Obama's recent endorsement by Governor Bill Richardson (a former Clinton cabinet member) is pretty big news, and deservedly so. Hopefully Richardson will trigger a domino effect of other prominent Democrats breaking for Obama, making it increasingly clear that Hillary's prospects heading into the convention are bleak.

But I am just as intrigued by the Obama endorsement I just read from Douglas Kmiec, the former Assistant Attorney General to Reagan and Bush v1.

Kmiec, now a Constitutional Law Professor, is a staunch Republican. But he had this to say as to why he would break with his own party towards Obama:

Today I endorse Barack Obama for president of the United States. I believe him to be a person of integrity, intelligence and genuine good will. I take him at his word that he wants to move the nation beyond its religious and racial divides and to return United States to that company of nations committed to human rights. ...

As a Republican, I strongly wish ... [long list of core Republican issues]

In various ways, Senator Barack Obama and I may disagree on aspects of these important fundamentals, but I am convinced based upon his public pronouncements and his personal writing that on each of these questions he is not closed to understanding opposing points of view, and as best as it is humanly possible, he will respect and accommodate them.

No doubt some of my friends will see this as a matter of party or intellectual treachery. I regret that and I respect their disagreement. But they will readily agree that as Republicans, we are first Americans. As Americans, we must voice our concerns for the well-being of our nation without partisanship when decisions that have been made endanger the body politic.

His full endorsement is well reasoned, and worth reading.

I have immense respect for people (of either party) who are willing to look beyond blind loyalty or personal gain, and who are willing to take a stand for what really matters to them.

Thank you Governor Richardson and Professor Kmiec for sticking your necks out. It is needed, and appreciated.