Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle has announced that he is endorsing Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 presidential elections.  He has recently been helping Senator Obama as a surrogate, as well as working closely with his campaign organization. 

Daschle made the announcement in a video conference session with George Mason University, Denver University and Pace University moderated by C-SPAN’s Steve Scully.  “Is America ready for an African American president?,” Scully asked.  Daschle says absolutely.

“I think that Barack Obama in particular, is ready to lead and given the polling data that suggests that the American people are ready for it, I think he will be our next president,” Daschle said. 

Senator Daschle says that he thinks the American people are too focused on the candidate’s short comings in this election, for example, Hillary Clinton being a woman and Barack Obama being African American.  Daschle says however, that candidate’s strengths are what win elections and that is why he is behind Obama in 2008.

“In Barack’s case, the fact that he is an African American, I think is a good thing,” Daschle said.  “Fewer and fewer people are going to make that the criterion.” 

Daschle and Obama '08?

Daschle is a former senate majority leader for the Democratic Party and once, himself, considered running for president.  The question therefore, that everyone in the video conference session seemed to be waiting on, was whether or not Daschle was considering serving on Obama’s administration if he did indeed win the 2008 election.  Well, Omar, a student from Denver University asked just that.

“I have no designs for any job.  I am very happy to be doing what I am, and I like the freedom I have today.  I doubt that I would be asked and I doubt even more that I would choose to join,” Daschle said.  “We’ll see, but I think I can serve him in other ways.”

He may not be planning on becoming a member of Obama’s administration in ’08, but he did explain why he will be one of his strongest supporters during the race.  Daschle is behind Obama because he believes the senator has the ability to inspire, he believes Obama is a visionary and because he shares many of the same views as Daschle.

“I’ve read most of his books, I’ve had many occasions to talk to him personally and I guess I find myself almost completely in sync with his position on the major issues,” Daschle said.

In addition to his thoughts on presidential candidate Obama, Daschle talked with students about hot topics such as gun control, abortion and the war in Iraq.  He added that if there were two things he could chose for the next president to focus on, they would be climate control and reforming the health care system in America.