Casey endorsement of Obama:

[whometense]

just wondering if I'm being a bit :tinfoilhat:-ish, but the first thought that entered my mind when I heard the news was, hmmm...I wonder how much Kerry influence is to be found here - and by Kerry I mean both JK and THK. Kerry was a strong backer of Casey when he ran for senate, and I just saw this afrom Marc Ambinder: http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/caseys_endorsement_of_obama.php

Sen. Bob Casey's endorsement of Barack Obama is obviously a shock to Sen. Clinton's campaign. (I'd note that Obama has picked up a total of three superdelegates since last week, to Clinton's zero).

Casey is a freshman Senator; his father, former governor Bob Casey Sr., was so popular among white working class Dems that pundits have named an entire class of voters in his honor: the Casey Democrats who live in the inner suburbs of Pennsylvania's cities, who are wary of liberal social views but very sensitive to economic conditions.

Anyone else having similar thoughts??? JK's support has been incalculably valuable to Obama's campaign. Did he help pull the Casey endorsement out from under the Clintonian feet?

[Democrafty]

1. Looking over the comments, this one sort of spoke to me:

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/caseys_endorsement_of_obama.php#comment-1624821

It's probably impossible to know what direct effect JK and THK had on this endorsement, at least for the time being. Indirectly, though, we know JK campaigned harder for Casey in '06 than Clinton did. Casey was also a good sport about a certain unfortunate grammatical incident in CA, which always impressed me. Not just the loyalty, but the fact that he kept his head and didn't run around as though the Democratic party were about to fall to pieces over a dropped pronoun.

And, the more distance we get from JK's endorsement of Obama, the more powerful it seems - at least, in my view. I really believe he was drawing a line in the sand, asking people to choose between a return to the 90s, and the change we actually need. And when you've led on the issues the way JK has, you have a lot of authority with which to draw that line. So, in having made that distinction alone, I do think JK has helped make Obama more attractive to other politicians, and made it easier for them to endorse.

[JI7]

2. Casey was very good during the botched joke incident

he defended Kerry and called out the Republicans on the phony attacks and their own lack of service to the country. also, Casey is on the foreign relations committee with Kerry, Dodd, and Obama. and the Dems on that committee seem to get along pretty well.

and a bit off topic, but i think Casey is attractive, look at those eyes.

[globalvillage]

4. Honestly, I think one of the most photogenic people in politics.

I took this Friday. He's got a great smile.

[beachmom]

5. Great pic, GV! You should send it to his Senate office. nt

[globalvillage]

6. Funny thing is, I have taken several pics of him

that are almost identical. Most of us take good pics and bad pics, but Casey always looks good in his photos.

Speaking of good looking Senators, here's a never before seen photo of our favorite. It's a bit fuzzy, so I've never posted it. And I didn't crop it because of the other good looking fella in the background. :-)

From Manchester in '06.

[wisteria]

7. Nice shot! n/t

[Democrafty]

8. Wow! What a fabulous pic! n/t

[wisteria]

3. Casey is an independent thinker and he was not going to be strong armed by the Pa Democratic party

insiders. Rendell had a lot to do with pushing Casey in the state to run for and get elected to the senate, so Casey's endorsement of Obama means a lot to me personally. Perhaps, Kerry may have been in touch as well as Clinton supporters, but I think Casey made up his own mind after considering all sides.