Coleman set to support Obama
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman says he will switch allegiances and support Sen. Barack Obama in his bid for the presidency.
Obama is speaking tonight in downtown St. Paul.
Coleman has been a strong supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, but the mayor said he will change course now that it's clear Obama will become the Democratic nominee.
"I have the utmost respect for Sen. Clinton. I think she'd be a tremendous president and was very hopeful and worked very hard on her campaign," Coleman said. "But at the end of the day, this isn't about either Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama. It's about new leadership in the White House that will lead the country in a different direction."
Coleman said it was important for him to stand behind Clinton until the primaries ran their course and all the votes were counted.
The Associated Press is reporting that Obama has enough delegate counts to seize the nomination Tuesday.
Coleman says he will attend the Obama rally tonight at the Xcel Energy Center, but has no plans to speak.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.