U.S. Rep. Rep. Rosa DeLauro wanted to be at home when she made her biggest announcement of the new year, so on Saturday morning she welcomed an Obama-pinned breakfast crowd through her “Obama ’08”-postered door in East Rock to declare her endorsement of a certain Illinois senator for the Democratic candidacy.
The endorsement was a surprise, and perhaps a bellwether of Obama’s last-minute momentum as Connecticut’s Democratic presidential primary approaches. His opponent, Hillary Clinton, had had a double-digit lead for months, but in recent days Obama has pulled nearly even in some polls.
What made the endorsement a surprise: DeLauro was the first executive director of EMILY’s List, the D.C.-based advocacy group that promotes the election of women to national office and that has emerged as a leading organization working on Clinton’s national campaign. And DeLauro’s husband, Stanley Greenberg, was the pollster and top adviser who helped fashion Bill Clinton’s successfuly presidential campaign strategy in 1992.
The diverse, all-ages crowd cheering DeLauro’s endorsement speech reacted especially strongly to her identifications of Obama with a new time and a new identity for America and Americans.
“There’s a new faith that we can end the war in Iraq,” DeLauro shouted, “that we can make health care affordable for everyone… I can feel the power of this optimism, and I believe it is sweeping the state, I believe it is sweeping the country.”
She compared Obama to John F. Kennedy, echoing Sen. Edward Kennedy’s comments during his recent endorsement of Obama. Quoting JFK, DeLauro described the future as not “a set of promises, but a set of challenges.” She cited the “historic surge of people who have rushed to join this campaign” — people just like the ones crowded and shivering on her lawn — and called Obama’s campaign a “once-in-a-lifetime moment that I felt compelled to join, and I urge everyone to join with Barack Obama in creating this new frontier.”
DeLauro, who actively supported Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd’s presidential campaign until he withdrew after January’s Iowa caucuses, praised Senator Obama’s “new politics infused with this kind of popular energy. America needs change, and that’s why I stand with Barack Obama.”
She thanked everyone gathered throughout her home to show support, including Mayor John DeStefano (pictured), also wearing an Obama pin, Senator Toni Harp, State Sen. Ed Meyer, State Reps. Toni Walker and Pat Dillon, church groups, labor representatives, and a promisingly large showing of high school and college students.
Dan Levine (at left), a member of Wesleyan Students for Obama, trekked from Middletown to New Haven with four of his fellow Obama supporters to witness DeLauro’s announcement. “It’s a big move on the Wesleyan campus,” Levine said of the Obama campaign. “We had a big event yesterday, we had to turn people away.”
Fair Haven Alderman Joe Rodriguez has also been busy with the campaign. “Oh man, I have been getting emails and calls with events, press conferences every other day,” he said. After DeLauro’s speech, he was headed to a press conference in Fair Haven for Latinos for Obama. Rodriguez is committed to reversing the prediction that Hillary Clinton will carry the Hispanic vote in the primary
Representatives of Connecticut’s newly-founded Women for Obama group were also present, handing out pins.
DeLauro deftly fielded questions about her decision, as a female representative in her ninth term, not to endorse Senator Clinton, the first woman with a real shot at the Democratic candidacy. “We are blessed with two extraordinary people running for President of the United States,” DeLauro said, “and it is my belief that for our time, and for our public policy, and for our political times, Barack Obama is my choice.”
DeLauro did speak to Clinton on Friday to inform her that she would support whomever the Democrats nominate for the presidential election. Many high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Dodd, have chosen to stay neutral on elections until after the primary, DeLauro explained — “but that’s not who I am.”
By endorsing Senator Obama, she joins a last-minute race to tip Connecticut, traditionally believed to be a Clinton-leaning state, into Obama’s lap. Both Obama and Clinton are rumored to be dropping by Connecticut on Monday, the day before Super Tuesday, the Democratic primary date that Connecticut shares with 23 other states. Obama campaign staffers arrived in New Haven this past week and have been frenziedly working with grassroots organizations to spread Obama’s message.