Hillary Clinton endorses Biden
Washington, Apr 28 (efe-epa).- Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday endorsed ex-Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 race, describing him as a colleague and friend and as the leader that the United States needs at this time.
“Just think of what a difference it would make right now if we had a president who not only listened to the science – but brought us together,” said Clinton, who was participating with Biden in a women’s virtual town hall. “Think of what it would mean if we had a real president,” she continued, rather than a man who “plays one on TV,” a clear reference to President Donald Trump.
Clinton – who Biden on Tuesday called “a woman who should be president of the United States right now,” saying he wished he was campaigning for her re-election instead – was referring to the health crisis in the US, the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic with more than a million confirmed cases and more than 57,000 deaths so far.
The former US first lady, secretary of state and senator from New York joined the list of Democratic leaders who have expressed their support for Biden as the party’s presidential nominee, although he is practically assured of getting the nomination even though the primaries in several states have not yet been held before the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for this summer, at which he should be proclaimed the nominee.
“It’s a real pleasure to be here with you and to be part of this very important discussion,” Clinton said during the town hall meeting. “And I am thrilled to be part of your campaign to not only endorse you, but to help highlight a lot of the issues that are at stake in this presidential election.”
After recalling that she and Biden have agreed on issues and policy many times over the past 25 years, Clinton said that this is a time when the US needs a leader, a president, like Biden.
“I’ve been in the lobby of the Senate. I’ve been in the Cloak Room and I’ve watched Joe bring people together,” Clinton said. “We have a lot of the same values in common, the same work ethic, the same belief in America, the same focus on family. … We need a leader – a president – like Joe Biden.”
Both Clinton and Biden were part of Barack Obama’s 2009-2017 administration, during which Biden served as vice president and Clinton as secretary of state. Clinton had vied unsuccessfully with Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination during the 2008 campaign and secured the party’s nomination in 2016, but was defeated by Republican candidate Donald Trump in what was widely viewed as an astounding upset.
On April 14, Obama announced his support for Biden, a decision announced as the nation was – and still is – mired in the coronavirus crisis.
“If there’s one thing we’ve learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it’s that the spirit of looking out for one another can’t be restricted to our homes, or our workplaces, or our neighborhoods, or our houses of worship,” Obama said in his 11-minute-plus video endorsing Biden in mid-April. “It also has to be reflected in our national government.”
Biden – a former six-term US senator from Delaware – has also received the support of his former rivals for the 2020 Democratic nomination, the most recent to endorse him being progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and leftist Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
EFE
