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Obama Endorsed By Former Bill Clinton Cabinet Secretary
Barack Obama's campaign announced today that he's received the endorsement of Federico Pena, a former mayor of Denver who served as Secretary of Energy in Bill Clinton's White House. The endorsement looks like a decent get for Obama, being from a Western-state Latino who worked in the Clinton Cabinet.
"For me, judgment and wisdom are far more important than experience," Pena told reporters in a conference call — obviously contrasting Obama's lack of experience with Hillary Clinton's vote for the Iraq War, a frequent Obama campaign theme. "But frankly, I like the experience that Senator Obama has."
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Unless I'm recalling incorrectly, Pena was Transportation Secretary in the first term of the Clinton administration. You may be confusing him with the better-known Hispanic in Clinton's second term cabinet who did serve as Energy secretary and is now, I think, out interviewing for jobs in Iowa.
September 7, 2007 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just back from Obama's SF fundraiser - 2,000+ probably the best political stump speech I have ever heard in oh...45 years. A women for Obama event with a few hundred on the floor, thousands in the cheap seats.
Barack Obama is amazing.
Toward the end of the speech, just after going through his injunction to work for things that aren't easy to achieve, he quiets crowd down with a story about Greenwood SC
Was at a dinner with SC politicians and sitting next to a state legislator. Wanted her endorsement "I'll endorse you if you go to Greenwood"
"I must have had a glass of wine so I said 'sure'."
Next time in the state, "I drag into the hotel about 11 and my staff tells me to get up at 5:30. 'You promised to go to Greenwood'"
"Well Greenwood is about an hour and a half from everywhere else and I get up at 5;30 my back is hurting. I look out the window and it is pouring down rain. I go downstairs and my staff hands me the papers and one has a not too kind article on the front page. Nobody dare talk to me. I am looking mean"
Gets to Greenwood "About 20 people there looking very damp. So I go through the line "how are you? what do you do?" when all of a sudden there's this big voice behind us..everyone looks around
"FIRED UP! READY TO GO!"
A little 5'2" city councilwoman known for her chants keeps it goin "FIRED UP READY TO GO!" and the crowd responds.
"This went on for five minutes and you know what? I was fired up and I was ready to go!"
"So what about San Francisco........."
The end
Remember John Kerry? Remember Al Gore?
If BarackObama.com doesn't post a video, some head shed heads should roll
September 7, 2007 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Transportation 93-97, then Energy 97-98, succeeded by Richardson.
September 7, 2007 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is very courageous of Federico Pena to follow his heart and endorse Obama, risking the wrath of the Clintons and The Hillary Machine. Maybe his example will inspire others to follow his lead and put the nation first, ahead of political debts, paybacks, and misplaced loyalty to the past.
September 7, 2007 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things I really like about Sen Obama. And I think he gives magnificent, inspiring speeches.
Here's what worries me. I'm old enough that I remember the Bay of Pigs when it happened. I thought then, and still do, that part of the reason JFK got into that had to do with a lack of experience of being in charge.
With Sen Obama having even less experience in dealing with not only foreign governments but also our military, I worry we could again get into something we couldn't get out of too easily.
September 7, 2007 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glad you raised the experience red herring cause I've beenn working on a list....
Seems to me that the argument that Obama lacks experience - regardless of what you make of it on its face (not much) - implicitly accepts the premise that his opponents with their Washington resumes somehow have experience worthy of note if not emulation...
Let's take Hillary Clinton.
1. Sponsored the Great Health Care Debacle of 1993 wherein she squandered the first opportunity for major health care reform in 45 years.
2. Co-sponsor the GOP takeover of Congress 1994-2006
3. Co-sponsor the Greatest Strategic Disaster in US history 2002 to 2006 when, according to her adviser, Madeline Albright, Ms. Clinton woke up to the fact that she could no longer trust George Bush
4. Now we have more money laundering...Lincoln Bedroom hostess 1993-2001
What experience?
Help us here
September 7, 2007 10:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Today's speech was his basic stump speech with a few try outs of applause lines. As I said, I can't remember a better political stump speech. Heard my share in 45+ years
Local TV described the crowd as "rocking". Fair.
Obama Targets Clinton
Democratic candidate jabs his rival on health care during "Women for Obama" event in SF
September 7, 2007 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
WAY too little... WAY too late...
http://data.intrade.com/graphing/jsp/closingPricesForm.jsp?contractId=177448&trade
September 7, 2007 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink