tropiholic]

keep trying to push the rezco crap, nobody cares. try wright again, maybe you'll have better luck, or you could always go back to the fake "muslim" accusation. It might still work?

[plbcm]

RR, who moved into national politics, thanks to Bill Clinton, and was, except for the present crop of no name Bush appointees, probably the worst Sec. of Labor in the past forty years. Purportedly, the Secretary should be able to work hand in glove with with organized labor, be able to cultivate the employer world, gathered useful labor stats, ran a huge bureacracy, and manage big government manpower and manpower subsidy programs. In all of these RR was unspectactular. He was the super junior partner working in the shadow of Rubin and Clinton during boom times. He just did not contribute. He went back to academia, which is probably the only place one of his limited talent could survive. Who cares--get him outta here.

PS: if he is a super delegate the system is whacko

[kevenseven]

You are too stupid to know what a super delegate is, but now, Bob is not a super delegate. I think the article would have noted Obama gaining one super if it were the case.

Complicated, eh?

As for your declaring Reich the worst Labor secretary, I am ignoring that bit of foolishness.

Go do your homework.

[momofsix]

actually MSNBC reported on KO that all three of them are superdelegates and that Hillary picked up one from Ohio.

[nk007]

Kevenseven:

You shouldn't be surprised about some of the Clinton supporters. You see they have drunk the Carl Rove arsenic. Any prominent person who declares support for Obama must be trashed. I am waiting to see how they trash Sens. Sam Nunn and David Boren.

[Testtubebaby]

It goes like this : If you don't know ask somebody!

Every news outlet reporting the story made it clear he was not a super delegate. People don't give "thought" a minute the just forge ahead clueless. They just want to react, *itch and moan, without clarity of the information given. This is one reason of the many reasons why we are going to hades in a hand basket.

[jimmylutherking]

The tide seems to be turning...a weak showing by HRC, even in a win in PA, coupled with Obama wins in Indiana and NC should wrap this thing up. The supers wil all slide to Barack after that. We'll have a nominee by May 7th.

[Probus]

I applaud Reich for doing the right thing. Obama is clearly the better candidate. It is a slap in the face of the Clintons who think former all Clinton officials should support her only because of loyalty to Bill. There is a lot at stake in this election, and we need someone who can turn the economy around. Obama is the best and most qualified candidate to do this. Even Clinton has said this, "Yes, yes, yes," and she is right.

[Newmoney]

Lets not get carried away by all these former Clinton asoociates backing Obama.

They are all Politicians and Politics 101 says join the winning team "AT THE RIGHT TIME"

[DinOhio]

The "right time" meaning when an Obama victory is imminent?

[kevenseven]

Reich is a politician? Tell us, bright guy. When last did he stand for office?

You know so much. Tell us.

Bob Reich is the oldest friend and political ally that Bill and Hillary have.

And he has endorsed the other guy.

Does he know something you don't?

Bwwwwwwaaahahahahhahhhahhaaaa!!!!!!!!

Sometimes I just crack me up!

[illindependent]

Why all losers are supporting Obama, Kennedy, Kerry, Tom Daschall, Dodd, Reich, Bill Rchardson, I think the reason is that he is one of them.

[northcan]

antiprocrastination; thanks, I knew it was near.....guess who's a witness in that case???? Yep, Hillary's beloved. Ed Randell, has been called as a witness, he knew both parties for decades, and if I'm correct introduced Clinton to Peter Paul for the deal. That Pennsylvania, is your Governor!! And I know, when people find out how really corrupt many politicians are it is 'crushing' and very dishonest to their own constituants in the state, but that phony face and big smile does wonder's, they think. Keep your head up Pennsylvania, every state goes through this, and your state especially needs a new approach to re-growth and prosperity. Good luck.

[momofsix]

Ed Rendell is actually named in the suit. he was the head of the party at the time.

[northcan]

Do you think voter's can handle the deceit of both parties and their 'involvement' in 'drug smuggling' for those decades? I must admit, I was shocked when I first learned that years and years ago, but more importantly is the complacency that there has been no charges laid, and President's they become.

[victoriajubilee]

I cant stand that Candy Crowley from CNN ,almost all her comments are bias against Senator Obama. She tries to be very subtle about it like saying : " Senator Clinton's supporters are saying ,is he electable ,is he been vetted enough, these are the arguments she is bringing to the super delegates " She says it every day in her reports over and over . I will not tell you what i think about Crowley on this blog.

[MNmommy]

Sorry, I don't see it. Crowley is one of the more balanced political reporters out there.

[EyeWantOneNation]

Now THAT was funny.....thanx !!!!

[victoriajubilee]

question to mnmommy : what do you think of Joe Scarborough on his analyst of Senator Obama and Senator Clinton . Each analyst seperately.

[UNR]

Then you're not looking very hard. I notice it quite a bit and so does my wife. I do agree that she tries to be covert with it though.

[pattyfish]

candy is a great reporter...i have never sensed any bias toward any canditate....

i think your projecting....

[ann1]

I totally agree with you, I've noticed that as well. Candy Crowley defends Mrs Clinton whenever possible......oh so subtle

[tiredoflies]

Maybe she is just calling it as she sees it. She does not appear to be in the bag for Clinton and neither do many of the pundits on CNN. Unfortunately, the perception of some Obama supporters is that if they do not fawn over him, they must be against him. This reminds me of the GWB supporter's mindset.