Reuters - Senator Casey endorses Obama

This article was sent to you from Bombastic4000@gmail.com, who uses Reuters Mobile Site to get news and information on the go. To access Reuters on your mobile phone, go to:
http://mobile.reuters.com

Senator Casey endorses Obama

Friday, Mar 28, 2008 11:43AM UTC

By Matthew Bigg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania endorsed on Friday Barack Obama's campaign for the Democratic nomination for president in a boost for the Illinois senator.

Obama aides said Casey would appear later at an Obama campaign event in Pennsylvania, where the candidate is vying with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for support in the April 22 primary election.

Casey also would join part of Obama's six-day bus tour across the state, due to start in Pittsburgh, they said.

Endorsements by politicians state can bolster a candidate's credibility in a state with a specific section of the electorate, although their precise impact on voters is often unclear.

"The endorsement comes as something of a surprise," Dan Pfeiffer, Obama deputy communications director, said in a statement. "Casey ... had been adamant about remaining neutral until after the April 22 primary. He said he wanted to help unify the party."

"Obama strategists hope Casey can help their candidate make inroads with the white working-class men who are often referred to as 'Casey Democrats,'" Pfeiffer said, adding that the group is liberal on economic issues, supportive of gun rights and opposed to abortion.

Obama's campaign has spent $1.6 million in television advertising in the state in the past week, the statement said.

Clinton leads in polls in Pennsylvania and has the endorsement of the state's governor, Ed Rendell, and other prominent Democrats.

Obama leads Clinton by more than 100 in the count of pledged delegates won in the state-by-state voting since January. Neither candidate is on track to win the 2,024 delegates needed to clinch the nomination, which could result in an intra-party fight at the Democrats' convention in August.

The Democratic nominee likely will face Republican John McCain in November's general election to succeed President George W. Bush.

(Editing by Bill Trott)