R. Bruce Thompson II said he's behind presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama all the way.
But when candidate names go into nomination later this week, Thompson plans to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton.
“It’s a tribute. It’s a symbolic vote. I was sent here on behalf of folks who voted for her in North Carolina. I feel an obligation to do that," said Thompson, a Raleigh lawyer and lobbyist.
Clinton is meeting with her delegates Wednesday, and Thompson says his plans could change depending on what she tells them.
He was an early Clinton supporter, putting him at odds with a lot of his friends who were then backing John Edwards.
Thompson helped Clinton raise money and was with the Clintons when they campaigned in North Carolina. Clinton’s campaign made a deep impression on his 8-year-old daughter Grace Battle, who got to meet the senator from New York.
Even with that history, Thompson says he’s ready to work for Obama.
Thompson said he invited Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter to talk to North Carolina delegates at breakfast this morning, and Halter “gave a rousing speech on how we need to unite behind Barack Obama.”
Thompson, 41, is attending his first convention as a delegate. The buzz is that Sen. Ted Kennedy, who recently was diagnosed with a brain tumor, may speak at the convention tonight.
