Obama supported by Wilder

[BeyondGeography]

RICHMOND, Va. — L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, who made history as the nation's first elected black governor, is preparing to campaign aggressively for Barack Obama, and predicted in an interview that the charismatic young candidate could shatter the Republican Party's virtual lock on the South.

...The unstinting embrace by Wilder, now the mayor of Richmond, could be important in Virginia and other southern states, where his reputation still looms large and the African-American vote could prove decisive in the Democratic nominating contest.

His lavish praise was also surprising. Wilder's frequent practice has been to haze fellow Democrats, either with public digs or a mischievous silence, if he believed they had not paid their dues or could challenge him for influence. In a 90-minute interview, Wilder also denounced African-American activists who question whether Obama is "black enough" in his style or agenda, a criticism Wilder said comes simply because Obama does not share their interest in "the pimping of race."

He was also notably cool toward Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton. He said that Clinton's explanations of her 2002 vote authorizing the Iraq war make no sense and that her polarizing personality makes her less electable than Obama in Virginia and similar moderate states.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0807/5518.html

[jefferson_dem]

1. Nice!

:kick:

[Virginia Dare]

2. Wilder does nothing for anybody unless there's something in it for him..

I wonder what Obama promised him? :shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

3. A seat in his cabinet? All the food on the table?

The mind reels. :eyes:

[Virginia Dare]

4. As a Virginian, I know Wilder very well..

trust me, he's a what's in it for me guy. He'll turn on you on a dime. Having said that, he's a brilliant politician, and Obama is lucky to have him on board. Obama is polling well here in Virginia last I heard, and if Rudy's the nominee the wingers in this state will stay home in droves. They hate him for his stance on guns.

[wndycty]

5. These self righteous DUers are holding Obama/Wilder to a standard. . .

...that they are not holding other campaigns to. I have no evidence pro or con on what the relationship between Obama and Wilder is, HOWEVER its safe to say that more than a few of any presidential candidates high profile supporters have the same motivations for supporting their candidate that they are attributing to Wilder. Will they call those people out as well? Or is there a double standard?

[Virginia Dare]

6. I don't begrudge Obama courting Wilder at all..

it's probably very smart politically, I just commented on Wilder because I know his politics very well, not out of self righteous motivation to to uphold some double standard. I'm fully aware that all politicians must curry favors to some degree. I apologize for any offense taken by Obama supporters.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Fair enough; it's an interesting article, and Wilder does seem to have a touch of the diva in him

Note the "Barack came to ME" quote about the lunch encounter. That said, I enjoyed the unvarnished nature of Wilder's comments re. Obama and the nomination race in general. Sounds like Barack has a strong supporter there.

[Colobo]

9. Gobama!

[zulchzulu]

7. K&R

As for people bashing Wilder as "only in it for himself", imagine that... a politician who makes a very visible endorsement and would expect nothing in return... is that template used for all endorsements by other candidates?

:rofl:

[maximusveritas]

10. Good endorsement

This should help Obama in the South.