May 01 2008
Andrew switches to Obama
Most people other than political junkies like your humble host are not even going to remember who Joe Andrew is. Believe me, though, when I say that this is big news to party activists…
AP NewsBreak: Former Democratic leader switches to Obama
Joe AndrewWASHINGTON (AP) - A leader of the Democratic Party under Bill Clinton switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and encouraged fellow Democrats to heal the party by uniting behind the Illinois senator.
Joe Andrew, who was Democratic National Committee chairman from 1999-2001, at a news conference Thursday in his hometown of Indianapolis urged other Hoosiers to support Obama in Tuesday’s primary, perhaps the most important contest left in the White House race. He also has written a lengthy letter to other superdelegates explaining his decision.
“I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it’s now bad for the Democratic Party,” Andrew said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Bill Clinton appointed Andrew chairman of the DNC near the end of his presidency, and Andrew endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton last year on the day she declared her candidacy for the White House.
Andrew said in his letter that he is switching his support because “a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain.”
“While I was hopeful that a long, contested primary season would invigorate our party, the polls show that the tone and temperature of the race is now hurting us,” Andrew wrote. “John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives.”
Slinkerwink has the full letter that Mr. Andrew wrote to his fellow superdelegates. It’s quite long, but well worth the few minutes it will take you to read it.
3 Responses to “Andrew switches to Obama”
Ahhh, now there’s a name I never thought I’d hear again. I worked at the DNC during the reign of the Indiana Mafia as we called it. I don’t know if there could have been a worse chairman than Joe Andrew (OK, Terry McAuliffe was probably worse), and he was kicked to the curb shortly after the 2000 election fiasco. I’m surprised he’s even allowed to go to the conventions let alone being a super delegate. But I am glad to see such an insider stooge like him would come to realizing that the same old system that he was so much a part of is a complete failure and it’s time to get some new blood.
@Jason : Whatever he did back then, he’s making a lot of sense now. Remember, too, that the Democratic party won the presidential election in 2000. The other party, thanks to The Supremes, got to inaugurate their guy. (And the world has been paying for it ever since.)
Len, I don’t disagree. But I saw a lot of serious fuckups from the inside on the 2000 election. It never should have been close enough for a little bit of cheating to push it over. But it’s always nice to see anyone realize that they’ve been part of the problem and start being part of the solution.