(CNN) - On the same day Democratic leaders stressed party unity after the drawn out primary fight, one congressional Democrat said Tuesday he will not endorse Barack Obama's bid for the White House.
Rep. Dan Boren, Oklahoma's lone Democrat in Congress, told the Associated Press Obama is "the most liberal senator," and said he has to listen to the wishes of his own constituents.
"We're much more conservative," Boren said of his rural district which stretches across the eastern part of the state and borders Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas.
"I've got to reflect my district. No one means more to me than the people who elected me. I have to listen to them," Boren added. His congressional office confirmed the accuracy of the quotes to CNN.
Boren also said Obama's record "does not reflect working in a bipartisan fashion." But the Oklahoma Democrat said he would vote for Obama at the party's convention in August because of the serious issues the country faces.
"I think this is an important time for our country," he said. "We're facing a terrible economic downturn. We have high gasoline prices. We have problems in our foreign policy. That's why I think it's important."
Watch: McCain and Obama go on the attack
Boren's comments come a day after Florida Democratic Rep. Tim Mahoney also said he has no plans to make a formal endorsement. The freshman Democrat, who replaced Republican Rep. Mark Foley following House page scandal, told the Palm Beach Post he plans on remaining an uncommitted superdelegate and may not even attend the convention.
From CNN Politics
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I agree with Represenative Boren. I would like to add something.
Why is everyone so afraid of Obama? God has not given us a spirit of fear! Stop allowing the media to keep you in fear, about everything(economy,gas,food, etc..) If you're a Christian, and you say you trust God. Know he will provide for you no matter the circumstances.
Well, then, the next time Mr. Boren crosses a veteran coming back from Iraq from a third or fourth tour of duty (as my husband is), missing limbs, with PTSD or, worse, dead, then I hope he'll feel just as good about his choice.
At last, a Democrat with integrity
He should vote for him because John McCain is George Bush and George Bush was the worst mistake the American people made recent years.
If McCain has direction for this country, please encourage someone to write it down so that he won't forget it tomorrow.
A nice balance to Chuck Hagel not wanting to endorse McCain.
If their constituents were liberal enough to vote them into office I'm sure they're liberal enough to recognize that Obama is a better choice than McCain during this particular presidential election. To never actually formally endorse him is one thing, but to make an issue of the point with the press like this is another.
Another uneducated, white, white collared nobody spitting out garbage.
This probably won't be the first. Democrats won 2006 by putting forth "bluedog" candidates in light of out of control Republican spending. If those bluedogs are genuine, they won't vote for the candidate proposing gigantic spending increases and tax increases, they will vote for the candidate who is against pork spending and other wasteful spending. We will now see where they really stand ideologically.
Finally, someone who makes sense.
I just looked him up and he might as well be a Republican. He supports the war in Iraq, he voted for the energy bill that benefits oil companies, and he's in the board of directors of the NRA. Need i say more????
He won't endorse Obama because he respects the wishes of his constituents....yet he will vote for him as a SD at the convention. What's the difference sir.....you are still supporting him. Don't you think the people of your district already know you're playing both sides.
Finally someone in the party has the guts to think for himself. The rest are following behind a man who did not win the popular vote. He has a huge problem with some very important bases of the party and his voting record reflects his liberal ideas. If the party does not wake up soon, we are going to have 4 more years of Bush just because the liberal fanatics took over our party and tried to force their guy on the rest of us. The party need Hillary to save it as VP.
finally a voice of reason in a wilderness of fanatical lunatics. this is why i wont vote for obama, the uber liberal senator does not represent me or my beliefs.
I find it odd that after 8 years of ultra right wing Bush and his followers running the country, so called conservatives can still find the audacity to warn of what would happen under left wing liberals.
If I recall, Bill Clinton was considered a left wing liberal and the country wasn't doing so bad under his lead. I know I had A LOT more money in my pocket an the end of the month than I do now, and I believe most can say the same.
Sure family values were out the window, but the man knew how to run a country, for the most part. Mistakes were made, no doubt, but not even close to the catastrophe of Bush.
With Obama, you get the intelligence and charisma of Clinton and the family values and 'normal guy' appeal of Bush. Plus, he's HONEST, which is a BIG change this country would benefit from, as neither Clinton OR Bush are honest people.
Obama's oratory skills is the cherry.
You conservatives should NOT be complaining about Obama.
Get out of the party. You don't belong in congress. Your another Joe. Go with the war monger..
Code for "my district is too racist for me to support a black man for president and expect to be reelected." What a putz.
Deb -
Obama will take this country in an opposite direction of the failed Bush administration. This congressman didn't say he was voting for McCain, he just said he wasn't "endorsing" Obama. It's people like you who pick and choose what they want out of an article, but blindly miss the points. Boren in fact said he would vote for Obama, so this is really a non-news story. He is simply pandering to his constituents so he can get re-elected when the time comes.
deb in az, do you truly believe that Obama doesn't know where he's going to take this country when he becomes President? You have to be kidding, right?
We KNOW where McCain will take us–10 more years in Iraq while our country goes broke.
You're living in a fantasy world. Get real.
Dan Boren is a disgrace to his father's legacy.
It's his choice I don't agree with labels. All people are both liberal and consertative if they really think about it. It goes to how we make decision in our every day life. If you're flexable with your children then guess what you're liberal, if you make concessions then guess what you are liberal, if you change your mind about a perticular decision then guess what, again you are liberal. No more than a pro choice person believe in abortions. It is respecting one's right too make a conscious deision based on what they believe. What was Jesus be neither just a person who cared about the poor, hungry and went about doing the will of the father.
Wow, an honest politician!
If they were all like him - working for the people instead of furthering themselves - then Hillary would have had the delegates!
So let me get this straight... he won't endorse him even though Obama won in Oklahoma. BUT he will vote for him at the convention.
"But the Oklahoma Democrat said he would vote for Obama at the party's convention in August because of the serious issues the country faces."
Makes no sense. Either way...
Obama 08
Oh – Deb – he's (the non-endorser of the dem) a Dem – I think McCain is a republican – get a brain !!!!!
Different party – different convention.
Geez – bet you are blond.
most of today's 'conservatives' are actually libertarians.
but you don't see that in the press.
because then the rich people would, politically, be all alone.