Political Buzz - Superdelegate Norm Dicks shifts endorsement to Obama

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Thursday, June 5th, 2008

Superdelegate Norm Dicks shifts endorsement to Obama

Posted by Hunter George @ 09:20:48 am

From Les Blumenthal in our DC bureau:

I just got off the phone with Rep. Norm Dicks, a superdelegate who had endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton, and he’s switching his endorsement to Barack Obama.

"It’s time to move on," said Dicks.

Dicks and about 20 other House Democrats told Clinton in a conference call Wednesday it was time for her to end her campaign and support Obama. Besides Dicks, others on the call were New York Rep. Charlie Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Within hours of the call, Clinton indicated to supporters she would take such a step on Saturday.

"We need to unify the party," Dicks said. "Whatever differences we have among ourselves, they pale in comparison to those we have with John McCain."

Dicks said McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, would be divisive and hard to work with if he's elected president. Dicks also blames McCain for Boeing losing a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract.

Dicks said Clinton has to "bring her people along" and convince them to support Obama in the November election.

As for Obama, Dicks said he has never worked with the Illinois senator, but wants to on defense and environmental issues. "Obama and I won’t have any problems," he said.

Update: The Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that King County Executive Ron Sims and former Gov. Gary Locke, who were co-chairmen of Clinton's Washington state campaign, shifted allegiance to Obama. Sims is a superdelegate.

Categories: Congress, Campaign news, President • 4 comments

COMMENTS:

Comment by madmike272 @ 09:35 - Thursday, June 5th, 2008

Well, I guess that "Dicks" lives up to his name!

Comment by witchiwoman @ 09:56 - Thursday, June 5th, 2008

Disregard the previous poster. He is indeed "mad."
.
It's about time Norm Dicks endorsed Obama. I was disappointed that he endorsed Hillary to begin with. I am still exceedingly disappointed with Cantwell and Murray for their track records since their elections. They are carbon copies of Hillary.

Comment by mustang @ 10:46 - Thursday, June 5th, 2008

No surprise here. It's all about the Party and the hell with the country!

Comment by brianstrandberg @ 16:16 - Thursday, June 5th, 2008

If that is the way the winds are blowing, let no one say I don't also blow.
-Diamond Joe Quimby

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