I'm rarely a fan of the "endorsement game" that seems to play out in so many campaigns. Most of the time, the effects are minimal unless you get someone who is willing to expend some energy (and has some real pull) beyond just giving a public blessing.
Sen. Obama has just come out with a couple of senatorial endorsements, including Sen. Kerry and Sen. Johnson. People are waiting to see what Al Gore does, and some of the senators who dropped out of the presidential comment (Biden, Dodd) will be interesting.
I just saw a report that Sen. Clinton's people are working hard to get Sen. Kennedy's endorsement. And, she should. But not just because of his (and his late brother's) iconic status - which will help in the primaries while giving right-wing knee-jerks something to blather about.
But, because Democrats who could see themselves voting for any of the three remaining Senator/candidates in the upcoming primaries need to be assured that Sen. Clinton has impressed - and made friendly connections with - some of her Democratic colleagues during her 7 years there. The "likability" issue has been overblown, IMO, but if all Dem Senators endorse Sen. Obama (or even Sen. Edwards), then pundits will not be able to overplay it. And, Democratic voters will send Sen. Clinton home.
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Hillary should get endorsements from the freshmen group of centrists, as well as the other centrists that have survived the two party purge of centrists. Let the old guard endorse who ever they want, but an endorsement of Hillary by Kennedy would indeed be personal, and an endorsement of either Obama or Edwards would make more sense.
Short of voting out the old guard, we will have to wait for this turnover to take place at a glacier pace (a glacier pace is faster today than it used to be). The advantage in electing Hillary in the executive role is the reduction in wedge issues that Congress finds so attractive when the extreme voter claims a mandate for their issues.