In a letter to MoveOn members, the rising Democratic Party star praised the one-time night-rider as a man of principle:

"In 2006, Senator Byrd will be the target of Republicans because he stands up for what he believes," Obama insisted. "Will you join me in supporting Senator Byrd's campaign for re-election?"

The leading black Democrat's endorsement was a big hit for the former white supremacist, with West Virginia's Charleston Gazette reporting:

"Nearly $823,000 poured in within 48 hours after Illinois Sen. Barack Obama sent out a fundraising letter through MoveOn.org on March 29 asking people to contribute to Byrd's campaign."

Obama has apparently even stumped for the N-word-using Democrat in Byrd's home state, with West Virginia's Charleston Daily Mail reporting:

"West Virginians know why Democrats brought in [Obama] to raise money for Byrd's bid for a ninth term.

"Byrd is acting scared. [Republican pollsters] did a telephone poll of 500 likely voters on March 15-16 and found Republican Congresswoman Shelley Capito is within 10 points of Byrd."

If the African-American trailblazer has any qualms about endorsing the man who filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act and who disdainfully referred to blacks as "the darkest specimens of the wilds," he's keeping them to himself.

NewsMax.com's call to Sen. Obama's press office on Tuesday asking why he was campaigning for the one-time Klansman was not returned.

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