# Patrick backs Obama for Prez



## PBC FL Cop (Oct 22, 2003)

Thursday, October 18, 2007

*I'll back Obama, Patrick says*

Gov. overcomes divided loyalties


*By John J. Monahan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]
*







 
*BOSTON- *Gov. Deval L. Patrick has announced to his supporters he will back Barack Obama in the presidential primary, providing the senator with a major boost in his struggling campaign and new hope of overcoming Hillary Clinton's growing lead in New Hampshire.

Mr. Patrick, who said this week he was dealing with divided loyalties going into the Democratic presidential primaries, has a long-standing relationship with the Clintons as well as Mr. Obama.

Mr. Obama, the third African-American elected to the U.S. Senate, represents Illinois. Mr. Patrick is a native of Chicago, and like the Massachusetts governor, Obama graduated from Harvard Law School and has broken new political ground as a black candidate with a charismatic speaking style.

"It's complicated for me. I have a lot of relationships on the Democratic side," Mr. Patrick said. In a note e-mailed to his supporters, Mr. Patrick said he will host a rally for Mr. Obama in Boston on Tuesday to publicize the endorsement.

Mr. Patrick acknowledged the large field of Democratic candidates includes many "friends and colleagues" with whom he has worked over the years. He said the next presidential election "transcends friendship and party."

The governor cited the federal deficit, health care problems and other major issues facing the nation. "From gun and gang violence to immigration reform to climate change to the war in Iraq to the response to Katrina, our faith in the ability of government to be a force for positive change has been shaken," Mr. Patrick wrote.

"I believe we need unifying, visionary leadership. I believe we need a president who would level with the American people. I believe we need Barack Obama," he continued. "The national character is at stake."

The governor said in an interview earlier this week that he had decided to choose sides in the race because he sees the 2008 presidential race as a watershed election. "I think the election is profoundly important for Massachusetts and the country. I think we are at a real crossroads in the country and the world," Mr. Patrick said.

The governor said he did not see New York Sen. Hillary Clinton when she was in Boston last week for a fundraiser but said he has been impressed with her campaign. "I talk to her frequently. I think she is doing well. She's grown. She is a very strong candidate, no doubt about it."

Mr. Patrick worked for the Clinton administration as the head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department, and former President Clinton made two visits to Massachusetts to boost Mr. Patrick's post-primary campaign for governor. One of the stops was to headline a major campaign rally at the DCU Center in Worcester last fall just before the November election.

Mr. Obama, who also counts Mr. Patrick among his close political allies, also was very helpful to Mr. Patrick, coming to Massachusetts several times to help raise funds and campaign for Mr. Patrick after backing him early in the primary and then in the general election last year.

The Obama campaign stands to benefit greatly from the support from the Massachusetts governor and his expansive grass-roots campaign network. The network can provide an army of volunteers in neighboring New Hampshire. The help could prove pivotal in the final push to win the first-in-the-nation primary.

His endorsement was based, Mr. Patrick said, on the need to find a leader who is not afraid to challenge the nation to make sacrifices to solve problems.

"There was a whole generation before ours who built the roads and bridges, put up all these public buildings and schools, set in motion a whole variety of social programs and economic initiatives, and in some respects our generation has been, in the view of some, reaping the benefits and coasting," Mr. Patrick said.

"We are at a place where it is up to our generation to step forward and take our role in leading and in sacrifice. The leader I am looking for is the one who is going to ask us to do that, because that is hard. We have got some big, big challenges," he said.

Mr. Patrick also warned against Democrats being complacent going into the presidential election.

Democrats should not let their guard down because they now have a majority of governors, control of the House and Senate and see "a national Republican party that seems in disarray," he said.

What a surprise


----------



## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

I'm verrry surprised that deval would support a fellow harvard democrat for president. Aren't you?
:L:


----------

