Through the Looking Glass……Senator Robert Byrd Endorses Barack Obama

19 May 2008 Author: rikyrah

Byrd endorses Obama for president
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., endorsed Barack Obama for president shortly after noon today, focusing on his hope to end the Iraq War.
By Paul J. Nyden
Staff writer
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., endorsed Barack Obama for president shortly after noon today, focusing on his hope to end the Iraq War.
“As people all across this great nation know, I have been one of the most outspoken opponents of the Bush administration’s misguided war in Iraq and its saber rattling around the globe,” Byrd said.
He said he had “no intention of involving myself in the Democratic campaign for President in the midst of West Virginia’s primary election. But the stakes this November could not be higher.”
Byrd praised both Obama and Hillary Clinton, saying their “integrity, honor, love for this country and strong belief in our Constitution I deeply respect…
“Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support,” Byrd concluded.

The symbolism cannot be lost on our very astute JJP readers.

Tags: 2008 Democratic Primary, Barack Obama, Endorsement, Robert Byrd, West Virginia

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D.
That’s a money shot if there ever was one.
justice58
OMFG! OMFG!
I’m so stunned!
blksista
Er…this looks funky.
I don’t trust the logic or the timing of this announcement.
When Billary was race-baiting in his home state, the old man could have put this question back on square one: the boy is for pulling our people out of Iraq, the girl isn’t…don’t believe the hype.
NOW he decides to put his support behind Obama? This can’t be for West Virginia or Kentucky voters or other Southern voters at all…
This looks chicken pellets, to say the very least. Not wanting to insert himself in “the midst of WV’s primary election”…you mean, not getting his hands dirty endorsing a black male candidate?
I can’t believe this hypocrisy…
Ms.Martin
New Gallup poll: Obama 55% Clinton 39%
justice58
It could be he’s so embarrassed about how the people of WV are seen around the country!
khia213
Gee, a former member of the KKK endorses Obama. Does that mean eventually Ferraro will come around?
blksista
Don’t get me wrong. It looks like a monumental turnabout, especially with Byrd’s Dixiecrat-type past…
But what if he had inserted himself into the race and stopped this BS? Maybe Obama’s numbers would have crept up a bit and given Billary a run for her money.
Against Race Politics
blksista,
You might be right about the hypocrisy. He should have come out sooner but who knows, in addition to being afraid for his political career, he might have been afraid of his people. He might know them better than we do. Did you see some of them voicing their opinions???????
I am afraid for their willing yet blissful ignorance!
Ms.Martin
More on the Suffolk University Oregon, Kentucky PollsOregon: Obama 45, Clinton 41, undecided 8, refusing a response 6.
Favorability ratings: Obama 73 favorable, 15 unfavorable
Who will be the next President? Obama 59, Clinton 11, McCain 9, undecided 20.
Who is more electable against McCain? Obama 52, Clinton 28.
If your choice for the Democratic nominee loses? 59% would still vote for nominee, 19% would jump parties and vote for McCain, 5% would vote for Nader, 13% were undecided.
Kentucky: Clinton 51, Obama 25, Edwards 6, uncommitted 5, undecided 11.
Favorability ratings: Obama 43 favorable, 43 unfavorable (similar to West Virginia numbers)
Who will be the next president? Obama 41, McCain 25, Clinton 13, 20 undecided.
Who is more electable against McCain? Clinton 46, Obama 39.
If your choice for the Democratic nominee loses? 41% would still vote for nominee, 28% would jump parties and vote for McCain, 4% would vote for Nader, 24% were undecided.
Anonymous
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080519/ap_on_el_pr/clinton
Clinton says “Obama can declare himself whatever he wants, but if he doesn’t have the votes, he’s not the nominee.”
Well, sweetie, you don’t have the votes either. And unfortunately for you, Obama has more vote than you. LOL
Ms.Martin
Further proof of the plan to damage Obama:
Ferraro: I Might Not Vote for Obama
Getty
1984 Democratic veep candidate and Clinton backer tells the NY Times: “I think Obama was terribly sexist.”
Ms.Martin
On this endorsement, I agree with the commentor who said he may be trying to clean up their image.
In addition to the exit poll interviews, John Stewart made them look really, really bad.
Ms.Martin
This is the quote from a NY
Tims article:
“Ms. Ferraro, who clashed with the Obama campaign about whether she made a racially offensive remark, said she might not either. “I think Obama was terribly sexist,” she said. “
No evidence offered – just the statement!
Gregory
@ms. martin
That answer to a trivia question (Geraldine Ferraro) is long past being irrelevant. Her state will be going for Obama in the fall anyhow.
andyfrombrooklyn
byrd was loud and vocal against the iraq war when most were cowering in the corner
justice58
“She’s just mad that she can’t get 75,000 people to her rallies. She’s lucky to get 750. LOL
———————————–
Okayyyy!
Ronnie B
Doesn’t it look like Barack wants to run off stage and take a shower (one of those furiously-scrubbing/curled-up-in-the-corner/just-got-raped-and-feels-dirty … showers)?
andyfrombrooklyn
ferraro and other bitter clintonistas are sore losers extroarinaires. let them vote for pro life mccain. i am sure he will honor their support with the next judge alito. ferraro doesn’t really care about issues apparently.
DWS
I am not pleased with the timing either, but anyone who knows Byrd knows he’s all about maximizing the pork for WV.
