Criminals For Obama

I sense that a new list of questionable Obama endorsements is in order (to add to my reds, and radicals lists), as a new brand of Obama supporter appears to be coming to the fore. A murderer, two petty criminals, a notorious celeb under indictment for murder, and a rapper who glorifies criminal behavior have all openly endorsed Obama.

Here are a couple of Obama fans, noticed by Van Helsing at Moonbattery:

The men were arrested for prostitution related charges.

Dale Lee Bishop was executed last week for his part in a claw-hammer homicide in 1998. Just before his execution, he took the opportunity to endorse Obama:

“For those who oppose the death penalty and want to see it end, our best bet is to vote for Barack Obama because his supporters have been working behind the scenes to end this practice,” Bishop said.

Phil Spector:

Today The Times’ eagle-eyed Harriet Ryan spotted Phil Spector, the famous rock entrepreneur and infamous date, showing up for a court hearing in Los Angeles wearing a very obvious “Barack Obama Rocks” pin.

And now Ludacris, whose music is on Obama’s ipod playlist, has just released a song that endorses Obama:

In fairness, Obama has castigated this song, which he calls, “outrageously offensive”.

Now, it’s no surprise that the criminal element supports the Democrat candidate. That always seems to be the case, which is why we often see Democrats introducing bills that would restore the right to vote for felons.

In Florida, felons who have completed their sentences can apply to have their voting rights restored. 2008 will be the first election effected by this change in policy, and now Obama has to walk the tightrope of mobilizing these new, potential voters, while at the same time appealing to voters across racial lines.

UPDATE (August 8):

Kwame M. Kilpatrick

Detroit Mayor and Michigan Superdelegate Kwame M. Kilpatrick endorsed Obama in June:

“I enthusiastically pledge my support to Senator Barack Obama, who will bring much needed hope, change and leadership to take our country in a new direction,” the mayor said in a prepared statement. “I will work hard to ensure he will be victorious in November.”

Isn’t that special? Obama “will bring much needed hope, change and leadership”. Did he really have to prepare that statement? I think I could have winged that.

Anyhoo:

Kilpatrick was indicted on twelve criminal counts including perjury and obstruction of justice back in April.

More recently, (today) he was charged with two felony counts of assaulting police officers.

Here’s Obama’s spirited endorsement of Kilpatrick:

“And so I’m grateful to call him a friend and a colleague. And I’m looking forward to a lengthy collaboration in terms of making sure that Detroit does well in the future.”

UPDATE (August 14):

The Tennessee GOP’s new video shining a spotlight in the Obama/Kilpatrick “collaboration”: