Defection Of Longtime Superdelegate Jolts Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton was jolted Thursday by the defection of one of her longtime superdelegate supporters, a former national party chairman who urged fellow Democrats to "reject the old negative politics" and unify behind Barack Obama.

"A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue" a long, self-destructive Democratic campaign, Joe Andrew added in a letter designed to have an impact on the turbulent race nationally as well as in his home state of Indiana, site of a primary next week. ...

Andrew's defection came at a particularly opportune time for Obama. The front-runner in the race, he has won more states than his rival as well as more of the popular vote, and he has an overall lead in delegates, 1736.5-1602.5. It takes 2,025 to clinch the nomination.

But he has struggled in recent days to limit the political damage caused by controversial comments by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Clinton's hopes of stalling Obama's drive to the nomination rest on a strong showing in the remaining primaries, beginning Tuesday in Indiana. At the same time, she hopes to persuade superdelegates that she would be a stronger candidate for the party this fall against McCain and the Republicans.

A top aide to the former first lady, Harold Ickes, sent a memo to superdelegates during the day making the case. Among the polls cited was a recent Associated Press-Ipsos survey that found Clinton leading McCain by 9 percentage points, while Obama was virtually tied with the Republican.

Andrew was one of five superdelegates to swing behind Obama during the day, compared to four Clinton netted. The result was to trim the former first lady's once-imposing advantage among party luminaries who will attend the convention to 268-248.

Keep reading.

Comments

[TheCowman]

So when Obama clinches the nomination when he hits 2,025 delegates, how much you wanna bet that Hillary will still run against him??

[speakingtruth2power]

The article says Obama keeps struggling with the Wright issue??

Bushit!! It is the press that won't let it go as the MSM is struggling

to keep Obama from gaining the nomination and the Presidency.

[SouthpawSass]

The media needed to disown Wright a looonnnggg time ago.

You are what your name is... speakingtruth2power...


Yes we can...

[kellygrrrl]

"Defection of lontime SuperD JOLTS Clinton"

technically, I believe that is called a "fore-shock"

nail down the china, cuz the Big One is coming!

[StandingStill]

TO ALL THE VOTERS:
Since the media is refusing to reveal/report the Paul vs Clinton fraud case in court right now, we need to create our own movement and flood every blog on CNN and every blogging website on the World Wide Web with information from the case regardless of what the topic is. For those that don't know - Google Paul vs Clinton and hold on to your shirt with what you read!!
For those of you who think this case has been thrown out or is irrelevant:
"In the landmark civil fraud case against Bill Clinton in Los Angeles, where the former President is charged with defrauding a Hollywood dot com millionaire to help Hillary Clinton obtain more than $1.2 million from him for her 2000 Senate campaign, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz ruled on Friday, April 25, 2008 that Hillary Clinton would not be required to testify in a sworn deposition as a material witness in the case until AFTER the November election!."(paulvclinton.com)
Here is the kicker - the judge is a Bill Clinton appointee!

[nedustbunny]

CNN bloggers are committed to flooding CNN's blogs to create a movement that forces CNN to report on the Paul vs Clinton fraud case.
As voters (after hearing over and over about Rev. Wright), we need to hear about this case. I don't know why it is not being reported on.
Anyone listening...

[vincealy]

Hers an interesting look at Jim Carville ; George and other behind the scenes. This will nnever make the MSM call Abrams at MSNBC and ask why http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/2/93316/53926/838/507664

[meltingpot101]

There must be a GAG ORDER imposed by the Clintons

[jupitor]

Blogg to: htt://abcnews.go.com/GMA/politics/story and scribed clear to the bottom of the page! Testimony in court/F.B.I./F/E.C/ investigation/original letters/sitting U.S. President Bill Clinton/First lady turn NY Senator /Chairman Rendel of the Demacrate party has been involved with defauded busssiness Hollywood man Peter Paul of $2 MILLION dallors/destroyed him/ his company in order to generate campagne fund for Hillary Clintons 2000 run for NY senate race! Four false F.E.C reports were made where Clintons and others lied about recieveing the money for her campagne. The Public was denied the rights to know of this crime and the F.E.C and others help bury the Fraud case case aganist the Clintons by allowing them to make out the Fourth false F.E.C. report! We'll guys the trueth is out! The Clintons and the sitting Goverment and every gov. area has cheated and lied to the American peoplei in the worse way! And the Clinton was in control of all the filth that took place! now let her vett that in Nov!

[EyeWantOneNation]

I want to hear Keith Olbermann talk about it ---

I want to see a headline on Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc.

Hillary Clinton's deposition has been delayed until the election is over...and this is: "The truth is out" ???

Biggest campaign finance fraud case in the history of the United States...and everyone else involved is being deposed...EXCEPT the person running for President ????

It's beyond funny or ironic - it's a cover-up !!!!!

[TodStewart]

Add this to the arsenal...pass it around and get it on the air NOW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN_nQOHj__s

[EyeWantOneNation]

It's been doctored...proven a phoney voice-over.

Why is everyone so darn eager to buy into this crap ???

Oh well...I guess you'll have fun with it - but since it's a fake, don't expect too much from people !!!

[EyeWantOneNation]

nedustbunny...What do you suggest we do ???

Got a plan ??

[Probus]

Whatever momentum she had after her victory in PA is now all but gone. This is a big setback for the Clinton campaign but a huge plus for Obama. So much for her argument that she is more electable. Clearly Andrew thinks he is the better candidate.

