BISMARCK -- Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., climbed down from the campaign's fence Wednesday, landing squarely on what he hopes will be the greener grass of "a better and brighter future" under a Barack Obama presidency.
Dorgan is the fifth of North Dakota Democrats' seven superdelegates to announce support for the Illinois senator and the last of the state's congressional delegation to commit.
Sen. Kent Conrad and Rep. Earl Pomeroy announced their endorsements of Obama before the state's Feb. 5 presidential preference caucuses.
Dorgan waited, he said Wednesday, because "I wanted to give the grass roots a chance to make a decision" before he announced support for either Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton or the several other candidates who have dropped out.
Obama, he said, is clearly now the one best able to "cross the threshold" of the White House.
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"He'll make a wonderful president and he's got a good chance to get there," Dorgan said.
Dorgan cited the "truly national campaign" that the Obama organization has been conducting. He was the only Democratic candidate to send numerous campaign workers into the state ahead of the caucuses. He said Obama has engendered excitement among voters in "red" states like North Dakota and Idaho. Obama carried the North Dakota caucuses with 62 percent, an event in which Democratic-NPL voters outnumbered Republicans 2-to-1. Obama alone got more votes than the entire turnout among Republicans.
Dorgan said Obama agrees with him on issues, including a need to reverse the "disastrous trade polices of the past years" and invest in good American jobs. Both also believe there are unfair tax breaks for companies who move their operations out of the country.
Obama he's honored to have Dorgan's support and looks forward to having the senator as an ally in legislation that will improve American workers' lives.
The remaining North Dakota superdelegates who remain uncommitted are National Committeewoman Renee Pfenning and state party Chairman David Strauss.
Janell Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Dickinson Press.
