Re: Paul Volcker, Former Fed Chairman, Endorses Obama (Update3)
<font size="5"><Center>Dodd Endorses Obama</font size><font size="4">
Gives Clinton a Gentle Nudge, Out</font size></center>
Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (Conn.) during their
news conference today in Cleveland, where Dodd endorsed Obama, his
former rival, in the Democratic presidential race. (AP)
Washington Post
By Alec MacGillis
February 26, 2008
CLEVELAND -- In issuing his endorsement of Barack Obama here this morning, Chris Dodd made abundantly clear -- in the most decorous and senatorial of terms, to be sure -- that he believes it is getting near time for the Democrats to call it a race.
"This is a moment of unity in our country, a time when we need to come together as the Democratic Party and get behind a candidacy that expresses the hopes, aspirations and ambitions of million and millions of Americans," he said, standing beside Obama in a hotel function room. Dodd added: "I don't want a campaign that's only divisive. But there is a danger of it becoming that, not because the candidates want it to, but too often the advisers and consultants, others are seeking that divisiveness.... It is devastating in the longer term."
Asked directly, Dodd denied that he was urging Hillary Clinton to quit the race. But he added a warning against any harshly negative attacks in the final week before the crucial March 4 primaries here and in Texas -- a warning that comes as Clinton's campaign is giving indications that it is in the midst of launching a final assault on Obama, at tonight's debate and beyond.
"I want to offer a cautionary note to the campaigns and the people around them: Be careful this week, we have good people running, we have remarkable people running in these two candidates, and I know the temptation of campaigns, beyond the ability of the candidates themselves to control it, can get out of control. We have witnessed a little bit of that here, and I'm worried about it," Dodd said. "We're on the brink of a great victory [in November], and I don't want to see us lose that opportunity because of mistakes made or divisiveness."
Obama accepted the endorsement with lavish praise for the tone of Dodd's campaign and his emphasis on issues such as civil liberties and education. Dodd, whose own candidacy never took off, joked that he had expected a year ago that around now he would be picking up Obama's endorsement for his own campaign. And he was candid about having, until not so long ago, regarded the 46-year-old first-term senator as a bit of a whippersnapper.
"I'll admit that I was skeptical, like many others, as to whether or not this new face in American politics could do all the things he desired to do," Dodd said. But he said he had come around to supporting Obama after observing more of him on the campaign trail and in the Senate, and after seeing the energy he is generating among young voters, which Dodd said reminded him of his own reaction to John F. Kennedy four decades ago, when that president inspired him to join the Peace Corps.
"The question has always been the same: 'Yes, but is he ready?' Since that time, he's been poked and prodded, analyzed and criticized, called too green, too trusting, too lofty. And through all that, he's already won half of our nation's states in primaries and caucuses, and the votes of more than 10 million Americans, showing judgment, grace and poise in the process," Dodd said. "He's ready to be president."
Dodd, the first former 2008 Democratic candidate to endorse Clinton or Obama, dismissed a challenge from a reporter who asked him to reconcile the endorsement with criticisms his campaign made of Obama last fall, when it ridiculed some of Obama's statements on foreign policy as betraying his inexperience in world affairs. "We can flyspeck every statement being made over course of the campaign," Dodd said.
Asked what precisely had changed his mind about Obama during the campaign, Dodd cited Obama's address to Detroit automakers about the need to improve fuel efficiency. But the other reasons he gave for coming around on Obama actually preceded the campaign: He said he had been impressed by Obama's questions during Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearing in 2005, impressed that the veteran Indiana Republican Dick Lugar had chosen Obama as his Democratic partner on nuclear proliferation issues, and impressed at Obama's work on ethics reform legislation, which Dodd said showed "courage."
It is unclear how much campaigning Dodd will do on Obama's behalf, though Dodd, a fluent Spanish speaker, mentioned the possibility of traveling to Texas for him.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, which endorsed Dodd late last year and also has long-standing ties with the Clintons, has no plans to transfer its backing to Obama, a union spokesman said.
Dodd said he had called Hillary Clinton last night to inform her of his decision. "These are not comfortable conversations," he said. "These are not easy things to do... I believe [Hillary and Bill Clinton] have made significant contributions to our country and I believe very deeply and sincerely this morning that Hillary Clinton will continue to make a significant contribution to our nation in the years to come. But it is now the hour to come together."