[Bertha40869]

And guess what folks: THE HITS KEEP ON COMING!

the Obama campaign rolls out another former DNC chairman's endorsement on Friday: Paul Kirk, a superdelegate who led the party from 1985-1989, is coming out for Obama -- a day after Andrew's switch, an Obama campaign official tells The Note. (And don't count on that being it for the day, as the dribble continues.)

[lhaz]

Joe Andrew--
Partner in K Street lobbying firm
Area of Expertise- Mergers & Acquisitions for corporations that are regulated by the federal government
Key professional accomplishment--overseeing merger of Anthem Health Insurance with Wellpoint Health Network

[Pema]

Not everyone on K Street was a crook, however...however all we have to remember Bill AND Hillary Clinton took in 800k from Columbians to get the free trade deal, Hillary you say? yes, they both profited from it. that 800 K is the K that you should concern yourself with.

[MrKINOKO]

Correction: The 5 Nation trade deal that Bill is promoting is anchored by Colombia, but encompasses Peru, Curacao, and several other S.A. nations. Bill Clinton is not "lobbying" for this trade situation, as it has been in effect since he was President, and stemmed largely from the BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF US TAX MONEY sent to Colombia, Bolivia, etc. to allegedly stem the flow of cocaine to the US. This CAFTA scam was simply an offshoot of his justifying why we spent billions on AWACS planes and anti-FARC guerillas, and still had twice the coke washing up on our shores anyway. What he is doing now is attempting to preserve this fanciful "Camelot" legacy him and HRC insist is the real deal, when most of us know it's smoke and mirrors. CAFTA has existed for a long time, and the 800k (200k a pop) speech "retainers" Bill gets is just a nice little return, for him and HRC, on your money, spent on Colombia 10 years ago, and nothing more. He is being paid to "promote" CAFTA, not create, manage, revise, or reform it. Just to talk about it....he's nothing more than a super-sized Wilford Brimly, pushing another magic cure for diabetes. And theoretically, even if Bill used $100 of that speech money to buy groceries for Chappaqua, then HRC has in fact profited from it. Logic dictates that WE THE PEOPLE, AND OBAMA, will triumph over they the sheeple...
OBAMA 2008/2012.

[lizr]

HOw wonderful of JOe Andrews. His statement is truly inspiring and worth reading in full for all Dems.

He is putting his country ahead of his personal loyalties. I predict we will see much more of this in the near future.

True statesmen who realize that what is important is to move forward, not get stuck in all the old mudslinging of the past.

[BlueStateMan]

Yeah.... a true statesman. Please see above.

[whizkid]

Wow. Joe Andrew.
Welcome to Obama's list of worthless turds.
Color me impressed.

[Pema]

If he was so worhtless why did Hillary try to hang on to him so badly?

[AtomicSplash]

BlueStateMan See Profile I'm a Fan of BlueStateMan

I seem to remember ti was YOU who brought it up in the first place.

replyReply favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:57 AM on

if you go back a page or two you'll find Humeskeptic raised the issue

[BlueStateMan]

You're correct... Mea Culpa.

That said...

You asked for proof that parishioners knew about the molestation of their children in church.

I provided it for you.

Where is YOUR apology?

[AtomicSplash]

I don't
think
he's
b
l
o
w
i
n
g

a
n
y
t
h
i
n
g.

Bush
did! posted 05/02/2008 at 03:20:08

I don't expect an Obama supporter to consider that all the wonderful words that have been spoken by Barack during this campaign might be nothing more then a man saying what he has to because he's a politician. The words were too beautiful. The promises to enticing. they can;t be just words spoken by a man who only says what he has to say. But then Barack also said (using words) that he could no more distance himself from Jeremiah Wright then he could his white grandmother,, They are family. He knew Wright for twenty years. Wright married him and baptized his children.... and then two weeks later, Barack cut Wright loose.

or did he?

[lizr]

It is possible to retire on the cusp of senility. (like Reagan) It is possible this is what we are looking at. Certainly Barack's visible pain would indicate that there had been some kind of basic and important change in the person he thought he knew..

[AtomicSplash]

saying what you have to say requires a good bit of acting to pull off.

[Kalima]

Now you are sincerely beginning to bore me and I realize that I might have better
luck by conversing with my late grandmother. You obviously have this bee in your
bonnet, so please keep it. However don't expect any agreement from people who
see this whole thing in a different light.

[AtomicSplash]

I believe I stated that " I don't expect an Obama supporter to consider that all the wonderful words that have been spoken by Barack during this campaign might be nothing more then a man saying what he has to because he's a politician."

How can you? You are too smitten.

[Kalima]

Ok, there seems to be a lull, so can I ask one question please?
What happened to the Refresh Button or is it only with my computer?

[BlueStateMan]

It's gone here, too.... along with that "parent" button (which I liked).

[Kalima]

First of all "you people" is very rude.
Wright knowing full well that Obama
is a politician, over stepped his mark
several times and put Obama's bid
for the nomination in jeopardy with
his latest speech. Do you call that
an action of a close friend?
I don't and I believe that someone
got to Wright for just this purpose.
As would be expected Obama rightly
chose to distance himself. I would
have too.

[Kalima]

Thank goodness for that. I thought that I was hanging in limbo. I liked
the parent button too, at least you knew who was calling you names.
Now it's pot luck and sometimes very confusing. Thanks for taking the
time to answer. I thought I was fading like the Invisible Woman.