by John McCormick
DES MOINES – With virtually all political attention focused this week on one cold and snowy state (Iowa), the campaign for Sen. Barack Obama turned its attention very briefly to another cold and sometimes snowy place.
Yes, the Illinois Democrat has won the endorsement of former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles, who spoke briefly to reporters on a conference call a few minutes ago.
Alaska will hold its Democratic presidential caucuses on Feb. 5, along with more than 20 other states that will hold contests on what is being called Tsunami Tuesday.
Knowles, a two-term governor from 1994 to 2002, read some of the usual speaking points about Obama: he opposed the war in Iraq, he supports benefits for veterans and he wants health care to be expanded.
When it came time for questions from reporters, there was just one: Knowles was asked whether he would actively campaign for Obama. He said yes. And with that, the call ended. "Happy New Year," the former governor said.
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Comments
Obama is on a roll!!!
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | December 28, 2007 3:08 PM
There you have it.
Posted by: Doug Zook | December 28, 2007 3:46 PM
Senator Obama offers an oppotunity that only comes around every few generations, he reminds me of Bobby Kennedy.
Obama offers a chance for a real realignment, a change in the way our politics is framed, discussed and engaged, this is why the Rethuglicans, like swamp resident retard Paulo, fear him, they see that their fearmongering days are coming to an end and they're scared. It is a chance I want to embrace.
Obama at the top of the ticket will make every door knock a little easier.
Cheers Senator Obama, you have earned my vote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5h95s0OuEg
Posted by: Buck Cherry | December 28, 2007 4:00 PM
Hey folks! This just in Chicago and NYC are about to finish 2007 with the lowest murder rates in 40 years!!! This proves the gun grabbing liberal jackals were wrong. CONCEAL AND CARRY does work!!!!....what's that?...Chicago and NYC don't allow handguns or concealed weapon permits?...Then how did these numbers drop?...Can someone connect me with the NRA because I need some new talking points.
Posted by: james patterson | December 28, 2007 4:01 PM
From the land of Mike Gravel. How fitting.
Meanwhile, the countless New Hampshire newspaper endorsements of Hillary receive no mention on this blog.
Posted by: Biggdawg | December 28, 2007 4:04 PM
Wow!!! BIG NEWS!!!
On a par with the breathless DNC Swamp announcement (earlier today) that a former John Edwards "precinct captain" endorsed Obama.
In related Obama news that I'm sure the DNC Swamp will write up, a former garbageman in Muscatine, Iowa, endorsed St. Barack today. Headlines at 7...
Posted by: Bruce | December 28, 2007 4:25 PM
Obama is on a roll. More newspaper endorsements in both Iowa and NH than Hilary.
If Iowans and NH vote for Obama it will show that America has truly turned the corner. The memory, passion and convictions of Robert F Kenndy, Bobby and Dr. King will be reborn.
Make history Iawa and NH
Posted by: nadeem | December 28, 2007 5:07 PM
RNC Bruce,
Only a journalism prodigy could have scooped like you!
How do you do it!?
Posted by: Doug Zook | December 28, 2007 5:09 PM
What countless New Hampshire endorsements of Clinton ? Obama got more endorsements from Iowa papers than HRC as well as more legislators. And You do realize that JFK's speechwriter Ted Sorensen has warned Mrs. Clinton in the New York Times that "experience" does not come by osmosis.
Obama in 2008 ! He is the wave of the future !
Posted by: Jane | December 28, 2007 5:13 PM
This is nothing, a former gov. that has been out of office for five years...now if it was an endorsement by Robert [sheets] Byrd, that would be BIG NEWS!
Posted by: Paulo | December 28, 2007 7:56 PM
It's big news, a Super Tuesday state, a two-term popular governor, and his terms were during the Clinton/Bush years. Another Clinton loss.
And yes, Edwards losing a precinct captain to Obama, as Hillary did, so close to the caucus is big news. The captains are the ones who ID and round up supporters, most of whom are their neighbors. They're leaders, workers, and don't write off their candidates easily so late in the game, after all the work they've done for them.
