"April 19 (Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama is gaining support from Democratic establishment figures after a week of repeated attacks from his Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton.

Former Senators Sam Nunn and David Boren, two of the most prominent members of the party's conservative wing, endorsed Obama yesterday. Robert Reich, labor secretary under former President Bill Clinton and a longtime friend of the couple, also threw his support behind the Illinois senator, saying he was ``appalled'' by ``mean-spirited'' attacks.

Obama's remarks earlier this month that some Americans in communities hit by job losses had ``gotten bitter and cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them'' ignited criticism from Clinton's campaign, which called him ``elitist.'' Even after those attacks, Obama, 46, won the backing of several superdelegates, the lawmakers and party officials who vote at the national convention.

Local party officials who moved this week to Obama are ``like the canary in the coal mine for the Clinton campaign,'' said Steve McMahon, a Democratic strategist unaligned with either campaign. ``What they're saying reflects what a lot of people are thinking but not yet saying.''

Reggie Whitten, an attorney and superdelegate from Oklahoma, announced his support for Obama on April 17. He said he ``could have waited a while'' to endorse the Illinois senator, yet it wasn't ``fair'' for Clinton to focus on ``that one comment out of context.''

`Tired of Negativity'

``The American people are tired of the negativity, I think they're tired of fighting among the party and I think its time for the party to unite,'' Whitten said. ``I hope that my coming out will be one tiny little thing that will push in that direction.''

Nancy Larson, a DNC member from rural Minnesota, said Clinton's ``bothersome'' response contributed to her April 13 endorsement of Obama.

Today, the Obama campaign said that Steve Achelpohl, the Nebraska Democratic Party chairman, was backing Obama. Achelpohl told the Lincoln Journal Star that people could rally behind Obama's ``positive campaign.''

The seven superdelegates who endorsed Obama this week also include three members of Congress and one city council member from the District of Columbia."

(Bloomberg.com)