He managed to get the FBI and CIA to move parts of their operations to the state and it is likely he is acting on behalf of his constituency now, because when Obama wins, Byrd would prefer that Obama not hold that primary result against the state.
The Bag of Health and Politics
Those of you arguing that he should’ve come out sooner are way off-base. First, Byrd’s long-time aide, Ann Barth, was in a contested primary for Congress (she won and will face Shelly Moore Capito in November). Byrd had to be neutral because of the local dynamics in that race, among other reasons.
Further, his endorsement would’ve moved votes in West Virginia–but it would not have moved 41%. Obama may have lost by 29% instead of 38% with Byrd’s endorsement. If he endorsed and the election went that way, his endorsement would now be viewed as “irrelevant,” by the media.
He endorsed six days after his state voted 70-30 the other way. He probably voted for Obama last Tuesday. It’s a valuable endorsement. But Obama still would’ve lost West Virginia even if Byrd had endorsed two weeks ago. It makes sense–it also gives cover to Kentucky politicians (the Lt. Gov. has endorsed Obama) who are undecided but want to back the Democratic Nominee. Byrd is a fine Senator and a fine man. I, for one, appreciate his leadership in the Senate on issues of Iraq, on issues of funding for West Virginia (which helps Maryland too), and his steadfast defense of the Constitution.
TruthSeeker
ms.martin,
This election is historic. The world is watching the coverage intently. I can’t imagine someone sitting in their apartment in the Netherlands or wherever thinking, “I can’t wait to visit WV & KY”. Those two states had all that free advertising and the best they could do was portray themselves as a racist enclave…with Hillary’s help. WV & KY’s public image and tourism will suffer as a result.
As for Ferraro’s comment. She knows this is one for the history books. How will it look for the first viable female candidate to start out with everything going for her, then go down in history with a humiliating defeat.
So, perhaps she and other women are trying to cover up Hillary’s failures by crying sexism while never providing evidence. These women are re-writing history.
Reporters have a responsibility to ask her to elaborate on her statements for the archive. It will be recorded in the History books as “Obama was sexist” and future readers will have to evaluate long after the events have passed. The loser shouldn’t write the narrative.
smoothie
What does it say when one of your top Hillaryland people is thinking about swithing camps??
And the Byrd Endorsement though late, I look at it like another SENATOR endorsing Obama. Thats a colleague. I honestly dont think given WVA’s demographics it wouldve made much of a difference.
But the FACT that someone who’s sitting next to both you and your competitor came out for you, I think is big.
Finally,
Listening to Ed Sch. it appears he’s not letting Huckabee off the hook. I dont think we should either. Im sick and tired of the double standard. Let somebody comeout (a barack surrogate) and make a redneck fried possum and mountain dew joke. Not only would it kill BO’s chances of getting that “backard” vote, but the elitist tag would then become his brand name. Even If, Barack didnt say it at all..
Kenya W
bag of politics: I believe that your analysis is spot on with this one.
To me, all these endorsements are being timed perfectly. This is not some two-bit campaign and every time there is a public endorsement, it is far from a mistake. SBO and his staff have been very astute with these endorsements. This was a good look. Like Sen. Byrd or not, he is a senior senator and any presidential nominee would be will served to have him as an ally.
However, as a Falcons fan, I am still a little pissy with Mr. Byrd going on about my QB’s dumb ass dog fighting escapades. I mean he acted as if the MV7 had committed a mass murder or school shooting. I think that he wanted to lynch Mike Vick. But I digress, great endorsement.
Craig Hickman
Kenya W,
Your comment is incredible.
It paints the full picture of what’s going on here and records perfectly why I’m speechless.
Ms.Martin
Truth Gregory
What Geraldine Ferraro, old-school feminists and die-hard HRC female supporters over 50 are trying to do is pull together a group of women who will not vote for Obama in the general election – don’t sleep on this. Some are actually trying to put together a protest campaign.
Are they delusional? Yes. I posted because I cannot believe the height to which this sore loser mentality has soared.
Ms.Martin
Kenya
I feel you on that Vick thing.
I was in Atlanta when that happened and IMO that was a lynching!
I was not a huge Vick fan and rather indifferent to the situation, but I saw hatred that I’d never seen before.
heartsandflowers
Does he have to turn in his KKK membership card?
Hillary is going down in a sinking ship and is taking as many people as she can with her. If Byrd can support Obama why wouldn’t some of those female HRC supporters? It’s just dumb.
Lolo
I can’t help but smell rat.
Kenya W
Craig Hickman: You feel me right? At times in this campaign, I don’t know which way is up. But, visions of Michelle Obama as the first lady keeps me motivated.
Ms. Martin: It was scary last year during the MV7 episode. But it was just a prelude to the ignorance, double standard, and racial intolerance that we have seen during this campaign. I am glad that I had a buffer, because had I just started to see this ugliness I think that I would be more disillusioned than I am now.
I had to cancel my subsrcription to the sopahead blog, they brought me to tears with the ugly and mean things they were saying about Mrs. O.

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