NJ Governor McGreevey to Endorse Dean

McGreevey to back Dean in early gamble

Governor seeks to influence presidential race 6 months before state primary, adviser says

Gov. James E. McGreevey plans to endorse Howard Dean for president this week, becoming the first governor in the nation to do so, according to four Democrats familiar with the decision.

By backing the former Vermont governor six months before New Jersey's last-in-the-nation primary, McGreevey hopes to act when it counts while the Democratic nomination is still up for grabs, a gamble Dean no doubt would remember should he emerge as the party's presidential candidate.

The alliance is unexpected. McGreevey has ties to a centrist Democratic group that has criticized Dean as being too liberal, and he has been a strong supporter of President Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq. Dean's fierce opposition to the war anchors his candidacy.

But one McGreevey adviser who requested anonymity said, "The endorsement is not built around foreign affairs. It's built around who we think can lead the party to victory, quite frankly."

http://www.nj.com/statehouse/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-1/107155895812510.xml

:bounce:

Dean will be in Sun City this morning to chat with seniors and pick up the endorsement of former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt. Later, he will meet with the Arizona Republic Editorial Board.

In his first major foreign policy speech Monday, Dean stood firm in opposing the Iraqi war, a hallmark of President Bush's war against terror.

"Let me be clear: My position on the war has not changed," Dean said. "The capture of Saddam is a good thing, which I hope very much will help keep our soldiers safer. But the capture of Saddam has not made America safer."

Another day, another endorsement!

Dean will be in Sun City this morning to chat with seniors and pick up the endorsement of former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt. Later, he will meet with the Arizona Republic Editorial Board.

In his first major foreign policy speech Monday, Dean stood firm in opposing the Iraqi war, a hallmark of President Bush's war against terror.

"Let me be clear: My position on the war has not changed," Dean said. "The capture of Saddam is a good thing, which I hope very much will help keep our soldiers safer. But the capture of Saddam has not made America safer."

McGreevey had offered to meet with all of the Democratic presidential hopefuls. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Gephardt took McGreevey up on the offer. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark had planned to meet with McGreevey but canceled.



---Looks like Clark canceled---not a wise move.

still have the link in my clipboard to paste here. Guess we were reading the Blog together. :)

Excellent news. "It's built around who we think can lead the party to victory."

Actually I got it from Google News. Probably Pruner posted it to the blog. BTW where is Pruner tonight, did he get a time-out or something? :hi:

Keep rackin' 'em up!!

Juie

Guess who has the most superdelegates?

:-)

:kick:

So the first sitting governor endorses Dean.
Q: As a colleague and peer, what took him so long? Why are the other governors not endorsing Dean?

and not the members of Congress who are running? They work with these guys every day, and every time you turn around they are endorsing Dean.

Very few governors are endorsing anyone right now.