OBAMARAMA

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) have all endorsed Sen. Obama in recent days. Sen. Leahy, the influential and experienced chair of the Judiciary Committee, explained his support this way:

“I believe many around the world have lost respect for America,” Leahy said. “We can restore that respect, but we need a president who can reintroduce America to the world.”

Drawing a not-so-subtle parallel to contestants in the 1960 Democratic primary, Leahy said that, as a college student, he supported John F. Kennedy over Lyndon Johnson.

“Nobody doubted the great experience of Lyndon Johnson,” he said. “But I never questioned my commitment.”

Also noteworthy are two unique endorsements — one from Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, the other from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon (he wrote The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay). In describing his support, Chabon had this to say (it’s a bit long, but very much worth reading):

“You know what I needed to do before I could decide to support Barack Obama for president? I had to give myself permission to feel hope. That’s almost kind of sad, isn’t it? I had to tell myself that it is OK. That it would be all right if I allowed myself to acknowledge the possibility that we can aspire as a nation. That we can aspire to be more than merely secure or predominant. That we could apsire to build and to heal not just to patch and prop up. We can aspire to come together not just come to terms.” …

“I had to allow myself to do something that felt really weird, something I had never done before in my entire life — to believe in a candidate for the president of the United States.”

The crowd starting yelling “We believe!”

“I do, I do believe. I do believe in Barack Obama. But I don’t believe in him blindly or unquestioningly. He’s no demogogue or figurehead. He’s a man, not a symbol. But he does stand for something, something I can believe in. The way I believe in the comfort I take in my family and the pleasure of good company, and the blessings of peace and liberty and in anything that requires me to put my trust in the best part of myself and of other people.”

Who’s next? Jump on in, the water’s fine!

UPDATE: Nevada’s biggest newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, endorsed Sen. Obama yesterday.