If you're in Hillary Clinton's campaign, you don't want to wake up to this lead paragraph in The New York Times:
Representative John Lewis, an elder statesman from the civil rights era and one of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's most prominent black supporters, said Thursday night that he planned to cast his vote as a super delegate for Senator Barack Obama in hopes of preventing a fight at the Democratic convention.
"In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit," said Mr. Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who endorsed Mrs. Clinton last fall. "Something is happening in America, and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap."
Let me take you inside the Clinton campaign war room and show you a picture of what the reaction must have been like. Click here
Here's more of the NY Times article:
Mr. Lewis, who carries great influence among other members of Congress, disclosed his decision in an interview in which he said that as a superdelegate he could "never, ever do anything to reverse the action" of the voters of his district, who overwhelmingly supported Mr. Obama.
"I've been very impressed with the campaign of Senator Obama," Mr. Lewis said. "He's getting better and better every single day."
His comments came as fresh signs emerged that Mrs. Clinton's support was beginning to erode from some other African-American lawmakers who also serve as super delegates. Representative David Scott of Georgia, who was among the first to defect, said he, too, would not go against the will of voters in his district.
The whole article is here.
Man, that's tough. I guess, technically Lewis hasn't switched yet but we are seeing here the power that super delegates yield. They can switch their allegiance and cripple a candidate in the process.
Let's also be real here. Some endorsements matter more than others. When John Lewis came out for Hillary Clinton it was a big deal. Look, the guy is an icon in the civil rights movement. Who wouldn't want his endorsement?
But now to basically 'take it back" is a blow. A major blow. It plays into the narrative that the Obama train has left the station and it's "All Aboard."
But you know what? Something tells me that Hillary Clinton is not ready to go so quietly. That debate in Austin, Texas next Thursday will be very interesting. Obama better be ready. Does the word "Vetting" mean anything to you?