Clintonistas Abandoning Hillary

A number of Clinton administration officials have shunned Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the presidency and are instead working with her rivals for the Democratic nomination in 2008.

Among the highest-ranking defectors, former Commerce Secretary William Daley is backing Sen. Barack Obama; top Clinton political aide Douglas Sosnik is advising Sen. Christopher Dodd; and Al Gore’s former Chief of Staff Ronald Klain is in the camp of Sen. Joe Biden, The New York Sun reports.

Former White House counsel Abner Mikva is also backing Obama.

“I knew Obama before I went to the White House,” Mikva told the Sun. “I have a high regard for Hillary. I think Barack will be a better candidate and has a better chance of winning.”

Other former Clinton administration officials in the Obama camp include Michael Froman, a former Treasury Department official; White House congressional liaison Broderick Johnson; former Treasury aide Karen Kornbluh; ex-White House health policy aide Devorah Adler; Anthony Lake, who was a national security adviser to President Clinton; and Susan Rice, a former White House adviser on Africa policy.

Ex-Clinton administration figures who are working for John Edwards’ presidential campaign include Clinton speechwriter Jonathan Prince, White House spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri, and National Security Council staffer Miles Lackey.

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack also has some former Clinton talent on his staff.

Hillary spokesman Howard Wolfson downplayed the loss of former Clinton loyalists, telling the Sun: “We are very pleased with the overwhelming support and encouragement Sen. Clinton has gotten from administration alums.”

Asked about the defectors, Wolfson said: “All good folks and we wish them well.”