Sen. Dorgan to Endorse Obama
By Paul Kane
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) told The Trail moments ago that he will be endorsing Barack Obama for president this afternoon, becoming the 10th senator to officially endorse the Illinois senator's bid for the Democratic nomination.
"I decided I wanted to determine who out there can inspire people to move in a new direction," Dorgan said, deciding that Obama was that candidate.
Dorgan had been neutral in the race even as his close fried, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), became an early backer of Obama's. Sources told "The Trail" back in January that former president Bill Clinton had called Dorgan to try to gain his support for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), or at least refrain from endorsing Obama.
Earlier this month, Obama swept the North Dakota caucuses with 62 percent of the vote, another factor in Dorgan's decision. In previous presidential elections, Dorgan has been angry with Democrats such as Al Gore who virtually ignored states like North Dakota, something he believes Obama will not do.
"He starts this campaign not being willing give up any state," Dorgan said.
An official announcement from Obama's campaign is forthcoming, and Dorgan said he would issue a full statement this afternoon. He may try to meet up with the candidate on the campaign trail this weekend.
Clinton has 13 Senate colleagues who have endorsed her candidacy. If Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) is counted for Obama -- he has said he personally voted for Obama and will support him as a super delegate since he won Wisconsin -- the Illinois senator would have 11 backers inside the Senate.
Posted at 12:49 PM ET on Feb 27, 2008
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10 "official" Senate endorsements is still less than 13 (I like how you try and count Feingold as #11 though ; )
Posted by: JakeD | February 27, 2008 12:53 PM
Guess being first in your Stanford Law class of 1961 grants you those excellent math skills, eh?
Posted by: crd203 | February 27, 2008 01:08 PM
I mastered 1-13 fairly early on (before the "New Math" hit schools at least ; )
Posted by: JakeD | February 27, 2008 01:13 PM
All aboard! Last call! All passengers aboard the good ship, "SS Obama". Departing Clinton City. Arriving at McCaintown. Get your ticket while you can, they're going fast.
Posted by: WallyWutMD | February 27, 2008 01:22 PM
Iraq resolution vote: Dorgan (D-ND), Yea.
I wonder if this bothers Obama. The Daschle, Kerry, and Dodd votes didn't seem to. Maybe it will not bother him. They probably won't ever run for the same ticket.
Posted by: Midwestreader1 | February 27, 2008 01:38 PM
JakeD and crd203 what are you guys' deal? Do you get rocks off of messing with Chris? There are certainly worse resporters out there on the internet to rip apart. You just look silly. He wasn't trying to say that 10 (or 11) is equal to 13. He was making the point that Obama has close to as many Senate endorsements as Clinton. The point/implication is that Clinton is seeing her strong establishment support wither away. Get a life.
Posted by: walter.bond | February 27, 2008 01:39 PM
I think before it is all over you can put in the bank that many more Senators will back Obama so the math that applies today? Will be like comparing the math from January 1 to now....in Obamas favor. The majority of the American public is speaking and Senators and Superdelagates are listening.
Posted by: Bulldoglover100 | February 27, 2008 01:56 PM
correction, I meant to say Paul instead of Chris.
Posted by: walter.bond | February 27, 2008 02:08 PM
walter.bond:
Who is Chris?
Posted by: JakeD | February 27, 2008 02:09 PM
Ah, O.K., in that case, I had drafted a post listing all of Hillary's Senate endorsements -- just to be fair and balanced about it -- I deleted that in favor of simply noting Hillary still had more. Sorry that upset you.
Posted by: JakeD | February 27, 2008 02:11 PM
It's interesting that the focus is the last paragraph. 'Avoid and misdirect.' There are more interesting points to ponder. Dorgan obviously feels that Clinton cannot bring people together as much as Obama. Dorgan also appears to feel that Obama did more to make North Dakota feel like their voices mattered. A message that Clinton only portrayed after she was losing ground, and then only in the "BIG" states. Why did she not feel this strongly about North Dakota, Kansas, Idaho, etc.?
Oh because they are not Democratic states in the General?
In the immortal words of Yoda: "That is why you fail."
Posted by: chumbakarumba | February 27, 2008 02:12 PM
Before next week is over the Senator count should be in Obama's favor. Pretty impressive seeing that Bill, as president had relationships with a lot of Hillary's supporters, and that most of those came out for her before Obama's candidacy was very viable.
Posted by: tim_gregory | February 27, 2008 02:20 PM
With the economy having become American's #1 issue, it would be good for the Obama campaign to point out that both McCain and Clinton, within the year, have both bankrupted their campaigns. McCain lived high on the hog when he first started running, and went broke, and Clinton, who raised more money than Obama last year, also mismanaged her campaign finances, and ran out of money last month.
America should elect Obama, the candidate who has run the most fiscally responsible campaign.
Posted by: julieds | February 27, 2008 02:22 PM
Another one leaves the Clintons' ship; the rats know when to leave a sinking vessel.
Posted by: meldupree | February 27, 2008 02:22 PM
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