Chris Dodd endorses Obama

Senator seeks party unity.

Senator Chris Dodd, a former rival, superdelegate, and longtime friend of the Clintons, endorsed Barack Obama today. At a Cleveland press conference with Obama, Dodd denied he was implying that Hillary Clinton should drop out, and was merely suggesting that both campaigns watch their tone over the next week leading up to the critical Ohio and Texas contests. Dodd had informed Clinton of his decision last evening, calling it "not a comfortable" discussion.

"It is now the hour to come together," he told reporters in Cleveland. "I believe the hour has come now for us to make that choice - to stand up and say we're going to get behind this candidacy."

"I don't want a campaign that is only divisive here, and there's a danger of it becoming that," he said. "Not because the candidates want that, but too often the advisors the consultants others are seeking for that divisiveness."