Paul Kirk (MA) endorses Obama; now within 20 superdelegates

[KSinTX]

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html


Superdelegate count (Total Delegates pledged + SD): Clinton - 257 (1593); Obama - 237 (1727).
(While Kirk endorsed in March, did not meet the count criteria of DemConWatch. These are their new numbers as of 10:34 PM CST)

Edited: Clinton held a Superdelegate lead of 97 as of Feb. 10, 2008.

[thevoiceofreason]

1. Great news!

[knixphan]

2. yippee!

[Barack_America]

3. And with that bit of great news, good night all!

Sweet dreams!

[TexasLady]

4. Great!!

[DerekJ]

5. The endorsement:

Chicago, IL – Today, United States Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) endorsed Barack Obama for president, citing his ability to rise above the issues that divide us, end the war in Iraq, bring universal health care, and make America energy independent.

Senator Bingaman said, “Today, I am announcing my support for Barack Obama for president and declaring my intention to vote for him at the Democratic convention.

“Our nation faces a daunting number of critical challenges: reasserting America’s leadership in the world, meeting our needs for energy independence, addressing global warming, making healthcare accessible and affordable, positioning our economy to effectively compete globally, and extricating ourselves from the war in Iraq, to name a few.

“To make progress, we must rise above the partisanship and the issues that divide us to find common ground. We must move the country in a dramatically new direction.

“I strongly believe Barack Obama is best positioned to lead the nation in that new direction.”

Senator Obama said, “I’m grateful today to have Senator Bingaman’s support. Senator Bingaman has been speaking out in the United States Senate on some of the most pressing issues of our time – saving our environment, fighting global warming, and making America energy independent. Senator Bingaman has been an important advocate in the energy debate, and has served the people of New Mexico for decades, giving voice to the issues that matter to families across the state. We are proud to have his support as we fight to bring about real change for families in New Mexico and across the country.”

Senator Jeff Bingaman is the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He has served in the United State Senate since 1982, and previously served as New Mexico Attorney General.

[chill_wind]

12. Thanks! K&R. n/t

[Kittycat]

6. Great news! Now I can go to sleep happier than I was before...

:woohoo:

[FrenchieCat]

7. Cool!

[WillyT]

8. Yeah Baby !!!

:kick:

[grantcart]

9. that was the 'Wright' move too

[stillcool]

10. Nice! My Congressman has still...

not endorsed. I sent him an email..maybe I should send him another..

[berni_mccoy]

11. Wow, that's three today!

[FrenchieCat]

14. Who else?

I head about the Senator from NM.

And this one.

Who else?

[slinkerwink]

13. great news!

[mckeown1128]

15. drip drip drip NT

[VenusRising]

16. Sah-weet!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Cha]

17. So grateful! But, what does that mean

that Kirk endorsed in March but did not meet the count criteria?

[thevoiceofreason]

19. Demconwatch requires a verifiable source of an endorsement

And also requires a statement of endorsement, not just an "I'm voting for _____."

[Cha]

25. Thank you, thevoiceofreason!

:hi:

[KSinTX]

23. DemConWatch uses direct quotes as verification

They recently got an open letter from Kirk to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and added it to their count. Before today, they didn't have him on the list. This is perhaps the most authentic list of superdelegate endorsements because they don't rely on lists or unverified sourcing (blogs?) rather "in their own words" endorsements. Below is the letter Kirk recently wrote that put him solidly in Obama's corner.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08097/870671-109.stm

[Cha]

27. Excellent information..thanks, KSinTX

Yes, I see what you mean..

<snip>

"One "price" being considered for Florida and Michigan, both having ignored party rules on the timing of their primaries, is to nevertheless count their votes at what could be a determinative moment late in the calendar. But every candidate knew that neither state held a valid election, so no candidate should be able to claim an advantage from it.

It is equally untenable for our party to convene in Denver without Florida or Michigan being represented. But the answer is not to award them a do-over after they violated the rules. The fairest solution is to divide their delegations equally between the two candidates. The campaigns can work with the state parties to assure appropriate demographic representation.

