NEW ORLEANS -- ACORN’s Political Action Committee, ACORN Votes, announced Feb. 21 that it had endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for President. ACORN PAC’s representatives went through an extensive process of interviewing each of the major Democratic candidates. ACORN is a national anti-poverty organization which has hundreds of thousands of members in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in 104 cities.

"ACORN’s members have deep appreciation and respect for Senators Clinton and Edwards and their work on behalf of our communities. What it came down to was that Senator Obama is the candidate who best understands and can effect change on the issues ACORN cares about like stopping foreclosures, enacting fair and comprehensive immigration reform, and building stronger and safer communities across America,” said ACORN Votes moderator, Maude Hurd.

Alicia Russell of Arizona, western representative for ACORN Vote, said Obama relates to the issues facing low- and moderate-income people. “I think he will commit himself to providing us the necessary path for the low-income and moderate-income families to improve their lives,” Russell said. “He’s on the same level as we are, and sees our issues as we do.”

ACORN Votes is a separate committee through which ACORN members engage in political action.