Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey endorses Obama - It's over Hillary. Sorry

[Catherina]

Sorry. This is a dupe. I missed this before

Pennsyvania Senator Bob Casey - To Endorse Obama Today
Topic started by kpete on Mar-28-08 05:01 AM (68 replies)
Last modified by polichick on Mar-28-08 11:47 AM

The Casey Endorsement
Topic started by helderheid on Mar-28-08 10:08 AM (17 replies)
Last modified by BumRushDaShow on Mar-28-08 11:40 AM

Pa. Sen. Bob Casey endorses Obama
Topic started by CountAllVotes on Mar-28-08 09:53 AM (5 replies)
Last modified by EmilyAnne on Mar-28-08 11:02 AM

PA Senator Bob Casey to endorse Obama
Topic started by JustinL on Mar-28-08 01:01 AM (88 replies)
Last modified by MH1 on Mar-28-08 10:00 AM

Pa. Sen. Bob Casey endorses Obama

DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 44 minutes ago

PITTSBURGH - Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey endorsed Democrat Barack Obama on Friday, a move that could help the presidential candidate make inroads with white working-class voters dubbed "Casey Democrats" in the Keystone State.

Appearing on stage beside the Illinois senator, Casey told a boisterous rally, "I believe in my heart that there is one person who's uniquely qualified to lead us in that new direction and that is Barack Obama."

Pennsylvania's April 22 primary will allocate 158 delegates, the biggest single prize left in the drawn-out nomination battle between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Clinton is leading Obama in the state, by 12 points in one poll this month.

Casey is a first-term senator and the son of a popular former governor of the state. Casey is Catholic and, like his father, is known for his opposition to abortion and support of gun rights. His support could help Obama make inroads among Catholic voters, who have preferred Clinton to Obama in earlier primaries and strongly favor her in Pennsylvania polls.

"I really believe that in a time of danger around the world and in division here at home, Barack Obama can lead us, he can heal us, he can help rebuild America," he said.

Obama told the crowd that he had not pushed Casey hard for an endorsement.

...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080328/ap_on_el_pr/obama_endorsement;_ylt=Ai74i.k7dzvwvekKeFj3E0Vh24cA

[leftofcool]

1. Casey still pissed because Big Dawg snubbed his daddy?

[Unsane]

4. And what an idiotic snub that was, btw.

[LynneSin]

11. Well they were idiots on both ends there

Casey Sr. didn't exactly give off the 'warm-fuzzies' in that whole dispute. And as a pro-choice woman, I agreed that Casey Sr. did not deserve primetime coverage for his pro-life agenda. But I think Clinton could have handled it better. We don't need to bend over backwards and suck-up to the pro-lifers but I do think they are an important part of the democratic party. And you'll find that pro-life democrats tend to support the fetus after he/she is born. Casey jr may be pro-life (not as harsh as his dad) but he's turning out to be one of the more liberal of the new senators

[democrattotheend]

23. I have a question about that

I know that Bob Casey Sr. was denied the right to speak at the convention because he was pro-life. But did he specifically want to talk about abortion, or was he denied from speaking at all because he was pro-life?

[TexasLady]

2. I think there will be a trickling, and Hillary's campaign just said

they also have some endorsement to announce.
I just wish it would hurry already, and come to a final decision

[LisaM]

3. He's against abortion?

Then I hope that anyone he endorses for president dissociates himself from that position - and publicly.

[PaDem]

5. I'm against abortion as well...............

did you mean he's against choice? Might want to reword your post (I know I'm splitting hairs).

[LakeSamish706]

7. I was just thinking the same thing... Not for abortion, but I respect the right...

of a woman to chose.

[LisaM]

10. No, I don't. I'm tired of the euphemism.

This is exactly why I think it's so important that we have a woman president. Roe v. Wade is the seminal piece of women's legislation, and it's been slowly dismantled since it was put into place. Using euphemistic language is part of the problem. So, I'm sure you didn't intend to insult me, but I used the language I meant to.

I am pro-abortion rights. I reject the phrase "pro-life" and I only use the phrase "pro-choice" when I feel it's necessary. Here, in a progressive forum, I don't believe it is.

[cali]

14. idiotic. it's been dismantled because repuke presidents

have appointed much of the federal bench and the SC over the past 20 years. duh. Oh, and I'm also pro-abortion rights and reject euphemisms but Hillary doesn't reject them anymore than Obama. Having a woman president is immaterial to this. We need a President who will appoint pro-abortion/pro-choice judges and justices. It doesn't matter if that person has male genitals or female ones.

