Native American Super Delegate Announces Endorsement for Barack Obama

[merh]

Native American Super Delegate Announces Endorsement for Barack Obama

CHICAGO IL
5/5/2008

Kalyn Free, an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee, today announced that she supports Illinois Senator Barack Obama for the party's presidential nomination. As a DNC member, Free will serve as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention. Free is also founder and President of INDN's List, an organization dedicated to recruiting and training American Indian candidates. This brings the total number of superdelegates to endorse Barack Obama to 258. Senator Obama is 276 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination. Free said she was excited to see two qualified candidates emerge from the field of Democratic contenders.

"Today, I am casting my support for a new kind of leadership and a new possibility of what America can be. Barack Obama is a once-in-a-generation kind of leader and the best hope the American people have to rebuild the erosion our collective foundation has endured the last eight years. In 2008, we must elect a President who will restore our faith in the possibilities of each and every American, including the First Americans.

"As a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I am proud of what it means to be an American Indian. I am proud Barack Obama is committed to our unique issues and willing to tackle our toughest problems, from historical inequities and injustices to contemporary issues, like protection of our right to tribal self-determination, access to health care for our elders, and education for our children. Despite the threats that have faced our culture and our people, hope has lifted Indian people through the most difficult times. Because we remain connected to our past, our culture and our communities, we never gave up that hope.

-snip-

http://nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=9478

:patriot:

"For centuries the First Americans have had politicians talk to them, not with them. That kind of politics-as-usual leadership hasn't worked for Indian Country, and it isn't working for America. Senator Obama will forge a new era for the First Americans by looking for answers in Indian Country, not from Washington lobbyists. "I am proud to stand in solidarity with another DNC Indian superdelegate Frank LaMere (Winnebago) in support of America's best hope for a better tomorrow, Senator Barack Obama."

[DearAbby]

1. A-Okay

:thumbsup:

[PoliticalAmazon]

2. Once again, I'm proud to be an Obama supporter. n/t

[merh]

9. me too

n/t

[NightWatcher]

3. hoka hey!

[4_Legs_Good]

4. Wooo hooo!!!! n/t

[DMorgan]

5. Yes, but is that Native American a Christian?

:sarcasm:

No........just kidding!

We ALL know Hillary has ROOTS in Native American communities!

Yeah, she spent how many hours there in the last 35 years?

[nebula]

25. What a fucked up thing to say

not funny and not cool.

[CherokeeDem]

6. As my posting name suggests...

I am part First American, of Cherokee blood and I am very proud that Ms. Free has endorsed Senator Obama. As the quote says...the politicians have talked to Native Americans over the centuries, not with them. It's time.

[Cha]

11. It's so time..

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[merh]

18. welcome to DU

:hi:

[barack the house]

7. That is a beautiful endorsement. Very powerful great change is coming if we just reach out & grab it

[merh]

19. it is a beautiful endorsement, isn't it.

n/t

[TheDoorbellRang]

8. We've come a long way, baby

Here's the super delegate tracking history since January from DCW

..........HC....BO......HC Lead..HC%
1/13...165....69..........96......71%
1/20...171....77..........94......69%
1/27...184....88..........96......68%
2/3....198...105..........93......65%
2/10...224...127..........97......64%
2/17...238...160.5.......77.5....60%
2/24...238...174..........64......58%
3/2.....240...193..........47......55%
3/9.....244...205..........39......54%
3/16...244...208..........36......54%
3/23...246...210..........36......54%
3/30...246...212..........34......54%
4/6.....245...221..........24......53%
4/13...249...223..........26......53%
4/20...255...230..........25......53%
4/27...257...235..........22......52%
5/4.....269...248..........21......52%


Here are today's new totals:
5/5....269.5...254..........15.5...51% :toast:

[Cha]

10. This makes me all

verklempt..I have a wee bit of Objibwa in my blood and nurture it all I can.

Thank you, Kalyn Free!

This is from about a month ago..

"Obama vows to strengthen White House ties to tribes"
By JODI RAVE of the Missoulian

"Mike Gopher's children made sure he had plenty of time to drive from the Flathead Reservation to Missoula on Saturday morning to attend a campaign rally for Sen. Barack Obama.

“My kids are even excited about this, and they're young teenagers,” said Gopher, whose children are ages 11 and 13. “This morning they woke me up, ‘Are you ready Dad?' ”

Gopher, an Ojibwe, joined 8,000 people inside the Adams Center on the University of Montana campus for a 10 a.m. presidential campaign speech, while 500 others spilled into the football stadium, a mass of people who all seemed to share a similar passion, a desire for change in U.S. politics, and especially bringing an end to the war in Iraq.

Obama frequently brought the banner-waving audience to its feet amid raucous rounds of applause when he spoke about the need to change Washington, D.C., politics. “It's time to write a new chapter in American history,” Obama said. “That's what this election is all about.”

His call for dramatic shifts in federal policy included writing a new chapter regarding the country's indigenous population. Native people suffer from disproportionate rates of suicide, infant and adult male mortality, high school and college dropout rates, diabetes, poverty and violence against women, when compared to the rest of the U.S. population.

<much More>
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/06/news/local/news05.txt

[merh]

12. thank you for posting this article.

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

13. Yes,

Green Peas! :hi:

[merh]

14. *big grin*

green peas! :)

:hi:

[Raine]

15. TERRIFIC!!!

I love to hear this kind of news! :thumbsup:

[TragedyandHope]

16. Thanks for the great news!

[Bonobo]

17. Breaking: Native Americans dead to Hillary supporters!

They're sexist pigs!

[Zachstar]

27. LoL! It has been quiet in here.

[Shine]

20. Ho. It is good.

:patriot:

[merh]

21. it is good.

:hi:

[Shine]

22. xoxoxox!!!

:* :loveya:

[Zachstar]

23. Great news!!

If Obama get Indiana to within 5 win for Clinton and holds North Carolina. I can see 15-20 supers going to him almost overnight!

If the Super lead goes to Obama others will likely jump off the fence and he can build a good lead before the 13th

[EFerrari]

24. Kick!

:kick:

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

26. Oh ya!

:kick:

[boppers]

28. Methinks Spider has a crush on Obama.

Dunno how it translates into the world of other peoples, but there's always something more magical about weaving connection, and something less magical about destroying them.

[FedoraLV]

29. kick! /nt

[merh]

30. Welcome to DU.

:hi: