NPR: Baker Endorses McCain, Lewis Switches to Obama

Baker Endorses McCain, Lewis Switches to Obama

The endorsements are coming fast and furious as both parties near the finish line - with the GOP line being a little more in sight than the Democratic one.

Evangelical preacher Jim Hagge of San Antonio, Texas already announced his support for John McCain today. Now NPR's Scott Horsley reports that former Secretary of State Jim Baker has given the Arizona senator the thumbs up. Baker called McCain a "principled pragmatist," who supports conservative goals but who's willing to make tradeoffs in order to get things done.

Those tradeoffs have sometimes worried conservative Republicans who see McCain as too compromising. But then Baker invoked the ultimate comparison in conservative circles - he compared McCain favorable to former President Ronald Reagan.

"Nobody ever accused the Gipper of being squishy. But he also knew how to bridge the divide and reach across the aisle and get things done. At the end of the day, Ronald Reagan found solutions that worked, even if they sometimes, occasionally, failed the rigid tests of the purists."

Meanwhile, the other shoe dropped for Sen. Hillary Clinton. Earlier this month, Rep. John Lewis -- an influential leader in the black caucus in Congress, a long time civil rights leader and a Clinton supporter -- said he was going to cast his superdelegate vote for Sen. Barack Obama in order to reflect the wishes of his constituents.

But Wednesday, he actually announced he was leaving the Clinton camp and moving over to Obama.

Then again, he might have been a little pressured. Last month the Atlanta Journal-Constution's political blog reprinted the transcript of a "robo-call" telling constituents of Lewis's district to call him and to switch his support to Obama. The Obama camp denied making the calls at the time and said it would ask Attorney General Thurbert Baker to investigate.

2:37 PM ET | 02-28-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

"Baker called McCain a "principled pragmatist," who supports conservative goals but who's willing to make tradeoffs in order to get things done.

Those tradeoffs have sometimes worried conservative Republicans who see McCain as too compromising. "

Thats what I'm talking about!

McCain/Baker '08

Sent by Harold | 2:41 PM ET | 02-28-2008

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