Hill endorses Obama

 Indiana 9th District Rep. Baron Hill of Seymour endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The endorsement from Hill, one of his party's so-called superdelegates, comes less than a week before Hoosiers go to the polls Tuesday.

In a statement, Hill said he considered waiting until after Tuesday's primary election to announce his decision but decided the time had come.

"Some have advised me to be cautious, to wait and see which way the electoral winds may blow.  I confess that I have listened to those voices and been tempted by their reasoning," Hill said. "But, the stakes are just too high. 

"We cannot continue to pursue the same politics of personal destruction we have engaged in for a generation, some never-ending 'groundhog day' endlessly playing out the cultural wars of 40years ago," he added. "If we are going to develop real solutions for Hoosier families, for America's families, we have to move past the partisan gridlock."

Hill said Obama and his Democratic opponent, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, are strong candidates but added Obama is the best to confront presumtive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with both Sens. Clinton and Obama," Hill said. "Choosing between two worthy candidates was very difficult, but in the end, after much discussion with people in southern Indiana, as well as mentors of mine such as Lee Hamilton, I have decided to support Sen. Obama."

Hamilton, who served as Indiana's 9th District representative for 34 years, announced April 2, the day former President Bill Clinton stumped on behalf of his wife in Seymour, that he was endorsing Obama.

Hill said Obama's call for change is exciting and mirrors his own call for change in Washington.

"I am proud of Sen. Obama's call for change in Washington -- change I have been advocating since I first sought public office," Hill said. "I am truly hopeful that his campaign and election will help unify our nation and ultimately change our politics."

Hill said he was pleased that Obama "clearly and unequivocally denounced Reverend Wright's remarks," referring to Obama's former pastor who has drawn attention for remarks that have been called hateful, racist and divisive.

"Hoosiers don't feel that way about our country, I don't feel that way about our country and Sen. Obama made it abundantly clear that he doesn't feel that way either," Hill said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee wasted little time in responding to Hill's endorsement of Obama.

"Baron Hill's decision to side with the most liberal member of the United States Senate, who recently claimed that people ‘cling' to their religion and the Second Amendment because they are ‘bitter,' is an affront to Indiana voters," said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain in an e-mail. "In a district that will undoubtedly vote for John McCain in November, Baron Hill has just latched his political fortune to a far-left liberal extremist who opposes the ban on partial-birth abortion and supports a radical government-run healthcare system. Hill's endorsement is mind-boggling and it is proof-positive of just how out of touch he is with the values and interests of his constituents."

Spain said Hill's endorsement shows he "clearly refuses to defend the dignity of small-town Americans and proves that he is clearly out of touch with the values of Indiana voters."

Hill is seeking re-election this year. Although he's opposed by three Democrats in Tuesday's primary election -- Gretchen Clearwater of Bloomington, John Bottorff of Jasper and Lendall Terry of Versailles, he's expected to win the nomination and face Republican Mike Sodrel of New Albany and Libertarian Eric Schansberg of Jeffersonville in the general election.

For the full story, read Thursday's edition of The Tribune and watch TribTown.com for updates.