Tom Vilsack, who recently dropped out of the Presidential race because it cost to damn much, will endorse Hillary Clinton for President next Monday when she drops by to see him in Iowa. The Clinton camp would not confirm this, but it is expected that the two term Iowa governor will be a big part of a major announcement planned for this Monday in Des Moines. Iowa is the first test in this race, and a win there is good for momentum into the rest of the caucuses. The race is so close now that every little bit helps. This could be just the boost Hillary needs to get past Obama for good. In a telephone interview with AP, Barack Obama had this to say about Vilsack’s endorsement of Hillary,
“Obviously he’s got credibility in Iowa and I think highly of him as a former governor. But my sense is this race will ultimately not be won, probably, on endorsements, but it will be more on who gives voice to the real hunger that the American people have for change right now,†Obama said in a telephone interview.
“The Clintons have been on the national scene for a real long time,†he said. “I think the surprise would be if they didn’t garner a lot of endorsements from well-established political figures.â€
Since dropping out of the race last month Vilsack has been courted by plenty of folks in the Democratic party. Many consider him a viable vice-presidential candidate. He has a reputation for being a centrist. During his campaign Vilsack called for the US to end it’s dependence on foreign oil, and encouraged alternative fuels. He has also been a critic of George Bush and his war in Iraq. It looks like Vilsack might now be running for vice-president, and he is betting it all on Hillary to win this thing. If Hillary does win in Iowa then I am sure Vilsack will be looking for a little pay back.
Alan Cosgrove