Connecticut’s newly relevant presidential primary drew 250 Barack Obama supporters to New Haven for a get-out-the-vote drive that gave one veteran pol hope for a political resurgence among young people.
New Haven State Sen. Martin Looney looked around at the 250 people crammed into Yale’s Afro-American Cultural Center Saturday and said he saw a “renewal of interest in government” afoot, especially among young people.
“The very, very good news is that Connecticut matters,” said the state’s top-ranking legislator, Senate President Don Williams, throwing his support to Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination.
Williams was among the speakers at Saturday’s Get Out The Vote kickoff, New Haven’s biggest Obama rally to date. It came less than a week after the Illinois senator lost the key New Hampshire primary to Hillary Clinton, forewarning a long and difficult battle ahead.
Click on the play arrow to watch Williams’ speech.
If Obama had toppled Clinton in New Hampshire, as pollsters had predicted, many thought his momentum would have been enough to send him cruising to a Democratic nomination. Williams called the surprising outcome “very good news” because now Connecticut, which holds its Democratic primary on Feb. 5, will have more of a say in the race.
Like many in the room, Williams became freed to support Obama only after Connecticut’s U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd dropped his long-shot White House bid.
Saturday’s rally followed a week of endorsements by Connecticut Democrats, including Mayor John DeStefano and former Democratic candidate for Senate Ned Lamont. Three New Haven aldermen also added their support earlier this week.
Looney, the State Senate’s majority leader, showed up Saturday to add his name to the list. Looney first saw Obama at his star-making 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
“After I heard that unifying, mesmerizing speech,” said Looney, he was wowed by the young senator. “Sen. Obama is a uniquely inspirational leader,” said Looney. “He has the capacity to move people in a way that we have not seen since John F. Kennedy.”
Among the Dems gathered Saturday were: New Haven’s DTC chair Susie Voigt, New Haven Aldermen Joey Rodriguez and Jackie James, State Rep. Brendan Sharkey of Hamden, and State Rep. Steve Fontana of North Haven, who’s also vice-chair of the statewide Democratic Party.
“It’s time for a change!” declared former New Haven Mayor John Daniels, who said Obama brings the “hope” and “inspiration” America needs.
On the other side of the Democratic divide, Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy threw his weight behind Clinton at a rally Saturday. And New Haven’s State Rep. Bill Dyson declared his support for Clinton in this Courant article last week.