That SEIU 527 fiasco (SEIU collected and donated over $64,625,058 in 06! Where do they get all that money?! Don't the home healthcare workers they represent still have no paid vacations?), run by Edwards' 04 campaign adviser (how many times is he gonna treat voters like we were just too stupid to vote for him last time?), took the cake. "I'm for the people - with untraceable donations in the millions!" Talk about hypocrisy.
I hope the Iowa voters think of nothing but that untraced-as-yet three-quarters-of-a-million dollars when they watch those commercials that Edwards who wants to be Commander in Chief "can't" stop! 527s tried to fundraise for and influence Obama like crazy. He told us from the start: no untraceable donations, only buy campaign paraphernalia from the Obama store, union-run, products Made in the USA, make all donations direct and traceable. Imagine starting 09 without all those hands in our President's pockets!
Posted by: Inaru | December 28, 2007 10:32 PM
America is a Democracy - We are not a Monarchy.
Wiser folks than us - saw to it long ago, that we be fortunate enough to realize this life blessing.
Nepotism may be fine for the old-corner-store but it will only serve to fail us again -as it has, most resoundingly, for the entirety of this millennium.
Voting for the worst policy decision in our life times does not make one 'experienced'. It -IS- high time America elected a woman as commander-in-chief. When a self made woman of conviction and talent stands up and demonstrates the character that can stand as an example for us all - we should stand behind her - with conviction and fortitude. Hillary Clinton is not that woman. She is the spouse of a former and popular President. In a nation, 300 million strong, are we to believe that the person most suited to be the President just happens to be related to the last President ?!
Are we really to believe this is the case ?
Will we make this mistake, again ?
Barack Obama has the strength and certitude to take America in a new and positive direction - a direction that our evolving nation - being formed all around us all as we pass through our daily lives - very much is in need of. There really is an immediacy of the 'now' that we all share. We truly must begin to think big again and to face the immense challenges before us in brave and selfless ways again - like those people in the old faded photographs on our walls did - for us. It really is time to wake up again America. The time is, most certainly, now.
Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.
It's time for America to Rise and Shine again.
Posted by: PulSamsara | December 29, 2007 11:57 AM
Wonderful news! Congratulations to our next President of the United States, Barack Obama!!
Posted by: RuthieM | December 29, 2007 12:33 PM
I realize this thread is old and the person who wrote here in December 2007 will probably never read my response, but I'll try anyway.
To Paulo, who wrote:
"This is nothing, a former gov. that has been out of office for five years...now if it was an endorsement by Robert [sheets] Byrd, that would be BIG NEWS!"
Tony Knowles isn't just any governor. He's one of the most popular politicians in Alaska's history. Even I remember him from my childhood there. He was the mayor of Anchorage back then. Everybody knew and loved him, including us 9 year old kids.
I remember when my class got to walk in the annual tulip parade for our school, he was there greeting every float, smiling and energetic - absolutely loving the community he served. He shook everyone's hand including mine.
But if all that touchy, feely doesn't impress you, try this on for size. Tony Knowles was also the guy that came up with the BRILLIANT idea to share oil dividends with permanent Alaska residents. Every year the government cuts each and every person there (be they man, woman, or child) a check proportional to their equal share of the surplus that year. The citizens are share holders in the state's economy. It was designed as both a stimulus check and a way of courting new residents to a low population state. It was genius. The first year it was enacted my family got $1000 dollars for each member, including myself. We all took a much needed February vacation to Hawaii. This program continues to this day.
Tony Knowles is not the kind of leader you forget. If I can remember him by face, name and deed almost 30 years after I met him at the age of nine, you can bet 5 years out of office is nothing for the current residents of his state.
And by the way, on May 19, 2008, five months after your post, Byrd DID endorse Barack Obama. ;)
Posted by: Star | June 7, 2008 12:37 PM