Berkeley Bubble

This is huge:

Saying he believes Barack Obama is the best candidate to fight for working people, former U.S. Rep. David Bonior of Mt. Clemens endorsed the Illinois senator’s run for the presidency this morning, adding that he has shown the fight he needs to win in November.
Advertisement

Bonior, who ran former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards’ unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination, could be a key figure in helping to sway organized labor behind Obama. Many unions, including the United Auto Workers, have not yet made an endorsement.

Bonior also said he has talked to Edwards as recently as last week but gave no indication if or when the former candidate will endorse Obama or Clinton.

The endorsement comes two days after voters in North Carolina gave Obama a resounding win and Clinton eked out a slim victory in Indiana. Taken together, they make for very long odds of Clinton winning the nomination, even if she wins all of the remaining primaries, including those in West Virginia, Kentucky and Oregon .

“I was waiting for Sen. Obama to show me the fight I wanted to see because it’s going to be difficult against (presumptive Republcian nominee) Sen. (John) McCain,” said Bonior. “He’s shown great skill, great poise, great determination and spirit.”

A few weeks ago, before the Pennsylvania primary, Bonior told the Free Press he wasn’t ready to endorse because he hadn’t heard either candidate talk enough about the problems of working people. But he says the last several weeks have seen Obama increasingly focus on that area.

Bonior said: “This is a critical election in our nation’s history. … Sen. Obama is the candidate who can take on the Wall Street lobbyists and make sure Washington works for working families again.”