Breaking Edwards Update *** REP Payne NJ SD switches to Obama

[grantcart]

1) Tomorrow Friday John Edwards will be on Today

2) Today David Bonior, is officially endorsing Barack Obama, NBC News reports.



John Edwards' former campaign manager, David Bonior, is officially endorsing Barack Obama, NBC News reports.

The former Michigan congressman, who was once the second highest racking Democrat in the House, confirmed his endorsement and is expected to put out a press release today with more details. Bonior opposed the first Gulf war. Obama often refers to his own Iraq war opposition.

Bonior also refers to Obama's stand on making Washington work for working class families. His support is expected to help Obama's effort to win Michigan in the general election.



3) Today Obama phones Edwards Delegates
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/08/obama-calls-edwards-delegates-in-south-carolina/
(CNN) — After a morning spent courting superdelegates in Washington, Barack Obama convened a conference call Thursday afternoon to reach out to pledged delegates in South Carolina committed to former candidate John Edwards.

Two Edwards delegates on the call said Obama discussed his vision for the presidency and told the delegation he looks forward to working with them at the Democratic National Convention this summer.

Ed Turlington, an Edwards adviser from North Carolina who committed to Obama in April, participated in the conference call, as did former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, an Obama backer.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the call was simply an opportunity for the Democratic frontrunner "to give folks an update on the campaign and a chance to ask questions."

Several South Carolina Democrats familiar with the Edwards delegation said a handful of the former




Down thread see update on Congressman Payne fallout from Clinton's comments today?


Subject edited to include Paynes defection

[Johnny__Motown]

1. How can he be on Today Tomorrow? It will be Tomorrow by then. Can't he be on Today Yesterday ?

[Meshuga]

3. He will be on Today this morning

At least here on the east coast.

[grantcart]

4. lol

It seems to be a lot of coordinated action around Edwards in two days.

Here is a theory

The deal is done and Edwards endorses tomorrow. Hillary stays in through WV. If she quits now and then Obama loses WV it would be embarassing.

After WV Clinton stops the campaign and their is a big love fest Obama/Clinton and Edwards all joining forces on the same stage with an unspecified future roll for JE.

Wild I know.

[Sadie5]

7. Guess again grantcart

This ain't gonna happen. Hillary will win WV hands down. We all know O relies on the AA vote and at a 3.3% AA vote in WV he might get lucky and pick up a few votes. The same in KY.

[NewHampshireDem]

14. I think that's what he said

[cliffordu]

17. This is the third thread you've badgered grantcart on tonight....

are you stalking him?? In love??

:loveya:


Inquiring minds want to know....

[grantcart]

its ok I have been thinking about changing my S O

were all friends

[Sadie5]

41. Could be

I have been kind to all of you Os. I have been a gracious hostess by offering you a nice frosty glass of your favorite drink, kool-aid and to go further I have offered it in enema form. Nothing like a good kool-aid enema to set your thoughts right. Now dash to the polls and vote for your fav joke.

[mrbluto]

42. Eh. Crude. And....

...well, I'm not allowed by the rules to say exactly what I think you are.

Are you familiar with the term "agent provocateur"?

[grantcart]

20. she just had a major defection Rep Payne NJ switches from Clinton

to Obama. Hillary may lose a bunch of SDs before WV. Let her win big and let her go out on a high point.

[FrenchieCat]

28. So how did Obama win Washington State and Wisconsin?

[Cha]

31. hilIAR Depends on the Low Information Voter.

[Binka]

34. Jesus You Are An Angry Doggie

Funny that.

[milkyway]

35. Have you been following the results of this election at all? Obama relies on the black vote to win?

You mean states with a large black population like Iowa, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, Washington, Maine, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Wyoming?

There's a reason why Clinton should win West Virginia by 30 points, and it does have to do with race. But it's not because of the absence of black people, it's because of the people that are there. West Virginia is in Appalachia, a region where Clinton has been consistently winning by 2-1 margins. I'll leave it to more knowledgeable social scientists than myself to explain why that is.

[NewHampshireDem]

13. You really wanna blow your mind

Where I am, it's already Friday night ... So tommorow's Today will be on yesterday.

[cliffordu]

19. OUCH!!! That hurts my thinking place!!!

:crazy:

[billyoc]

39. 42

[Cha]

2. I'll be at work early

tomorrow so will find out later if John Edwards does the deed:)

[cliffordu]

5. I hope he endorses Obama - but at this late date, do you think it will

make that big a difference or do you think the flood is waiting for Edwards to drop the flag??

Maybe that's why Obama was in DC today. To let the other SD's know what the protocol will be......


Just a happy thought.

By the way.....


SHE'S STILL TOAST!!!!


:nuke:

[grantcart]

6. could be a part of a 3 way deal

I don't normally pay any attention on these things but 3 Edwards stories on the same day?


I don't think Obama would call Edwards delegates without JE giving the OK


Could be big tomorrow.

[Sadie5]

8. What three stories grantcart

Links??Do these links even exist?

[grantcart]

26. here you go

1)Obama calling http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/08/obama-calls-edwards-delegates-in-south-carolina/
2)Bonoir endorsing http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24520749/
3)Edwards on Today http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/8/14858/96361/708/511862
4)Congressman Payne switches from Clinton to Obama http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/congressman_payne_nj_superdele.html

[cliffordu]

12. There is a 48 hour grace period on the SD' endorsing -

Informal, but real, right??

