Edwards Wins a Key Iowa Backer (U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, Iowa's 1st district, to endorse tomorrow)

[JohnLocke]

Edwards Wins a Key Iowa Backer
By Jeff Zeleny--New York Times
Sunday, December 2, 2007
----
DES MOINES – John Edwards is set to collect a key Iowa endorsement tomorrow from one of the state’s Democratic members of Congress, a coveted prize that each of Mr. Edwards’ rivals have been aggressively courting.

Representative Bruce Braley, who represents Iowa’s First Congressional District in the eastern portion of the state, is scheduled to announce that he is supporting the presidential candidacy of Mr. Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina. The development was confirmed to The Caucus by two Democratic officials familiar with the endorsement.

Mr. Braley was elected to Congress last year as Democrats swept control of the House of Representatives from Republicans. In recent weeks, he has been sought after by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and Mr. Edwards, all three of whom headlined separate versions of “Bruce, Blues and BBQ,” a fund-raising dinner for Mr. Braley.

He is the first of Iowa’s three Democratic members of Congress to announce his endorsement. The value of any endorsement is always an open question, but as Mr. Edwards seeks to compete for attention and support with Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, this rollout signals the beginning of an intense final month of the Iowa caucus campaign.

The endorsement will formally be announced tomorrow in Waterloo.
(...)

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/edwardsendorse/

[Glimmer of Hope]

1. This is great news!

[saltpoint]

2. Congratulations to the Carolinian.

A key endorsement by and for a worthy man.

[SharonAnn]

3. Yeayy! Bruce Braley is in my hometown! Wish I could be represented by him now.

East Tennessee is pretty Red. My friend said, after two years here, she and her husband had to move back to Maryland. They just couldn't take being surrounded by all these "red-state goobers."

I think that's the best description I've ever heard.

I supported Bruce Braley last year and got a bunch of other people to support him, also. Everytime I've seen him on TV, heard him on radio, or read about him I've been so proud of him. He gets it!

If he's endorsing John Edwards, then I've got to take another look at John Edwards.

[Stop Cornyn]

4. I love that Braley kicked Whalen's ass in a district that had been Republican for a generation after

the corporatist anti-consumer Star Chamber of Commerce spent a fortune pimping Whalen!

[Debi]

6. Whalen bought the primary and (I think) was the weakest of the GOP candidates

I supported Bruce in the primary and I don't see him going anywhere but up! He has an awesome staff here and in D.C. and is such an average guy. Lucky, lucky, lucky to have him as my Congressman!

[Stop Cornyn]

8. I have some college friends up that way and they say Whalen ran the most TV (and the most obnoxious

TV) they have ever seen in any political race in a high-dollar bid to smear Bruce but Whalen's TV backfired.

[Debi]

11. Bruce would have beaten any of the GOPers, but Whalen's ego beat out his entire campaign team

I think b/c he bought the primary he thought he'd be invincible in the general. NOPE :bounce:

[Debi]

5. This is good news, however there isn't anyone in the First District of Iowa

who thought Braley would do anything other than endorse Edwards.

I'm attending the Edwards event tomorrow, I wonder if that's where they'll announce it or if he's doing a private press conference.

Bruce is very popular here (and in D.C.) and I am thrilled to have him as my Congressman.

[Hardrada]

9. I did not know that.

[Debi]

10. Maybe it was only us Black Hawk County folk

he caucused for Edwards in 2004 and well, you know he's a shhhhh trial lawyer :wow: shhhhh.

[Nutmegger]

7. R&K!!!

:thumbsup::kick:

[balantz]

12. Hey Ho!!

That's exciting! Hooray!!

Full steam ahead!!