Edward I. Koch is supporting Obama

This city's infamously independent-minded former mayor, Edward I. Koch, today said he was supporting Barack Obama for president and would be out campaigning for the Democratic ticket, most likely in key swing states.Koch said that while both Obama and McCain understand the need to support Israel and oppose Islamic terrorism, he concluded, "the country is safer in the hands of Barack Obama." Koch, in a statement, said protecting the United States also means "defending the public with respect to their civil rights, civil liberties and other needs," including gay rights and abortion rights.In a telephone interview, Koch made clear that one reason for his support for his Obama was the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket. "She scares the hell out of me," Koch said. "She wanted to censor books at the local library" in Wasilla, Alaska, where she was mayor, Koch said. Palin asked the librarian who refused the censorship request to resign but later relented and the librarian kept her job.Koch said he didn't believe McCain knew Palin very well when he selected her, and he debunked the idea that followers of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) might switch their allegiance to McCain with Palin on the ticket. "There won't be any Hillary voters supporting her. She will energize the Evangelicals," he said.