Clinton Racks Up Big Endorsements

The Las Vegas Sun endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton yesterday, calling her "the right choice".  Here is some of what they had to say:

"The American people naturally are demanding change, and the 2006 election was the first evidence of this, as Democrats regained control of both houses of Congress. But the Democrats hold a majority too slim to override vetoes, and Bush and Senate Republicans have obstructed Democratic legislation.

Obama has been in the Senate for just three years, so the question is whether he is the most experienced Democratic candidate to immediately assume the presidency on Jan. 20, 2009. Although Obama is likable, so was the inexperienced George W. Bush before he became president -- and we know where that got us.

Additionally, is Obama the best Democratic candidate to run against whomever the Republicans nominate this year? Although the Republican field has failed so far to dazzle its party’s faithful -- let alone independents or Democrats -- rest assured that if the past is any guide the GOP nominee will do just about anything to keep the White House.

The Democratic nominee will need to be the kind of individual who has been through grueling campaigns and has the mettle not only to stand up to the Republican nominee’s hardball tactics but also to deliver a message of positive change that will take this country forward again.

Clinton has a long and substantial record of leadership fighting on behalf of working Americans and children, and it is this experience and her passion for creating a better country that would serve this nation so well.

Our country needs someone who can be president from Day One after taking the oath of office. Her steadiness and resolve certainly would aid us in reestablishing better relations with other nations after Bush’s go-it-alone foreign policy, not to mention a thoughtful and responsible policy regarding our combat troops in Iraq.

On domestic issues, such as the economy and health care, Clinton clearly has the best command of the issues, as was witnessed in Tuesday’s debate in Las Vegas. For example, in contrast to Obama’s health care plan, Clinton’s would truly offer universal health care coverage. She also has an economic stimulus plan, including tax rebates for working- and middle-class families, that could help jump-start our sluggish economy, which is in danger of heading into a recession. We need someone in the White House who can get our economy back to the way it was when Hillary’s husband, Bill, was president."

The Kansas City Star, the largest newspaper in the largest city in the very important Super Tuesday state of Missouri, also endorsed Sen. Clinton:

"Sen. Clinton would be the top choice for the Democratic nomination. She is a woman of obvious intelligence with a strong commitment to reform on health care, taxes, energy, immigration, education and global warming.

And Clinton gives voters a clear picture of what she has in mind. On health care, for instance, she offers a comprehensive program that would allow people to keep their current insurance coverage or choose from among the health plans available to members of Congress.

Despite her strong differences with Republicans, she has shown the ability to work with some of them in Congress. And from years of experience in Washington, she speaks thoughtfully about what the federal government can and can’t do.

Clinton has used her years in the Senate to develop considerable expertise in defense issues, serving on the Armed Services Committee.

She has properly criticized mistakes that have been made in Iraq and offered constructive suggestions to improve our military forces. Clinton also realizes that President Bush’s open-ended military commitment to Baghdad is a mistake.

As first lady and then a senator, Clinton developed a thorough knowledge of the world and many national or regional leaders.

She understands the need for more effective American diplomacy to deal with problems ranging from terrorism to global warming.

Some critics have focused on the mistakes of her husband’s administration. But if Sen. Clinton is to be held responsible for some of those mistakes — which is appropriate — she must also get credit for some of its successes. And there were, in fact, many successes."