To paraphrase my fellow Texan H. Ross Perot's famous line, that 'giant sucking sound' you hear is Hillary Clinton's superdelegate lead wasting away.
Many Dems like myself have been increasingly concerned about the nasty tone this race is taking while John McCain gets a free ride from the MSM and aren't happy about Hillary's nattering negative attacks of Sen. Obama. She's also been pissing people off in the party left, right and center and her once large lead in superdelegates has dwindled to just 18 with these key endorsements.
Rep. Baron Hill, who represents Indiana's 9th Congressional District across the river from me (and includes Bloomington and Indiana University) announced his support yesterday in advance of the May 6 primary. He joins Rep. Andre Carson of Indianapolis, the grandson of the late Rep. Julia Carson in endorsing Sen Obama.
"We cannot continue to pursue the same politics of personal destruction we have engaged in for a generation," Hill said. "I believe Senator Obama has the capability to change the tone and tenor of politics in Washington. I believe that he can and will work with both parties and elevate the level of public discourse."
On my side of the Ohio River, Rep. Ben Chandler, who represents Kentucky's 6th District (Lexington and the area around it) also announced his support for Sen. Obama at a press conference here in Da Ville. My congressman, 3rd District Rep. John Yarmuth has already announced he's supporting Sen. Obama and introduced Rep Chandler at the press conference.
"I've listened to the man. I have met with him and, like many of you, I am excited by his message of change for the future."
Rep. Chandler did catch some flak from some constituents for committing before the May 20 primary here in the Bluegrass state. He's the grandson of former Kentucky governor, US senator and baseball commissioner A.B.'Happy' Chandler and ran for governor himself in 2003.
He praised Obama as "a man of great integrity and intellect" and of "quiet strength."
In another blow to Hillary, Joe Andrew, who led the Democratic Party during the Clinton administration from 1999-2001 has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and is encouraging fellow Democrats to "heal the rift in our party" and unite behind the Illinois senator.
He's planning a news conference later today in Indianapolis to urge other Hoosiers to support Obama in Tuesday's May 6 primary and has written a lengthy letter explaining his decision that he plans to send to other superdelegates.
