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California First Lady Maria Shriver Endorses Barack Obama
By Linda Milazzo
Created Feb 3 2008 - 8:40pm
In an unscheduled rally appearance at the University of California-Los
Angeles' (UCLA) Pauley Pavillion, California's First Lady, Maria Shirver,
surrounded by her cousin Caroline Kennedy, best friend Oprah Winfrey, and
co-political spouse, Michelle Obama, publicly announced her endorsement of
Barack Obama for President of the United States. With today's endorsement,
Shriver now joins a long list of her Kennedy relatives who are endorsing
Barack Obama.
Shriver, niece of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and powerful Massachusetts
Senator, Ted Kennedy, is an enormously popular figure in California. She
assisted in resurrecting her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's
political career, after his early missteps in challenging union members and
his failure to pass his self-absorbed ballot propositions in a special
election he mandated on November 8, 2005. Indeed, after being badly defeated
by the California electorate, Schwarzenegger pronounced publicly that he had
learned his lessons and should have listened to his wife when she told him
not to push for the special election or challenge the unions.
Maria Shriver's own high profile, stemming from her successful broadcasting
career ( which she suspended upon becoming California's First Lady), her
close friendship with Winfrey, and her status as a member of America's
pre-eminent Kennedys, has made her an enormously popular First Lady. Her
parents, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, have been leaders for
socio-economic justice and mental health parity throughout Maria's life.
Indeed, Maria Shriver's marriage to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger has
been an odd detour from her deeply honed Democratic roots. After her
independent declaration today, many are likely to say that Maria has finally
come home!!
On stage at Pauley Pavilion, Shriver announced to the crowd that she wasn't
scheduled to be at this event today - that she'd been at a horse show with
her daughter Katherine, but thought when she woke up this morning that
"there's no place I should be than right here [Pauley Pavilion] today." When
she told this to her daughter, Katherine, the young first-time voter
believed her mom would do well to appear.
This past week, Shriver's California Governor husband, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, endorsed pro-war Republican John McCain for President. It's
possible, with the current surges for Obama and McCain in their respective
campaigns, that the First Couple of California will be supporting their
opposing parties' eventual nominees.
It was obvious to those present at Pauley Pavilion today that this was an
emotional moment for California's popular First Lady. It was certainly a
buoyant moment for those in the audience and for her friends and family on
stage. Shriver's Uncle Teddy must truly be in his glory with Maria's return
to the family-fold to follow his endorsement lead.
No doubt, with the enormous clout California will have in Tuesday's Super
Primary election, the Cliintons won't be happy that Shriver is endorsing
Obama, since her popularity should add more momentum to his campaign. As of
now, it's not clear whether Shriver will be campaigning for Obama. Whether
she campaigns for him or not, Shriver's endorsement today and her presence
on stage with the powerful women who support him, make Obama's success in
California a tad bit more likely.
As Shriver told the Pauley Pavilion audience, 'as goes California, so goes
the nation.' This Tuesday we shall see.
Congratulations, Maria. Welcome home!!!
_______
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
By Linda Milazzo
Created Feb 3 2008 - 8:40pm
In an unscheduled rally appearance at the University of California-Los
Angeles' (UCLA) Pauley Pavillion, California's First Lady, Maria Shirver,
surrounded by her cousin Caroline Kennedy, best friend Oprah Winfrey, and
co-political spouse, Michelle Obama, publicly announced her endorsement of
Barack Obama for President of the United States. With today's endorsement,
Shriver now joins a long list of her Kennedy relatives who are endorsing
Barack Obama.
Shriver, niece of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and powerful Massachusetts
Senator, Ted Kennedy, is an enormously popular figure in California. She
assisted in resurrecting her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's
political career, after his early missteps in challenging union members and
his failure to pass his self-absorbed ballot propositions in a special
election he mandated on November 8, 2005. Indeed, after being badly defeated
by the California electorate, Schwarzenegger pronounced publicly that he had
learned his lessons and should have listened to his wife when she told him
not to push for the special election or challenge the unions.
Maria Shriver's own high profile, stemming from her successful broadcasting
career ( which she suspended upon becoming California's First Lady), her
close friendship with Winfrey, and her status as a member of America's
pre-eminent Kennedys, has made her an enormously popular First Lady. Her
parents, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, have been leaders for
socio-economic justice and mental health parity throughout Maria's life.
Indeed, Maria Shriver's marriage to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger has
been an odd detour from her deeply honed Democratic roots. After her
independent declaration today, many are likely to say that Maria has finally
come home!!
On stage at Pauley Pavilion, Shriver announced to the crowd that she wasn't
scheduled to be at this event today - that she'd been at a horse show with
her daughter Katherine, but thought when she woke up this morning that
"there's no place I should be than right here [Pauley Pavilion] today." When
she told this to her daughter, Katherine, the young first-time voter
believed her mom would do well to appear.
This past week, Shriver's California Governor husband, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, endorsed pro-war Republican John McCain for President. It's
possible, with the current surges for Obama and McCain in their respective
campaigns, that the First Couple of California will be supporting their
opposing parties' eventual nominees.
It was obvious to those present at Pauley Pavilion today that this was an
emotional moment for California's popular First Lady. It was certainly a
buoyant moment for those in the audience and for her friends and family on
stage. Shriver's Uncle Teddy must truly be in his glory with Maria's return
to the family-fold to follow his endorsement lead.
No doubt, with the enormous clout California will have in Tuesday's Super
Primary election, the Cliintons won't be happy that Shriver is endorsing
Obama, since her popularity should add more momentum to his campaign. As of
now, it's not clear whether Shriver will be campaigning for Obama. Whether
she campaigns for him or not, Shriver's endorsement today and her presence
on stage with the powerful women who support him, make Obama's success in
California a tad bit more likely.
As Shriver told the Pauley Pavilion audience, 'as goes California, so goes
the nation.' This Tuesday we shall see.
Congratulations, Maria. Welcome home!!!
_______
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
