Sen. Jay Rockefeller Endorses Obama

Arguably, the man who knows more about the present threats to the United States than any other Democrats -- he is the chairman of senate intelligence committee and gets to see all the top secret / codeword stuff -- Sen. Jay. Rockefeller -- endorses Sen. Barack Obama.

“As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am all too aware that the threats we face are unconventional. They are sophisticated. They are constantly changing and adapting. And they are very serious. What matters most in the Oval Office is sound judgment and decisive action. It’s about getting it right on crucial national security questions the first time – and every time.

“The indisputable fact is Barack Obama was right about Iraq when many of us were wrong. It was a tough call and the single greatest national security question, and mistake, of our time. Today, we remain a country at war, and countless mistakes over the last six and a half years have made us less safe. The stakes have never been higher, and that is why we must take a stand.

If you're Hillary Clinton, this one stings.

Comments

JDR IV goes back a very long time with the Clintons, and has enormous respect for HRC, having worked extremely closely with her since '93, perhaps more than any other Senator. This is a real testament that Sen. Obama has earned the trust that he is ready and capable of leading our country.

Posted by John Denver | February 29, 2008 5:18 PM

More like: If you're Marc Ambinder, this one stings

Posted by Natascha | February 29, 2008 6:28 PM

JDR IV is the ultimate fair weather friend. When he abandons you, you know it's time to throw in the towel. I can only wonder how this will go down in the Clinton Fuhrerbunker.

Posted by Texas Dem | February 29, 2008 6:52 PM

This is excellent news for Clinton. By earning Rockefeller's endorsement, Obama has set himself up to look terrible if he ever did make a misstep in foreign policy. Do we want a president who will look like he's handling everything well but then screw up? No! It's much better to have a president who is openly making a series of mistakes, so that we aren't disappointed. Good, he just keeps playing right into her hands....

Posted by moff | February 29, 2008 7:06 PM

Moff, great post.

When we get into the Fall campaign, and McCain tries this attack line, I look forward to Colin Powell's endorsement to counter him.

Posted by lostintranslation | February 29, 2008 9:20 PM

Hillary and Camp Clinton is the core of what is Wrong with Washington politics, do and say anthing to win no matter what is done to the country and the country's morale. "Senator Obama represents the bright future that is possible in America when ordinary people begin to take charge. Clinton and McCain certainly have a wealth of Washington experience, but Obama has tapped into our country’s enormous democratic potential, and that’s not merely exciting, it is invaluable to our future.” Jim Hightower, Texas columunist. The reason so many Senators are endorsing Obama is because they know with him, they have a chance of getting unity and not division, truth and not spin. Hillary Clinton still has not released her tax forms. As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Patrick Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation, that she would 'demonize' anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed; she couldn't even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her own party. (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate.) During the Whitehouse years, Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince Foster, and William Kennedy for positions in the Justice Department, White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later imprisoned, Foster committed suicide, and Kennedy was forced to resign. Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, Craig Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies (?Filegate?) and the widespread use of drugs by White House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him. FBI agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 1996, both the drug use and Hillary's involvement in hiring Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office, after serving seven presidents for over thirty years. - In order to open ?slots? in the White House for her friends the Thomasons), Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel Office fired; they were reported to the FBI for 'gross mismanagement' and their reputations ruined. Hillary refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor. After $80 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to President Clinton's being impeached by the House. ---- And Hillary almost got herself indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice (she avoided it mostly because she repeated, 'I do not recall,' 'I have no recollection,' and 'I don't know' 56 times under oath). - Hillary decided to seek election to the Senate in a state she had never lived in. Her husband pardoned FALN terrorists in order to get Latino support and the New Square Hassidim to get Jewish support. Hillary also had Bill pardon her brother's clients, for a small fee, to get financial support. - Then Hillary left the White House, but later had to return $200,000 in White House furniture, china, and artwork she had stolen. - In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary played the 'woman card' by portraying her opponent (Lazio) as a bully picking on her. - Hillary's husband further protected her by asking the National Archives to withhold from the public until 2012 many records of their time in the White House, including much of Hillary's correspondence and her calendars. (There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of those records.) - As the junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed no major legislation. Hillary's one notable vote; supporting the plan to invade Iraq, which she has never really apologized for -- quite a Resume.

Posted by Angellight | March 1, 2008 8:02 AM

I've seen very little coverage of this, which is arguably one of the most important endorsements of the season.

So much for the Media Hates Hillary meme.

Posted by Howard B. | March 2, 2008 3:14 PM

It's not one of the most important endorsements. Rockefeller is a lightweight jackass.

Posted by Tom | March 2, 2008 4:04 PM

When I first seen this news, I thought..IT'S A PLOY!! Trying to scatter the votes away from OBAMA..But, I see voters are liking this endorsment..I DON'T. I am afraid Obama is already BOUGHT.

Posted by jen | March 2, 2008 7:17 PM

Moff, your spin is so flagrantly, bountifully, marvelously twisted I lol!
You are speaking in jest - right?

Posted by ohgojo | March 2, 2008 7:30 PM

Moff, your spin is so flagrantly, bountifully, marvelously twisted I lol!
You are speaking in jest - right?

Posted by ohgojo | March 2, 2008 7:31 PM