US Senator Edward Kennedy, the Democrats' leading liberal voice, endorsed Barack Obama's White House bid today, claiming the presidential candidate "would turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion."
Mr Obama, who trounced fellow Senator Hillary Clinton in South Carolina's primary on Saturday, also won the backing of Kennedy's son, US Rep. Patrick Kennedy, and his niece, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John Kennedy.
Senator Barack Obama with Senator Edward Kennedy at today's rally in Washington. Photo: Reuters/Mike Theiler
On Sunday, Caroline Kennedy endorsed Mr Obama, saying he could inspire people like her charismatic father did. Mr Obama of Illinois would be the nation's first black president. He already is riding a crest of momentum with the win in South Carolina after losses to Clinton in New Hampshire and Nevada but the race is far from over.
The powerful, high-profile endorsement came at a rally in Washington, where both Obama and his main rival Hillary Clinton diverted today to attend President George W. Bush's last State of the Union address.
Senator Edward Kennedy, John F Kennedy's younger brother, appeared to criticise the Clinton campaign and their message of experience over change in his speech in which he backed Obama.
"He will be a president who refuses to be trapped in the patterns of the past," senator Kennedy claimed, echoing similar comments made by Caroline Kennedy, the former president's daughter, on Sunday.
Mr Kennedy said Mr Obama had "lit a spark of hope amid the fierce urgency of now" and added: "I know he's ready to be president on day one."
"What counts in our leadership is not the length of years in Washington, but the reach of our vision, the strength of our beliefs, and that rare quality of mind and spirit that can call forth the best in our country and our people," added Kennedy.
Thanking the Kennedys, Mr Obama said: "I stand here today with a great deal of humility. I know what your support means.
"I know the cherished place the Kennedy family holds in the hearts of the American people and that is as it should be because the Kennedy family more than any other has always stood for what's best about the Democratic party and what's best about America.
"They stood by the idea that each of us can make a difference."
He added that he wanted to "focus on lifting the country up, rather than tearing the opponents down" and said the race to his party's nomination, and to the White House, was about "the past versus the future".
Republican presidential contenders, meanwhile, crisscrossed Florida where a new Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll showed Senator McCain of Arizona opening a narrow lead - 33 per cent to 30 per cent - over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ahead of the state's primary tomorrow.
Mr McCain picked up 3 percentage points after obtaining the endorsement of Florida governor Charlie Crist. The poll had a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
Mr McCain and Mr Romney split the last three nominating contests as Republicans and Democrats battle to represent their parties in November's presidential election. The winner will succeed Bush, whose second term ends in next January.
McCain won in South Carolina and Romney in Michigan and Nevada. The winner in Florida will gain valuable momentum heading into the February 5th "Super Tuesday" voting, when more than 20 states will have nominating contests.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani are battling for a distant third.
PA