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News > January 15, 2004

Braun Drops Out, Endorses Dean

By Cynthia Moothart

Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois today ended her bid for president and endorsed Howard Dean at a campaign stop in Iowa just days before the caucuses there. She joins Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and other former presidential hopefuls Al Gore, Bill Bradley and the late Paul Simon in backing the former Vermont governor.

Braun, the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, struggled throughout her campaign to raise money and build an organization. Despite an endorsement by the National Organization of Women, she failed to gain traction in early balloting states and was the only candidate not to buy advertising.

She is the second casualty in the Democratic presidential primary: Sen. Bob Graham of Florida pulled out of the race in early October citing failures to gain momentum or raise cash.

Braun didn’t mention her decision to leave the race in a Wednesday night appearance on Comedy Central’s “Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” but sources indicate that she has been evaluating the state of her campaign for weeks. During Sunday’s MSNBC candidate forum devoted to minority issues, she defended Dean and criticized civil rights activist Al Sharpton for his attacks. Braun and Dean met privately in Des Moines after the debate and she reportedly told the former governor that she was considering dropping out and supporting him.

According to published reports, the presidential run was beginning to create a financial burden on Braun, and year-end financial reports, due at the end of the month, are expected to show her campaign in the red.

It’s unclear what Braun’s endorsement will mean to Monday’s Iowa caucuses; her support in the state was so minimal that she failed to register in a poll of major candidates last week. But the move could have a positive impact on her public life—particularly if Dean is the eventual nominee. After being ousted from the Senate in 1998 by Republican Peter Fitzgerald, Braun spent two years as ambassador to New Zealand under the Clinton administration.



Most recently she taught law and political science at Morris Brown College and DePaul University.
Cynthia Moothart is managing editor for content at In These Times.

More information about Cynthia Moothart

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  • Reader Comments

    Good for Braun!  She’s no fool. She knew when to back down and back a winner!  Of course, when and if the Democratic candidates diband their circular firing squad, there may be a chance to defeat the Dictator and his PNAC puppeteers. Of course, that can only happen if people get the information they need to make informed decisions. And that won’t happen if they rely on the corporate media for a clue about what is really happening in this disintegrating nation.  Get your news from the alternative Internet news services.  Then spread the word.  One of the best for free daily headlines and links to all the real news:  http://tvnewslies.org

    Keep these sites alive. They’re profit free. Donate. Get the free premium gifts that support truth.  There’s so little time left.

    Posted by Reg on Jan 15, 2004 at 9:06 PM

    Braun is working as a “consultant” on the Dean campaign making 20 grand a month.

    Posted by brad on Jan 17, 2004 at 9:17 PM

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