At Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus, California first lady Maria Shriver appeared alongside media mogul Oprah Winfrey to give a surprise endorsement of Obama, whipping the crowd of 6,500 into a near frenzy.
The rally for the Illinois senator, aimed squarely at female voters, also starred singer Stevie Wonder, Shriver’s cousin Caroline Kennedy – daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy – and the candidate’s wife, Michelle Obama.
“Every part of me believes in the empowerment of women, but the truth is, I’m a free woman,” said Winfrey as a sea of students stomped their feet and waved blue “Obama” signs. “And being free means you get to think for yourself.”
The endorsement by Shriver – a member of the Kennedy clan whose husband, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has endorsed GOP candidate John McCain – came as a surprise even to the Obama campaign, said spokeswoman Debbie Mesloh.
“Think about it,” Shriver told the crowd. “If Barack Obama were a state, he’d be California. Diverse. Open. Smart. Bucks tradition. Inspiring. Dreamer. Leader.”
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Go Obama