Castleberry Hillary

CLINTON NABS LEWIS ENDORSEMENT AT PASCHAL’S: “I promise you eight years of shrill, robotic competence.”

(photo by Joeff Davis)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton stopped by Paschal’s restaurant in Castleberry Hill last Friday to pick up an important to-go order – the endorsement of 11-term incumbent and Civil Rights Movement hero Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. It’s not on the menu. I checked.

Lewis’ endorsement is a big blow to Sen. Barack Obama who, based on his frequent visits to and impressive fundraising in Atlanta, was likely counting on the city’s black political establishment to back him. According to reports, Obama lobbied hard for Lewis’ endorsement. If Clinton wins the Democratic primary here next year, consider last Friday’s endorsement one of the turning points in her campaign. If she doesn’t, I’ll go in Creative Loafing’s archives and erase all record of this and the previous sentence.

In addition to Lewis’ endorsement, Clinton also picked up a side order during her Georgia visit – the endorsement of Lewis’ congressional colleague Rep. David Scott.

Perhaps because he’s less popular, and was recently called one of the most corrupt members of Congress by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Scott’s endorsement got less attention.