MANCHESTER –
Former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen threw her support behind John Kerry’s campaign for President at a press conference this morning at which John Kerry announced Gov. Shaheen will serve as the national chair of his presidential campaign.
“I believe it is vital to the future of this country that we replace George Bush in 2004, and that is why I am today endorsing John Kerry for president and have the honor of chairing his national campaign,” said Shaheen. “John Kerry is the only Democratic candidate with the combination of experience and leadership on national security and a lifetime of fighting for the issues critical to Democrats we need to beat George Bush and take this country in a new direction.”
Viewed as the most significant endorsement a Democratic candidate for president can earn in New Hampshire, Shaheen in 1996 was the first Democrat elected governor of New Hampshire in 16 years, and narrowly lost her bid for the U.S. Senate last year in this heavily Republican state. A veteran of presidential primary politics, Shaheen led Gary Hart’s New Hampshire campaign to an upset victory over Walter Mondale in 1984.
“In this post 9/11 world, the President must be someone with deep foreign policy and national security experience. George Bush has proven beyond any doubt that the presidency is not the place for on the job training on foreign policy and national security. Without a doubt, John Kerry has the military and foreign policy experience and leadership to make this country more secure and strong.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0923.html