To endorse, or not: It's tricky

News accounts say Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s endorsement Monday of Sen. Barack Obama compared Obama to former vice president Hubert H. Humphrey. But the Obama campaign’s news release of her endorsement didn’t seem to include that reference.

According to the AP, she said: “The Democratic Party is blessed this year with two candidates with many excellent leadership qualities, and I believe either of them would be very good presidents... I am endorsing Barack Obama today, because he has inspired an enthusiasm and idealism that we have not seen in this country in a long time... Minnesota’s own Hubert Humphrey once talked about his vision for the politics of happiness, the politics of purpose and the politics of joy. That is what we have in Barack Obama.”

Uh, did Klobuchar forget that Humphrey lost to Richard Nixon in 1968? Uh oh, those endorsements can be tricky.

On the other hand, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal (pronounced FREE’-den-thawl) – also one of those pesky superdelegates – said he today he too was supporting Barack Obama for president. Former President Bill Clinton named Freudenthal U.S. attorney for Wyoming in 1994, and he held that job until 2001.

Freudenthal said Obama struck him as “incredibly smart” and someone who gave honest answers instead of scripted responses. He also said he was impressed by the large, enthusiastic crowds that turned out when Obama visited Wyoming ahead of the state’s caucuses last month. Ah, now that’s the way to do an endorsement. Good senator, take notes.

What do you think? Do endorsements even matter?