The AFL-CIO endorsed Obama today:

The AFL-CIO today endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.

The AFL-CIO General Board, which voted to endorse Obama, includes presidents of all 56 unions in the AFL-CIO, as well as Executive Council members and representatives of state and local federations, trade departments and constituency groups. The General Board votes by per capita membership. In conjunction with the endorsement, the AFL-CIO launched a new website: Meet Barack Obama.

In its endorsement statement, the General Board noted that Sen. Barack Obama "secured the nomination of his party in a campaign that has energized millions of Americans and spoken to the hopes and dreams of people from every corner of our nation."

His leadership can re-engage disenfranchised Americans and bring our country together. Sen. Obama has advocated a change of direction for our nation that mirrors the priorities of the labor movement.

In announcing the endorsement today, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said, "Barack Obama has proven from his days as an organizer, to his time in the Senate and his historic run for the presidency, that he’s leading the fight to turn around America." Saying, as a champion for working families, Obama

knows what it’s going to take to create an economy that works for everyone, not just Big Oil, Big Pharma, the insurance companies, the giant mortgage lenders, speculators and the very wealthy. We’re proud to stand with Sen. Obama to help our nation chart a course that will improve life for generations of working people and our children.

Obama has vowed to fight for working families and for an economy that works for all—and he has the record to prove it. As a church-based community organizer, Obama assisted those affected by closing steel mills. As a state senator in Illinois, he sponsored legislation to expand health care and protect overtime pay. As a U.S. senator, Obama has earned a 98 percent lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO. And all along, he’s marched on picket lines and rallied with striking workers.

The AFL-CIO also launched its Meet Barack Obama website to join the McCain Revealed site started in March, when it announced plans for $53.4 million in election expenditures.  The two largest affiliates of the AFL-CIO--AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers--supported Hillary Clinton in the primary.  This endorsement and commitment to educating and mobilizing their members demonstrates that they wasted no time in unifying in support of Barack Obama and getting to work contributing to a Democratic win in November.

The breaking is a little tongue in cheek, and I'm not sure if he's come out before tonight, but tonight was REM's last stop on their US tour, in Atlanta, and Michael Stipe gave a great nod to Obama during the encore.  The opening band was "The National" and apparently they have a song called "Mr. November" which is about Barack.  The merch stand was selling t-shirts with Obama's likeness that said Mr. November as a caption.  

Keeping this one short and sweet. Here's tonight's endorsement by Al Gore.

Part 1:

Part 2 below the fold.

If this is a repeat, I apologize and will delete the diary.

Email from Al:

A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States.

Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges -- including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America.

I think this is news being reported by the NYT

FLINT, Mich. – Former Vice President Al Gore will appear in Detroit tonight for his debut campaign appearance with Senator Barack Obama, extending an endorsement and urging all Democrats to rally behind the party’s fall ticket.
"A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama," Mr. Gore said in an e-mail sent to his supporters. "From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States."
Throughout the long Democratic primary, Mr. Gore talked frequently to Mr. Obama. But tonight’s rally at the Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit marks the first time they will appear together on the same stage. The endorsement was announced – on Mr. Gore’s terms – to supporters on his vast e-mail list.

I don't know if this has been diaried yet, but I haven't seen it on the rec list, so here it is:

From the Detroit Free Press:

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said the union's International Executive Board voted unanimously to endorse Obama and noted "a historic primary campaign which activated and mobilized millions of voters."
"On every issue that counts, we can count on Barack Obama to stand with our members, our families and our communities," Gettelfinger said. "He has pledged to rebuild America's manufacturing base and to assist the auto industry as we retool toward a cleaner, more modern transportation system."
Gettelfinger also said in the union's endorsement that Obama supports workers' rights to organize, will push to make health care affordable and available to everyone and "understands the need to change our trade policies so that U.S. workers and U.S. companies can compete fairly in the global economy."

Despite a brief wave of unwarranted hysteria here last week, General Wesley Clark (ret.) endorsed Barack Obama today.  

Can anyone get a better endorsement than this????

I just think it's rad.

From Times Online London

Per the Huffington Post he's endorsing Obama as he introduces him at the rally.

But that's not all, looks like Webb is taking on McBush also:

"John McCain's comment about Barack not having sat down recently with General Petreaus means nothing," Webb said. "If you know who to listen to, if you know how to make judgments, if you know how evaluate information, you can do that. I don't think Franklin Roosevelt was ever at the front in France during WWII in order to help end the war."

