Schumer Adds His Obama for President Endorsement
With Senator Schumer's endorsement yesterday, Senator Obama is consolidating his support among Democratic officials in New York after a long, bruising presidential primary in which he defeated the state's junior senator, Hillary Clinton.
"I know Barack very well and have no doubt that he will make an extraordinary president," Mr. Schumer said in a statement. "Rarely in the history of our country have we seen someone with the vision and talent that Barack has shown to the entire country during his more than 20 years in public service."
Mr. Schumer praised Mrs. Clinton for her hard-fought campaign and pledged to do everything he could to elect Mr. Obama.
"His background, charisma, intelligence, and endurance are unmatched and I have no doubt that he will emerge victorious in November," Mr. Schumer said.
The senator's endorsement comes after another of Mrs. Clinton's most prominent surrogates, Rep. Anthony Weiner of Brooklyn and Queens, announced his support for Mr. Obama on Saturday. More than a dozen Democratic members of Congress from New York, led by Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem, held a unity event last week in Washington to endorse Mr. Obama. Governor Paterson has spoken to the Illinois senator since he clinched the nomination and told reporters last week that he had accepted an offer from Mr. Obama to campaign on his behalf.
With the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator McCain, openly courting Mrs. Clinton's supporters, Mr. Obama is counting on a unified New York Democratic Party to keep the state from becoming competitive in November.
Several polls taken throughout the primary season indicated that Mr. McCain, who has said he could compete in New York, which traditionally votes Democratic, might be able to make a run at the Empire State. One poll, conducted by Marist-WNBC in April, showed a ticket of Mr. McCain and Secretary of State Rice narrowly defeating an Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama pairing.
More recent surveys, however, have indicated that Mr. Obama is expanding his lead over Mr. McCain. A poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute in May put Mr. Obama's support at 49% in New York to 38% for Mr. McCain.
