Obama To Endorse Brian Schatz In Hawaii's Heated Senate Democratic Primary

[brooklynite]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is planning to endorse Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) over his challenger, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), in the state's competitive Senate Democratic primary, The Huffington Post has learned.

The president's endorsement will come later Monday, according to a source familiar with the plan who was not authorized to speak publicly before the announcement.

Obama's support will go a long way for Schatz, given the president's personal connections to Hawaii, where he was born and where he often visits during holidays. Hawaii gave Obama some of his highest approval ratings nationwide in 2013.

Hanabusa has been after Schatz's seat from the moment he took office in December 2012, when Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) appointed Schatz to fill out the late-Sen. Daniel Inouye's term until the 2014 special election. Inouye, who held the Senate seat for nearly 50 years, requested from his deathbed that Hanabusa replace him. But Abercrombie ignored his pick and instead went with Schatz, his lieutenant governor at the time.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/31/obama-brian-schatz-endorsement_n_5059433.html

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Safe Democratic seat - I'm staying out of it.

[vi5]

1. I thought he stayed out of primaries

Should I even venture a guess as to which candidate is the more liberal one?

[Scuba]

3. Go ahead and ask, or see my post #2.

[vi5]

5. Good news, and Thank you Presiden Obama.

I've never been one to think that sitting presidents should have to stay out of primaries. But I haven't liked when he's stepped in and endorsed (either explicitly or implicitly) the less progressive candidate. Good to know in this case he's doing the right thing.

[Scuba]

2. Excellent. Thank you President Obama!!!

https://boldprogressives.org/tag/pccc/

Brian Schatz was one of the first senators to endorse expanding Social Security benefits. His primary opponent refuses to rule out cuts.

When we asked our 4,285 Hawaii members who they support, the answer was overwhelming: By 4 to 1 they support bold progressive Brian Schatz. PCCC member Gerald, in Honolulu, recently told us, “Brian is the real deal progressive… He’s the clear choice to endorse!” We agree.

In addition to being a Social Security hero, Brian Schatz is one of the Senate’s top leaders on the climate crisis. He recently led an all-night Senate debate that made big news and thrust progressive solutions into the national conversation.

Like Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Schatz is a true partner to progressives. He recently came to our PCCC candidate training to mentor new candidates. And tonight, he will welcome our PCCC team into his campaign headquarters as we start immediately organizing volunteers on his behalf.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Thank you, Scuba, for realizing when Obama does good.

[JoePhilly]

6. I was told in another thread that the President is now irrelevant.

Apparently, that thread was about 3 years premature.

[paulk]

7. It's not ok for a sitting President to endorse a candidate in a competative primary, IMO

It wasn't ok when he did it here in CO (Romanoff vs Bennet) , and it's not ok in this instance.

I don't care about the political leanings of the candidates, a President should stay out of state politics - all he can really accomplish here is to make enemies.