De Blasio finally gives backing to Hillary Clinton
Print Edition
NEW York City Mayor Bill de Blasio finally announced yesterday that he is backing Hillary Clinton for US president, a much-discussed endorsement that had prompted some criticism from fellow Democrats for being so long in coming.
The delay, which coincided with a push to make himself a national figure on liberal issues, had long puzzled some political observers because the mayor has longstanding ties with the Clintons.
De Blasio announced his endorsement during a high-point for Clinton’s presidential campaign. The former secretary of state has consolidated her status as the clear favorite for the Democratic nomination following a string of political triumphs, including a strong debate performance and the announcement by Vice President Joe Biden that he would not challenge her for the nomination.
With just over three months to go before the first primary contests, the Republican race remains far more crowded and unpredictable, as establishment favorites such as former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Senator Marco Rubio strive to emerge from the shadow of insurgent outsiders Donald Trump and retired surgeon Ben Carson.
De Blasio yesterday said Clinton was the candidate best suited to navigate Washington and actually enact liberal policies to combat income inequality.
“The candidate who I believe can fundamentally address income inequality effectively, the candidate who has the right vision and the right experience to get the job done is Hillary Clinton,” he said during an early morning appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
De Blasio worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton and was then plucked from relative political obscurity to run Hillary Clinton’s successful 2000 Senate campaign.
But de Blasio appeared on “Meet the Press” the April morning of Hillary Clinton’s campaign announcement and said that unlike other New York politicians — including both senators and Governor Andrew Cuomo — he would not automatically be backing the former Secretary of State.
Polls reflected that many New Yorkers felt that de Blasio was prioritizing the national over the municipal and many of his advisers in City Hall urged him to simply take the plunge and endorse Clinton.
Yesterday, he finally did, and he offered a spirited defense of his former boss.
“There’s a lot of spine there and a lot of steel there,” said de Blasio. “She has said what she believes in. This is a very sharp, progressive platform and she has the ability to follow through on it.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
