Human Rights Campaign Endorses Barack Obama

In a press statement last week, HRC head Joe Solmonese said:

"HRC is proud to throw our full support behind Senator Obama’s presidential campaign. Senator Obama has consistently shown that he understands, as we do, that, GLBT rights are civil rights, and human rights. Senator Obama has said that embracing ‘our gay brothers and sisters’ is true to Martin Luther King’s vision; I know that Senator Obama’s vision is one of equality, fairness, and justice for all of us."

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We have just witnessed a historic primary contest in which two champions of our community demonstrated that they hear our voices and share our dreams. For millions across this country, their candidacies—as the first woman and the first African American to be top contenders for the nomination of a major party—have already been life-changing, inspiring, and groundbreaking. Senators Obama and Clinton both remained our allies whether they were campaigning in New Mexico or Nebraska; in California or Kansas. They are, quite simply, heroes to anyone fighting for equality."

Steelworkers Endorse Obama

Announcing its "respect" for Sen. Hillary Clinton, the United Steelworkers of America (USW) endorsed Barack Obama for president today.

The USW statement reads:

"Now is the time for contention and division to cease, and for us to unite behind the changes for which Senator Obama and our members are calling."

The USW had previously endorsed John Edwards, and this announcement comes a day after Edwards endorsed Obama.

The USW is the eighth AFL-CIO affiliated union to back Obama and has 600,000 members. Its strongholds are in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan.

Gov. Bill Richardson Endorses Barack Obama

In an e-mail to supporters labeled "A personal note," Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM), former presidential hopeful and former top official in the Bill Clinton administration and huge supporter of Clinton administration policies as a leader in the US House of Representatives, announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for president.

"We have been through a lot together," the e-mail read, "and that is why I wanted to tell you that, after careful and thoughtful deliberation, I have made a decision to endorse Barack Obama for President."

The letter goes on:

My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver. It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall.

Richardson cited Obama's historic speech on race:

Earlier this week, Senator Barack Obama gave an historic speech. that addressed the issue of race with the eloquence, sincerity, and optimism we have come to expect of him. He inspired us by reminding us of the awesome potential residing in our own responsibility. He asked us to rise above our racially divided past, and to seize the opportunity to carry forward the work of many patriots of all races, who struggled and died to bring us together.

Linking Obama's words to his own experiences as a Latino and that of Latinos in the US, Richardson said, "Senator Obama has started a discussion in this country long overdue and rejects the politics of pitting race against race. He understands clearly that only by bringing people together, only by bridging our differences can we all succeed together as Americans."

Obama is the leader we need to bring change, said Richardson. "To reverse the disastrous policies of the last seven years, rebuild our economy, address the housing and mortgage crisis, bring our troops home from Iraq and restore America's international standing, we need a President who can bring us together as a nation so we can confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad."