INQUIRER: Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to address the city’s Democratic ward leaders tomorrow to pitch his wife’s candidacy while on a campaign swing through Philadelphia, party sources said.The 69 ward leaders were scheduled for a regular meeting and may consider endorsements in the April 22 primary, when in addition to the presidential race, state lawmakers, row offices and members of Congress will be on the ballot.
Insiders do not expect the leaders to come to an agreement between Hillary Rodham Clinton and
Barack Obama in the presidential race; already several African American ward leaders have declared they are with Obama, and Mayor Nutter and other leaders are lined up behind Clinton. City Chairman Bob Brady has said in the past he would want to avoid a divisive endorsement vote in the presidential contest.
Brady, in an interview, said the committee also will hear from a surrogate for Obama, but the Illinois senator’s campaign has not yet confirmed who it will be. Among the possibilities, he said: wife Michelle Obama, or Sens. Edward Kennedy or John Kerry. Brady said there will “not necessarily” be a vote to endorse in the presidential primary. “I’ll know tomorrow when I get there,” he said. Asked whether there was sentiment among his ward chieftains to make a committee choice, he said he would find out at the meeting. The city committee meeting is scheduled for noon at party headquarters in the 1400 block of Walnut Street. MORE
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