Edwards' Campaign Manager Endorses Obama

David Bonior, 2008 campaign manager Sen. John Edwards, will endorse Sen. Barack Obama today during a conference call. Bonior is also a former Michigan congressman with a strong influence among labor unions. His statement:

"John Edwards ran a campaign focused on fulfilling a promise to America's working families that they could once again trust their leaders to put them first. As I look at the presidential race as it stands today, I see one candidate who has proven he can bring the kind of change to Washington that will mean more jobs, better pay for American workers, and health care for every single American. That candidate is Barack Obama.

"This is a critical election in our nation's history. For too long, Wall Street lobbyists and special interests have blocked real change for hardworking Americans. Senator Obama is the candidate who can take on the Wall Street lobbyists and make sure Washington works for working families again. Senator Obama has been fighting for working families ever since he moved to Chicago more than twenty years ago to help turn around communities that were struggling after the local steel plants closed.

"Tuesday was a critical moment in this race. Because Barack Obama continues to run a positive campaign that focuses on the issues that matter to ordinary Americans, he has won a commanding lead in this race, and I believe he can and will defeat John McCain in November. Now is the time to unite behind Barack Obama so we can end business-as-usual in Washington and fulfill our moral obligation to America's hardworking families."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[kennedy]

And what did Larry Sinclair and Donald Young exchange with Obama? When do you think that is going to come out? How much do you think Wright knows about it?

[kennedy]

("John Edwards ran a campaign focused on fulfilling a promise to America's working families that they could once again trust their leaders to put them first. As I look at the presidential race as it stands today, I see one candidate who has proven he can bring the kind of change to Washington that will mean more jobs, better pay for American workers, and health care for every single American. That candidate is Barack Obama. )

Bonior,

You are full of crap. Hillary is the one these hard working people are voting for, not OBASNOAB. And these people will NEVER, EVER vote for this lying con. If ObaLIAR steals the nomination he goes down in a landslide. Us Hillary supporters will make sure of it!

[thecanadian]

Oh Well Edwards - you would have been an asset. What are you going to do
for Hillary now - wait for her next run? If she can afford it. Have a look at
the article by old Stephonopholis or whatever

[chicagoexpat]

I know who David Bonior is -- long-time House Democratic leader, especially on bread-&-butter issues and peace issues.

But who is this Edwards you speak of? And what is this Edwards last name?

[spyda]

Thank you for the endorsement and others should follow soon! Its crazy that Hillary is choosing to continue this farse of a campaign and the party leaders should be a shamed for allowing this to continue!!!!!If we are divided this nov. they have no one to blame but themselves! End this s@$% now so we can move to the general election!! And no one should even began to fall into the untruths that Obama is ont electable or that he can't win against McCain thats just another lie and sign of deperation coming from the Clinton camp! And to say that hes not winning over white working class hell she can't win over black working class!!and..... Please superdelegates and end this crap now before we do more damage to ourselves!! We all know that the repubs. don't want to run against Obama!! Obama '08

[RedWilma]

The train has left the station, and Edwards is still waiting at the depot. Too bad. I would have liked to see Edwards be a part of the Obama administration, but he doesn't seem to have the motivation.

[Relax08]

It's too bad that Edwards got frozen by his wife from endorsing Obama ealier. It's now obvious that it was Elizabeth's obsession with Hillary's Health care plan that prevented her from agreeing with her husband to go ahead and endorse Obama. While it wouldn't have made much of a difference in N.C, it would have helped immensely in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Sadly I think that the Edwards are now about to become politically irrelevant. They may now go the HIllary route and be looking at 2012 and trying to figure out a way to tube Obama- although I pray that they have not been yet so infected by the disease called Clinton madness!

[ggmome]

NOW I GET IT! Ok, Edwards could be Obama's running mate! NC, VA, MS, Al, MO, and most other southern states supported Obama overwhelmingly, which indicates to me they know the deal with the Clintons. It will also block her from Beau Guarding the VP Slot, through politics as usual for her and Billyo!

Nicely, Nicely Obama, DO IT!

[Dewtrell]

John Edwards is not needed. I wanted him for Attorney General but I'm disappointed in him - no balls! He hides behind that wife.

[dora_rice]

yeah jump on the bandwagon before it's to late and you are left out of the political correct vote. Who didn't endorse Obama by now, is as big of a hypocrit then he is.

[saxmaniac]

As Obama rolls along, I can't help thinking about the 2007 New England Patriots, and the "perfect season" spoiled by the NY Giants. Let's give Obama a chance. He can certainly do better than George Bush (hell, I can do better than him) and change is good. The radio hate-spewers all want Hillary becuase they see her easy to destroy. Obama is real choice. It's about time our UNITED States of America had a choice of leadership.

[audiodramatist]

Hey, leave my beloved Giants alone!

Go Obama!
You my President.

[Testtubebaby]

Two people are not the democratic party (hopefully, since I'm not a democrat but lean more that way), so why are these people not coming out and ending this...concede KYand WV....it's should be over today!!!

[olivia]

But where are the superdelegates? What are they waiting for?

I think any superdelegate holding out now is doing it so they can be in the limelight, being courted by the candidates and watched by everyone else. It's their 5 minutes of fame.

Once they've committed, nobody pays much attention to them.

[SanityNowPlease]

they are waiting either A) for all primaries to be over or B) to see if Hillary goes knee cap negative, which ever comes first. if they come out before then, they get their throats cut for "disenfranchising" voters.

[marymansour]

Exactly - whichever candidate eventually gets the nomination. Edwards is fully aware that Hillary will play the race card and try to steal the nomination so, being the jackass that he is, he is hanging on to see. I never trusted Edwards. Those cases he took for the poor beleaguered and got rich off of were probably done on contingency.

[marc1antony]

Thanks Bonior!

[viewfromiowa]

I have wondered for some time whether the Clinton's have something on John and are threatening him with it. I remember back last summer when a nasty email was going around about John, not unlike the slimy e-mails that circulate about Obama in that there was a suspician that they were coming from a Clinton supporter within the Edward's campaign. I remember hearing a report on NPR about it. Who knows. I do find it odd that he hasn't endorsed, although I don't think it would make a difference at this point.

[AshevilleVoice]

Good for Bonior, but what about John Edwards????

Remember the last debate before Edwards dropped out? Edwards dogged Obama about having so many abstention votes in Ill. He sad that, as a lawyer, he couldn't understand how anyone wouldn't take a stand one way or another when they had an opportunity to decide.

Hey John!!! Is it harder to walk the walk than to talk the talk???

[lisakaz2]

Indeed. Can't say I get Edwards pov. I hope Obama is savvy enough to have a place for him somewhere.

[littlepuffycloud]

Well, at least Edwards' campaign mgr has a set. Too bad Johnny's case of sour grapes prevented him from doing anything to help get us united behind Senator Obama. What a wussie. I hope Senator Obama doesn't give him any position anywhere in his administration.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Good endorsement.

It seems Edwards is still hanging on to his DLC membership - which is the antithesis of his populist platform. As long as he does, he should not be given any kind of cabinet position in Obama's administration.

[DocJerome]

This is great, but Hillary is already hurling racial carpet bombs. Her new campaign slogan being "vote for me, I'm not the black candidate." This is a startling development, in that she was given time to decompress, and she uses it to destroy the party and any chance of winning in November by the worst pandering one could use. This is nothing short of divisive and most assuredly, deliberate sabotage.

This is a sad day in America.

[DennyCrane]

That's been her unofficial campaign slogan for some time, only she's been using code up until now. Instead of saying "white", she says "working class". But if you look at the groups who make up her base, most have a problem with race. Her base consists of women, the elderly, Hispanics, and less educated voters. Of those 4 groups, three have issues with race. Both the elderly and less educated are more likely to be racist or be "uncomfortable" with blacks. Hispanics see blacks as a rival minority. Women, of course, favor Hillary because she's a woman. Now, I'm sure you could also argue that blacks support Obama cause he's black. But what about the younger voters and those with college educations? Ultimately, Obama has the better coalition because except for blacks, it's one based on what he says and does, not what he is or isn't. 3 out of 4 of Hillary's groups are voting for her more or less because they don't want to vote for the black guy. And Hillary has known and tapped into this. I would never vote for a candidate like that who brings out the worst in people.

[plafayette]

This was a nice endorsement and it is sad that John Edwards did not make the endorsement himself...months ago.

[thecanadian]

Is that the same Cabinet Post she tearfully semi offered to the
Son of Martin Luther King Anniversary of his death?

[olivia]

I read somewhere that Hillary intended to make a cabinet post to fight poverty, and Edwards was mentioned in the same paragraph.

If Edwards is a true populist he will want to work to fight poverty no matter whose administration it is. So I understand why he did not endorse anyone before; that would have made accepting a cabinet post awkward.

But now??? What is he waiting for, geez!

[scorpioleidy]

John Edwards ... what are YOU still waiting for???

OBAMA '08

[kennedy]

Edwards is waiting for Obama to grow a spine. Never going to happen Johnny.

[tess08]

you mean Edwards needs a spine, dufus.

[DemocratsUnited]

He is waiting on his wife to give him his balls back.

[tmo78759]

I think the actual truth is that the John and Elizabeth disagree on an endorsement. This is not a lack of "balls", it's a reflection of a marriage of equal partners. They have been together in life and politics for a long time and the only way John endorses is if they agree.

Reading the "People" magazine article this week (I know, but it was at the dentist's office) it really seems that he is leaning towards Obama because of Hillary's lobbyist money and Elizabeth would prefer Hillary because of her health plan and Elizabeth's rightful desire to see a woman in the White House.

I'm an ardent supporter of Sen. Obama, but I also know that those who don't agree with me at this exact moment are not my enemy. John and Elizabeth Edwards are fine people who have given a tremendous amount to our party and our nation.

Lay off of them. We know that they will actively support the winner of the nomination when it matters.

[1PALady]

too funny

[NewMexicoForObama]

He's waiting on the new spine he ordered from a chinese factory that uses poor child laborers.

[littlepuffycloud]

Hilarious!

[robXdion]

Edwards is still waiting for his wife to give him permission. if she can get over her "Obama wore an Afro so he must have been a black militant" excuse.

[2liveNdie]

A presidential administration job!