Julie

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), the Democratic Party's 2004 presidential nominee, will endorse Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president in South Carolina today, Democratic sources told Politico.

Kerry is flying to South Carolina for an event to be held shortly after 11 a.m. in Charleston, the sources said. Obama is holding a "Rally for Change" at the College of Charleston ahead of the Democrats' South Carolina primary on Jan. 26.

Kerry's endorsement message will focus on Obama's ability to bring the country transformational change, the sources said. The endorsement also represents a sharp elbow at former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who was Kerry's running mate in 2004.

Kerry, who had contemplated another run of his own this year, remains one of the Democratic Party's most popular figures, and gives Obama a big boost as he is trying to regain his momentum after finishing second to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.

For Obama, this endorsement fills a particular need: In addition to winning the nomination in 2004, Kerry is considered a strong voice on national security issues and a respected elder of the Democratic establishment.

Neither of those factors would do much for Clinton, who is strong on both.
But Obama needs to show donors, voters and activists that he can attract more traditional support and win over the decision-makers in the party.

Thus far, he has succeeded mostly at bringing young voters and independents into the fold.

Moreover, Kerry maintains a pretty strong fundraising network and impressive e-mail list of potential donors.

Kerry is putting an e-mail list with millions of addresses at Obama's disposal, according to party sources.

The e-mail list will be very helpful for fundraising as well as organizing.

However, endorsements — even one like this, which will get huge news coverage — rarely transform a campaign.

They provide good momentary buzz, and a surrogate with star power for campaign stops. But it is rarely the reason a voter chooses a candidate.

John Kerry to endorse Obama - Mike Allen - Politico.com

Dreadnought

Well that tells us that Hillary has to cry to get votes and that any campaign that Kerry endorses is sure to be doomed.

Thanks John you just made the Republicans that much better off.

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Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

McFire

I think I have to agree with Dreadnought. I wouldn't want any endorsement from Kerry with his past run of luck! The Dems really need to "clean house" and get rid of some of the "elders" of the Democratic establishment. That's the cause of most of their problems. Why do folks in Massachusetts keep electing Kerry and Kennedy? Is there that much of a lack of candidates?

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McFire

Julie

I think it's a kick in the pants AND a slap across the face to Edwards. I can't believe he did it. Kerry could have waited until after the SC election, which is why Edwards is staying in the race through SC, because it's his hometown. That endorsement will hurt Edwards, and I think Kerry's endorsement now, is not only disrespectful, but is a traitor. Maybe everybody was right about Kerry after all.

Dreadnought

IF I was Obama I would want to stay as far as possible away from Kerry if I wished to continue my good fortunes and stay in the lead of the Dem race. Kerry has a track record of saying the most stupidist and insulting remarks that normally put the kabash on anything he or his constituants run for.

Can you say this is the "thrice" time you've blundered John?

Ironduke

Wow... a lack of tact on John Kerry's behalf. Then again, he may really want to see Clinton out of the race ASAP.
Source: CNN

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The Buck Stops Here

gunnut

Does endorsement really mean anything? Does it affect anyone's voting pattern? I know it doesn't affect me positively at all. It might affect me negatively.

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"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

Debbie

Agreed - people coming out of the woodwork placing their name behind a candidate - who cares. Except in this case if Kerry is going to really let go of that e-mail list to Obama. Then the endorsement takes on more meaning. But, then again it was Kerry's e-mail list and who is to say that it really will make any impact for the candidate he is giving it to.

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And I close my eyes, and I kiss that frog. Each time finding the more boys I meet, the more I love my dog ------ More Boys I Meet - Carrie Underwood

Dreadnought

If we recall the disbaraging remarks Kerry made the last time (Be stupid get sent to Iraq) and the response from Iraq I think its pretty safe to say whose votes wont be going to Obama with John Kerry's backing.Do you think that the families of those over there and those over there forgot those remarks easily?
Think about it.

Bluesman

Personally, I think this endorsement DOES help Clinton. It's probably designed to do exactly that.

Think about it for a second: if he'd done that - endorse Obama - just a week ago, it could've propelled Obama to a win in one of the only states that a kerry endorsement would carry any weight: New Hampshire. The libs that live there are as deep blue as any in Massachusetts, with the added benefit of never having to have actually lived with kerry as their Senator. It probably would've made the difference, and then Obama comes off the historic Iowa win to an even MORE important New Hampshire win. He's got enormous momentum at this point, and may actually have destroyed the Clinton machine.

But NOW? Just before Obama goes to South Carolina??? That actually HELPS Clinton, HURTS Obama.

Typical kerry: wrong move, wrong timing, IF it was as it appears: a real, sincere attempt to help Obama. If it was clever sabotage, it also reveals a character flaw. Either Lurch was incompetent, or he was duplicitous. Either way, it confirms that the country decided - JUST BARELY - on the right guy to elect in '04.

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"The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it, and if one finds the prospect of a long war intolerable, it is natural to disbelieve in the possibility of victory."
- George Orwell

Dreadnought

Lurch...classic

Julie

What I see is these buzzards getting their claws into fresh meat. By the time Obama gets to the White House, he will be another puppet on a string.

bonehead

This whole affair stinks of Kennedy's cronies. I can see them manipulating the whole process to keep the midwestern upstart, Obama out while protecting one of their own, Hillary. Obama is too much of a loose cannon for those guys and they only want a candidate they can own. That is why Kerry got the nod four years ago and that is why they are pushing for Hillary now.

I would be so much happier if registered voters can just vote in their party's respective "primary" election. That way the people of the party have the say in a, one time all across America, all or nothing vote instead of this endless campaining and manipulation. The winner then gets to choose a running mate and the rest of us no longer have to wade through piles of poo for another few months. We can then focus on the two vying for the job instead of the dozen nut jobs we have to pay attention to now.

glyn

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Semper in excretum. Solum profunda variat.

Ray

Ideal endorsement to lose!

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"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

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