Clinton Scores Endorsement from Iowa Dem Rep. Boswell

Radio Iowa is on the story:

For the first time in his 22-year political career, Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate in the heat of the primary season. Boswell announced this morning that he and his family are backing Hillary Clinton's bid for his party's presidential nomination.

"I'm not against anybody but we have to make a decision. This country is in peril. Our world is crying out and I want somebody that can win and can bring experience to this. As (my family) went through all this...we kept coming back to Hillary every time because we've got to win," Boswell said, slapping his hand on the lectern to emphasize his point.

Boswell plans to campaign with Clinton and on her behalf in the three weeks that remain in the Caucus campaign. According to Boswell, he was swayed by Clinton's stances on a variety of issues from energy to education to the economy.

This one is an important one for Clinton, not necessarily in the sense of helping her build her Iowa organization (because I don't get the sense that Boswell has the strongest grassroots organization in the world even though he has been able to win races in the state for decades) or even in the sense that a Boswell endorsement is going to move a whole lot of votes in Iowa. Clinton really needs some positive news, particularly in the early states but also around the country, following what has seemed to be an unending flow of difficult news cycles in recent weeks. Indeed, if you look at the trend -- whether in Iowa, in New Hampshire, and even nationally -- it's been a tough couple of months for Clinton, with her support dropping noticeably as of late. This story won't necessarily arrest that trend, even in Iowa, and it's a little weirdly timed (document dumps, not major endorsements, are usually announced on Fridays). That said, a positive news cycle is a positive news cycle. And as we get closer and closer to caucus day (it's less than three days away), having more positive than negative news cycles really does matter.

Tags: Endorsements, Hillary Clinton, Iowa, Iowa Caucuses, Leonard Boswell (all tags)

Comments

14 Comments

background on Boswell

He was first elected to Congress in 1996. Before that he was in the state Senate for a long time. In 1994 he ran for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Bonnie Campbell, a longtime Clinton supporter who is active in Hillary's campaign.

Interesting that he highlights Hillary's electability in his endorsement. I think that is going to be the message coming from Clinton surrogates in the final weeks--think about electability before you vote. They mean it to bring down Obama, but I'm not sure it helps Hillary to put that front and center in voters' minds.

by desmoinesdem 2007-12-14 01:04PM | 0 recs
It will be interesting to see who wins...

...the electability argument that the Clinton campaign is desperately banking on, and how the media cover the ability of the candidates to win support all across the state.

by MeanBoneII 2007-12-14 01:15PM | 0 recs
Re: It will be interesting to see who wins...

I imagine many in Boswell's precinct will join him and caucus for Hillary.  Neighboring precincts will also join him, although he will not be in the room.

This is huge, and the timing could not be more perfect.

Boswell understands that Obama is out of touch with Iowa farmers.  Boswell understands that ordinary Americans do not eat arugula.

by truthteller2007 2007-12-14 03:34PM | 0 recs
Re: It will be interesting to see who wins...

I really have to question the suggestion that this is 'huge', although the timing is certainly useful. I've yet to see any evidence that Boswell has a great amount of grassroots outreach. Please, contradict me if you can.

Also, what's up with the arugula attack? Are you trying to attack him for being cosmopolitan, or do you just consider lettuce and related plants to be unAmerican? Inquiring minds want to know.

by Englishlefty 2007-12-14 04:38PM | 0 recs
I ran into an Obama supporter today

and he asked me if I had a candidate. I said yes, I'm a precinct captain for Edwards. He likes Edwards but thinks Edwards can't win, largely because of money. He's for Obama instead because Obama has the money.

I said I'd be a lot more worried about Obama getting elected than Edwards. Before I could go on to say that Edwards has been through a long, tough national campaign, while Obama has never had a tough race, he asked, "Why, because he's too black?" Immediately trying to put me on the defensive for having concerns about Obama as a candidate.

If it's ok for Obama's supporters to argue that Edwards can't win the election, then it should be ok for me to raise legitimate concerns about Obama.

But you are right, other politicians would have preferred not to have to get into this regarding Obama.

by desmoinesdem 2007-12-14 04:35PM | 0 recs
Re: I ran into an Obama supporter today

That's one of the major problems. Using his race as a shield won't work in the general. Calling Republicans racists won't work either because they don't care. Everybody already knows they are racists.

by Ga6thDem 2007-12-15 04:55AM | 0 recs
Re: Electability Starts Now!

It's not just the people running against Obama. It's rank and file democrats according to polls.

by Ga6thDem 2007-12-15 04:53AM | 0 recs
Teddy K.

I've also heard, heresay albeit that Teddy K. will endorse HRC before Christmas.  

by lonnette33 2007-12-14 01:12PM | 0 recs
a couple weeks ago

some Obama supporters seemed sure he would go for Barack. I haven't heard anything here.

The big prize left is Congressman Dave Loebsack (who covers the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids corridor as well as a lot of southeast Iowa). I have no idea whether he will endorse.

by desmoinesdem 2007-12-14 01:21PM | 0 recs
SO what.

I mean, seriously, what's the point?

Every pol in IA can support her and she STILL will lose to Obama by 10 Pts.

She's hit the hi point.  It's a long down slope.

by dataguy 2007-12-14 01:18PM | 0 recs
Re: SO what.

The Boswell endorsement is important in the wake of the arugula comments.

Obama is simply out of touch with Iowa farmers and middle class Americans.   And Boswell understands this.  

by truthteller2007 2007-12-14 03:33PM | 0 recs
Re: SO what.

What is the arugula comment?

by Ga6thDem 2007-12-15 04:56AM | 0 recs
Thanks for the diary

I don't know the endorsement will play in Iowa, but I thought this video endorsement of HRC by Rep. Boswell was very well done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w5GG6tL4 d8

I hope that her campaign uses portions of this video endorsement in 30 second spots throughout Iowa. There's some nice biographical information and decent messaging throughout the endorsement video....

by ademption 2007-12-14 02:55PM | 0 recs
Re: Thanks for the diary

Given that Boswell is from Iowa, I imagine it will have a major impact.

by truthteller2007 2007-12-14 03:33PM | 0 recs

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