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Hillary Clinton Super-D/Bill Clinton DNC chair Switches to Obama

May 01, 2008 7:19 AM

Joe Andrew was appointed to chair the Democratic National Committee in 1999, during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

The youngest DNC chair ever endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid last year, saying,  "Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to compete and win across this country. I have seen up close her intellect, character, and fortitude, and I am convinced she is the best prepared to handle these challenging times. Her 35-year record fighting for America's families is as impressive as she is, and demonstrates why she will be a great President of the United States."

"Joe was a strong leader who put the Democratic Party on the right path,” Clinton said. "I'm honored to have his support."

Not so fast, senator.

Today Andrew, former chair of the Indiana Democratic Party, will announce he's switching to Sen. Barack Obama's camp, the AP reports.

In an Indianapolis press conference he will so in order to urge his "fellow superdelegates across the nation to heal the rift in our party and unite behind Barack Obama," as he writes in a letter he's sending to superdelegates.

Andrew writes he's switching 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 John McCain....While I was hopeful that a long, contested primary season would invigorate our party, the polls show that the tone and temperature of the race is now hurting us. John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives."

"I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it's now bad for the Democratic Party," Andrew told the AP.

"He has shown such mettle under fire," Andrew told the AP. "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."

Yesterday in Billings, Montana, meanwhile, former GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee went after his fellow Christian minister, Rev. Wright, saying Obama's "campaign is not being derailed by his race, it's being derailed by a person who doesn't want him to prove that we have made great advances in this country...Jeremiah Wright needs for Obama to lose so he can justify his anger, his hostile bitterness against the United States of America."

We live in interesting times.

May 1, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (487)

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Martin, Her accomplishment is that she is Bill Clinton's wife since she points to his presidency as her "experience". I certainly believe it was an experience all right.

Posted by: indy_voter | May 1, 2008 2:28:17 PM

Where is Nat. I miss him.

Posted by: barefootboy9 | May 1, 2008 2:17:17 PM

Funny thing, I heard Andrews' on NPR this morning stressing how a vote for Obama wasn't a vote for HRC, how he backed the need for all voters to get out and have their say, how neither candidate could win without the backing of SuperDs, and how he wasn't doing this for political or personal gain but just b/c it was the right thing to do (which is why he hadn't called either campaign before making his statement). But his letter and tone and reference to "attack dogs" all seem to refute everything he just said.

Posted by: Sandy | May 1, 2008 1:59:14 PM

Martin : I could give you a long list of Clinton accomplishments but I am sure it would just confuse you as it appears that you have been brainwashed by msnbc. So let's keep it simple for the stupid. Hillary has been a US Senator for 7 years now while campainging for the last year. Obama was elected to his frst term as a US Senator and started campaigning for President before he was elected to the Senate. There is no comparison here unless you are an idiot....Vote Hillary it will make you smarter.

Posted by: suzy | May 1, 2008 1:57:48 PM

Only CHANGE I've seen with Obama is his Loyalty to the folks who took care of him at his weakest.......

Rev. Wright and his Grandmother

Posted by: carpenter.nyc | May 1, 2008 1:53:22 PM

i like past wright.

i distrust and dislike obama.

but for the sake of the country and our future, I"LL VOTE FOR HILLARY!

Posted by: eyes wide open | May 1, 2008 1:39:20 PM

Since it is clear Obama can not win why would these elected officials be endorsing him? joe Andrews must have been told by Michelle that he would not be the lawyer for her hospital if did not endorse Obama.....he is saving his own job because win or lose Michelle could cause the hospital to hire a different lawyer. But folks like Kerry and Kennedy?????? ect. because they have known McCain even longer than they have known Clinton and once elected McCain as a liberal conservative will appoint many off them. Hillary would not appoint Kerry or Kennedy to anything,,,,,these old boys are using Obama to get McCain elected and I bet they will try to blame Hillary but not for long because we in MA will get these old boys out.

Posted by: suzy | May 1, 2008 1:37:57 PM

I have Nat Turner pictured as a 15 yr old black boy that needs a diaper change. We all can smell you here on this forum. I think your mother will spank you if she knew you were on the computer. Go get your diaper changed, and your mother may want you to go to the store for her. She may even buy you a soda pop. Don't go with a pacifier in your mouth.

Posted by: barefootboy9 | May 1, 2008 1:36:25 PM

Obama seems to attract people who either have poor judgment, is willing to betray or take advantage of him. That does not speak well to his leadership. After extolling praises on Wright and now, Obama said that 'I don't know him as well as I should" after 20 years?

Joe Andrew's switch shows his own poor judgment and lack of concern for the party's real goal of winning the white house. In this time of turmoil as Obama's character being vetted, the #1 concern for superdelegates to see who can win back the white house. To do it now, it shows that he does not take his role seriously, not care about the party.

Posted by: vote4thebest | May 1, 2008 1:32:17 PM

It's more important for Obama to win the nomination and DO what Axelrod said than to stand by his Friend/Mentor ( who inspired a WHOLE BOOK ) of 20 Years....


Even in his book he claims if the tides change-- “I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.” ...

