Joe Andrew who was DNC chairman under Bill Clinton has, without prompting from the Obama campaign, switched his support to Barack Obama.
He's planning to announce on Thursday in his home state of Indiana, and will urge the people of Indiana to end this primary by choosing Barack Obama.
"I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it's now bad for the Democratic Party," Andrew said in a telephone interview
Andrew said in his letter that he is switching his support because "a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain."
"While I was hopeful that a long, contested primary season would invigorate our party, the polls show that the tone and temperature of the race is now hurting us," Andrew wrote. "John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives."
One of the really reassuring aspects is that he discusses in the article how Obama's handling of recent critical issues has been a strength.
"He has shown such mettle under fire," Andrew said in the interview. "The Jeremiah Wright controversy just reconfirmed for me, just as the gas tax controversy confirmed for me, that he is the right candidate for our party."
This should have a major impact on momentum, and I suspect will shift the dialog significantly. Obama's handling of the Reverend Wright issue is going to be a strength, rather than a liability. More of that Obama ju-jitsu!
Read the full article here AP article
Update: Obama picks up three Illinois (I believe they are add-on) superdelegates today — Mayor Daley, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. Hopefully there is a diary out there detailing this.