by Sean Bowditch

There have been a handful of political defections this past week that are worth noting. Yesterday, the McCain campaign held a conference call with Miguel D. Lausell, senior political advisor to Hillary Clinton, and Lucy Secaira, an at-large Clinton delegate. They both announced their support for John McCain, citing his experience, record of fairness, and leadership.

Also shifting her allegiance to McCain is so-called Clinton "Hillraiser" Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a member of the DNC Platform Committee. She called Obama an "elitist" during a recent interview with CNN, prompting one blogger to point out Forester's personal wealth and status.

Across the aisle, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) endorsed Barack Obama. Gilchrest, who has served in the House since 1991, was defeated for renomination in the GOP primary to state Senator Andrew Harris — and promptly endorsed the Democratic nominee vying for the seat. Gilchrest's endorsement of Obama is not a total surprise. He's shown an independent streak throughout his career, reports WYPR in Baltimore. In particular, he opposed the Iraq war and supported a timetable for withdrawal.

Then there's former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, a nominal Republican. He, too, has thrown his support to Obama. And this, too, is not terribly surprising. The Los Angeles Times reports that, in both 2001 and 2005, he endorsed current L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat in what is officially a non-partisan race.