Obama advisor David Axelrod endorses Patrick Murphy for AG

David Axelrod, President Obama's chief campaign strategist, endorsed former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Bucks County today in the April 24 Democratic primary election for state Attorney General.  As we reported 10 days ago, it was pretty clear that Murphy was hoping for some support from Obama's camp and maybe even a pre-primary visit from the president.

That's not going to happen, Axelrod said while noting that Obama and Murphy have strong political and governmental ties.  Obama endorsed Murphy early in his first run for Congress in 2006.  Murphy was an early Pennsylvania endorsement for Obama's presidential bid.  In Congress, Murphy worked with Obama to scale down the Iraq war and to end the military's Don't-ask-Don't-tell policy.

"I don't think Barack Obama has had a better friend in politics or in government," Axelrod said at a Murphy campaign event at the Center City law firm Berger & Montague. "Patrick was with us early and that was really meaningful to us. But also in the Congress he was a go-to guy for us, as young and as junior as he was in terms of seniority there."

Former Lackawanna County assistant district attorney Kathleen Kane, Murphy's primary opponent, was endorsed two weeks ago by former President Bill Clinton.  She served as then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's volunteer coordinator in Northeaster Pennsylvania in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary election.

Axelrod pitched his support as a "purely positive endorsement' for Murphy and said Kane's efforts for Clinton were not a motivating factor.  He took two clear shots though at Kane, noting that she doesn't have much statewide name recognition and is trying to address that with a heavy rotation of campaign ads on television being paid for by a $2 million loan she and her husband gave her campaign.

"I'm sure to many she's a character in a television ad," Axelrod said. "It's always easier when fund-raising consists of a family meeting. It's harder when you have to do it on a broad base."