MyDD :: Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obama!

Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obama!

by Victor Laszlo, Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:06:30 PM EST

In a press conference a few minutes ago, NY Congressman Charles Rangel, one of Hillary's key supporters, brought the entire New York delegation on board for Obama:

The Harlem Democrat said the endorsement is being made ahead of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's Saturday announcement that she is withdrawing from the race and endorsing Obama "in order to accommodate those members of Congress who will be unable to return to Washington on Saturday.''

At a press conference held at outside the offices of the Democratic National Committee, Rangel acknowledged "me and some 200 others'' have called Clinton since Tuesday, urging no further delay in withdrawing from the race and endorsing Obama.

"We are pleased with what she's doing, we support what she's doing, and we too will be going to our congressional districts this weekend and working hard for unity and the endorsement of the obvious Democratic nominee for president of these great United States of America," Rangel said.

Unity is coming thick and coming fast.

This comes on the heels of endorsements from Ohio Gov Ted Strickland, Rahm Emmanuel, as well as Reps. Gregory Meeks, Edolphus Towns and Yvette Clarke:

"We stand firmly in his corner and are ready to help him continue to make history on behalf of the American people," the trio said in a statement.

Rangel was one of the Clinton supporters on the telephone call yesterday who pushed her to step down from the race and unite the party behind Obama. By lining up the New York delegation so quickly, he's really helping push this forward and get everyone moving on to Denver as one team.

The more I see of team Obama's political smarts, the more impressed I am. When you consider that he's been fighting the past two months with one hand tied behind his back - taking hits from both McCain and Hillary, but trying as much as possible to not hit back at her and alienate her supporters - it makes me even more confident that when he moves unhindered into the general election, we're going to witness a blowout of historic proportions....

Tags: Election 2008, Charles Rangel, Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama (all tags)

Permalink :: 11 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obam (2.00 / 2)

As sad as this is for Hillary, I'm pleased that we're going to be working together to win the White House in November!

by Victor Laszlo on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:07:34 PM EST

Re: Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obam (2.00 / 2)

I'm going to try and phrase this diplomatically...

One can see why she is conceding, now. Even if she was hesitating. First Strickland, now all of NY. The party obviously does not want it go on, and so it won't.

merci Clinton.

McToast on the horizon.

by notedgeways on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:12:31 PM EST

Re: Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obam (2.00 / 1)

Heh... McToast.

I feel like I should make a "jam" joke here, but it's just not coming to me. Anyone?

by writerswrite on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:49:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As sad as Hillary might be (2.00 / 2)

She and millions of people would be a lot sadder if we bungled around and forgot to defeat the GOP come November.

It's a measure of Democrats as a party and the importance of the platform that we can have such an out and out brawl and then rally around our nominee.

by Sun Dog on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:13:06 PM EST

Re: Rangel: New York (none / 0)

I to agree with this. But seriously what happened to the "hillary is divisive and killing the party". I am all for Unity but i also remember a lot of prety outragous statements.

Just saying.

david

by giusd on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:22:27 PM EST

Re: Rangel: New York (2.00 / 1)

Well, she could have been if she let it go beyond this week.

I'll be frank, I had hoped she would have conceded after OH and TX. However, once I got beyond my disappointment with that I could easily accept her staying in until the end of the elections. Even if you don't win the marathon you still complete it.

She kind of frightened me a little on Tuesday night, even so I was willing to give her a week or so to make up her mind before being very angry.

I think she still needed a lot of persuasion and it sounds like Wrangle and Strickland and Rendell all provided it, good for them. A fight is a fight, now we kiss and make up.

by notedgeways on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:59:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rangel: New York (none / 0)

"hillary is divisive and killing the party" was only said by those that followed the nominations so close that they lost perceptive of the bigger picture.

This will go into the history books as one of the cleaner primaries we've had. The worst have been a few lone statements by surrogates.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Ernst on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:57:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Rangel was instrumental (2.00 / 2)

in asking Hillary to concede. He's done the right thing for all Democrats and shown a tremendous amount of leadership. I'm proud of my rep.

by Tatan on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:29:04 PM EST

Re: Rangel was instrumental (none / 0)

there was some pretty harsh words between Bill and Wrangle from what I am given to understand. It probably was the hardest defection for them since Richardson. Once he moved there was no real hope, SD wise.

I have to give props to Wrangle for facing the music and helping this end. had to be tough all around.

by notedgeways on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:54:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rangel: New York Delegation Unanimous for Obam (none / 0)

Meeks, Towns and Clarke endorsed days ago. There was no recent animosity or fighting amongst Charlie or Bill or even Hillary Clinton. No one defected. She had told us over a week ago to do what we felt needed to be done. The action of the New York delegation speaks for itself. Fox style analysis and rumors of what happened are not needed.

Barack Obama is my President. He'll be yours, too.

by Jeter on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:39:08 PM EST

I love your blog though! (none / 0)

Barack Obama is my President. He'll be yours, too.

by Jeter on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:49:39 PM EST

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