Think Loyalty means anything to Obama?

He'll take what he can get --- Wright was RIGHT--- Obama is a POLITICIAN AND HE WILL SAY ANYTHING TO GET ELECTED....

( Obama's performance the other day--- trying to look sad while reading his speech --- rarely did he look straight into the Camera.... he knew what he was doing was wrong but he went ahead with it--- CAUSE his Campaign Manager--AXELROD TOLD HIM TO )

This OBAMA is going to be the leader of Our Country?

Will he put on the same performance when he faces China and N.Korea and Iran--- Put on a sad face and HOPE things work out??????? He REPRESENTS US???????? Communism here we come.

Posted by: carpenter.nyc | May 1, 2008 1:24:44 PM

They keep counting Hillary out, yet she is still right there. There's no quit in her. Obama is going to unite the world, although he can't even unite his own party. We need solutions not feel good slogans.

Posted by: Mack | May 1, 2008 1:22:51 PM

Nat, I personally don't have as much problem with Obama as I have with Obama supporters like you. I love that my vote for McCain will just cancel your vote for Obama :)

Posted by: Sonia | May 1, 2008 1:22:19 PM

Nat Turner: What news are you watching???Oh I know you must be watching Oberman and Matthews on msnbc. I watched some of Matthews last night....I watch just to see how many non facts he tries to put over on the Obama groupies like last night when he claimed Obama was still ahead in the polls while he showed a poll from 4/28...the same poll from 4/29 and 4/30 showed Clinton ahead. It looks like Clinton will win NC and IN. IF Obama could win the general election he would have won PA having out spent Hilary 4 to 1.....but he still lost.....he can't even buy the votes needed.

The only way Obama could retain the delegate lead was to refuse to let FL and MI re-vote but he caused himself another problem with that great judgement because the DNC will reinstate those states and FL will be counted as voted while MI is still up in the air, Obama will not get as many deligates as Hillary from MI or FL.

I guess that you are young Nat since you believe the BS from msnbc but guess who will get drafted when McCain wins....not Chris Matthews, he just gets lower taxes and not Keith Oberman, he also just gets lower taxes. It will be you that goes to fight Iran and your girl that can't get an abortion even if raped and it will be your own fault for being fool enough to stab the Clintons in the back in favor of McCain....there is no Obama, that is just the empty suit they need to run so McCain can win.
You need to realize that folks like Chris Matthews and Keith Oberman say whatever helps get them viewers but they will vote McCain.......so why do they prefer Obama to Hillary?????Because it is clear that McCain will easily beat Obama while they know Hillary will beat McCain......latest polls have Hillary over McCain by 9% while McCain beats Obama by 1%.

Posted by: jo | May 1, 2008 1:20:04 PM

Nat, I think you are in panic mode. Not to mention obnoxious. You're exactly the reaon why I'm voting McCain.

Posted by: Sonia | May 1, 2008 1:15:48 PM

SamNC, You can take the reverse of that. If Obama was all white and had some crazy preacher he probably would not endure the utter nastinest we've seen. Then again, he would probably be a Republican.

Posted by: indy_voter | May 1, 2008 1:14:43 PM

Hi,

I have a question. I have been a democrat ever since I became eligible to vote. I noticed that some of you said that if Obama is the nominee you will vote for McCain. I will be doing the same and I'm wondering, do you need to change parties or can you still vote McCain while still being a democrat?
Thanks.

Posted by: Sonia | May 1, 2008 1:09:32 PM

Obama is a myth. He's a centaur caught between two natures, bringing out the worst in all of us.

Posted by: AikauFan | May 1, 2008 1:08:19 PM

And so it begins.....Clinton is finished.

Posted by: ron | May 1, 2008 1:03:04 PM

The Democratic party leadership are a bunch of fools if they think that people are going to rally behind Obama IF they can push Hillary aside quickly. There is a large segment of the population who do NOT trust Obama, and as others have said, will vote Republican if Hillary is not the nominee. The fact that he hasn't won a primary since February should tell them something.

In addition, the party leaders already know that Obama CANNOT win in several states that are CRUCIAL in the general election, yet party leaders continue to push Obama down our throats. Add to this the fact that there is more crap yet to be revealed about Obama, and you have the recipe for a Republican win in November.

Maybe I expect too much from the party who got control of Congress, but failed to make good on their promise to put King George Bush in his place.

That is why, as a life-long Democrat, I am supporting RON PAUL, the ONLY honest candidate, and the ONLY candidate with the financial expertise we so desperately need in the White House.

Posted by: nationalobserver | May 1, 2008 1:02:59 PM

I can't wait till it is all over with and McCain carries Obama to the cleaners. Maybe the DMC will wake up and put someone in there other than Obama. Hillary can win, but if she is not the nominee, McCain will make hash of Obama. Then people like Nat Turner can bury their head in the sand. Those people have not realized in the last few weeks Obama has lost most of his credibility to whites, hispanics, cubans, asian accent. That leaves the blacks and the population of the US has only 12.4% blacks. Face the truth.

Posted by: barefootboy9 | May 1, 2008 1:00:01 PM

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