Jump

Be careful what you wish for.  After enduring day after day of superdelegates dripping out for Obama, today is the day we finally get the flood.  It's hard to keep up, but in a good way.  Since BoBo2020's diary was getting long, I thought it was time for a later afternoon/early evening superdelegate Open Thread.  

 Lakota Sioux Olympic Legend Billy Mills Announces Support for Barack Obama

Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills, a Lakota Sioux born and raised on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, today endorsed U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for President. Mills, who won the 1964 Olympic gold in the 10,000-meter run in one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, said that he was a lifelong Republican, but that he had been inspired by Obama’s track record of uniting Americans from all walks of life. He also noted Obama’s background as the son of a single, working mom and his youth in Hawaii and Indonesia as predictive of his ability to understand and work for people in underserved communities.

I can remember when "Running Brave" as he was called, became the first American to win the 10,000 meter race in an Olympics.  

Obama's total Delegates:  2075.5
Delegates needed: 42.5

Summary of today's endorsements:
Obama: Virginia DNC member Jerome Wiley Segovia; Connecticut Democratic Chair Nancy DiNardo; Michigan Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence (half vote); Michigan Education Association President Lu Battaglieri; DNC member and Florida Democratic Party Secretary Janee Murphy

Clinton: Louisiana Democratic Chair Chris Whittington; Tompkins County, New York Party Chair Irene Stein

As per Time,Obama starts the week with a nod from Virginia DNC member Jerome Wiley Segovia.

Burnt Orange Report is reporting the following:

According to sources in both presidential campaigns, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie and his wife and DNC member Betty Richie will announce their public support for Barack Obama.

Both are Democratic superdelegates, though as chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, Boyd Richie's superdelegate vote is dependent upon his re-election at the Texas State Democratic Convention June 6-7. Barack Obama's delegates are expected to  control the Texas convention by a margin of at least 10% points.

More after the jump:

I don't see this on the diaries.  I'll make it short and sweet.

DemConWatch show that Obama picked up a second Superdelegate today.

This one is Alan B. Mollohan from - gasp - West Virginia.  (How bout them apples?)

The last Guam superdelegate has spoken.  Of their 9, 5 for Obama and 4 for HRC.

http://www.guampdn.com/...

11:40 a.m. - Democratic National Committeeman Sen. Ben Pangelinan announced his support of Sen. Barack Obama as the Demcratic Party nominee to be president of the United States this morning.

Is this actually tomorrow's superdelegate since it is already Wednesday in Guam.

Anyway, I confirmed Democratic National Committeeman Sen. Ben Pangelinan from Guam is listed as uncommitted on demconwatch.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/...

Wyoming Democratic Party Vice Chair Nancy Drummond endorsed earlier, so this is the second for the day.  47 more to go.

Lisa

Haven't seen this diaried yet today, so I thought I'd let you all know that Barack Obama has picked up two more Edwards pledged delegates in New Hampshire today.

John Edwards came out of the New Hampshire primary on January 8th with 4 pledged delegates. Since Edwards endorsed Obama last week, one of those four, Joshua Denton of Portsmouth, had already announced he is switching his allegiance to Obama.

Obama just made up for yesterday's 0 superdelegate endorsements.

Today, United States Congressman Jim Costa (CA-20) and United States Congressman Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) endorsed Barack Obama for president. Congressman Cardoza previously supported Senator Hillary Clinton.

These endorsements mean that Senator Obama has been endorsed by 310.5 superdelegates.  Obama is 59 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

In addition to the 2 new superdelegates, Obama has also picked up 2 NH Edwards delegates.

[Crossposted at Loaded Orygun, Oregon's progressive community...]

By now most folks have read Arianna Huffington's piece urging superdelegates and get Obama over the top before May 31st.

 Maybe it's pushed one of our own over the edge? Well-placed sources have told me last night that DNC Committewoman Jenny Greenleaf, a smashing woman who also happens to be a super or "automatic" delegate to the Democratic Convention in Denver, has reportedly told friends, associates and other superdelegates that she will announce her endorsement of Barack Obama as early as tomorrow--apparently ahead of the other state party officials. 

I did manage to get ahold of Greenleaf by email, who wouldn't confirm--but specifically didn't deny--her plans. This is certainly big news within the state and even among the national netroots, and you heard it here first. Maybe her going first will push others as well (although SoS Bill Bradbury has said he will wait until after primary season).