Capps Endorses Obama

Rep. Lois Capps endorsed Senator Barack Obama's campaign for President yesterday. Readers sent me a few articles about it from Politico.com and The Huffington Post.

Saying that Obama "is challenging us to lift ourselves out of the ugliness that increasingly consumes Washington...", Capps surprises some in that she and Walter had both had strong ties with the Clintons. Bill and Hillary both have been to Santa Barbara on their behalf.

The following part of her statement brought her deceased husband back to me for a moment as if he was standing in the room, looking at his shoes for a moment and then launching into something unexpected, inspiring and moving.

“Walter once said that ‘we are strongest as people when we are directed by that which unites us, rather than giving into the fears, suspicions, innuendos and paranoias that divide.’ For years I have been waiting for a President that speaks to that vision. I believe Barack Obama may very well be that rare leader.” (from Huffington Post)

What was the turning point for Lois? Ads from H. Clinton waving the red shirt of terrorism? Were there one too many Hillary supporters that have have made ugly public statements about Obama only to apologize the next day? or was it plain electoral math? We will probably never know.

Good for her though. It is time to move on.

Rep. Capps and Miller Urge NLRB to Act

The Santa Barbara Independent reports today that our very own Lois Capps and respected Rep. George Miller from Los Angeles urged the NLRB to act now on the News-Press Mess issue.

“The NLRB should move in a timely manner to resolve the News-Press case and all other certification cases,” the joint letter stated. “Delay in such cases undermines the Act, with a disparate impact on employees particularly in cases where it is found that the election complied with the law and the employees chose union representation.”