OBAMA BITS

Surge results in virtual tie with Hillary in California; Ted Kennedy's earlier 'endorsement'; Oprah's girl Angelou backs rival Clinton; celebs film video for 'Yes We Can' song.




Support for Barack Obama has surged over the last few days in California and has catapulted the Illinois senator into a virtual tie with Hillary Rodham Clinton in California's Democratic presidential primary according to a Field Poll released Saturday. The surge comes in the wake of the Los Angeles Times editorial board endorsing Obama in this year's presidential primary election. Equally significant is the endorsement of La Opinion, the largest Spanish language newspaper in the United States.


*It appears as if Ted Kennedy was supporting Barack Obama long before his official endorsement for president was announced last week. According to the New York Post's Page Six, insiders at Marie Claire said Kennedy offered his suite in the Russell Senate Building to be used for the magazine's Obama photo shoot in 2006. One source said, "It was Barack's first fashion shoot and he was worried his office wasn't grand enough. When Ted heard that, he graciously offered up his own suite."


*Page Six is also claiming that Oprah Winfrey is "annoyed" with her mentor and good friend Maya Angelou because the poet has chosen to endorse Hillary Clinton instead of Obama, whom Oprah has backed from day one.


*Dipdive.com debuted a celeb-drenched music video to the "Yes We Can" song, which features stars such as Will.I.Am, Scarlett Johansson, Common and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reciting clips from Sen. Barack Obama’s speech following the New Hampshire primary. Other stars appearing in the video include John Legend, Tatyana Ali, Kate Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon. Will.I.Am stated: “I’m blown away by how many people wanted to come and be a part of it in a short amount of time. It was all out of love and hope for change and really representing America and looking at the world." Scroll down to view video.