Sen. Kennedy to Endorse Obama

Updated 2:51 p.m., washingtonpost.com
By Shailagh Murray

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy will endorse Sen. Barack Obama on Monday at American University, campaign sources said. The veteran Massachusetts senator follows his niece Caroline Kennedy, who today in the New York Times compared Obama to her late father.

The elder Kennedy's decision came after weeks of mounting frustration with the Clintons over campaign tactics, particularly comments that seemed to carry racial overtones. Kennedy expressed those frustrations directly to former president Clinton, but to no apparent avail. Yesterday afternoon, as Obama was racking up a South Carolina rout, the former president compared his wife's chief opponent to Rev. Jesse Jackson, who won South Carolina twice, in 1984 and 1988, when it was a caucus state.

Kennedy came to his decision to endorse Obama over the past week, people familiar with the endorsement said, although he has been seriously considering it since Iowa. Sources also said Kennedy told Obama of his decision on Thursday, in the heat of the Obama-Clinton rhetorical battle.

Speaking to reporters on board his campaign plane this afternoon, Obama refused to confirm the Kennedy nod and said he had not spoken to the senator either today or last night. "Ted Kennedy has not officially endorsed my candidacy," Obama said with a smile on his face. "I've had ongoing conversations with Ted since I got into this race. At the point where he is clear about what he is doing and wants to make it public, I will let Ted Kennedy make it public."

Posted at 1:22 PM ET on Jan 27, 2008