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/26/dodd_gives_clinton_a_gentle_pu_1.html
<font size="5"><Center>Dodd Endorses Obama</font size><font size="4">
Gives Clinton a Gentle Nudge, Out</font size></center>
Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (Conn.) during their
news conference today in Cleveland, where Dodd endorsed Obama, his
former rival, in the Democratic presidential race. (AP)
Washington Post
By Alec MacGillis
February 26, 2008
CLEVELAND -- In issuing his endorsement of Barack Obama here this morning, Chris Dodd made abundantly clear -- in the most decorous and senatorial of terms, to be sure -- that he believes it is getting near time for the Democrats to call it a race.
"This is a moment of unity in our country, a time when we need to come together as the Democratic Party and get behind a candidacy that expresses the hopes, aspirations and ambitions of million and millions of Americans," he said, standing beside Obama in a hotel function room. Dodd added: "I don't want a campaign that's only divisive. But there is a danger of it becoming that, not because the candidates want it to, but too often the advisers and consultants, others are seeking that divisiveness.... It is devastating in the longer term."
Asked directly, Dodd denied that he was urging Hillary Clinton to quit the race. But he added a warning against any harshly negative attacks in the final week before the crucial March 4 primaries here and in Texas -- a warning that comes as Clinton's campaign is giving indications that it is in the midst of launching a final assault on Obama, at tonight's debate and beyond.
"I want to offer a cautionary note to the campaigns and the people around them: Be careful this week, we have good people running, we have remarkable people running in these two candidates, and I know the temptation of campaigns, beyond the ability of the candidates themselves to control it, can get out of control. We have witnessed a little bit of that here, and I'm worried about it," Dodd said. "We're on the brink of a great victory [in November], and I don't want to see us lose that opportunity because of mistakes made or divisiveness."
Obama accepted the endorsement with lavish praise for the tone of Dodd's campaign and his emphasis on issues such as civil liberties and education. Dodd, whose own candidacy never took off, joked that he had expected a year ago that around now he would be picking up Obama's endorsement for his own campaign. And he was candid about having, until not so long ago, regarded the 46-year-old first-term senator as a bit of a whippersnapper.
"I'll admit that I was skeptical, like many others, as to whether or not this new face in American politics could do all the things he desired to do," Dodd said. But he said he had come around to supporting Obama after observing more of him on the campaign trail and in the Senate, and after seeing the energy he is generating among young voters, which Dodd said reminded him of his own reaction to John F. Kennedy four decades ago, when that president inspired him to join the Peace Corps.
"The question has always been the same: 'Yes, but is he ready?' Since that time, he's been poked and prodded, analyzed and criticized, called too green, too trusting, too lofty. And through all that, he's already won half of our nation's states in primaries and caucuses, and the votes of more than 10 million Americans, showing judgment, grace and poise in the process," Dodd said. "He's ready to be president."
Dodd, the first former 2008 Democratic candidate to endorse Clinton or Obama, dismissed a challenge from a reporter who asked him to reconcile the endorsement with criticisms his campaign made of Obama last fall, when it ridiculed some of Obama's statements on foreign policy as betraying his inexperience in world affairs. "We can flyspeck every statement being made over course of the campaign," Dodd said.
Asked what precisely had changed his mind about Obama during the campaign, Dodd cited Obama's address to Detroit automakers about the need to improve fuel efficiency. But the other reasons he gave for coming around on Obama actually preceded the campaign: He said he had been impressed by Obama's questions during Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearing in 2005, impressed that the veteran Indiana Republican Dick Lugar had chosen Obama as his Democratic partner on nuclear proliferation issues, and impressed at Obama's work on ethics reform legislation, which Dodd said showed "courage."
It is unclear how much campaigning Dodd will do on Obama's behalf, though Dodd, a fluent Spanish speaker, mentioned the possibility of traveling to Texas for him.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, which endorsed Dodd late last year and also has long-standing ties with the Clintons, has no plans to transfer its backing to Obama, a union spokesman said.
Dodd said he had called Hillary Clinton last night to inform her of his decision. "These are not comfortable conversations," he said. "These are not easy things to do... I believe [Hillary and Bill Clinton] have made significant contributions to our country and I believe very deeply and sincerely this morning that Hillary Clinton will continue to make a significant contribution to our nation in the years to come. But it is now the hour to come together."
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/26/dodd_gives_clinton_a_gentle_pu_1.html