[joshcryer]

25. Obama wants "moderate judges."

Abortion is not a moderate position when you consider prenatal technology.

[LynneSin]

15. Don't go there with Bob Casey - he's been one of the most progressive in DC this term

And even though he is pro-life (and I'll call him that) I know that he'll fight for working class families, very pro-Union and he even voted against several activist judges that would make the typical pro-choicer proud.

Casey Jr. is not as harsh as his dad. He's one of the smart ones that understand we could reduce abortion if we provide affordable birth control, EC and real sex education in the school. And during his campaign against Santorum, Casey said several times that the abortion laws we have don't need any further adjustment

[tabasco]

21. Roe v. Wade is not legislation.

It is a Supreme Court decision.

I agree that "pro-life" is right-wing jingo.

[LisaM]

22. Yes, thank you, I should re-phrase it.

I meant DECISION.

[Mooney]

24. "Pro-life" is an odious euphemism and it's a shame it's taken hold.

There's no undoing it at this point and, sadly, we lefties have failed yet again to find as effective a euphemism for the support of abortion rights. As euphemisms go, "pro-choice" is pretty weak.

I have to give it to the Republicans on that score. They have a talent for creating evil, bullshit euphemisms that have a habit of sticking in the American consciousness AND implicating those on the other side simultaneously. After all, what's the opposite of "pro-life"? It's got to be "pro-death," right? So with one euphemism, they manage to cast themselves as more morally enlightened, define abortion as murder, and define its proponents as murderers. Pretty neat, huh?

I wish I could say that our side had the same talent, but we never have. We need our own army of progressive Frank Luntzes to "re-brand" a lot of our issues for mass acceptance.

[LynneSin]

12. No, don't lump Casey Jr. in with the anti-choice, Caseys in PA are a very good thing

Yes, he's pro-lifee but don't think he's anything like the guy he replaced - Rick Santorum. Casey still believes in family planning, birth control, EC and proper sex-education PLUS he has opposed activist judges that we pro-choicers would cringe if they ever got on the bench. Casey is pro-life because once that baby is born I know that Bob Casey Jr will support legisilation in order to give that child a chance for a good life.

And remember - John Murtha, the Western PA democrat who was one of the first to come out strongly against the war - he's what you would call a 'Casey Democrat' meaning that he's also very pro-life. It's a Western PA thing that I know I don't understand but it's a large enough group in PA that could turn a 'Purple' state into Blue or Red

[JVS]

13. Obama's NARAL rating is 100%

He doesn't need to say peep. Especially not if it would alienate PA voters.

[helderheid]

18. Not this Casey - that was his father who has passed on. I'm against abortions too... though PRO

CHOICE.

[JimGinPA]

19. PA's Weird - We Have A Pro-Life Dem Senator & A Pro- Choice Repub Senator

:crazy:

[BOSSHOG]

6. I find most endorsements by individuals meaningless

to get me to vote for someone. Obama had both Senators from Massachusetts endorse him before that state's primary. I believe endorsements come from people who want another few minutes in the spotlight.

Now have james dobson or rush limbaugh or fred thompson etc endorse someone and they will immediately crossed off my list.

[Mooney]

26. Me too.

There's never been an endorsement that's caused me to support a political candidate. But there's never been one that's caused me to oppose a candidate either.

Endorsements are nice to get, but I find the idea of supporting or not supporting a candidate based on individual endorsements to be a little weird. People who are influenced by that sort of thing probably don't have much of a decision-making process to speak of.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

8. this is a biggie. Casey's constituents in PA are Hillary's base in PA.

[Catherina]

20. That's the way I look at it. And he's on a bus tour with Obama

This is going to be a huge help to Obama.

[dempartisan23]

9. GREAT NEWS

GOBAMA

[polichick]

16. Even though Casey is my Senator, and I called him this week to encourage him to endorse...

...I didn't realize that he's supposed to have pull among working class whites and Catholics until I heard it reported today.

Interesting ~ and possibly more helpful than the usual endorsement.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. If it's over - then why do you need to keep saying it??? You should be reaching out...

n/t

[StevieM]

27. Well if Obama is looking so strong in Pennsylvania then I'm sure he'll tell his cronies to stop

demanding that Hillary drop out of the race.

Steve