Teamsters Union to endorse Barack Obama

Just days after the Service Employees International Union endorsed Barack Obama for President he has picked up another important Union endorsement. According to the AP the Teamsters Union is now set to endorse Obama.

Union officials say the powerful Teamsters union will endorse Barack Obama.

The officials say the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is expected to make an official announcement later Wednesday. Teamster President James P. Hoffa plans to meet with Obama in Austin, Texas, before an announcement is made.

The Teamsters represent 1.4-million members, and are considered one of the largest and most powerful unions. They also are a potent source of campaign cash and get-out-the-vote workers for Democrats.

As we all know endorsements don't necessarily mean voters will follow, but it is important when it comes to building structure in your campaign and Unions especially are good at getting out the vote. Also, up until now Hillary has pretty much had the "blue collar" or "working class" vote on her side. However last night in Wisconsin, and with this endorsement is appears that that too may be shifting towards Obama.

Obama crushes Clinton in Washington and Nebraska; Louisiana polls closing momentarily

Barack Obama has won, and won big already tonight in Washington and Nebraska. The polls in Louisiana are scheduled to close in about two minutes at 9pm. While the Democratic delegates are proportional, Obama has won so big in both Nebraska and Washington (around 70% or so so far) that Clinton likely won't get too much out of either state. Obama is expected to win Louisiana as well.

UPDATE: CNN reports that based on exit polling Barack Obama is ahead of Hillary Clinton in the LA primary.

UPDATE II: NBC news is reporting the Republican Louisiana primary is "too close to call."

UPDATE III: Mike Huckabee leading John McCain in Louisiana 44% to 38% with 11% reporting while Obama leading Clinton 52% to 38% with 10% reporting. In Washington state McCain is leading Huckabee 27% to 26% while Ron Paul is pulling about 21% with 16% reporting.

UPDATE IV: MSNBC projecting Obama will win Louisiana. Still waiting on results from the U.S. Virgin Islands, but Obama is projected to have taken two out of the three delegates there as well.

UPDATE V: CNN now projecting Obama as the winner of Louisiana as well. Obama currently leads Clinton with 53% of the vote.

UPDATE VI: Obama actually carried all three of the delegates from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Developing...

Two more polls show Obama leading McCain

In case you needed another reason to vote for Barack Obama, here's a look at two recent polls showing Obama leading McCain in a head to head match up:

McCain vs. Obama (Rasmussen) McCain 42, Obama 47, Undecided 11
McCain vs. Obama (Time) McCain 41, Obama 48, Undecided 6

By comparison:
McCain vs. Clinton (Rasmussen) McCain 46, Clinton 43, Undecided 11
McCain vs. Clinton (Time) McCain 46, Clinton 46, Undecided 8

While I have no doubt that both Obama and Clinton could beat McCain, it's still nice to go into it with a lead!

VIDEO: Chet Culver endorses Barack Obama

Iowa Governor Chet Culver endorsed Barack Obama for President yesterday:

Update: Obama has raised over $5 $6 million since the polls closed

Wow! Just wow!!

UPDATE: OVER $6 MILLION IN 24 HOURS!!

VIDEO: Barack Obama's Super Tuesday speech

Watched the returns at a friends house over in Ballston tonight and couldn't get the wireless internet working. I'm home now though and (somehow) still awake, at least for a bit longer. Here's Obama's speech from earlier this evening:

VIDEO: Maria Shriver endorses Barack Obama

VIDEO: Barack Obama's Superbowl ad

Obama's Superbowl ad only ran in certain locations across the country, and was not run in the big markets in several key states, which kept the cost at about $250,000.

The 30-second ad is a summary of Obama's political message, played against images of crowds of supporters, despair in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina's destruction.

"We want an end to this war and we want diplomacy and peace,' Obama says in a voice over from a speech in Austin, Texas. "Not only can we save the environment, we can create jobs and opportunity. We're tired of fear; we're tired of division. We want something new. We want to turn the page. The world as it is is not the world as it has to be."

"It's very up-tempo and it's not too political," political ad analyst Evan Tracey said of Obama's ad. "It's a come-join-with-me, get-out-of-your-chair message."

Also, for the record, I didn't see it here in Arlington, but I wasn't paying much attention to the TV either.

Maria Shriver endorses Obama

Maria Shriver, wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, just made a surprise appearance at an Obama rally in Los Angeles and endorsed Barack Obama for President!!

UPDATE: Shriver claims she didn't plan to be there today but she thought she could make a difference and said Obama was best for America, California, and individuals. She said she came straight from a horse show with her daughter and didn't even do her hair or makeup because the decision was so last minute.

UPDATE II: More from The San Diego Mercury:

California first lady Maria Shriver endorsed Barack Obama for president on Sunday, calling him inspirational and a natural leader.

"I thought, if Barack Obama was a state, he'd be California," Shriver said, addressing thousands of people at a rally headlined by talk show host Oprah Winfrey. "Diverse, open, smart, independent, bucks tradition. Innovative. Inspirational. Dreamer. Leader."

Video forthcoming.

Developing...

YES WE CAN!

VIDEO: Caroline and Ted Kennedy endorse Barack Obama

Senator Ted Kennedy officially endorsed Barack Obama at a rally this morning at American University here in Washington, DC (videos below). Lowell has some great pictures from the rally posted over at Raising Kaine as well.

Caroline Kennedy endorses Barack Obama:

Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy endorses Barack Obama:

And finally, Obama accepts the nomination:

Ted Kennedy to endorse Barack Obama

Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy is set to endorse Barack Obama tomorrow at American University in Washington, DC. The endorsement from Senator Kennedy will come just one day after his niece, Caroline Kennedy, endorsed Barack Obama in an op/ed piece in today's New York Times.

This is good news for Obama. However, I personally never let endorsements influence my decision on who to vote for. People should do their homework and look at the issues and the candidates stance and decide for themselves who they feel is the best candidate, instead of blindly following another politician, union, media outlet, or other entity that makes an endorsement of political candidates.

Kennedy's decision came after weeks of mounting frustration with the Clintons over their campaign tactics, particularly those with racial overtones. Kennedy expressed those frustrations directly to the campaign but was reportedly infuriated when Bill Clinton yesterday compared Obama's South Carolina victory to Jesse Jackson winning the state's much smaller caucuses in 1984 and 1988.

If you haven't yet seen it, here's a video of Bill Clinton's remarks regarding Obama's win in South Carolina yesterday:

VIDEO: Barack Obama's South Carolina victory speech

[Earlier: Obama wins South Carolina & More from South Carolina]

Another great speech from Obama!

UPDATE: With 99% of the precincts in South Carolina reporting Barack Obama currently has 295,091 votes (55%), Hillary currently stands at 141,128 (27%), and John Edwards in a distant third with 93,552 (18%). The total number of Democrats voting in today's primary currently stands at 532,227 (and again we are still waiting on the last of the precincts to report). As I mentioned earlier tonight, the Republican turn out was far less than the Democrats at only 489,237.

Of South Carolina's 54 total delegates 45 are tied to the January 26 primary results while the remaining nine are super delegates. From the 45 delegates tied to the results of the primary results Obama will receive 25, Hillary will receive 12 and the remaining 8 will go to Edwards.