<snip>

"We have rules. Everyone understood them at the outset. This is not a national primary; it is not a red-vs.-blue, caucus-vs.-primary or big state-vs.-small state competition. It's a state-by-state contest (some primary, some caucus, some big, some small) by which delegates are selected in proportional representation to the popular vote in each state.

Once the contests are over, do the math. By mid-June, we must unite behind the candidate who has won the most delegates under a process we all understood and approved in advance. After eight years of Bush-Cheney, if we cannot unite our constituencies behind the Democratic nominee, shame on us!"

[KSinTX]

30. My pleasure ... revel tonight for tomorrow it rises to 21

Gov. Easley (NC) has worked on education programs with Clinton in past and will endorse her tomorrow. So, Obama supporters should pop a cork tonight, for tomorrow it widens by one.

[Cha]

31. Well, maybe someone other Delegate

Morsel comes on the O Peace Train for Change?

[KSinTX]

34. Wanna please lend me your crystal ball?

You pegged that one right w/KY's Chandler. Nice call!

[Cha]

37. :) Totally Power

of Positive Thinking! :D


This is Awesome News the first thing on DU!

[jasmine621]

18. t, but he's not voting like the people of MA voted. nt

[KSinTX]

26. Neither did the following (Obama wins, Clinton supporters), but who's counting, right? nt

DNC Patti Higgins (AK)
DNC Patti Higgins (AK)
DNC Joe Reed (AL)
DNC Randy Kelley (AL)
DNC Yvonne Kennedy (AL)
Rep. Diane DeGette (CO)
DNC Manny Rodriguez (CO)
DNC Maria Handley (CO)
DNC Ramona Martinez (CO)
DNC Ellen Camhi (CT)
DNC Mary Eva Candon (DC)
DNC Yolanda Caraway (DC)
DNC Hartina Flournoy (DC)
DNC Harold Ickes (DC)
DNC Ben Johnson (DC)
DNC Eric Kleinfeld (DC)
DNC Minyon Moore (DC)
DNC Elizabeth Smith (DC)
DNC Marilyn Tyler Brown (DC)
DNC Mona Mohib (DC)
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (DE)
DNC Rhett Ruggerio (DE)
DNC Karen Valentine (DE)
RDNC Michael Thurmond (GA)
DNC Carole Dabbs (GA)
DNC Lonnie Plott (GA)
ep. Leonard Boswell (IA)
DNC Sandy Opstvedt (IA)
DNC Mike Gronstal (IA)
DNC Teresa Krusor (KS)
VP Walter Mondale (MN)
DNC Jackie Stevenson (MN)
DNC Rick Stafford (MN)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (MO)
Fmr. Rep. Dick Gephardt (MO)
DNC Doug Brooks (MO)
DNC Sandy Querry (MO)
DNC Hon. Karen Hale (UT)

[BlueIdaho]

20. SD Delegate lead cut by 77 since 2/10/08?

Now that's an undeniable trend.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

21. I think the SDs are telling her something

[cliffordu]

22. OMFG!!! Doesn't he know about WRIGHT??????

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Scurrilous]

24. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Eurobabe]

28. Come on superDs!!!

:applause: :applause:

[americanstranger]

29. Take that, Pastorbators!

How many more tomorrow? 2? 3?

Can't wait.

- as

[PseudoIntellect]

32. Soon we'll see teens...then single digits...

this trend's continuity has been perhaps the best news for Obama this month.

[bhikkhu]

33. K&R - a little closer every day!

[ihelpu2see]

35. I have seen reports of Obama's SD # up around 241, has anyone else seen that # ?

[panAmerican]

36. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Thank you Mr. Kirk! :loveya:

[myrna minx]

38. K&R n/t

[EnviroBat]

39. Awesome. How many is that just this week, and it's only Tuesday!

:bounce: