CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 10, 2008
John Kerry Endorses Barack Obama
Democrats' 2004 Nominee Says Illinois Senator Can Help America "Turn The Page"
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Play CBS Video Video Kerry Endorses Obama Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., endorsed Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., presidential bid at a rally in Charleston, S.C., saying Obama "should be the next president of the United States." Joel Brown reports.
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Video Obama Regroups After N.H. Loss The pre-primary polls in New Hampshire had Barack Obama ahead by double-digits. But in the end he lost the race to Hillary Clinton. How has his strategy changed? Dean Reynolds reports.
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Video Obama Still Confident Sen. Barack Obama placed second in New Hampshire and tells Harry Smith he will continue to campaign for change. The Illinois senator also responds to Bill Clinton's criticisms.
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Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. and former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during a rally on the College of Charleston campus in Charleston, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008. (AP)
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Photo Essay Barack Obama A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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Photo Essay Sen. John Kerry His early life, war days and Senate career.
Quoting a black American hero in endorsing the man who hopes to be the first black president, Kerry declared, "Martin Luther King Jr. said the time is always right to do what is right. And I'm here in South Carolina because this is the right time to share with you, to make sure that we know that I have the confidence ... and that Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States."
"This is a well-timed endorsement for Obama," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "After an upset loss in New Hampshire, it helps to reinforce his effort and demonstrate his ability to still attract a measure of institutional support. While not all Democrats remember Kerry's 2004 campaign and defeat fondly, it never hurts to get the endorsement of your party's previous nominee."
Kerry delivered his endorsement in South Carolina at a time, two weeks before that state's primary, when Clinton is riding a wave of enthusiasm following her victory over Obama in the New Hampshire primary.
Kerry said there were other candidates in the race whom he also had worked with and respected.
"But I believe more than anyone else, Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get America moving by uniting and ending the division we have faced," Kerry said.
Kerry took a swipe at Obama critics who say the Illinois senator lacks the experience to be president.
"We are electing judgment and character, not years on this earth," said Kerry, who added that Obama, an opponent of the Iraq war, was "right about the war in Iraq from the beginning."
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the third contender in the Democratic presidential race, was Kerry's vice presidential running mate in 2004. Despite their political alliance, the two men were not close personally and differed behind the scenes on campaign strategy in a race that President Bush won.
Edwards responded to word of the endorsement with a diplomatic statement: "Our country and our party are stronger because of John's service, and I respect his decision. When we were running against each other and on the same ticket, John and I agreed on many issues."
Kerry was Obama's political benefactor once before, selecting the relatively unknown Illinois senatorial candidate to deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. It was Obama's first turn in the national spotlight and helped launch him on a remarkable ascent that has made him one of two leading contenders for the party's presidential nomination only four years later.
The Massachusetts senator lost the South Carolina Democratic primary in 2004 to Edwards.
Kerry and Edwards had their differences during the 2004 campaign over strategy and spending, and Edwards has said he would have been more aggressive in challenging the unsubstantiated allegations of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth questioning Kerry's military record.
Kerry's endorsement also was a jab at Clinton, the New York Democrat who won the New Hampshire primary after a loss to Obama in the Iowa caucuses.
Kerry had withheld his endorsement, hoping to have an impact on the race and avoid the fate of fellow Democrat Al Gore, the 2000 nominee who endorsed Howard Dean in 2004 shortly before the former Vermont governor's campaign imploded. Gore has made no endorsement so far this year.
While Kerry has been close to Clinton's husband, the former president, he was incensed in 2006 when she chided him after Kerry suggested that people who don't go to school "get stuck in Iraq." Aides said Kerry meant to jab at Bush and say "get us stuck in Iraq," and that he didn't appreciate Clinton piling onto the criticism he was already getting for the remark.
The Republican National Committee pounced on the endorsement to brand Kerry and Obama "liberal soul mates."
Kerry himself had considered running for president in 2008, but that plan fizzled with the botched remark. For many Democrats, his words revived bitter memories of his missteps in 2004, when he lost to Bush.
As for Obama, Kerry gave the young Illinois state senator his first turn in the national spotlight when he chose him to deliver the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Later that year, Obama won election as a U.S. senator.
Since announcing a year ago he would not make the run, Kerry has prodded Democrats to take a stronger anti-war stance, pushing for troop withdrawal deadlines. In another area, he has backed environmental causes, writing a book with his wife on the issue.
Kerry should be able to provide some organizational and fundraising muscle to Obama.
Since losing the 2004 race, Kerry has kept a national network of supporters intact. He has an e-mail network of 3 million supporters, according to aides. He also has traveled extensively raising millions of dollars for Democratic candidates nationwide.
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The secrets of tennis legend 
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See all 291 Comments- Suzanna Gratia-Hupp
www.a-human-right.com
Arabs will enslave you again just like in Darfur.
White Arabs have a name for you: ABDEL
They have always called you that for centuries, they will enslave you again.
a government or state ruled by an elite, or privileged upper class.
Oligarchy
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.
Plutocracy
a government or state in which the wealthy class rules.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:56 AM : Jan 11, 2008
You''re hatred of women is to the point of being bizarre, as is your misunderstanding of feminism. Still I have given up trying to explain things to you. It is impossible to enlighten some ignorant people and you''re one. Your ignorance is superseded only by your stubbornness and your refusal to be a man and admit when you are wrong. Have a short life and goodbye.
She is YOUR ENEMY.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:38 AM : Jan 11, 2008
Your characterization of her, feminists and women in general is so chauvinistic as to be laughable. Besides I''m an Edwards supporter who''s starting to lean more towards Obama.
That guy last night was right, it''s like talking to a post. One more time dumbas*s. Presidents via their party members in congress introduce legislation all of the time.. No they do not personally deliver it, but they do send it to the Hill via their party members and this is a courtesy from their party members that has never been refused. So, while you are Constitutionally correct, in reality presidents do push their agenda in Congress via bills that they submit TO congress, have considerable influence IN congress and to say that they don''t is pure BS, a lie or rank stupidity on your part.
Once again, the GOP political professionals show their hand on who they''re rooting for.
That is where Hillary got a lot of her legislative experience. When Bill was in the White House, she was the eyes and ears of his political initiatives. She used their influence to get legislation passed. A lot of GOOD legislation if you remember. She was influential in the original SCHIP program with Ted Kennedy, helped push it thru after the republicans bushwhacked her universal health care program. She didn''t just give up.
Those of you who try to scam the boards by saying HIllary has no experience do so out of ignorance. If you had ever bothered to research you would know better. It is just so much easier to blindly hate someone, than to go out and get to know that person and have your mind changed.
Posted by MichelleT35 at 01:06 AM : Jan 11, 2008
That''s as good of a description of tucker as I''ve ever read...........
THE LAME ENDORSING THE LAME!
%u201CHe (Obama) produced one of the most significant ethics reform bills we passed. He has been a legislator longer than Hillary Clinton.%u201D And then this zinger: %u201CHealth care didn%u2019t pass in 1994 if I recall.%u201D
That''s a one-two punch. It dismisses Clinton''s claim in a way that Obama hasn''t been able to do on his own because it comes from somebody who has MORE experience than Hillary. And it ppl that the Clintons have a lot of baggage and have stepped on a lot of toes in their years in Washington. Like how many of those ''superdelegates'' she''s racked up came on the promise of a cabinet position or other lucrative pork project favor in return? And how many ppl might she end up disappointing?
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