Senator Robert Menendez set to endorse Hillary...

[SaveElmer]

WASHINGTON, June 11 — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, has picked up the endorsement of Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, one of the most influential Democrats in his state and a prominent Hispanic member of Congress, aides to both lawmakers said on Monday.

Mr. Menendez’s endorsement, which the aides said was to be announced on Tuesday, comes as Mrs. Clinton and her rivals for the nomination are aggressively courting Hispanic voters.

Those voters are likely to play a more important role in nominating a candidate in the next presidential election because several states with large Hispanic populations, including New Jersey, have moved their primaries or caucuses to early 2008.

...

Mrs. Clinton’s main rival, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, had reached out to Mr. Menendez in recent weeks in an apparent effort to win his support, according to one person close to Mr. Menendez.

The endorsement by Mr. Menendez, a Cuban-American raised in Union City, N.J., will help Mrs. Clinton solidify her standing in New Jersey, where Gov. Jon S. Corzine has already announced his support for her candidacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/us/politics/12menendez.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin

More at the link...

[ronnykmarshall]

1. Menendez is not to be trusted.

He is in the back pocket of the DLC. He is a puppet of KKKarl Rove. Menendez is an enemy of The People. I've seen Menendez shove a small child out the way in a McDonald's. Menendez eats at McDonald's.

Have got all the knee jerk Hill-Hater responses covered?

[SaveElmer]

3. Don't forget...

It's all name recognition...

[ShortnFiery]

4. "It's all name recognition..." Exactly! I'm less than impressed with DLC cronyism. n/t

[William769]

5. He's also hispanic.

Oh the horror!

[rinsd]

2. How many super-delegates does that make for Hillary?

Anyone know?

[jefferson_dem]

24. establishment.

candidate.

ack!

[ElizabethDC]

25. Yeah, that Obama is so anti-establishment.

It seems to me that Obama has his fair share of establishment support as well.

[rinsd]

26. Yeah Obama's a complete outsider fueled by the pennies and prayers of the people!

C'mon now.

If anything Obama and Clinton are the establishment candidates relying heavily on party apparatus to campaign and raise money.

[jefferson_dem]

27. Just the other day, Obama was being criticized for being a repuke operative

and now he's a "(Democratic) party apparatus" guy? He was slammed for lacking experience and now he's the "insider"?

I think it's clear to most objective observers who the real "establishment" candidate is... :bounce:

[rinsd]

29. Jeff_Dem, you are speaking with me.

I have never said he was a repuke operative or whatever nonsense you are referring to.

In fact I have complimented Obama on his using various party heavyweights numerous times.

"I think it's clear to most objective observers who the real "establishment" candidate is"

As is often with campaigns, perception rarely meeets reality. But I will certainly grant that Hillary is seen as the more establishment of the two.

[jefferson_dem]

30. Points well taken.

Cheers!

[rinsd]

31. Cheers to you as well

:toast:

Off to watch the Yanks.

[Colobo]

6. I have personally never liked Menendez, even when I was a Republican

He rubs me the wrong way.

[ronnykmarshall]

15. I love that picture of Hillary and Barack

[Totally Committed]

7. No surprise there... he's DLC and so is she.

TC

[illinoisprogressive]

8. Obama has Fiengold on his side. funny how he gets the cool people and not Hillary.

[ElizabethDC]

9. LOL. The "cool people"? Is this high school? n/t

[wyldwolf]

10. haven't you noticed? "Progressives" approach politics in a highschool/indie music kind of way.

[BlueStater]

11. Well, it does remind me of a high school election

Given the number of people here and elsewhere who are obsessed with John Edwards' hair and all.

[ronnykmarshall]

14. Oh and don't forget all the "hip" Hollywood types ..!

You know Obama has a lock on those.

Hillary only get the "old geezers".

[Tellurian]

12. Has Fiengold endorsed Obama?

I doubt he will!

Are you talking cool...or COLD!

[SaveElmer]

13. Is he gonna take you to the prom?...nt

[rinsd]

16. Feingold has yet to endorse anyone though he did praise Obama on Iraq.

"funny how he gets the cool people and not Hillary"

Cool people? Is that why you're such an ardent Obama supporter? So you can claim solidarity with cool people?

[William769]

18. Is Paris Hilton next?

[Colobo]

17. Let's focus on winning, not on endorsements.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

19. The establishment candidate gets an endorsement in her backyard

:boring:

[SaveElmer]

20. Well then why the excitement over Feingold...

Wisconsin borders Illinois.... :-)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

21. Feingold didn't even endorse Obama. He merely said Obama was better on 1 issue

Obama supporters want to portray him as the "change" candidate and what could be better to further this than an endorsement from progressive icon Feingold? I am sure you have noticed that when it comes to talk of "change" and a "new politics" we never hear any actual substantive ideas from Obama or his supporters. I wonder why? ;)

[SaveElmer]

22. Well...

I do agree with you there...I know Obama is a substantive person, but there hasn't been much substance in the campaign so far from him...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

28. How long will he be able to get away with this?

Will the media or other candidates ever call him on this? If he ever overtakes HRC she may be able to deflate him immediately with a "Where's the beef?" type moment like Mondale did to Hart.

[Tellurian]

32. Like when Obama dropped Edwards in the debate..

Although, Edwards did set himself up for it when Obama said, "you're 4 1/2 yrs too late."

I think that comment may have something to do with Edwards' waning popularity in the polls.

[rinsd]

23. self delete