The endorsement of Obama by a bipartisan group of Joe Kennedy's successors - Arthur Levitt, David Ruder and William Donaldson - may help him as much in a general election campaign as the one from Edwards. In their statement, the SEC chiefs praised Obama for his support of "balanced regulatory reform."
"We believe Senator Obama can provide the positive leadership and judgment needed to take us to a stronger and more secure economic future," the three men said in their statement, which for good measure was also signed by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, who endorsed Obama in January and has been an adviser since then.