[grantcart]

27. I just heard that

Payne announced a few minutes after midnight so he thought there was one

where have you heard that?

I have been waiting for weeks to see which AA SD from NY or NJ would be the first to flip


Given how unpopular they have become there is tremendous pressure on them to move

Hillary's comments today sealed the deal. Could be very busy tomorrow.

[CakeGrrl]

30. John Zogby published the 48-hour theory on BBC

My understanding is that probably today, but certainly within 48 hours, about 30 super-delegates will endorse Mr Obama. That should give him further momentum.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7387919.stm

[anonymous171]

33. He has an excuse. Obama won NC.

[Tarheel_Dem]

9. I'm sorry, I love JRE, but I fail to see what difference his endorsement

can make at this point? It may have had more of an impact before Obama handily won NC, but at this point it would seem like JRE is just hopping on the bandwagon of the inevitable nominee.

[grantcart]

16. 18 pledged delegates would make it impossible for Hillary to win

18 is the Huckabee number

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. Oh I see. I knew there was probably a good reason, I just couldn't

think of it at the time. :thumbsup:

[Cha]

32. I would welcome John Edwards' Endorsement..

it will make a difference and maybe in the most unexpected ways. The more the merrier:bounce: :patriot: :kick: :party:

[Secret_Society]

10. If he endorses now I will be disappointed in him

I should state up front that I am crazy about Edwards and I would donate to him in a heart beat if re-entered the race right now lol. But if endorses now, it reveals that he is doing so for political expediency since it is now much easier to endorse. If he really felt committed to one candidate he would have announced before NC when it would have mattered a lot more

[iconicgnom]

21. horsepucky

Whoever Edwards endorses tomorrow or right up to the convention, he's let every candidate including himself play out their hand. To wait until the endgame so as to consolodate the sure winner... that choice only goes to unite the party, whoever that sure winner is.

[bigbrother05]

11. Grantcart how many PD's from Edwards

and how many SD's

[grantcart]

15. 18 I believe

also it was leaked that Wolfson was doing a book deal


and the news about the Daily show was devistating

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. Daily Show? Did I miss something? nt

[grantcart]

37. thread somewere said that he dissected her on the

'hard working white people' comment said it stunned the audience - called it a career ending moment

[grantcart]

18. another update AA Congressman from NJ switches to Obama

Congressman Payne, NJ superdelegate, switches from Clinton to Obama
by Robert Schwaneberg/The Star-Ledger
Friday May 09, 2008, 12:05 AM
Rep. Donald Payne (D-10th Dist.), a New Jersey superdelegate who had been supporting Hillary Clinton for president, has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama.

"After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs," Payne told The Star-Ledger for today's editions. It was "one of the most difficult decisions I have made," Payne said. "I've really been mulling it over for quite a while."

With Payne's switch Obama has the backing of five of New Jersey's 20 superdelegates. Clinton has 11, including Gov. Jon Corzine; three are uncommitted and one who has backed Clinton is wavering.

By announcing his support for Obama now, Payne said he hopes to help unite the party so it can focus on defeating Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, in November.

"At this particular time we need to really unite behind one candidate," Payne said. "It's time now for us to pull our party together. The quicker it's over, the better we'll be able to bring all of our forces together."

Payne said he endorsed Clinton "early on," at a time when he did not know whether Obama's candidacy "was just a trial balloon." As Obama secured one victory after another, "I did certainly have a great deal of pride in the fact that an African-American would do so well," said Payne, who is African-American.

Payne called Clinton "a good friend" whom he holds "in high regard." He said he had "worked closely" with both Hillary Clinton and President Clinton, "especially with international activities in Africa and Haiti." He said Hillary Clinton "ran a very aggressive campaign" but he did not blame her -- as some have -- for injecting race into the campaign.




Tomorrow could be the day

If she loses even one more AA SD tomorrow she is toast because there has been alot of pressure on them and now with the

'hard working whites' she has burned her last bridge.

[bigbrother05]

24. More good news

Man, I wish this nightmare would end

[grantcart]

25. Edwards could say that he wanted NC to vote first

Its looking like a plan

[bigbrother05]

29. is it now 12 SD difference

[grantcart]

36. 7.5

[bigbrother05]

38. ...

:bounce:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

40. Let this be a numerous and expedient migration.

K & R

[grantcart]

43. DNC Gage Pres AFGE endorses Obama 3rd super delegate today

Obama wins endorsement of government employees union
By JESSE J. HOLLAND – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Federation of Government Employees endorsed Barack Obama Friday, giving the Illinois senator fresh momentum toward capturing the Democratic nomination for president.

"Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign," AFGE President John Gage said.

Gage, a previously uncommitted superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, said he is also personally endorsing Obama.

Obama, the Democratic front-runner, is vying with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the party's presidential nomination. His candidacy has been picking up momentum since Tuesday, when he handily won the North Carolina primary and held Clinton to a narrow victory in Indiana.

While calling Clinton a friend and saying she has worked hard for federal employees, Gage said some members of AFGE's board also think having Obama as the Democratic nominee would help the Democratic slate as a whole. Obama will do better in "bringing along some of the downticket races," Gage said.

AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

Gage also said it's time for Democrats to move beyond the primary and start concentrating on the November contest against certain Republican presidential nominee John McCain. "I think it's time we start really focusing in on McCain, who just has a terrible record when it comes to federal employees," Gage said.
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

44. Great news!