February 3, 2008
For One, But Like Both
Connecticut Politicians Who Prefer Obama Say They'd Be Happy
With Clinton, Too
Sheryl Breetz of Hartford cheers along with a
crowd of over 100 people during a speech by Rep. John Larson at
a rally for Barack Obama at the Old State House. "We've been
divided too long in this country and he speaks about values for
all," she said of the candidate. (MARK
MIRKO / February 1, 2008)
By MARK PAZNIOKAS And JESSE A.
HAMILTON
Courant Staff Writers
February 3, 2008
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro paused Saturday by a
visitor studying the Bill and Hillary Clinton memorabilia on the
walls of DeLauro's rambling New Haven home.
"I spoke to Sen. Clinton yesterday," DeLauro said, glancing at
an old photograph of her and Clinton laughing together. "She was
gracious."
Then DeLauro stepped to a podium on her front porch and
announced to an assemblage on her lawn that she was endorsing
Barack Obama, not the woman whose photographs graced her front
hall.
Everyone knew what she was going to say, not why. In a 10-minute
speech, DeLauro gave half an explanation, telling them why she
chose Obama, not why she rejected Clinton.
"I make the case for Barack," DeLauro said later. "We have two
very competent candidates."
Democrats in New Haven, Hartford and West Hartford stuck to the
same script Saturday, praising their candidate, but stressing a
comfort working and voting for either one.
"I have heard that over and over and over: 'If not Hillary, I
will vote for Obama. If not Obama, I will vote for Hillary,'"
said Nancy DiNardo, the Democratic state chairwoman.
Hartford's Old State House filled Saturday morning with an Obama
rally, where the crowd seemed to mix equal parts Patriots
football logos and Obama signs. At the event — in between the
chants of the campaign's well-used "Yes, We Can!" — Obama
supporters often mentioned Clinton.
State Treasurer Denise Nappier said the Democrats have two
articulate, intelligent candidates. "How blessed we truly are,"
she said.
Nappier was thrust into a delicate decision between candidates
that share commonality with her in ways none has before. "I am
an African American. I am a woman," she said, adding, "It's
about time the sisters had their say." But in this primary, she
said, there's something more relevant than the gender or race.
"I have witnessed a candidate touch something in the American
soul." She said there is a visionary leader with a fresh
approach. "For me, that someone is Obama."
In this newly minted "battleground state," the final count of
the state's congressional Democrats isn't good news for Clinton.
Reps. DeLauro, John Larson and Chris Murphy are campaigning for
Obama, with Rep. Joe Courtney staying neutral. Sen. Joe
Lieberman has famously decided to stump for Republican John
McCain, leaving former presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd's
stance closely watched.
In his Senate office last week, on the day of the Florida
primary, Dodd said the campaigns had been calling him. Even
before John Edwards dropped out of the race, Dodd was saying
that the decision was between Obama and Clinton, and "I go back
and forth." But he also has been going back and forth over
whether to endorse anybody at all. On the one hand, he said, he
feels a responsibility to share his view with his constituents;
but on the other, he said, people are smart enough to make up
their own minds without his help.
Even the three now campaigning for Obama have extended kind
words to Clinton, suggesting their decision between the two was
a close one.
"I have nothing but respect and admiration for Hillary Clinton,"
Larson said to the Hartford crowd Saturday.
No Obama Democrat had a bad word to say Saturday about Clinton.
It's just that they think there's some special,
hard-to-articulate quality about Barack Obama.
After the rally, Obama's Connecticut political director, Yale
law student Jason Green, talked about Obama's decision to come
to Connecticut on Monday. Obama will be joined by Sen. Ted
Kennedy for a rally at the XL Center (the former Civic Center)
at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and doors open at 3:30.
(Clinton's campaign announced Saturday night that she is
appearing Monday at 9:30 a.m. in New Haven for a roundtable
discussion, with further details to come.)
With the candidate's time stretched so thin, Green said, the
commitment to spend the pre-primary evening in Connecticut "just
signals how important he believes it to be." There are undecided
voters still to win here, Green said. "Here in Connecticut, we
still have some bending to do."
As he talked about it, a woman approached to tell him she was
ready to start volunteering for Obama. So Leslie Suarez, a
teacher and director of The Potter's House early learning center
in Rockville, headed to the Obama office to get her
door-knocking orders. The rally convinced her, she said. "It
just kind of made it all a reality for me."
Suarez likes Clinton, too. But something she can't explain has
pushed her toward Obama. "This is my instinct," she said. "It
feels good, so I'm going to go with that."
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