Casey Endorses Obama at Oakland rally

At a rally in Oakland Friday morning Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey endorsed Sen. Barack Obama… At a rally in Oakland Friday morning Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Casey called Obama “a man of intellect and integrity” and commented on the Illinois senator’s ability to remain calm under pressure.

“Barack Obama can heal us and help rebuild America,” Casey said. “He has the kind of judgment that is steady in the eye of a storm.”

Casey’s announcement at the Soldiers ‘ Sailors Memorial kicked off Obama’s Pennsylvania bus tour, which will crisscross the state in the weeks leading up to its April 22 primary election.

Gov. Ed Rendell, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and most of Pennsylvania’s Democratic establishment has endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton for president.

Obama said that he appreciated Casey’s support because it “comes from the heart.”

“I did not press him on this issue,” Obama said. “It would have been easy for him to not endorse me, but he called me up and said, ‘It’s the right thing to do.'”

This is Obama’s second major endorsement in as many weeks. New Mexico governor and former Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson endorsed Obama at an event in Portland, Ore., last Friday.

Assistant News Editor Leigh Remizonwski contributed to this report