May 9, 2008 7:00 pm US/Central
Michelle Obama, Ex-Spy Plame Attend Chicago Event
Plame Supports Clinton, But Says She Will Back Candidate Who Wins Nomination
(AP)
What do an ex-spy who's backing Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama's wife have in common? Apparently a couple things.
"Both of us know a lot about having our lives suddenly turned upside down from private to public in no time," said Valerie Plame, the former CIA operative whose identity was leaked, sparking a federal probe that eventually toppled Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff.
Both Plame and Michelle Obama were in Chicago Friday to separately headline Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's big annual fundraiser dubbed the "ultimate women's power lunch."
Obama got a rousing hometown welcome from the audience of 1,800, giving them a peek into how her family is holding up during a campaign that continues on despite some pressure on Clinton to abandon her bid.
"As Barack has said, this has been such a long campaign season that there are babies who weren't born when he announced that are now walking and talking," Obama said.
Obama said she's proud of how her husband has handled himself "with dignity and with strength and with grace."
The Illinois senator's push for his party's nomination has not been without its bumps. Most recently he has had to weather controversy over incendiary comments made by his former pastor. Clinton has continued to insist she would be the stronger candidate against Republican John McCain in the fall, even though Obama leads her in delegates.
Schakowsky, an Obama supporter, said the decision facing Clinton now is how to exit the race.
"But I think it is time now, or soon, whenever she feels is the right time," the Illinois Democrat said.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an ardent Obama supporter who attended the Schakowsky event, said he's not concerned Clinton backers will abandon Obama because of any lingering bad feelings over a hard-fought primary.
"We've been through a battle, and there's scars but, you know, at the end of the day ... the cold reality is we either continue the Bush legacy or we turn the page to a much better chapter of American history," Durbin said.
Even Plame, who says she is a Clinton supporter, is ready to back whomever is the eventual nominee.
"She has the heart and the backbone for this job, there's no doubt about that. And I think she has made Senator Obama a much better candidate," Plame told reporters at the event.
Plame said she got to meet with Michelle Obama before the luncheon. Besides being cast in the spotlight, the two also share that they are raising young children.
Lois Solomon of Wilmette said she has some trepidation about the effect of the bruising Democratic primary. But, she says she believes Democrats will patch things up and unite around their candidate in November.
"I'm a little worried, but I can't believe anyone who's a Democrat would vote for McCain," she said.
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