Jan 21, 2008 6:44 pm US/Eastern
Dixon Endorses Obama
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon announced Monday her endorsement of Illinois Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential primary.
Ryan Anson/AFP/Getty Images
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon announced Barack Obama as her choice in the Democratic presidential primary.
Pat Warren reports the mayor chose the day we commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make her announcement highlighting several reasons for making Obama her choice.
"A lot of people have tried to make this a black and white campaign, but I have come to tell you that this is a red, white and blue campaign," said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.
It's a combination of shared goals and experience. Mayor Dixon says conversations with Barack Obama led to her decision.
She made the announcement Monday morning at the Greater Baltimore Urban League.
"We have to have the right person to serve this country for all the people right now, and that's why I support Barack Obama," said Dixon.
The mayor was joined by other Obama supporters, including Congressman Elijah Cummings, State Comptroller Peter Franchot, and members of the Maryland General Assembly.
Mayor Dixon says she gave careful consideration to all candidates in the Democratic primary but settled on Obama for his ability to bring people together and his experience in the trenches of urban challenges.
She also says Obama is the candidate who has proven he can bring help to working families.
"I think it's important because I'm a mayor of a city that struggles with so many issues, and we rely heavily on federal support in order to deal with the infrastructure of a city. So it's important to have a president that's sensitive to that and will provide the resources for us to continue with our agenda moving forward," said Dixon.
Dixon wasn't sure whether she would be traveling out of state to campaign for Obama.
The Democratic primary offers voters a choice of candidates who have the potential for dividing voters along the lines of race and gender.
With Obama leading Clinton by three points in a poll with a margin of error of 5.3 percent, statewide Maryland Democrats are virtually split between the two.
Forty percent of men favor Obama compared to 28 percent for Clinton.
Women polled much closer. Obama has 33 percent of their votes while Clinton has 37 percent.
Twenty-one percent of white voters favor Obama and 39 percent Clinton. African-Americans overwhelmingly favor Obama with 63 percent to 22 percent for Clinton.
While it may divide voters, it's also dividing political allies.
Mayor Dixon and Governor Martin O' Malley are two of the latest to be splitting ways on candidate selection.
Governor O'Malley is campaigning for Senator Hillary Clinton.
"I think Dr. King would be very proud to have Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, and both of them are very strong candidates. I think in that respect Dr. King would be proud," said O'Malley.
When asked, Mayor Dixon says she and O'Malley have talked about her decision, acknowledged their differences and have moved on.
Clinton also has been endorsed by Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski and Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
Maryland's primary is Feb. 12. The deadline to register is Tuesday, Jan. 22.
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