Today, The Hill reported on how vulnerable Senate Democrats’ feelings toward Obama have evolved since their last election in 2008. Discussing Mark Pryor (D-AR), The Hill wrote that Pryor was “very comfortable” with Obama.
Pryor backed Hillary Clinton over Obama in the 2008 presidential primary. Pressed back then on whether he would back Obama in the general election, Pryor said he would and that he was “very comfortable with him.”
Actually, Pryor wasn’t just “very comfortable” with Obama, he thought Obama was destined to lead the country.
First, Pryor told Arkansas delegates to the 2008 DNC Convention that Obama “is exactly the right guy for this moment in history.”
PRYOR: “All Barack wanted to talk about is his little girls. He is a very rounded person. He is someone you would think what he’s been through in the last four or five years that has a big ego, has a big head, not at all. You know, he’s the kind of guy that is exactly the right guy for this moment in history.”
Pryor followed up that comment by saying “there is a destiny about Barack Obama. I think there is a destiny about him.”
PRYOR: “Obama’s done several things throughout this campaign that are very unorthodox. And that, by the way, that scares Republicans, but he has done several things that are very unorthodox, and he’s been able to pull it together. My sense is there is a destiny about Barack Obama. I think there is a destiny about him.”
Now that Pryor is up for reelection there is no doubt that he is trying to distance himself from Obama, but voters shouldn’t forget that in 2008 Pryor was Obama’s biggest Arkansas supporter.