While Barack Obama may have lost the New Hampshire primary (vote!), he has seem to benefited some more from winning Iowa. Everyone will remember John Kerry, Democratic nominee from 2004. Sure, maybe he wasn’t the best candidate ever, maybe even a little bland, but he sure a heck ran a good-ish race. And he’s quite a popular Democrat if he can win the nomination. Anyway, that was random rambling. What I need to say is said in this picture:

Yes, Senator, and former Democratic nominee, John Kerry has come out and endorsed Barack Obama. He said that he is the candidate who can create a “better image” for America around the world, and is the guy who can unite America again. Where did it happen? No where else other than battleground state South Carolina.

Ok, I’ll drop the facade. A Kerry endorsement isn’t death for a campaign, but it’s not as though heads will turn so fas they pop off neck. Was it expected? Maybe slightly. I personally would have thought Kerry would have stayed out of this race. Does it help at all? Yes, and in more subtle ways.

Firstly, Kerry is going to have a massive email list that he used during his last primary race and the presidential race. This list is now in the Obama camp’s hands. Rumours have it that the list is very extensive, especially when the presidential list is added in. Much larger than anything Hillary Clinton has.

Second, Kerry is a strong fundraiser. Look at his numbers from his go at the White House. By June 30, 2004, the Kerry campaign had raised $186.2 million. He went on to raise the most ever by a Democrat (more than 5 times more than anyone previous in fact).

Third, and as a counter to the people who still cite Obama’s lacking experience, Kerry is a boost for Barack’s foreign policy credentials. Kerry is respected on this front, having served in Vietnam, been chairman on the Kerry Committee report, had meetings with the former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami, among other committee sessions, senate bills, and what have you.

Fourth, Kerry is respected by war veterans and the military. He was the spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (V.V.A.W.) when he returned from his tour. He is a decorated soldier – recipient of the Silver and Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.

Fifth, he is probably the biggest endorser of Obama’s. And it adds backing to the Obama camp’s claim to being a legitimate candidate. A big-whig, senior Democrat is now on his side, and will be in the camera’s view, and behind the microphone, and door-knocking with Obama all the way. There is probably only two people bigger than Kerry that Obama could have hoped for in terms of endorsement – Bill Clinton and Al Gore. Clinton is gone, Gore is holding out a little longer. So Kerry is a big score. People can’t say that the ‘big’ Democrats don’t believe in Obama any more.

On the side, I think that Gore will come out and endorse Obama soon. Hopefully before Super Tuesday. Of Obama got that plug, his numbers would skyrocket.

The Democratic party’s ‘establishment’ jumped onto the Clinton bandwagon in 2007 for no real reason other than the name Clinton. Kerry, an near president and high ranking Democrat, helps the Obama campaign to counter the party machine that has just followed Clinton thus far. This might be a bit of a wake-up call for some of the party members. Which leads me into …

Sixth, and finally, Kerry ran the primaries and won. My previous post detailed certain people who make that possible – superdelegates. Kerry, no doubt, has connection, has favours, and has people’s ears. People in D.C.. People who are superdelegates. He may be able to pull a few more pledges to the Obama camp because of his endorsement. Look out for that from here.

The second (and third) endorsements that came out today are just as important, if not more-so. In Nevada, the next state in the primary process, the two biggest unions the state has, the Service Employees International Union (S.E.I.U.) and the Culinary Workers’ Union, both endorsed Obama. They both have a large membership, and seem to be (especially the C.W.U.) extremely popular among the citizenry, generating thousands of votes for its endorsee .

What’s important is that there hasn’t been a new poll out about Nevada for months now. With this endorsement, and Nevada’s Democratic machine firmly behind Clinton since the beginning, the state has the makings to become as tight as New Hampshire (a 4 point difference). Of course, with no polling data yet, it means that no one really has a clue what’s happening, and any candidate could have jumped up to take the lead.

With that said, expect polls to come out about Nevada in the next few days.

Thomas.