"There is one man who knows in his heart that we have to build one America - not two - and that man is Barack Obama"
John Edwards endorsed Senator Barack Obama yesterday. For those of you who may have missed it, courtesy of NC Dem Amy, I have video of his endorsement speech. I also have a video of part of Obama's speech after the endorsement.
Here's part of the speech:
The video of the full speech and more is after the fold.
"The reason I'm here tonight is because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I," he told the boisterous crowd.
"There is one man who knows and understands that this is a time for bold leadership. There is one man that knows how to create the change, the lasting change, that you have to build from the ground up," Edwards said. "There is one man who knows in his heart there is time to create one America, not two ... and that man is Barack Obama."
Edwards endorses Obama, praises Clinton
Why now? It's time to begin healing the divisions in the Democratic Party. It's time to unite the party in support of Barack Obama.
A person close to Edwards, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he wanted to get involved now to begin unifying the party. Obama also signed on to Edwards' anti-poverty initiative, which he launched Tuesday with the goal of reducing poverty in the United States by half within 10 years.
Click on Detroit
As noted above, Obama also embraced Edwards half in ten anti-poverty campaign that seeks to cut poverty in America by half in ten years.
Speaking after Edwards in the packed Van Andel Arena, Obama gave one of his most animated addresses in days, much of it devoted to his guest's favorite topic, fighting poverty. In America, he said, "you should never be homeless, you should never be hungry."
As president, he vowed to "lift up every American out of poverty."
AP: Edwards endorses Obama in move to unify support
Under the leadership of Senator John Edwards, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), have joined forces on the campaign to:
(1) Elevate and sustain a focus on the situations facing the poor and middle class today
(2) Build and strengthen an effective constituency to demand legislative action on poverty and economic mobility
(3) Advance specific legislative and policy proposals that will deliver real benefits to struggling American families.
half in ten
Later last night, Barack Obama said the following about his own vision for America:
"I have no doubt that John Edwards can be extremely helpful to us campaigning in every demographic. But his passion and credibility when it comes to issues of poverty and the plight of working people in this country, I think, is a message that is powerful and one that fits with the kind of vision I have for America."
AP: Edwards endorses Obama in move to unify support
Here are the videos of the full Edwards speech endorsing Obama, courtesy of NC Dem Amy.
Edwards Endorses Obama: Full Speech Part One
Edwards Endorses Obama: Full Speech Part Two:
Here's a poor quality video of part of Obama's speech afterward that I found on You Tube. It's all I could find:
Barack Obama later sent out an email regarding the endorsement:
John ran a strong, principled campaign for president, focusing on a number of important issues where we share common ground -- universal health care, bringing our troops home from Iraq, and eliminating poverty in America.
The way he ran his campaign was also important. He ran in a way that reflected our shared conviction that we need to fundamentally change politics.
Like our campaign, John's campaign never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.
Let's welcome John Edwards to the campaign with an outpouring of the kind of grassroots support that is bringing our political process back to the people.
Make a donation of whatever you can afford now, and if you choose, include your own note to Senator Edwards. I'll make sure he gets them:
Barack Obama
It is also very important that Edwards also praised Sen. Hillary Clinton's candidacy.
"What she has shown ... is strength and character, and what drives her is something that every single one of us can and should appreciate," Edwards said. "She is a woman who, in my judgment, is made of steel, and she's a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done."
Edwards endorses Obama, praises Clinton
She ran a very strong race and has the support of many, many Democrats.
It is time to unify the party and work toward victory for Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress. John Edwards sees the necessity of Democratic Party unity if we are to prevail against McCain.
"When this nomination battle is over, and it will be over soon, brothers and sisters we must come together as Democrats, and in the fall stand up for what matters for the future of America,"
Chicago Tribune
It's time for hope and new politics. After Senator Clinton ends her campaign, which likely will be early June, it is time for all Democrats to come together. Grudges over the past only aid John McCain and harm Barack Obama.
It is time to let go of the past. We need to reach out to one another and bring our coalition together to make a better world.
I know how tough the primary has been, both on the ground and in the blogosphere. I fought hard for Edwards and fought with many people. Lots of things were said by many on all sides, feelings were hurt, justifiable anger, perhaps the worst kind, consumed many. But that's all over.
It's time to let go of the past, of personal disputes, and to welcome all who seek to defeat McCain and to put Barack Obama, the Democratic Party nominee, into the White House. It is time to unite and fulfill hope.
As John Edwards said, "We must come together as Democrats."
It's time to take back America from the Republican usurpers who subverted our very Constitution. It's time to unite. With Obama's leadership, we will prevail in November.